Where to request a refund in the Uber app

Open the Uber app and go to the "Account" tab at the bottom right. Tap "Your trips" to see your ride history, or "Your orders" if you ordered food through Uber Eats. Find the trip or order you want a refund for and tap it to open the details. At the bottom of that screen, you will see a "Help" button — tap it.

From the Help menu, select "I'd like a refund." Uber will then show you a list of common refund reasons. Pick the one that matches your situation. The app will ask follow-up questions depending on which reason you chose — for example, if you say the driver took a wrong route, it may ask you to describe what happened.

After you submit, Uber sends your request to a support agent. You will get a notification in the app when someone responds. Most refund decisions come back within 24 to 48 hours, though some take longer if Uber needs more information from you or the driver.

Key Takeaways

  • Refund requests go through the Uber app under "Your trips" or "Your orders," then the "Help" button on the specific trip or order.
  • Uber refunds rides when the driver was significantly late, took a wrong route, charged an incorrect fare, or did not show up at all.
  • Uber Eats refunds orders when food arrives cold, items are missing, or the order never shows up.
  • Most refund decisions take 24 to 48 hours, and Uber will notify you in the app when the agent responds.
  • If Uber denies your refund, you can dispute it through the app or contact support again with new information.

Refund reasons Uber accepts for rides

Uber refunds ride fares when the driver was more than 5 to 10 minutes late to pick you up, depending on your city. If you cancelled because the driver was taking too long, you can request a refund of the cancellation fee. Uber also refunds when the driver took a significantly longer route than the map showed, or when the fare charged does not match what the app quoted before you booked.

If the driver never showed up or cancelled after you were already waiting, you can request a refund of any cancellation fee you were charged. Uber will also refund if you were charged twice for the same ride by mistake. Safety issues — such as a driver behaving inappropriately or a vehicle that was unsafe — also may have access to for refunds, though Uber may also deactivate the driver's account.

Refunds for rides are usually issued back to your original payment method within 5 to 10 business days after Uber approves them. If you paid with a credit or debit card, the refund appears as a credit on your card statement. If you paid with Uber Cash or a gift card balance, the money goes back into that account immediately.

Refund reasons Uber accepts for Uber Eats orders

Uber Eats refunds orders when items arrive cold or damaged, when items are missing from your order, or when the entire order never shows up. You can also request a refund if the restaurant cancelled your order after you paid. If you ordered something and the restaurant was closed when the driver arrived, Uber will refund the full order.

For missing or incorrect items, Uber usually refunds only the price of those specific items, not the whole order. For example, if you ordered three items and one was missing, Uber refunds the cost of that one item plus any delivery fee. If the entire order is missing or arrives inedible, Uber refunds the full amount including delivery and service fees.

Refunds for Uber Eats orders are processed the same way as ride refunds — back to your original payment method within 5 to 10 business days. If you have a credit balance in your Uber account, Uber may offer to refund to that balance instead, which is faster.

What happens if Uber denies your refund request

If Uber denies your refund, you will see the reason in the app notification. Common reasons for denial are that the trip or order was too old (usually more than 90 days), that you already received a refund for it, or that Uber found no issue with the driver's or restaurant's service. You can tap "Disagree" on the denial message and submit a new request with more details or photos.

When you resubmit, explain what happened in as much detail as you can. If the issue was a wrong route, describe which streets the driver took. If food arrived cold, mention what time it arrived and how long it sat. If items were missing, list them by name. Photos of damaged food or packaging help your case. Uber reviews resubmitted requests again, and some are approved on the second try.

If Uber denies you a second time and you paid with a credit card, you can dispute the charge with your card issuer. Contact your bank or credit card company and explain the situation. They will open a dispute and may refund you while they investigate, though this process takes 30 to 60 days.

Refunds for Uber Eats subscription fees

If you subscribed to Uber Eats Pass (a monthly membership for free delivery and discounts), you can request a refund within 14 days of the charge. Go to Account, then Payments, then find the Uber Eats Pass charge in your transaction history. Tap it and select "Report a problem." Uber will refund the subscription fee if you request it within the 14-day window.

After 14 days, Uber does not refund subscription fees, but you can cancel your membership to stop future charges. Go to Account, then Payments, then Uber Eats Pass, and tap "Cancel membership." Your membership will end at the end of your current billing cycle, and you will not be charged again.

Contacting Uber support outside the app

If you cannot reach Uber through the app or want to speak to someone directly, you can contact Uber support through their website. Go to uber.com, scroll to the bottom, and click "Help." From there, you can search for your issue or start a chat with a support agent. Chat support is available in most countries and usually responds within a few minutes during business hours.

Uber does not have a phone number for general customer support in most places, but some cities offer phone support for safety emergencies. If you experienced a safety issue during a ride, you can report it through the app under "Safety" and request a call from a support agent. For non-emergency issues, the app and website chat are the fastest ways to reach someone.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to get a refund after Uber approves it?

Refunds to credit or debit cards take 5 to 10 business days to appear on your statement. Refunds to Uber Cash or gift card balances show up immediately. Business days do not include weekends or holidays, so a refund approved on Friday may not appear until the following Wednesday.

Can I get a refund if I lost something in the car?

Uber does not refund ride fares for lost items. However, you can report a lost item through the app under "Help" and Uber will contact the driver to see if they found it. If the driver has your item, Uber can help arrange a return. For valuable items, contact the driver directly through the app if you have their phone number.

What if the driver charged me a tolls or airport fee I did not expect?

Tolls and airport fees are shown in the fare breakdown before you book, so Uber usually does not refund them. However, if the fee was not disclosed and you were charged without warning, you can request a refund through the Help menu. Explain that the fee was not shown upfront and Uber will review it.

Can I get a refund for surge pricing?

Uber does not refund surge pricing charges. Surge pricing is shown before you book and is part of the quoted fare. If you believe the surge price was an error or the price changed after you booked, you can request a refund, but Uber rarely approves these unless there was a system glitch.

Do I have to tip the driver if I am requesting a refund?

You can request a refund of the ride fare without affecting any tip you already gave. Tips are separate from the fare and are kept by the driver. If you have not tipped yet and are requesting a refund, you can choose not to add a tip when you submit the refund request.