Are you interested in becoming a Lyft rideshare driver?
If you’d like to add this gig to your resume and make some extra money, then you’ll need to learn all about Lyft car requirements.
This guide will provide you with all the details about the criteria your car will need to meet before you can become a Lyft driver.
Let’s get started!
Table Of Contents
- What are Lyft Car Requirements?
- Why Does Lyft Have Car Requirements for Drivers?
- Things to Keep in Mind
- Minimum Lyft Car Requirements
- Lyft Car Requirements by Service
- Lyft Car Requirements by State
- The Best Vehicles for Lyft Drivers
- How to Rent a Car for Lyft Driving
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Does Your Car Qualify?
What are Lyft Car Requirements?
You can’t drive with Lyft unless you have the right vehicle.
The Lyft vehicle requirements are not complicated — primarily, the company wants you to have a vehicle that is safe and reliable.
But beyond these basic requirements, there are also individual state requirements (and sometimes city requirements) that your vehicle must meet.
Every town and city or state has its own Lyft car requirements.
These vary by city, but the general principles remain the same.
Why Does Lyft Have Car Requirements for Drivers?
The main reason Lyft has vehicle requirements is due to ensuring the safety of its drivers and passengers.
If a car is too old, it is much more likely to break down.
With older cars, the brakes may fail and lead to a car accident.
This is why drivers are required that their automobile passes a Lyft vehicle inspection.
Things to Keep in Mind
You will need to be aware that Lyft car requirements depend on the state you’re driving in.
Also, you should keep in mind that Lyft can change automotive criteria with no notice.
Lyft Car Requirements Can Vary by State
You will find that Lyft car requirements vary greatly by state.
For instance, in New Hampshire, you will need a vehicle from 2003 or newer while, in South Dakota, your car will need to be from 2009 or later.
Lyft Can Change Car Requirements Without Notice
Lyft can make adjustments to its vehicle criteria policies with no notice.
It seems that new changes occur at least on a yearly basis.
You will need to stay abreast of any new adjustments to their policies on a regular basis if you’re going to be a Lyft driver.
Minimum Lyft Car Requirements
You will need to have a vehicle with four doors and at least five seat belts.
You will also need to have a car that meets your state’s model year requirement.
The Minimum Requirements Every Vehicle Must Meet
Your four-door car will need to have at least five seatbelts and no more than eight.
There are also a number of subcompact cars that are not eligible for Lyft driving.
These include:
- Chevrolet
- Mazda 2
- Mini Cooper
- Pontiac G3
- Ford Fiesta
- Hyundai Accent
- Kia Rio
- And more
Every automobile will also need to undergo and pass inspection.
The Lyft Inspection Every Vehicle Must Pass
You will need to have your car undertake an auto inspection at a state-sanctioned inspection site.
The vehicle inspection will cover the safety features of your car, such as seat belts, tires, brakes, lights, mirrors, and windows.
Furthermore, your car cannot have major dents bigger than the size of a baseball.
You can’t have severe damage to your car or very faded paint.
Also, you can’t have any missing parts to your vehicle, or it won’t pass the inspection.
Lyft Car Requirements by Service
You will also find that the car you drive for Lyft may qualify for different services, such as a luxury car.
Lyft Standard Car Requirements
Below, we outline the requirements for a standard car driven for the Lyft platform.
Regular Lyft Rides, Wait & Save, and More
As a standard Lyft driver, you will need to provide regular Lyft rides, Lyft Wait and Save rides, and Priority Pickup.
Regular Lyft rides can carry up to three passengers.
Wait & Save rides allow passengers to get a lower price while waiting longer for the ride during busy times.
Priority Pickup, on the other hand, allows passengers to get their ride faster at a somewhat higher price.
Requirements for Cars
Standard Lyft vehicles will need to have four doors and at least five seat belts as well as meet the state’s model-year requirements.
Examples of Eligible Cars
Some great examples of eligible standard cars for Lyft include:
- 2020 Subaru Impreza
- 2020 Subaru Legacy
- 2020 Ford Fusion
- 2020 Honda Insight
- 2020 Mazda 6
- 2020 Honda Accord
- 2020 Honda Civic
- 2020 Toyota Camry
Lyft Luxury Car Requirements
Is your car awesome?
Are you wondering whether it meets the Lyft luxury car requirements?
Keep reading to find out.
You may even be able to make more money if your car qualifies for one of the premium options.
Requirements for Cars
A Lyft luxury car has to be an SUV or a high-end sedan with a leather interior.
This type of vehicle will also need at least four seats.
Your car will need to be from 2014 or newer to be eligible.
In Houston, Texas, the requirement for a luxury car is from 2016 or later.
In addition, to qualify for driving passengers via the Lyft Luxury car service or the Luxury Black service, you will need to have at least a 4.85 driver rating.
Examples of Eligible Cars
Some examples of eligible Lyft luxury cars are:
- Acura MDX
- Audi S5 Sportback
- Bentley Continental Flying Spur
- BMW M6 Gran Coupe
- Buick Enclave
- Cadillac Escalade
- Chevrolet Tahoe
- Ford Expedition
- GMC Yukon
- InfinitiJX35
- Kia K900
- Land Rover Range Rover Sport
- Lexus GS
- Lincoln Continental
- Mercedes-Benz S-Class
- Porsche Cayenne
- Tesla Model 3
- Toyota Sequoia
Lyft XL Vehicle Requirements
Do you have a large vehicle that can fit a lot of people?
If so, your car may qualify as a Lyft XL vehicle.
Below, we define the requirements for a Lyft XL automobile.
Requirements for Vehicles
To qualify as a Lyft XL vehicle, your car will need to be seven years old or less.
You will need to have a four-door car in which the passengers can easily open each door.
Most importantly, you’ll need to have a car with at least six seats and seat belts.
Some requirements may also vary depending on your state or city.
Examples of Eligible Vehicles
The type of cars that are eligible to drive as a Lyft XL automobile include:
- 2014 Toyota Sienna
- 2014 Honda Odyssey
- 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander
- 2014 Ford Explorer
- 2014 Dodge Caravan
Lyft Black XL Vehicle Requirements
Only the best vehicles on the market will qualify for the Lyft Black XL service.
This is a luxury car service that requires plenty of space and a leather interior.
Keep reading to find out if your car qualifies.
Requirements for Vehicles
To qualify, you need a black-colored SUV with a leather interior.
In addition, it needs to seat at least six passengers and should have more space for luggage.
If you do have a vehicle that qualifies, you could make more money and transport more passengers under this service.
Examples of Eligible Vehicles
There are a wide variety of SUVs that can qualify for the Lyft Black XL service.
Some of these options are shown below.
- Audi Q7
- BMW X7
- Cadillac Escalade
- Chevrolet Suburban
- Ford Expedition
- GMC Yukon
- Lincoln Navigator
- Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
- Tesla Model X
Lyft Access Vehicle Requirements
Can your car accommodate passengers with motorized wheelchairs and scooters?
If so, you may be able to register your automobile as a Lyft Access or wheelchair-accessible vehicle.
Keep reading to find out if you qualify.
Requirements for Vehicles
Whether a car is able to accommodate foldable wheelchairs or motorized ones, they will qualify for this program.
Your vehicle will need to have a large enough trunk or backseat to safely and firmly fit the wheelchair without obstructing your view when you’re driving.
Examples of Eligible Vehicles
The type of eligible wheelchair-accessible vehicles you can drive for Lyft Access includes the following:
- Hyundai Sonata
- Ford Mustang
- Subaru Forester
- Jeep Grand Cherokee
- Chevrolet Silverado
- Kia Soul
- Honda Odyssey
- VMI Honda Pilot Northstar E
Any of these wheelchair-accessible vehicles should be eligible to drive for Lyft Access.
Lyft Car Seat Requirements
The policy on the Lyft platform regarding car seats is that parents with children need to bring their own car seats.
So if you’re a parent with a baby or a child, you’ll need to bring the appropriate car seat when getting a ride on Lyft.
Furthermore, drivers can refuse to give you a ride if you do not have a car seat with you.
In such a case, you’ll have to pay a cancellation fee.
If you don’t want to have your ride canceled, be sure to bring a car seat for your child.
Even if your child is eight years old, he or she may still need a booster seat.
Lyft Car Requirements by State
Below you’ll find the current Lyft vehicle and document requirements for each state (or city, where applicable), including the vehicle age requirements.
Click on the name of the state to skip to that section.
The Best Vehicles for Lyft Drivers
If you’re going to be a Lyft driver, you’ll want to have a high Lyft rating from each passenger.
As such, you’ll need a comfortable and spacious vehicle with extra amenities.
If you want your customers to be satisfied and get more passengers, then you’ll want to drive one of the following vehicles.
Take a peek at our list of the best vehicles for Lyft drivers below.
- 2018 Toyota Prius
- 2016 Kia Soul
- 2015 Honda Odyssey
- 2016 Honda CR-V
- 2015 Toyota Camry
- 2015 Lexus ES
Any of these vehicles would be an excellent choice for your rideshare car.
To make the most profit, you’ll want to accept all eligible ride types even if your vehicle is eligible for a luxury car service or the Lyft XL service.
Suggested:
Learn more about the best cars for Lyft drivers today.
How to Rent a Car for Lyft Driving
If you don’t own a car, you can rent one out and become a Lyft driver that way.
Find out how you can rent a car for Lyft driving below.
1. Lyft Express Drive Program
This is a program in which anyone in the United States can rent a car to drive passengers through the Lyft platform.
The Express Drive program has two partners through which you can rent a vehicle: Flexdrive and Hertz.
2. Hyrecar
You can also rent a car to drive for Lyft or Uber via the Hyrecar rental service.
You’ll be happy to learn that Hyrecar has many different types of vehicles to choose from.
Frequently Asked Questions
Still confused on the Lyft car requirements?
Check out some of the most frequently asked questions below to get answers and get on the road.
Does Lyft accept temporary registration or paper plates?
Yes, Lyft will accept temporary registration or paper plates.
However, you may have difficulty uploading short-lived documents, and it is possible that your state or city may not let you drive Lyft with a temporary registration.
If you do have temporary documents, you can upload them to the Lyft driver app or contact the Lyft support team.
Does your vehicle need to be in your name to meet the Lyft vehicle requirements?
Your car does not need to be registered in your name.
However, your car insurance policy needs to include your name in order to drive for Lyft.
Therefore, you can drive a leased or rented car.
If my car gets rejected by Lyft, can I still re-apply to drive?
Re-applying to Lyft after getting rejected may be a complicated process, but it can be done.
You should be able to re-apply about six months after you are rejected.
Does Your Car Qualify?
After reading this guide, you should have a very good idea about which cars qualify for Lyft driving.
If you’d like to become a Lyft driver, you can either purchase the right vehicle or even rent one to make some extra cash.
Whether you drive for the Lyft Luxury Car service or the Standard Car service, you’ll be happy to have an extra gig to help you pay the bills.
I’m considering buying either a Hyundai Kona or a Chevy Bolt. Before I decide, I wanted to make sure that I can use either one for Lyft driving. CAN I???