Lyft Background Check: All About
- Blog
- Lyft Background Check: All About
Lyft Background Checks - Status, Updates, Delays, and How to Handle Errors!
Wondering what Lyft checks in your background? Discover the key factors, how to track your status, and steps to take if you find any errors in your report. Get the full guide.
Lyft is known as one of the largest ride-share companies in the world. This means the company’s background check process is designed to be thorough and rigorous, prioritizing the safety and trust of drivers, riders, and the broader community.
Unfortunately, Lyft’s third party background partners sometimes make mistakes and cause current drivers and those seeking employment to lose out on valuable opportunities. When this happens, it’s critical to have a background check attorney, with the skills to navigate the complexities of these cases, advocate for your rights and help you correct errors that could unfairly impact your livelihood.
Lyft Background Check Requirements
There are a few general requirements you’ll need to become a Lyft driver, including:
- Meet the minimum age requirement for your location
- Possess a valid driver's license
- Have at least 1-year of licensed driving experience
- Own a 4-door vehicle with a minimum of 5 seatbelts
- Provide valid vehicle registration and insurance
- Pass a criminal background check
- Pass a driving record check
- Complete any required vehicle inspections
- Obtain a business license if required by your city or state
To drive with Lyft, you must meet your location’s minimum age requirement (typically 21–25), hold a valid driver's license, have at least one year of licensed driving experience if required by your state, and own a 4-door vehicle with at least 5 seatbelts. Additionally, you need valid vehicle registration and insurance, and must pass criminal background and driving record checks. Depending on local regulations, a vehicle inspection and business license may also be necessary.
For more detailed information, you can refer to Lyft's official driver requirements page.
Lyft Background Check Disqualifiers
The following records will usually disqualify your Lyft application.
- More than three moving violations
- DUI or drug-related driving violations
- Violent crimes, sexual offenses, or theft-related convictions
- Felonies
- Major violations
Lyft generally reviews offenses within the last 3-7 years. Moving and major violations: 3 years. Alcohol and drug-related driving: 7 years. Violent crimes, sexual offenses, theft-related convictions, and felonies: 7 years.
Who Does Lyft Use for Background Checks?
Lyft partners with a third-party company called Checkr, Inc., (Checkr) to run its background checks.
Checkr is a background check company that provides screening services for employers, including rideshare companies like Lyft. They utilize artificial intelligence (AI) and automation to deliver background checks efficiently, aiming to streamline the hiring process.
However, Checkr has faced legal challenges related to inaccuracies in their background reports. For instance, in the case of Conde v. Checkr, plaintiffs alleged that Checkr's reports contained incorrect information, potentially leading to employment denials.
These legal issues highlight the importance of ensuring the accuracy of background check reports, as errors can significantly impact individuals' employment opportunities.
Lyft conducts a comprehensive criminal background check as part of its driver application process. This check includes a review of national databases to identify any disqualifying offenses, such as violent crimes, sexual offenses, acts of terror, and certain fraud-related or drug-related offenses. The evaluation period for these offenses typically spans the past seven years, though this timeframe may vary based on regional regulations. Applicants with convictions in these categories may be deemed ineligible to drive on the Lyft platform.
In addition to the criminal background check, Lyft requires U.S. drivers to undergo a driving record check conducted by a third-party company, Safety Holdings Inc. This assessment reviews the applicant's driving history to ensure it meets Lyft's safety standards. Potential disqualifiers include an invalid license status (such as suspended, surrendered, or expired licenses) and four or more moving infractions within the last three years. These criteria are evaluated against Lyft's internal safety guidelines and applicable regulations.
As stated previously, you may be ineligible to drive on the Lyft platform if your background check results reveal that you do not meet Lyft’s minimum requirements.
How Long Does a Lyft Background Check Take?
Background checks typically take a couple of days to process, though some may take longer. You can monitor your background check status by logging into the Checkr applicant portal. Lyft reviews these results to determine driver eligibility.
If your background check is taking longer than expected (2-10 days), it could be due to unforeseen circumstances like natural disasters or court closures. If you are concerned that it is taking too long to complete, reach out to the screening company and request your application status.
You applied to drive for Lyft, went through the emotional roller coaster of the background check, and now it is taking FOREVER to get your results? You’re not alone! This seems to be a common complaint among applicants who have experienced unusually longer than normal application processing times.
Your application might be taking so long because it is on hold, pending, or there could be some other issues like background check errors that will cause you to either fail a screening or have your Lyft account deactivated by no fault of your own!
Lyft Background Check Status
If Lyft’s background check process is taking longer than ten days, it could mean that something is wrong but not always. Typically, if you did not pass a screening, you should receive a status update of either “denied,” or “failed”, but the status labels can vary at times.
For longer than expected results, contact Checkr or Lyft to find out if your status is available yet. Usually if nothing is wrong - your application will still be pending or in review. If you need to provide additional details, you should be alerted by Checkr and required to provide the missing documents in order for Lyft to fully consider your application.
If your background check is delayed or marked as suspended, you should receive an email from Checkr as a “no-reply” address with instructions. If you do not receive an email, visit the Checkr Candidate Portal to request the most up-to-date information.
If you notice that something on your background check was flagged or there is inaccurate and incomplete information, you have a legal right to dispute the results with Checkr through the Checkr applicant portal. However, we highly suggest disputing via certified mail because it preserves your rights and also creates a document trail.
Checkr may update your background report through the dispute process and usually has about 30- days to do so!
Lyft Deactivated Your Account After a Background Check
Lyft may deactivate your account if they find issues with your background check, such as a criminal record or driving violations. You can contact Lyft to understand the reason and, in some cases, appeal the decision.
If Lyft deactivated your account, check your background report for errors. Lyft may deactivate accounts based on safety concerns, but you can challenge the results or provide additional documents.
There are some ways you can avoid being disqualified including answering all application questions honestly, providing the required documents when requested, keeping your driver's license, insurance, and other driver requirements up to date.
The harsh reality is that many drivers do all of these things and still face deactivation because of false background check results - and when that happens, you need answers. We have you covered!
How to Dispute Lyft Background Checks
If Lyft deactivates your account due to issues found in your background check conducted by Checkr, you can dispute any inaccurate information by getting a copy of your background check report, highlighting the errors, disputing with Checkr via certified mail, and waiting 30-days for a response.
First, request a copy of your background check report from Checkr. Review it carefully to identify errors and discrepancies. Once you've found the inaccuracies, gather any relevant documentation to support your claim. Then, submit a dispute directly to Checkr via certified U.S. mail, outlining the errors and providing supporting evidence. Checkr is required to investigate your dispute and provide results within 30-days.
If Checkr fails to correct the errors, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, (FCRA) allows you to hold the screening company accountable, which could include taking legal action if necessary.
Daniel Cohen is the Founder of Consumer Attorneys. Daniel manages the firm’s branding, marketing, client intake and business development efforts. Since 2017, he is a member of the National Association of Consumer Advocates and the National Consumer Law Center. Mr. Cohen is a nationally-recognized practitioner of consumer protection law. He has a we... Read more
Related Articles
