If you have recently signed up to work as an Uber driver, you may be wondering how your passengers will identify your vehicle.
How do you make your Uber car stand out to passengers requesting a ride?
You might want to invest in an Uber light or see if your city qualifies for the Uber beacon.
Keep reading to learn more about Uber light signs!
Table Of Contents
What Is an Uber Light?
An Uber light is a type of hardware device that lets passengers identify you as their Uber driver.
If you get this light through Uber, then it will have satellite sensing technologies that tell passengers where you’re located and provide colors linked to the passengers’ Uber app.
According to The Verge, you can display the device on the dashboard of your car, and it will show the color that the rider has chosen in the app.
A specifically colored light can be especially helpful at crowded events when multiple Uber drivers are picking up passengers.
Do you want to stand out among your competitors in the Uber driving world?
Having an Uber light can help you get better driver ratings because it helps your passengers find you more easily.
Are Uber Lights Legal?
Whether or not Uber lights are legal highly depends on the state where you are driving.
For example, in the state of Kansas, any light-displaying devices that are not a natural white, amber, or a shade between white and amber are not allowed to be turned on when driving your vehicle.
The police can even pull you over for displaying a green, glowing Uber sign.
It is okay if you want to use the lights when you are pulling over and picking up a passenger.
However, you may want to turn off those Uber lights when driving.
In addition, you will find that illuminating the road with red or blue lights on your vehicle is likely illegal.
We advise against these colors in most States.
As such, if your car displays a blue or red Uber light sign, you may need to turn off the lights whenever you are driving.
When you are pulling up and picking up passengers, then you can turn those lights back on.
Uber Vehicle Identification: A Primer
After matching a driver and rider, the Uber app provides info of the vehicle and driver to the passenger.
The passenger sees a small photo of the driver and their car, license plate number, and the make and model of the vehicle.
Uber’s Vehicle Identification Policy
To ensure passenger safety, Uber has developed multiple steps of protection.
First, Uber will send a photo of the driver and automobile.
Second, the rider will receive number plate information and the make and model of the car.
Uber added another layer of protection in 2020 in which both the driver and rider will have a four-digit pin code to enter into the Uber app before the passenger gets into the car.
According to Business Insider, Uber now includes a photograph of the car in its app.
They are also starting to use a specific color for the on-screen vehicle representing your specific Uber car on their virtual map.
Why Uber Vehicle Identification is Necessary
These types of safety featured are incredibly important for keeping both drivers and passengers safe on the road.
Uber instituted the four-digit pin code after a young woman got into the wrong car of a man impersonating her Uber driver who subsequently murdered her.
Types of Uber Lights
There are multiple types of Uber lights available for the average Uber driver, varying from official Uber lights known as the Uber beacon to third-party Uber light signs.
Check out our information below to learn about the difference between official Uber lights and those from a third party.
Difference Between Official Uber Lights vs Third-Party
One of the biggest differences between the official Uber beacon lights and third-party Uber signs is that Uber beacon sends reminders to riders to tell them to wear their seat belt, exit curbside, and close car doors gently.
Types of Uber Lights
There are different types of Uber lights ranging from Uber beacon to an Uber glow logo light sign, along with removable light LED Urban driver signs from third-party sellers.
You can power these signs with a USB cable.
Along with light-up signs, you can also find magnetic signs and window signs for Uber drivers.
Official Uber Light: The Uber Beacon Light
Uber is testing lights called beacons, which affix to car windscreens and have multiple colors to help identify your vehicle for passengers.
This beacon light is a free gift for your vehicle that Uber drivers from select cities will receive upon signing up to drive for this program.
This isn’t the first time Uber has tried a colored light.
They tried out color-changing “Spot” lights in Seattle in 2015.
Uber also used to give blue Uber logo lights to drivers until competitors complained about the lights.
What is an Uber Beacon?
Uber beacon has a color-matching technology that relies on interaction from your rider to pick a specific color on the app.
Then, the driver displays the same color on the Uber beacon positioned on their car’s dashboard.
How Does the Uber Beacon Work?
You can install the Uber beacon by following the steps below.
- Make sure the dashboard is clean and dry
- Attach the beacon to its base
- Put the beacon in the center of the dashboard with the logo facing outward to ensure riders can see the screen upon entering the car
- Find the sticker on the bottom of the beacon and peel it off
- Press the beacon device firmly in place on your dashboard
- Use the cable Uber provides to plug in and power up your beacon device
Where Can I Get an Uber Beacon?
There are only specific cities where you can get an Uber beacon.
Uber initially tested the lights in Newcastle, Miami, Denver, and Nashville.
If you are an Uber driver from the following cities, you can get these new lights delivered to your home.
- Atlanta
- Baltimore
- Chicago
- Dallas
- Denver
- Houston
- Las Vegas
- Miami
- Nashville
- Orlando
- Phoenix
- Tampa Bay
- Washington, DC
More cities should follow next year.
Contact Uber support if you are a new driver and have questions about how to get an Uber beacon.
Official Uber Signs
Once you sign up to be an Uber driver, you’ll find that there are official Uber signs for your vehicle.
The company will send you Uber decals or stickers you can put on your car when driving for Uber.
However, you’ll need to remove this signage when you are not driving passengers for Uber.
Uber Sticker/Uber Decal
Local regulations require you to have an Uber decal on your car.
If you are not online using the Uber app to drive passengers, then you need to remove the Uber sticker or decal on your vehicle.
You should remove any Uber decals and discard them or sent them back to the company if you have deleted your account and no longer wish to drive for Uber.
Third-Party Uber Lights
Aside from Uber’s official Beacon and decal, there are other third party suppliers that provide lights.
Listed below are some of the best and top-rated third-party Uber lights and light-up signs.
1. Rideshare Accessories LED Light Sign
The Rideshare Accessories LED Light Sign from Perseverante is a great option for drivers looking for an Uber light.
This sign is an extremely bright LED light sign that your passengers will see on the darkest of nights or in cars with the darkest window tint.
- Why you should get this: You might want to get this glowing sign due to its sleek design and one-year warranty replacement.
- Why you should get this: The glue on this light-up sign can melt if you leave it in your car all day.
2. Sdootauto Taxi LED Sign Decor
The Sdootauto Taxi LED Sign Decor is another driver favorite.
This Taxi LED Sign will illuminate your vehicle late at night and on rainy or foggy days.
The glowing sign allows you to change its colors based on driving conditions.
- Why you should get this: This Uber light is easy to install and comes with suction cups.
- Why you should get this: This Uber light comes in blue and green colors, which may be illegal to use while driving in your location.
3. LED Taxi Display Signal Lights
Last on our list is the LED Taxi Display Signal Lights.
You can put this light display on the outside of your vehicle.
It is also waterproof and sun-proof, depending upon the weather.
- Why you should get this: It has strong suction and is very bright.
- Why you should get this: This Uber light says “Taxi” instead of “Uber,” which may confuse your passengers.
Alternative: Third-Party Uber Signs
Below are three of the top-rated and third-party Uber decal signs.
1. AS PRO Custom-Made Display Decal for Uber/Lyft Rideshare
The AS PRO Custom-Made Display Decal for Uber/Lyft Rideshare is a great decal to add to your windshield, side windows, or back windows.
- Why you should get this: The company can custom-made your decal to include your name and a professional, laminated Uber logo.
- Why you should not get this: This decal does not come with the Uber logo, so you need to print it off yourself.
2. Face Mask Required Sign Sticker
The Face Mask Required sign is a hot sign in the age of COVID-19.
This sticker is easy to see due to its contrasting colors.
- Why you should get this: This Uber decal is waterproof and tear-resistant.
- Why you should not get this: You can only display this decal on the inside of your car, so the riders about to enter the car won’t see it.
3. No Smoking Sign Sticker
No driver can go without a No Smoking sign for their rideshare vehicle.
This sign makes it easy for passengers to see that smoking inside the vehicle isn’t allowed.
- Why you should get this: This sticker is easy to stick onto the inside of your car’s windows.
- Why you should not get this: You might find that these stickers are too small for your car.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are questions people frequently ask about different types of Uber lights.
Am I legally required to display my sign?
This depends on your city.
Some markets require you to display signs on both your front and back windshield whenever you’re in driver mode.
This applies whether you’re giving an Uber or Lyft ride.
The specifics of where you have to display the sign can also vary based on where you’re operating.
If you have any questions about these matters as a new driver for Uber or Lyft, you can contact Uber support or Lyft support for guidance.
Will having a sign cause problems with pedestrians or other cars?
No, it shouldn’t.
Displaying a sign on the inside or outside of your Lyft or Uber car is perfectly legal, and you shouldn’t need to worry about operating in any sort of “stealth mode” for fear of what other people think.
That being said, you may encounter the occasional person who is hostile towards you just for being a rideshare driver.
If this happens, you can always contact the police if you feel unsafe (and call either the Uber or Lyft phone number for further support).
Do I need a sign as a food delivery driver?
If you’re delivering food for a platform like Uber Eats, Postmates, or Grubhub, you probably don’t need a sticker or sign.
The requirements generally only apply to rideshare drivers.
That being said, you should always check the requirements of your specific company and city to be sure.
How Do I Turn Off My Uber Beacon light?
You can turn off the Uber beacon light in your Uber app settings.
Does Lyft Have a Light Like Uber?
Lyft drivers have a light like Uber known as Lyft Amp.
The Lyft Amp works very similarly to the Uber Beacon light.
Wrapping Up
Now that you have read through our guide on Uber light signs, you should be ready to pick the right one for your car.
Going forward, you shouldn’t have any problems with passengers identifying your vehicle.
