Do you want to drive for Uber or Lyft and think there is something on your record that might cause you to fail the background check? Have you already been turned down because you failed a background check? Maybe an expungement can help you.

What Uber and Lyft look for:

In order to pass an Uber or Lyft background check you must have:

1. No more than three minor violations in the past three years. Minor violations include speeding tickets, traffic light violations, moving violations, and non-fatal accidents
2. No driving on a suspended, revoked, or invalid license or insurance violations in the past three years
3. None of the following major violations in the past seven years: DUI or drug-related driving offenses, speeding 100+ miles per hour, reckless driving, hit and run, or street racing or speed contest violations
4. None of the following criminal convictions: any driving-related offenses, any felony, violent crimes, sexual offenses, or child abuse or endangerment. Lyft additionally requires that you not have been convicted “certain” theft or property damage offenses in the past seven years, which are not specifically listed on the Lyft website.

This information reflects what Uber and Lyft currently require, but they may change what violates their background checks at any time.

What background check services do they use?

Uber uses a company called Checkr for its background checks. Any record that has been expunged should not appear on a Checkr background check because the company is Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) compliant. In addition, Checkr’s website says it also complies with relevant state law. For Kentuckians, this means that dismissed charges should not appear on Checkr background checks under KRS §367.310.

It appears that Lyft uses Sterling Talent Solutions for its background checks, although the Lyft website does not state which service it uses. The Sterling website says it’s FCRA compliant, but it does not say whether it complies with relevant state law. Therefore, there is a chance that dismissed cases would appear on Lyft background checks.

What we can do for you:

Criminal History: If it has been more than five years since you have completed your sentence or five years since you successfully completed your probation or parole (whichever is longer), then we can seek expungement for certain felonies and driving-related offenses. Sexual offenses and child abuse convictions do not qualify for expungement.

Driving History: We can petition for expungement for minor violations including, speeding, hit and run misdemeanors, reckless driving violations, or street racing or speed contest violations as long as it has been five years have passed since you paid your fine or served out your sentence.

Currently, Uber and Lyft only care about minor violations and driving on a suspended, revoked, or invalid license or insurance if you got more than three in the past three years. Kentucky law only allows you to apply for expungement five years after you’ve paid your fine or served your sentence, so you should be able to pass their background checks two years before you could get the conviction expunged.

The law probably does not allow expungement of DUIs unless it has been ten years since you were charged with a DUI. This is a hotly litigated issue right now, and it may change in the future. Unless Uber or Lyft look at more than seven years of your DUI history, so you should be able to pass their background checks three years before you could get the conviction expunged.

Dismissed Charges: Under Kentucky law, any dismissed charges should not appear on your background check. We can seek to erase from your record any dismissed charge sixty days after it has been dismissed with prejudice. If the background check is compliant with Kentucky law, however, dismissed charges should not prevent you from passing your background check.

Again, Uber and Lyft could change their background check requirements at any time. Even if it seems unnecessary to expunge certain items from your record right now, it could help your chances of passing future background checks. If you have any questions about your record and passing background checks for ride sharing companies or otherwise, do not hesitate to contact us. To see if we can help you erase your record to pass a background check, visit Unconvicted for a free evaluation.