How to Become an Uber Driver in Toronto

Driving with Uber is a flexible way to earn income while setting your own schedule. But before you can hit the road in Toronto, you’ll need to meet the city’s requirements and complete a few other important steps. Here’s a breakdown of the process.

Step 1: Complete City-Approved Training

In Toronto, all vehicle-for-hire drivers (including Uber, Lyft, taxis, and limousines) must complete a city-approved training course before they can start driving passengers.

The course is offered online, takes about four hours to complete, and covers topics such as safely transporting passengers, navigating city driving, providing service to passengers with accessibility needs, preventing racism and discrimination, and the laws that govern vehicle-for-hire drivers.

At the end of the course, you’ll take a short test to confirm your understanding of the material. Once you pass, you’ll receive a certificate of completion, which you’ll need to upload to Uber as part of your application.

Step 2: Create a Driver Profile

Once you’ve completed your training, you’ll need to set up a driver profile with Uber.

• If you don’t have an Uber account: head to the Uber Sign-Up Portal.
• If you already have an Uber account: open the app, go to “Account”, and scroll down to select “Earn by driving or delivering”.
  
  

Your Uber app will serve as a hub where you’ll upload documents, track the status of your application, and eventually go online to start driving.

Step 3: Decide on How You’ll Secure a Car

Not every driver has a car ready to go, and that’s okay. You’ve got three main options: buying, leasing, or renting through an Uber partner.

The key thing to remember is that your car has to meet Uber’s requirements. In Toronto, that means a four-door car that’s seven years old or newer.

Buying

Buying a car, whether new or used, gives you the most control. Since Uber only requires cars that are seven years old or newer, you don’t necessarily need something brand new. In fact, many drivers choose a used car because it lowers the upfront cost.

If you don’t want to pay the full cost upfront, you can also choose to finance your purchase. Financing is simply taking out a loan, usually through a dealership or bank, and making monthly payments until the car is paid off. This means you can spread out the cost and get driving sooner, but you’ll also have to pay interest on the loan.

To buy a car, visit a traditional dealership or browse online through sites like AutoTrader or Clutch. From there, you can then explore payment options either through the dealer or your bank.

Best if: you want full ownership, unlimited mileage, and plan to drive regularly.

Leasing

Leasing can be a good option if you want lower monthly payments or access to a newer car without committing to a full purchase. When you lease, you’re essentially renting the car long-term from a dealership for a set period of time, usually two to four years, and making fixed monthly payments. At the end of the term, you can either return the car, buy it out, or start a new lease.

The main drawback is that most leases come with mileage caps, and some lease agreements explicitly prohibit using the car for ridesharing. That’s why it’s so important to read the fine print and confirm with the dealership that Uber driving is allowed before signing anything.

If you’re interested in leasing, you can start the process through a traditional dealership.

Best if: you want a newer car under warranty, lower upfront costs, and don’t drive enough to reach mileage restrictions.

Renting Through an Uber Partner

If you’d rather not commit to buying or leasing, Uber also partners with rental companies, like Hertz, that provide cars for drivers. This program lets you rent a car on a short-term basis, often week by week. The rental package often includes maintenance and insurance as well.

Availability in Toronto can vary, so it’s worth checking Uber’s Vehicle Marketplace to see what’s offered.

Best if: you want to get started quickly or try Uber without a long-term financial commitment.

Step 4: Get Vehicle Insurance

Once you’ve secured a car, the next step is getting it insured. If you’ve rented a vehicle through an Uber partner, insurance is often included in the rental package. That means you don’t need to arrange your own policy, just double-check the details of what’s covered before you start driving.

If you’ve leased or bought your car, you’ll need to take charge of getting it insured yourself. In Ontario, that means setting up a personal auto insurance policy in your name for the vehicle you plan to drive. To do this, you can either directly contact an insurance company, like Aviva or belairdirect, or work with a broker who can shop around and compare rates on your behalf. You can also use an online platform like Surex to quickly compare quotes.

Once your policy is active, you’ll receive an insurance slip, which you should always keep in your car alongside its registration.

Step 5: Provide Documents

Uber requires several documents to verify that you’re eligible to drive in Toronto. Once you’ve set up your driver profile, you’ll be prompted to upload photos of the following.

• Proof of Work Eligibility: Such as your Canadian passport, birth certificate, permanent resident card, or work permit.
• Driver’s Licence: You’ll need a valid Ontario Class G licence.
• Vehicle Registration: The official registration for the car you plan to drive with Uber.
• Vehicle Insurance: Proof of insurance for the same car that shows your name, insurance company, policy number, and expiry date.
• Vehicle Inspection: A valid Safety Standards Certificate (SSC) from a licensed mechanic to confirm your car meets Ontario safety requirements. The certificate must be uploaded within 36 days of passing the inspection. You can find an approved inspection centre here.
• Training Certificate: You will have received this when you completed the city-approved training course.

You’ll also be asked to take a profile photo. This picture will be visible to riders and used to verify your identity.

To avoid delays in your application, make sure all documents are up to date and clearly visible in the photo before uploading them.

Step 6: Wait for Approval and PTC Licence

Once all of your documents and training certificate have been submitted, Uber will review your application and apply for a Private Transportation Company (PTC) Licence with the City of Toronto on your behalf.

The review and approval process can take up to 20 business days. During this time, you won’t receive updates.

Step 7: Start Driving

When your application is approved and your PTC Licence has been issued, Uber will notify you directly with the next steps. From there, you’ll be able to go online and begin driving passengers in Toronto.

Final Thoughts

Becoming an Uber driver in Toronto is a straightforward process once you know the steps: complete your city-approved training, upload your documents, and wait for your PTC Licence to be issued. After that, you’ll be ready to hit the road and start earning.

Interested in becoming a Lyft driver? Check out our post on How to Become a Lyft Driver in Toronto.