If you‘re thinking about signing up to become an Uber Eats delivery driver, one of the first things you‘re probably wondering is: Does Uber Eats require background checks? The short answer is yes. But there‘s a lot more you should know about Uber Eats‘ background check process before you apply.
In this ultimate guide, we‘ll cover everything from what the background check entails to how long it takes to whether you can still get hired with a criminal record. Plus, we‘ll compare Uber Eats‘ policies to other popular food delivery services.
Whether you‘re just curious or seriously considering becoming an Uber Eats driver, read on for our complete breakdown of the background check process from a retail and consumer expert perspective.
Background Checks Are Required for All Uber Eats Drivers
First, let‘s make one thing crystal clear: Every single Uber Eats driver applicant must consent to and pass a background check before they can start delivering food. No exceptions. This is a standard requirement across the board, and there‘s no way to get around it.
While this may seem like an inconvenience, background checks are an important safety measure for any company that hires workers to interact directly with customers. And for a food delivery service like Uber Eats, screening drivers is especially crucial. Here‘s why:
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Safety concerns. Uber Eats has a responsibility to protect its customers by ensuring their delivery drivers are safe and trustworthy. Background checks help the company identify applicants with violent criminal histories or other red flags.
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Liability issues. If an Uber Eats driver with a sketchy background harmed a customer, the company could be held liable for negligent hiring practices. Thorough background checks reduce this risk.
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Brand reputation. Uber Eats‘ reputation would take a serious hit if it came out that they hired dangerous criminals as delivery drivers. Background checks maintain the brand‘s image of safety and reliability.
So while background checks add a step to the Uber Eats sign-up process, they‘re not just for show. These screenings are a key part of the company‘s vetting process for new drivers.
What Do Uber Eats Background Checks Cover?
Now, let‘s take a closer look at what exactly an Uber Eats background check entails. When the company screens a delivery driver applicant, what information are they looking for?
Uber Eats background checks have two main components:
1. Criminal Background Check
The first aspect is a criminal history check. Using a service called Checkr, Uber Eats searches for any felony or misdemeanor convictions on an applicant‘s record from the past 7 years.
These screenings pull data from multiple sources, including:
- National criminal databases
- Federal criminal records
- State criminal records
- County criminal records
- Sex offender registries
- Global watchlists
Essentially, Uber Eats wants to know if you have any serious blemishes on your record that could make you a danger to customers. Offenses they‘re looking for include violent crimes, sexual assaults, major thefts, fraud, and drug trafficking, to name a few.
2. Motor Vehicle Record Check
In addition to your criminal history, Uber Eats will also review your driving record. After all, delivery drivers need to have a safe and legal track record behind the wheel.
An Uber Eats background check looks at your motor vehicle record (MVR) to verify that you have a valid, unexpired driver‘s license. It also pulls your history of moving violations, accidents, and other infractions over the past 3-7 years (depending on the state).
Red flags on your driving record could include:
- DUIs or DWIs
- Speeding tickets
- Running red lights/stop signs
- At-fault accidents
- License suspensions or revocations
Basically, Uber Eats needs to confirm that you‘re legally allowed to drive in your area and that you don‘t have a pattern of reckless or irresponsible behavior on the road.
Uber Eats Background Check Criteria
Based on the criminal and driving history that shows up on your background check, Uber Eats will decide if you meet their standards to become a delivery driver. But what exactly are those standards?
While the company looks at each application on a case-by-case basis, here are the general criteria that could disqualify you from passing an Uber Eats background check:
- Any felony convictions in the past 7 years
- Any violent crimes (assault, battery, homicide, etc.)
- Any sexual offenses (rape, sexual abuse of minors, etc.)
- Registered sex offender status
- Any terrorism-related offenses
- DUIs or serious traffic violations in the past 7 years
- Suspended, revoked or invalid driver‘s license
- Lack of required driving experience (3 years if under 25)
Uber Eats states on their website that their number one priority is "to help keep people safe." As such, the company does not want to take chances on applicants with serious criminal issues or driving violations that could put customers or others on the road at risk.
According to a 2019 report from The Wall Street Journal, Uber screens out thousands of applicants each month based on the results of background checks:
"Uber said it rejects hundreds of thousands of applicants [each year] following background checks for offenses such as violent crimes and felonies, and continuously checks driver records so they can be removed following any new violations."
While Uber does not publicly release specific statistics on how many potential drivers fail background checks, it‘s clear that they do enforce their eligibility criteria to some degree. But just how strict are Uber Eats‘ background check standards compared to other companies? Let‘s take a look.
How Uber Eats‘ Background Checks Compare
Uber Eats is far from the only food delivery service that requires driver background checks. In fact, most of its major competitors have a similar screening process in place.
Here‘s a quick overview of how Uber Eats stacks up to other popular delivery apps in terms of background checks:
| Company | Background Check Required? | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Uber Eats | Yes | No felonies in 7 years, no violent/sexual/terrorism offenses, valid license with clean driving record |
| DoorDash | Yes | No violent crimes in 7 years, no sexual offenses, valid license with clean driving record |
| Grubhub | Yes | Local/state/national criminal checks, valid license with under 4 points |
| Postmates | Yes | No felonies in 7 years, no violent/sexual/theft crimes, valid license with clean driving record in 7 years |
| Instacart | Yes | SSN trace, county/federal/multi-state checks, sex offender database, global watchlist, valid license |
As you can see, background checks are par for the course in the food delivery industry. And Uber Eats‘ screening criteria are actually quite similar to its rivals.
However, there are some subtle differences. For example, DoorDash and Postmates specifically mention disqualifying violent and sexual crimes, while Grubhub looks at an applicant‘s driving record points. Instacart also does additional checks like an SSN trace.
But in general, all of these companies have one key thing in common: They want to ensure that their delivery drivers are safe behind the wheel and don‘t have any major criminal blemishes.
It‘s worth noting that Uber Eats‘ background checks are generally in line with the rest of the gig economy as well. Rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft have a nearly identical screening process for their drivers.
So in the grand scheme of things, Uber Eats‘ background check requirements are pretty standard. The main goal is to weed out applicants who could pose a threat to customers or represent a liability to the company.
Can You Drive for Uber Eats with a Criminal Record?
One of the most common questions about Uber Eats background checks is whether you can still get approved if you have a criminal history. The answer isn‘t always black and white.
On one hand, Uber Eats automatically disqualifies any applicant with felony convictions, violent or sexual offenses, or pending charges for serious crimes. If your background check reveals any of these dealbreakers, you almost certainly won‘t get hired.
However, that doesn‘t mean you‘re totally out of luck if you‘ve had brushes with the law. Uber Eats may still approve applicants with misdemeanors or other less severe offenses, especially if they‘re older than 7 years.
According to Checkr, the background check company that Uber Eats uses:
"A candidate with a criminal history—including felony convictions—is not automatically barred from employment. Employers should make decisions on a case-by-case basis, considering factors like the nature of the offense, the length of time that has passed, and any rehabilitative efforts."
In other words, Uber Eats may be willing to look past certain types of criminal records as long as they‘re not recent or egregious. It really comes down to the specifics of your case.
For example, Uber Eats might hire someone with a 5-year-old misdemeanor for petty theft, but not a 2-year-old felony for grand theft auto. The severity and age of the offense matter.
That said, there‘s no guarantee that Uber Eats (or any other company) will give you a pass for past mistakes. And unfortunately, many applicants with criminal histories do get screened out during the background check process.
How Long Does the Uber Eats Background Check Take?
Another frequently asked question about Uber Eats‘ screening process is how long it takes from start to finish. In most cases, you can expect to get your background check results within 3-5 business days of submitting your application.
The background check itself is actually quite quick thanks to Checkr‘s automated system. Once you consent to the screening, Checkr can rapidly pull your records from its various databases and compile a full report.
According to Checkr, 90% of background checks are completed within 24 hours. However, it may take a bit longer for Uber Eats to review your results and make a final decision on your application.
In some cases, the background check process can get held up if there are any records that are difficult to verify. This is most common if:
- You have a very common name
- You‘ve lived in many different states/counties
- Some of your records are not digitized
- There was an error or discrepancy in your application information
If any of these situations apply to you, it may take longer than the average 3-5 days to complete your background check. In rare cases, it could even take a few weeks.
The best way to check on the status of your Uber Eats background check is to log into the Checkr applicant portal. Here you‘ll be able to see if your report is still pending or if it‘s complete.
Once the background check is finalized, Uber Eats will notify you (usually via email) of whether you‘ve been approved to start delivering or if your application has been denied.
If you don‘t pass the background check, Uber Eats should send you an explanation of why and give you information on how to dispute the results if you believe there‘s an error.
The Bottom Line on Uber Eats Background Checks
At the end of the day, background checks are a necessary part of becoming an Uber Eats driver. The company has to look out for the safety of its customers, and screening potential delivery partners is an important way to reduce risk.
While the background check process may feel a bit intrusive, the vast majority of applicants make it through without any problems. As long as you meet the basic requirements and don‘t have any serious red flags on your record, you should be on the road delivering food within a week or so.
Of course, not everyone has a squeaky clean background. If you do have a criminal history, you may still be able to drive for Uber Eats depending on the specific offenses and how long ago they occurred. But you‘ll have to be upfront about it and understand that there‘s a chance your application could be denied.
It‘s also important to remember that passing a background check is not the only requirement to become an Uber Eats driver. You‘ll also need to be at least 19 years old (21 in some cities), have a valid driver‘s license and auto insurance, and own a vehicle (or bicycle in certain markets).
Background checks can feel like a formality, but they‘re an important part of the hiring process for any job that involves interacting with the public. And in the case of Uber Eats, they help ensure that both customers and drivers can feel safe and confident when using the platform.
