Launching cash as a payment option

At Uber, we believe that movement should be accessible to everyone. Some riders (for example, international travellers) miss out on using the Uber app because they prefer using cash.

Quicker payouts, more earnings opportunities

This week, we’ll be launching cash as a payment option for riders in your city and letting you decide if you want to take cash trips. This allows more riders to use the app, creating more earnings opportunities for you.

You’ll see ‘Cash payment’ on the trip offer card next to the rider rating, so you’ll know whether you should expect the rider to pay in cash for the trip.

How to collect cash payments at the end of the trip

1. Tap “Collect payment” at the end of the trip

A new screen will appear at the drop off, prompting you to end the trip and log the cash amount.

Tap “Collect payment” and you’ll see how much the rider is expected to pay for the particular trip.

2. Enter the exact amount you receive from the rider

Enter the exact cash amount you receive from the rider, even if it’s more or less than what is displayed on the app.

For example, if you received a $20 note and gave back $2 in change to the rider, enter $18 into the app.

Entering the exact amount you receive from the rider helps keep accurate records for both you and the rider in the app, and allows us to adjust your account balance correctly.

3. View your trip receipts and balance summary

Once you’ve settled the transaction with the rider and the trip is completed, you will be able to see how much money you should have received for this trip (your ‘Earnings’), and how much cash the rider gave to you (your ‘Payout’) on your Trip Receipt.

Please note:

Any cash tips you receive from your rider won’t be included in your payment summary, or on the invoice Uber generates on your behalf. You may need to issue a tax invoice for any cash tips to your rider, if requested.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I don’t want to receive cash trips?

You’re always in control. You can opt out any time after launch by going to your preferences then toggling the “Accept cash” trip filter off. Once you toggle this off, you won’t continue receiving cash trips.

What if I don’t have change?

If you don’t have enough change, that’s ok. Enter the exact amount of cash you’ve collected from the rider.

You can keep the extra cash, and we will deduct the extra amount from your Uber account balance. We will credit the same amount in Uber credits to the rider as change for you.

What if the rider doesn’t pay me at the end of the trip or doesn't pay in full?

If your rider doesn’t pay you at the end of the completed trip, or doesn’t pay in full, enter this into your app and end the trip. Uber will investigate and make sure that you are paid what you are owed by the rider within the Driver app.

Stay Safe

Your safety is our priority. Carrying cash within your vehicle may lead to increased risks as a driver-partner. That is why we’ve designed the cash experience on Uber to aim to minimise any potential for conflict between driver-partners and riders.

We strongly recommend that you do not dispute transactions with riders – safely finish the trip and Uber will handle the collection of any remaining funds directly with the rider for you. This will not impact your earnings and will not be counted against you as a driver-partner.

Always remember that safety comes first! We recommend avoiding carrying too much cash in your vehicle and keeping your cash in a place where riders and others could see it, in addition to depositing your cash regularly.

For an additional layer of safety, you can also set up Audio Recording on your trip at any time through the safety toolkit. Once that’s turned on, your passenger will be notified that the trip will be recorded for safety purposes. Learn more about Audio Recording here.

If you have any questions about the change, please let us know by calling 09 888 0766.

Keep all trips through the Uber app

As a reminder, soliciting, touting or off app trips while using the Uber platform are prohibited under the Community Guidelines, so it’s important never to solicit or accept payments outside the app. 

Soliciting or touting passengers to take a trip outside the Uber app may also be subject to fines under your state’s local laws, and may result in permanent loss of access from the Uber Driver app. 

Read more in the Community Guidelines