How to request a refund through the Uber app
Open the Uber app, go to your account menu, and select "Your Trips" (for rides) or "Your Orders" (for Uber Eats). Find the trip or order you want a refund for, tap it, scroll to the bottom, and select "Report a Problem." Choose the reason that matches your situation — such as "I was charged twice," "Driver didn't show up," or "Food never arrived" — and describe what happened in the text box. Submit your report.
Uber will review your report and respond within a few days, usually by email. If the company agrees with your reason, it will issue a refund to your original payment method. The refund itself may take three to five business days to appear in your account, depending on your bank or card issuer.
This process works whether you paid with a credit card, debit card, or Uber Cash. If you used a third-party payment app like Apple Pay or Google Pay, the refund still goes back to that payment method, not to the app itself.
Key Takeaways
- Report problems through "Your Trips" or "Your Orders" in the Uber app by selecting "Report a Problem" at the bottom of the trip or order details.
- Uber reviews reports within a few days and refunds to your original payment method if it approves your claim.
- Refunds take three to five business days to show up after Uber approves them, depending on your bank.
- You can also contact Uber support directly through the app if the automated report process does not work or if you need to explain a complex issue.
- Refunds for duplicate charges, no-show drivers, or undelivered food are the most commonly approved reasons.
What reasons Uber will refund
Uber refunds for specific, documented problems: a driver who never showed up, a ride you were charged for but did not take, food that never arrived, items missing from an order, or being charged twice for the same trip. The company is more likely to refund if you report the problem within a few days of when it happened.
Uber does not refund for reasons like changing your mind about a destination, deciding you do not want to pay the surge price, or general dissatisfaction with the driver or restaurant. If you cancel a ride before the driver arrives, you may be charged a cancellation fee depending on how long the driver has been heading toward you — that fee is not refundable unless the driver was already very close when you cancelled.
For Uber Eats, refunds are more common for food that arrives cold, damaged, or incomplete. If the restaurant prepared the order wrong, Uber may refund part or all of the food cost. Delivery fees are sometimes refunded if the order arrives much later than the estimated time, but this depends on how late it was and whether Uber determines the delay was the driver's fault or the restaurant's.
Contacting Uber support if the app report does not work
If you submit a report through the app and do not hear back within a week, or if you believe Uber's decision was wrong, you can contact support directly. Open the Uber app, go to "Account," select "Help," and choose "Contact Us." You will see options to message support or, in some cases, request a call.
When you contact support, have your trip or order number ready, along with any screenshots or details about what went wrong. Explain clearly what happened and why you think a refund is warranted. Support agents can sometimes override an initial denial or investigate further if you provide new information.
Response times for direct support messages vary — typically one to three business days. If you are in a country where Uber has a phone support line, calling may be faster than messaging, though wait times can be long during peak hours.
Refunds for rides you did not take
If you were charged for a ride you never took — because the driver cancelled, you cancelled before pickup, or there was a system error — report it immediately. Go to "Your Trips," find the ride, tap "Report a Problem," and select "I was charged but didn't take this trip" or the closest matching reason.
Uber will usually refund the full ride fare if you can show you were not picked up. However, if you cancelled the ride after the driver was already heading to you, Uber may keep a cancellation fee. The amount of that fee depends on how close the driver was — typically between $3 and $10, though it can be higher in some cities or during surge pricing.
If Uber charged you multiple times for the same ride, report it as a duplicate charge. These are almost always refunded once Uber confirms the error.
Refunds for food orders that never arrived or were wrong
For Uber Eats orders, report problems through "Your Orders" in the app. If your food never arrived, select "Order not received" and provide details about when you placed the order and when you expected it. Uber will refund the food cost and usually the delivery fee if the order was not delivered within a reasonable time.
If your order arrived but items were missing or the food was damaged, select "Items missing or incorrect" or "Food quality issue." Describe which items were wrong or damaged. Uber may refund the full order, a partial refund for specific items, or offer a credit toward your next order. The company's decision depends on the restaurant's policies and how serious the problem was.
Keep your order confirmation email or screenshot of the order details. If Uber asks the restaurant to verify what happened, having proof of what you ordered helps your case. Most food-related refunds are processed within a few days.
What to do if Uber denies your refund request
If Uber denies your refund and you believe the decision is wrong, you have options. First, contact support again through the app with additional details or evidence — a screenshot of the charge, a message from the driver, or a photo of damaged food. Sometimes a second review by a different agent results in approval.
If Uber continues to deny the refund, you can dispute the charge with your credit card company or bank. This is called a chargeback. Contact your card issuer, explain the problem, and provide any documentation you have. Your bank will investigate and may reverse the charge on your behalf. Note that disputing a charge may result in Uber suspending or closing your account, so use this option only if Uber's internal process has failed.
For small amounts, the cost of pursuing a dispute may not be worth it. For larger charges or repeated problems, a chargeback is a legitimate recourse when Uber's own process does not work.
How long refunds take and where they go
Once Uber approves your refund, the money goes back to your original payment method. If you paid with a credit or debit card, the refund appears in your account within three to five business days. If you paid with Uber Cash, the credit is added to your Uber account immediately and can be used for future rides or food orders.
Weekends and holidays can delay refunds because banks process transactions on business days only. If more than five business days have passed and you do not see the refund, contact your bank to confirm it was received. Sometimes banks hold refunds for a day or two before posting them to your account.
If you paid through a third-party payment app like Apple Pay, Google Pay, or PayPal, the refund still goes back through that app to your underlying card or bank account. Check the payment app first if you do not see the refund in your main bank account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a refund if I cancel a ride after the driver starts heading toward me?
You may be charged a cancellation fee if the driver was already close to your pickup location. Uber does not refund cancellation fees unless the driver was extremely far away or there was a system error. If you believe the fee was unfair, report it through the app and explain the circumstances.
What if the driver took a much longer route than necessary?
If a driver deliberately took a longer route to increase the fare, report it as "Driver took an inefficient route" or similar. Uber investigates these claims by comparing the route taken to the shortest available route. Refunds are not may provide, but Uber may adjust the fare if the detour was significant and intentional.
How do I know if my refund was approved?
Uber sends an email notification when it approves or denies a refund request. Check your email (including spam folders) for messages from Uber. You can also check the status by opening the trip or order in the app — it will show "Refund processed" or "Refund denied" at the bottom.
Can I request a refund months after a trip or order?
Uber is less likely to refund claims made long after the trip or order occurred. The company prioritizes recent reports because they are easier to investigate. If you have a legitimate reason for the delay, explain it when you report the problem, but expect a lower chance of approval.
What if Uber refunds me but I was not supposed to get a refund?
If Uber refunds you by mistake, the company may charge your account later to recover the money. Do not spend a refund you are unsure about. If you received a refund you did not request, contact Uber support to clarify whether it was intentional.