Can You Have A Different License Than The Car Registered In For Lyft

This page provides information about vehicle, driver, and document requirements, state regulations, insurance coverage, and city-specific requirements, needed to drive with Lyft in the state of California.

Drivers in California may be eligible for a healthcare subsidy. Drivers in California aren't required to accept any specific request for services as a condition of maintaining access to the Lyft app or Lyft platform.

What you need to drive with Lyft in California

To be approved to drive, applicants must meet the below requirements, as well as maintain valid and current documents to prove eligibility. Failing to update a required document before the expiration date results in temporary deactivation. You can upload your documents in your Dashboard.

Vehicle requirements

All vehicles must meet the following criteria:

4 doors
5-8 seats, including the driver's
Not a taxi or stretch limousine
Not titled as salvage, non-repairable, rebuilt or any other equivalent classification
California license plate
- Drivers may upload a temporary license plate while waiting for a permanent plate number. Once you add a vehicle to your profile, you have 60 days to upload a permanent plate number.
- Active duty military applicants and their dependents can have an out-of-state license plate. Visit your local Lyft Hub and a Lyft representative will help set up your driver account.
Vehicle age

Driver requirements

Valid California driver's license
- California temporary licenses are acceptable
- Active duty military applicants and their dependents can have an out-of-state driver's license and vehicle documents. Visit your local Lyft Hub and a Lyft representative will help set up your driver account.
25 years or older

Document requirements

Personal vehicle insurance issued in California with your name listed on the policy

California vehicle inspection

Lyft does not cover the cost of inspections done by third-party sites. The only exceptions are the following Pep Boys locations in South California:

No appointment is necessary during operating hours at these locations, but please allow 30 minutes once you arrive.

Inspections must be completed every 12 months or 50,000 miles, whichever occurs first. The 50,000-mile requirement includes miles driven when not logged onto Lyft's Platform. If you log over 50,000 miles before your annual renewal date, you must get a new inspection.

Business license

If you drove with Lyft for more than 30 days in the last fiscal year, the city or county where you live may require you to obtain a business license.

Keep your business license in your vehicle in case the authorities ask to see it.

If the city or county where you live doesn't require a business license, you don't need to get a business license anywhere else to drive with Lyft but there may be additional requirements. Refer to your local city or county's website for these requirements.

Select your city for details:

Grover Beach residents can obtain a Business Tax Certificate by visiting the Community Development Department. Application instructions can be found here.

Los Angeles County residents may need to register their business with the Office of Finance of the City of Los Angeles and obtain and hold a Tax Registration Certificate. View rules for registration.

Business licenses aren't required for residents of unincorporated cities within San Diego County. To apply for a Business Tax Certificate, follow these instructions from San Diego County.

San Francisco residents who drove more than 30 days in the last fiscal year are required to have a business license, officially named a Business Registration Certificate.

You'll be asked to provide the following information:

Your business: Most drivers choose Sole Proprietorship as their Organization Type and use their legal name as their Business Name. You'll also need to add your Business Tax ID and Start Date of Business in San Francisco.
Ownership information: You'll be asked to fill out your personal information
Contact information: Your contact information may be the same as your ownership information from step 2. All tax information will be sent to the person and address you enter here.
Location information:
- Location Trade Name: Most drivers use their Business Name from step 2, but this can be any other name used for your business
- Start Date in SF: The date business activity started at this San Francisco location
Registration:
- Estimated SF Payroll Expense: The approximate amount of San Francisco payroll costs you expect during the current calendar year
- Estimated SF Gross Receipts: Doesn't need to be an exact amount. If you drive in multiple counties, do your best to estimate San Francisco fares based on how often you're in the city. See more information about gross receipts.

Once you've entered this information, you'll receive an email to complete the business license application process.

Once you register for a Business Registration Certificate, the City adds the business name, address, and certain other details to the SF OpenData website. This means that other than your SSN, any data you share, including your address, will be public. This information may also be shared with San Francisco City and County tax-collecting entities.
After registering, the City may say you owe extra fees and late charges for driving in previous years. Don't pay the registration fee until you get a specific email from the Treasurer and Tax Collector removing the penalties and interest from your account balance.

Address if sending by mail:
- City of San Jose - Finance Department, Attention: Payment Processing

Address if delivering in person:
- City of San Jose, Customer Service Window 1 or 2

Emblem & placard requirements

Lyft Emblem

The Lyft emblem is Lyft's official trade dress. It helps passengers and law enforcement identify your vehicle.

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) requires drivers in California to always display two Lyft emblems when in driver mode — one on the front windshield and the other on the rear windshield.

If you've just been approved to drive, you should receive your Lyft emblem within 1-2 weeks. If you didn't get one or need a new one, order one in your Dashboard. While waiting for it to arrive, you may print a temporary emblem.

Emblems

The Lyft emblem should be displayed in the lower corner of your windshields on the passenger side every time you enter driver mode. Make sure to remove the emblem when you are not in driver mode.

Lyft emblem

Airport placards

When giving rides at OAK, LAX, or SFO, you're required to display an additional airport placard in your front windshield.

California driver regulations

Be sure to follow these rules when giving rides in California, and look for important updates from Lyft in your email.

Hourly driver mode limits

Best practices

Display all required emblems and placards
Always have your driver's license and insurance document
Don't accept street hails
Don't accept cash for rides
Don't wait in taxi lines

Know your insurance

Effective July 1, 2015, California enacted State Bill AB 2293. Under this law, Transportation Network Companies, including Lyft, are required to provide primary third-party liability insurance and maintain $200,000 of excess liability coverage during Period 1.

Lyft's third-party automobile liability coverage will be your primary coverage during Period 1. Lyft will also maintain $200,000 of excess liability coverage during Period 1.

Period 1

Period 1 begins when you log in to driver mode and ends when you accept a ride request.

Once you accept a ride, Period 2 begins. Once you pick up a passenger, Period 3 starts. Period 3 ends as soon as you end the ride. Then, you're back in Period 1 until you accept another ride request or log out of driver mode.

Under AB 2293, your personal automobile insurance policy, including any optional coverages you've purchased such as comprehensive and collision, won't cover your rideshare driving in California unless you've also purchased rideshare coverage.

CA Insurance

Some insurers offer insurance products designed specifically for rideshare drivers. These policies can cover both your personal and rideshare driving, and offer additional coverages.

We try to keep drivers informed as new insurance products become available for rideshare drivers. We encourage you to reach out to your insurance agent for the insurance that best fits your needs.

In-person support (Lyft Hubs)

We're opening Lyft Hubs across the country to offer in-person support for drivers. Your local Hub is a one-stop shop for answers on everything from setting up direct deposit to discovering where you'll get the most ride requests.

Moving to or from California

The date you're moving
Your new shipping address
Clear photos of your:
- California driver's license
- California license plate for your vehicle
- Personal vehicle insurance issued in California with your name listed on the policy
- California vehicle inspection from a licensed facility

If you already have the California documents listed above on file with Lyft, you don't need to send them in again.

Active duty military applicants and their dependents can have an out-of-state driver's license and vehicle documents. Visit your local Lyft Hub and a Lyft representative will help set up your driver account.