Law enforcement requests
We want Uber to be the safest platform of choice for everyone.
We work with law enforcement officials to respond quickly to valid data requests and emergencies from government agencies.
Uber works closely with law enforcement officials to promote safety within our communities. We have a dedicated global Public Safety Liaison team made up of former senior law enforcement professionals who proactively partner with law enforcement to educate them on ways Uber can assist during an emergency or investigation.
Public safety response portal
Uber has built a user-friendly, secure public safety portal for law enforcement and public health officials. The portal is offered in 7 languages and includes step-by-step guides for government officials to submit relevant information for quick and accurate response. Our team of highly trained public safety specialists is available 24/7 to respond with data that may aid in an investigation.
For US law enforcement, Uber will disclose information as required by law in accordance with the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) and other legal authorities. ECPA’s guidelines also contain certain provisions regarding the voluntary disclosure of user data; for example, Uber may proactively disclose user data in emergencies.
To learn more about our process and requirements for responding to law enforcement requests, please go to Uber’s Guidelines for United States Law Enforcement and Uber Guidelines for Law Enforcement Authorities - Outside the United States.
2023 law enforcement requests
Uber responds to all requests from law enforcement. We connect users to many offerings and services, including ridesharing, delivery of food and other products, and Uber for Business. The tables below represent law enforcement data requests related to our products and services.
The statistics in the US table represent the number of requests and legal process types received from US law enforcement authorities. We also disclose the number of user accounts affected by these requests and how often we responded with the requested data. The statistics in the Canada table represent the number of emergency and legal process requests received from Canadian law enforcement authorities as well as the number of user accounts affected by these requests and how often we responded with relevant information.
Law enforcement data requests
United States
Process received¹ | Number of data requests | Number of requests where some user data was disclosed | Number of users whose data was disclosed | Percentage of requests where some user data was disclosed² |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Emergency | 1,626 | 1,036 | 1,596 | 64% |
Court order | 430 | 336 | 883 | 78% |
Search warrant | 1,648 | 1,336 | 3,113 | 81% |
Subpoena | 3,419 | 2,167 | 5,878 | 63% |
Totals | 7,123 | 4,875 | 11,470 | 68% |
Canada
Process received | Number of data requests | Number of requests where some user data was disclosed | Number of users whose data was disclosed | Percentage of requests where some user data was disclosed² |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Emergency | 377 | 241 | 350 | 64% |
Legal process | 340 | 267 | 556 | 79% |
Totals | 717 | 508 | 906 | 71% |
¹Contains national security requests received by Uber, which may include orders and directives issued under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and national security letters. Pursuant to US law, these numbers are reported within ranges and are subject to a one-year reporting delay. For the time period of July 2022 to July 2023, we received between 0 and 99 national security requests, which targeted between 0 and 99 user accounts.
²Percentages are calculated based on the number of requests where some user data was disclosed (that is, one or more user accounts) divided by the number of data requests.
Although Uber responds to all law enforcement requests, there are instances when we may not be able to disclose the specific data requested. The reasons for these instances include the following:
Reason for nondisclosure of data | Number of data requests where data was not disclosed | Percentage of all requests where data was not disclosed |
|---|---|---|
The account did not exist, or the data sought was not in the account.³ | 1,129 | 46% |
The requester withdrew the request or did not respond to Uber’s outreach. | 704 | 29% |
The requester did not follow correct legal process.⁴ | 464 | 19% |
The requester submitted duplicate requests for the same investigation. Uber responds in full to the primary request. | 126 | 5% |
The requester submitted the data request as an emergency, but Uber determined that it required valid legal process. | 14 | 1% |
³For example, Uber may receive a request concerning a missing person at risk but Uber cannot locate responsive data because the person did not have an account.
⁴Uber requires valid legal process from all US law enforcement agencies in order to disclose data, outside of emergency requests in compliance with ECPA.
Download data reported in previous years
Frequently asked questions
- Why do you get requests from law enforcement agencies?
During a criminal investigation, law enforcement agencies may ask us for information about user(s) that is relevant to the investigation. Our dedicated team of experts are trained to manage and handle these requests so that any information we disclose is consistent with our policies and applicable law.
- What does Uber do when it receives a request for user information?
Uber works closely with law enforcement officials to promote safety within our communities. Uber responds to all requests from law enforcement. Uber is committed to protecting the privacy and security of our users’ data. With limited exceptions like emergencies, we require a valid and sufficient legal process from official government agencies before we disclose any information about our users. We object to overly broad, vague, or unreasonable requests and require requests to satisfy applicable legal requirements. When submitting an emergency request, law enforcement must certify that the request is related to an emergency involving danger of death or serious physical injury that requires disclosure of information without delay.
- Does Uber report information about US national security requests?
National security requests include orders and directives issued under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and national security letters (NSLs). Pursuant to US law, we are prohibited from reporting exact numbers of any NSLs or FISA orders received. Any numbers reported are within ranges and subject to a one-year reporting delay.
To learn more about our process and requirements for responding to law enforcement requests in the US, go to Uber’s Guidelines for United States Law Enforcement. For the rest of the world, go to the Uber Guidelines for Law Enforcement Authorities - Outside the United States.
- How does Uber define the number of users whose data was disclosed?
The data within this column in the tables above is counted on an individual request/disclosure basis. For example, the same Uber account may be specified across 2 separate requests and disclosures. In this instance, the user would be counted twice within the column.
- How does Uber satisfy itself that the reported data in the law enforcement data requests table is complete and accurate?
We perform various audits and corrections of this data in advance of the release of the Government Transparency Report.
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