Delivering alcohol and tobacco
Alcohol and tobacco deliveries work differently to regular deliveries. This is because the law prohibits the sale of alcohol or tobacco to anyone under 18 years old. It’s also against the law to sell alcohol to anyone who is intoxicated. Please see Uber’s Community Guidelines for more information.
Your Driver app will lead you through the steps to complete an alcohol or tobacco delivery. Please note that all deliveries are contact-free so remember to maintain a safe distance from the customer at all times.
Step 1. Check sobriety
Make sure that the customer is not intoxicated. Common signs of intoxication include:
- Impaired speech e.g. slurring or incoherent speech
- Loss of coordination e.g. stumbling
- Aggression and rude behaviour
If you suspect intoxication, please select ‘Intoxicated’ in your Driver app and politely let the customer know that you cannot complete the delivery.
Step 2 - Request ID and check identity
Please request a valid, government-issued photo ID from the customer. The identification should include the customer’s photo, date of birth and either a holographic mark or an ultraviolet feature. Examples include:
- Driving licence
- Passport
- Proof of age card, such as the PASS card from the national Proof of Age Standards Scheme
Please check that the person to whom you’re handing the alcohol or tobacco matches the photo of the person on the ID.
If the customer does not produce a valid ID or does not match the picture on the ID, please select “No Valid ID” in your Driver app and politely let the customer know that you cannot complete the delivery.
Step 3 - Enter the customer’s date of birth.
Using the ID provided by the customer, add their date of birth where indicated in your Driver app to verify that they are 18 or older.
If the customer is not 18 or older, please select ‘No Valid ID’ in your app and politely let the customer know that you cannot complete the delivery.
Step 4: Complete the trip
Hand the customer their order and complete the trip. If you have any concerns about the person’s age, the validity of the ID, or sobriety of the customer, do not complete the delivery. Please mark the reason in your Driver app, and the app will automatically route you back to the restaurant or store to return the alcohol or tobacco. Don’t worry, you’ll still receive a fare for the distance travelled.
We’re here to help.
If a customer becomes aggressive toward you for any reason, please remove yourself from the situation and go to a safe location. Once you are in a safe location, you can call 999 through the app, if warranted, or let us know what happened via in-app support. We’re available 24/7.
Questions from couriers
- How do I recognise a valid ID?
You should request a valid, government-issued photo ID from the customer. The identification should include the customer's photo, date of birth and either a holographic mark or an ultraviolet feature. You can perform certain checks to verify the ID is valid:
- Check the ID’s expiration date to ensure it hasn’t expired.
- Check that the person to whom you’re handing the alcohol or tobacco matches the photo of the person on the ID.
- Additionally, you can check that the ID has smooth edges and an even surface.
- What do I do if I suspect a fake ID?
Down Small If you have any doubts about the validity of the ID, the recipient’s age, or their sobriety, you can decline delivery and explain to the recipient that you can't deliver alcohol or tobacco to anyone who looks underage, appears intoxicated, or can't provide acceptable ID. If they have additional questions, they can contact Support in the app.
- What do I do with undeliverable alcohol or tobacco?
Down Small If you’re unable to complete the delivery, you can indicate the reason in your Driver app. Your app will route you back to the restaurant or store to return the alcohol or tobacco on the customer’s behalf. Your fee will include payment for the entire trip (including going back to the restaurant or store).
- How should I deal with alcohol containers that break while I’m making a delivery?
Down Small You can end the trip in your Driver app and indicate the reason as “Item damaged”. Your app will then prompt you to call the restaurant or store to report the breakage. The app will prompt you to return the entire order (damaged and undamaged items) to the restaurant or store on the customer’s behalf. You won’t be charged for damaged items. You may let the customer know that they will not be charged for the damaged order and that they may reorder through the Uber Eats app. Your fee will include payment for the entire trip (including going back to the restaurant or store).
- If I have to refuse an alcohol or tobacco delivery, will it affect my rating or my trip completion rate?
Down Small As long as you return the alcohol or tobacco to the restaurant or store, your rating will not be affected if you’re unable to complete a delivery due to the customer not having a valid ID, being underage, or being intoxicated. Once you return the alcohol or tobacco, the trip will be considered completed. You will be compensated for both the original and return portions of the trip.
- Do I need to bring my ID with me into the restaurant or store?
Down Small Yes, we recommend you have your ID with you when you go into the restaurant or store. The restaurant or store may want to verify that you are at least 18 years old and that your name matches the name of the courier for the order on their dashboard.
- Can I opt out of delivering alcohol or tobacco?
Down Small Delivering alcohol and tobacco is optional and will not affect your ability to receive food delivery requests via the Uber Eats app. If you no longer wish to deliver alcohol or tobacco for any reason, you can opt out at any time by contacting our Support team at help.uber.com.
Deliver your way in the app
Deliver your way in the app
The material provided on this web page is intended for informational purposes only and may not be applicable in your country, region or city. It is subject to change and may be updated without notice.
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