Lyft Driver & Vehicle Requirements | How to Drive for Lyft (2025)

Author:

Dimitri Gedevanishvili

Interested in driving for Lyft? Then you’re someone who is looking for work that is equal parts flexible and accessible.

With that said, not every vehicle will qualify for driving for Lyft. While Lyft’s qualifications aren’t terribly strict, you should still make absolutely sure your vehicle will work before you apply.

Here’s what you need to know to qualify as a Lyft driver and start earning money on the road.

Basic Driver and Vehicle Requirements for Lyft

Lyft Age Requirements - How Old Do You Have to Be to Drive for Lyft?

Before you even think about what kind of car you are going to drive for Lyft, you’ll need to make sure you’re even old enough! According to Lyft’s official requirements page, the minimum age you will need to be to drive for Lyft is 25 years old.

However, their help documentation states that “The minimum age requirement to drive with Lyft ranges from 21–25”. From what our research found, the overwhelming majority of major cities have an age minimum of 25 years old, with the documentation likely being out of date and not updated yet (not uncommon).

The only major jurisdiction we found that had a different minimum age was New York City. Even there, we found some discrepancy in their information.

On their official New York City driver requirements page, Lyft lists the minimum age to work in NYC as 18 years old. However, in their help documentation, they list the minimum age at 19 years old.

The actual age to drive for Lyft in New York City is undoubtedly at least 19 years old, since that’s the minimum age you must be to get a Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) license. You’ll need a TLC license to drive for Lyft (or any rideshare service).

Some cities, such as Boston and Chicago, have another requirement - at least one year of driving experience.

So there you have it - to drive for Lyft, you need to be at least 25 years old, unless you’re working in New York City, where the minimum is 19 years old. If you would like to check for yourself, you can find your city’s complete requirements on Lyft’s website.

Lyft Vehicle Requirements

How Old Can My Car Be for Lyft?

The vast majority of cities and states currently allow cars that are from 2009 or newer. According to Lyft’s website, some cities like Los Angeles allow cars from 2008 or newer, whereas others like Seattle (2010), Miami (2012), or Baltimore (2014) have stricter year requirements.

If your vehicle fits within that range, you’ll more than likely be good to go.

Your vehicle will need to have four doors and seat at least four passengers in addition to you, the driver (five people total). It can’t be a taxi or a limo, nor can it have any commercial branding.

It will have to have a clean title, working AC, functional windows, and no visible cosmetic damage or missing parts. Your car should be tidy, but personal, not commercial.

Lyft Premium Cars Explained

If you have a newer or larger car, you may be eligible to provide premium services to your Lyft customers. These requirements can range from fairly easygoing to more stringent.

You can find Lyft’s list of all eligible premium ride type vehicles on their website here. Just find the make of your car (Ford, Toyota, etc.), open the dropdown, and see if your car fits one of the listed vehicle’s year and model requirements. The type of premium service it’s usable for will also be listed.

Lyft XL & XXL Requirements

If you want to drive for Lyft XL, your vehicle will need to have room for six passengers (plus you, the driver), seven seatbelts, and be on their list of eligible vehicles.

For Lyft XXL, you’ll need the same, plus more than 27 cubic feet of trunk space. XXL is also only available in select regions.

Lyft Extra Comfort Requirements

Lyft’s Extra Comfort is a relatively new ride type for drivers with newer, roomier cars, with the goal being to provide customers with “an elevated ride experience”.

Riders are paying more for squeaky clean cars, quieter/smoother rides, and an expectation for white-glove help with things like luggage.

Here are the requirements for Extra Comfort from Lyft’s website:

“Drive an eligible vehicle.
Complete at least 20 trips.
Maintain a minimum rating of 4.95.
Have no more than 1 safety flag in the past 20 rides.
Have no more than 1 cleanliness flag in the past 100 rides.”

You can check if you have access to Extra Comfort rides in the Lyft Driver app. You can also lose access to Extra Comfort rides if you stop meeting these criteria.

Lyft Black and Black SUV Requirements

Even more luxurious than Lyft Extra Comfort is Lyft Black, a ride type meant to provide customers with the highest levels of luxury and professionalism. Its vehicle requirements are even more strict than Extra Comfort.

According to Lyft’s website, Lyft Black vehicles must have black interiors and exteriors with leather seats. You will also need to maintain similar requirements in terms of your rating, cleanliness, etc.

You may also need specific types of licenses and to meet different insurance requirements in certain jurisdictions. As always, double-check with Lyft if you’re unsure of something.

Documentation Requirements to Drive for Lyft

In order to drive for Lyft, you’ll need to provide them with certain documents to verify your identity and vehicle eligibility. That will include photos of your driver’s license, insurance documents, vehicle registration, and a profile photo that will be visible to your passengers.

If your documents are expired or your photos blurry, you could delay your approval. You may also need to do a vehicle inspection.

Your background check will usually be completed within a few days. Once complete, you’ll then need to complete Lyft’s Community Safety Education program.

Maximizing Your Success (And Income) as a Lyft Driver

Once you’re approved and driving, you’ll next want to turn your attention to maximizing your earnings. That means treating your work like a business, not just a side hustle.

Tracking your expenses, understanding how your earnings work, and strategizing about when and where to drive are all ways you can earn more.

One of the biggest ways you can save money and earn more as an independent contractor is via tax deductions. While you can track each and every deductible expense and deduct them individually, the IRS makes it easy by providing its annual mileage rate that attempts to account for what the average mobile self-employed worker will need to deduct.

The current official IRS mileage rate is $0.70 per mile. For workers who do things like drive for Lyft, this can mean substantial tax savings. For example, 1000 miles driven for work is $700 back on your taxes!

Instead of arduously tracking your mileage manually (the IRS requires things like to and from location, odometer readings, purpose of trip, etc.), you can use an automatic mileage tracker app for Lyft drivers like TripLog! TripLog starts tracking when you start driving and stops when you stop while also capturing all of the required information along the way.

Otherwise, once again, making a strong effort to understand your local market’s patterns and peak demand periods can help you further maximize your per-hour earnings.

Lyft Driver Requirements FAQ

Q: What’s the minimum age to drive for Lyft?

A: The minimum age for the vast majority of markets is 25 years old, though some very specific markets (like New York City) may have other requirements.

Q: Can I drive an older car for Lyft?

A: Vehicle age requirements can vary more wildly than your own age, though for most cities, your car can’t be any older than 2009. Still, some markets may allow slightly older cars than that, though some others may require newer models.

Q: How long does the approval process take?

A: Most applications are processed within a few days - no more than a week (usually).

Lyft Driver Requirements Conclusion

Lyft’s requirements to drive are generally pretty straightforward. While the requirements may vary slightly depending on your location, most places have the same general rule for 2025 - a car no older than 2009, and for you to be at least 25 years old.

he key to your long-term success as a Lyft driver will lie in your understanding of these initial requirements, but also of the business side of driving. Proper expense tracking from day one, combined with strategic driving during peak hours in the right area, can make Lyft fairly profitable for a lot of people.

If you want to easily track your mileage and earn more, download TripLog on iOS or Android today and start tracking unlimited mileage for free!

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