Lyft offers qualifying individuals across the globe an easy way to work full-time or supplement their income. This has led many people to look into applying for Lyft.
However, the application process can take some time and cause delays in some cases. This has led people to wonder how long it takes to get approved by Lyft.
Table of Contents
How Long Will It Take To Get Approved by Lyft?
On average, it will take around 3-10 days to get approved by Lyft. Most drivers are approved in about five days. The reason for the delay is due to Lyft’s background screening process. They look into your driving and criminal record. The process can take 3-5 days without hiccups.
What Are the Longest and Shortest Time Frames?
The average Lyft approval time is around 3-10 days. However, some drivers have been approved in as little as 12-48 hours. Other drivers have had to wait around two weeks to hear back from the company. Your mileage will vary depending on your circumstance.
Why Does It Take So Long?
The background check is the main reason you can experience delays while waiting for approval. The background screening process can take, on average, 3-5 days to come back, assuming there aren’t any hiccups. Criminal records and poor driving history can make this process take longer than expected.
What Is Lyft’s Background Screening Process?
Lyft conducts a comprehensive background screening on all of its drivers to make sure they’re eligible to drive for the company. The background screening is integrated into the application process.
You’ll get to a stage in your application where you’re required to supply your Social Security Number. You’ll also be required to agree to their terms and conditions. After that, Lyft will run a criminal background check through Checkr. Checkr is a secure third-party platform that’s used by other companies such as Postmates and DoorDash.
The background screening process is one hundred percent free for new drivers. The process can take around 3-5 days on average. However, delays can prolong the process for several weeks.
What Do They Check For?
Lyft is searching for any red flags on your motor vehicle record and criminal report. These red flags could be violent crimes or traffic violations.
However, it’s possible to be approved even if you have a few infractions or convictions. This will depend on the kind of offense, when it happened, and whether or not it was a repeat offense.
Lyft uses Checkr for its background screening process. The company will pull from national, county departments, and other local-level databases to find the complete history.
They’ll also check databases like the Department of Motor Vehicles, the National Sex Offender Registry, and the Federal Criminal Records database in the United States.
What Can Disqualify Me on My Driving Record?
Lyft drivers will have to pass safety criteria check-in at their specific locations. However, there are some disqualifying factors regardless of where you live.
Disqualifying factors for driving records include:
- Three or more moving infractions, not limited to car injuries and traffic light infractions (in the past three years)
- Major moving infractions, like reckless riding and driving using an invalid license (in the past three years)
- DWI or other substance-related driving infractions in the past seven years
- Severe driving-relation convictions, like hit-and-runs and car-based felonies (in the past seven years)
What Else Can Disqualify Me?
Lyft has even more strict criteria when it comes to criminal background screenings. You can’t have any of the following convictions or infractions on your record:
- Violent crimes like aggravated assault, burglary, arson, kidnapping, robbery, homicide, etc.
- Sexual offenses like sexual assault and rape
- Any acts of terrorism
- Any fraud-related infractions in the past seven years
- Any substance or drug-related infractions in the past seven years
- Stealing or property damage infractions in the past seven years
Lyft may also search for any alcohol, drug, or substance-related violations. Individuals listed on the National Sex Offender Registry are automatically disqualified.
Keep in mind that the disqualifying deadlines for certain crimes can vary depending on your local jurisdiction. However, multiple small misdemeanors won’t make you ineligible to work for Lyft. If you have minor infractions like running past a stop sign, you may still want to apply.
When Will I Hear Back From Lyft?
Depending on your circumstance, you may hear back from Lyft in 3-10 days. Most drivers get approved in this time frame or in as little as 48 hours. The leading cause of delays is the criminal and motor vehicle screenings. However, the process will take 3-5 days on average without any hiccups.