Uber Eats Deactivation – 12 Reasons It Happens (& How To Reactivate!)
So, you've been deactivated by Uber Eats and you're wondering: why did this happen and what to do next?
Unfortunately, getting your account deactivated by Uber Eats can happen for a variety of reasons.
And, if you're using this gig economy job to help make ends meet or make extra cash every month, this sort of roadblock can be devastating.
So in this post, I'm covering the Uber Eats deactivation policy, how to avoid getting deactivated, and what to do if the worst should happen.
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What Is Uber Eats Deactivation?
Uber Eats deactivation occurs when you login to the Uber Eats driver app and can't go online to accept deliveries anymore. In short, it's like getting fired from Uber and you can't use the app to make extra cash.
Now, Uber Eats states it tries to give advance notice if you're at risk of deactivation, so you should be checking the app and your inbox to look for warning emails.
But in some instances, Uber Eats deactivates your account without warning, and that's when this driving gig is off the table.
Top Reasons Uber Eats Deactivated Your Account
Making money with Uber Eats is a great side hustle. But if you're not careful, you can lose access to your driver account for making some of these common mistakes.
1. High Cancellation Rate
One of the main reasons for Uber Eats deactivation is having a very high cancellation rate.
Uber Eats has two main metrics aside from your driver rating:
- Acceptance Rate: The percentage of food delivery orders you accept as a courier.
- Cancellation Rate: The percentage of food delivery orders you complete as a courier.
Your acceptance rate doesn't matter on Uber Eats, and you shouldn't accept low-paying orders that aren't worth your time. But your cancellation rate matters a lot, and if it's too high, you risk getting deactivated by Uber Eats.
Here's what Uber says about it's deactivation policy:
“Each city has its own cancellation policy. If your cancellation rate goes above the average for your city, you’ll receive a notification. If it continues to be high after multiple notifications, your delivery partner account may be deactivated.”
So, cancel orders if there's an emergency or if you get to a restaurant and find out you need to wait 45 minutes for the food to be ready.
But don't cancel orders very frequently since this is one of the fastest ways to face Uber Eats deactivation.
2. Always Being Late
Another reason Uber Eats deactivates drivers is for always being late.
This is a common reason for DoorDash deactivation and Instacart Shopper deactivation as well, and there's really no avoiding this risk for gig economy drivers.
Basically, try to be on-time every time.
I know this is easier said than done, but it's important to deliver quickly so you make more money per hour, keep customers happy, and also keep Uber Eats happy.
3. Violating The Uber Eats Driver Policy
Sometimes, Uber Eats gives you a warning before deactivating your account. But if you violate Uber Eats' driver policy, you're likely getting an instant and permanent deactivation.
Some of the main rules in the Uber Eats driver policy include:
- Dangerous driving
- Deactivation on other gig economy platforms (this one surprises a lot of people!)
- Impaired driving
- Altercations with customers or harassing them
- Sexual misconduct
- Use of unapproved vehicles
- Use of unsafe vehicles
In short, if you do anything dangerous, illegal, or risk customers in any way, you're going to get permanently deactivated from Uber Eats.
This video from YouTuber Gig Nation does an excellent job at covering some of the common reasons for getting deactivated by Uber Eats.
There's also a lot of tips about staying calm and not being rude to restaurant staff or customers in this video, because that's one quick way to get reported and deactivated!
4. Tampering With Food
This is a simple reason for Uber Eats deactivation, and you can't really argue with it.
If you tamper with food or eat someone's food, you're going to get kicked off the platform, so don't do this!
5. Fraud
Another reason people can get their Uber Eats account deactivated is for committing fraud.
This can take on a variety of forms as well. For example, lying about your identity or having someone else drive under your account is technically fraud.
Additionally, if you try to game the system by referring yourself or trying to cheat the referral program somehow, you're also breaking the rules.
6. Having Multiple Uber Eats Accounts
This is one surprising reason for Uber Eats deactivation, although it's not something many drivers have to worry about.
However, it's technically against the rules to have more than one Uber Eats account.
So, if you've applied in the past but stopped the application, just check your inbox or account to see if you can complete your application from where you left off rather than having one or more accounts in limbo.
7. Changes To Insurance & Background Check Information
Uber Eats runs background checks on new drivers that looks for:
- Felony convictions in the last 7 years
- Serious criminal convictions
- Serious pending criminal charges
- Any serious driving violation within the last 7 years
- Multiple moving violations or accidents within the last 7 years
So, if Uber Eats runs another background check or checks-in with active drivers and some of the above conditions are now true for you, you might get deactivated.
8. Low Driver Rating
When you complete a delivery on Uber Eats, you get a rating from the customer and from the merchant.
This is a similar process jobs like DoorDash and Instacart use to rate delivery drivers.
According to Uber Eats: “A driver or delivery person can lose access to part or all of the Uber platform for ratings that are below the minimum average rating in their city. If their rating is approaching the minimum limit, we will let them know and may share information that may help them improve their rating from users, customers, and restaurants.”
In other words, if your driver rating slips below the threshold for your area, you're going to get a warning and, eventually, deactivated.
Some tips to maintain a high Uber Eats rating include:
- Being on-time
- Being polite and friendly
- Grabbing extras for the customers like additional napkins and sauces
- Messaging the customer if there's a delay with the order
You can also read our guide on the best Uber Eats tips and tricks for how to make more money and keep a high driver rating.
9. Expired Documents
Another reason for Uber Eats deactivating your account is that your necessary driver documents are out of date.
Uber Eats requires several documents for active drivers:
- Driver's license
- Vehicle insurance and registration
- Background check information
- Profile photo
So, if your license expires, make sure you update your Uber Eats driver account ASAP with the new license. Same goes for any changes to your vehicle insurance.
10. Safety Issues
As mentioned, safety issues violate the Uber Eats driver policy and are cause for deactivation.
Uber has strict vehicle requirements that vary by city, so your car needs to pass these requirements unless you're making money with your bike.
Similarly, don't drive recklessly or put anyone in danger.
11. Discrimination
One obvious cause for Uber Eats deactivating you is that you discriminate against customers in any way.
Uber Eats takes customer experience extremely seriously, so if you're rude or discriminate against someone and get reported, you're going to get kicked off the platform without warning.
Extra Reading – The Best Times To Do Uber Eats.
12. Time On-Trip Fraud
One final component of the Uber Eats deactivation policy a lot of drivers might not know about relates to accurately reporting your time on-trip.
Uber Eats tracks how long each delivery takes. But if you try to purposely delay deliveries for whatever reason, this is committing time on-trip fraud in the eyes of Uber.
But you can also make this mistake without even realizing you're violating the Uber Eats driver policy.
Here are two common examples of time on-trip fraud you might commit by accident:
- Accepting delivery requests before being ready to leave for the restaurant
- Marking orders are delivered a long time after you actually delivered the food
In short, mark your deliveries as complete when you're done and make sure you only accept orders when you're actually ready to drive!
Extra Reading – Does Uber Pay You For Gas?
What To Do If Uber Eats Deactivates Your Account
Unfortunately, drivers sometimes make mistakes and face Uber Eats deactivation even if they tried their best to avoid it.
However, in the event Uber Eats deactivates your account, you have a few options to try.
1. Check Your Email And Appeal The Deactivation
As mentioned, Uber Eats can send warning emails if your account is at risk for deactivation,
Generally, Uber Eats tries to give advance notice whenever possible so you have time to fix any errors or mistakes. So, make sure you're checking the Uber Eats driver app and your inbox for notifications that you're at risk of deactivation.
This is the best way to prevent consistent mistakes from getting you kicked off the app, so be proactive!
However, you can also try emailing Uber Eats support by replying to the deactivation email to figure out potential next steps and how to get your account back online.
2. Try Uber Eats Alternatives
Food delivery apps like Uber Eats are an excellent way to make quick money in your spare time. However, there are so many other food delivery jobs you can try in the meantime while you sort out being deactivated.
Some of the best Uber Eats alternatives include:
- DoorDash: Start a new side hustle with the leading food delivery app in North America!
- Instacart: Deliver groceries to people's doors and make extra cash.
- Grubhub: Try another popular food delivery gig that's very similar to Uber Eats.
- Shipt: Like Instacart, Shipt lets you get paid to delivery groceries to people's doors.
Many gig drivers actually double-app and use DoorDash and Uber Eats at the same time, or do Instacart at peak times and then switch to another food delivery gig.
The bottom line is adding more apps into your toolkit helps you get more orders and, ultimately, make more money per hour.
Extra Reading – How Much Money Do DoorDash Drivers Make A Week?
3. Try Other Gig Economy Jobs
Food delivery gigs like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Instacart are great for making extra cash.
But there are plenty of other gig apps that you can use to increase your monthly income outside of this category.
Other high-paying gig jobs include:
- Amazon Flex: Earn $18 to $23 per scheduled delivery hour as an Amazon Flex driver.
- GoShare: Deliver packages and make money with a cargo van or pickup truck!
- Roadie: Like GoShare, you deliver packages to people and businesess as a Roadie driver to get paid.
- TaskRabbit: Use this odd job app to complete tasks for people in your city and get paid.
- Handy: Complete handyman or cleaning gigs for people in your city.
Between jobs like Instacart, Uber Eats, DoorDash, and these gig apps, there should be plenty of opportunity to make some extra money in your city!
Extra Reading – How Much Money Do Instacart Shoppers Make Per Week?
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Get Reactivated With Uber Eats?
In some scenarios, you can get your Uber Eats account after deactivation. For example, if your driver's license or auto insurance becomes outdated, you can upload your new license or insurance information to reactivate your account. However, serious offenses usually result in permanent deactivation from Uber Eats.
You can also email Uber Eats support to learn more about your deactivation and steps you can take to get your account back so you can keep making deliveries.
What Rating Does Uber Eats Deactivate?
Uber Eats has varying deactivation ratings depending on your market and doesn't make this public info. However, it's a best practice to try and keep your rating as high as possible to ensure you don't risk deactivation. Aiming for 4.5 stars or higher is a good goal.
If Uber Eats Deactivated My Account Can I Make A New One?
No, you can't create a new Uber Eats account if Uber deactivates you. Your account is connected to your driver's license, name, and address. And Uber runs background checks on all new driver applicants, so you can't create a duplicate profile.
Final Thoughts
I hope this guide on Uber Eats deactivation helps you understand why Uber cancels driver accounts and how you can avoid that unfortunate fate.
Just remember: there are so many same day pay jobs out there alongside Uber Eats, so you can always try other side hustles if you can't do Uber.
And, if the gig economy doesn't work out, you can always explore easy ways to make money online so you're still making extra income.
In any case, best of luck with your deliveries!
Looking for even more ways to make money? Checkout:
DoorDash Disclaimer: Actual earnings may differ and depend on factors like number of deliveries completed, time of day, location, and expenses. Start Dashing today: Subject to background check and availability.
