Uber reviews are ratings and written feedback that passengers and drivers leave for each other after a trip

Every Uber trip generates a review opportunity. Passengers rate drivers on a scale of 1 to 5 stars and can write comments. Drivers rate passengers the same way. These reviews stay on your account and affect how the app treats you — they determine whether you can continue driving or taking rides, and they shape which drivers or passengers you're matched with.

The review system is not a complaint mechanism or a way to dispute a charge. It's a reputation record that both Uber and the other party can see. A low rating doesn't automatically remove you from the platform, but it can trigger deactivation if it falls below a certain threshold, which varies by city and changes over time.

Key Takeaways

  • Drivers need to maintain a minimum rating (usually 4.6 stars or higher, though this varies by location) to stay active on the platform.
  • Passengers with ratings below 4.6 stars may find it harder to get matched with drivers, and drivers can decline rides from low-rated passengers.
  • Reviews are visible to the other party and to Uber, but you cannot see individual reviews left about you — only your overall star rating.
  • A single bad review does not cause deactivation, but a pattern of low ratings or safety-related complaints can trigger account suspension or permanent removal.
  • You can respond to written reviews, but you cannot delete or dispute a review through the app — your only recourse is to contact Uber support if the review violates platform rules.

How the rating system works for drivers

Drivers receive a star rating after each completed trip. Passengers rate the driver's vehicle condition, driving behavior, route choice, and overall experience. The app shows passengers the driver's current rating before they request a ride, and many passengers avoid drivers with ratings below 4.7 or 4.8 stars.

Your driver rating is an average of all ratings you've received, weighted toward recent trips. Uber does not publish exactly how many trips factor into the average or how much weight recent trips carry, but the system is designed so that a few bad ratings don't permanently tank your score if you maintain good service over time. A driver with 500 trips and a 4.5 rating will recover faster from a 1-star review than a driver with 50 trips.

Drivers can see their rating in the app under "Account" or "Ratings," along with a breakdown by category (cleanliness, driving, communication, navigation). You cannot see the text of individual reviews, only the overall number and the category scores. Uber does not tell drivers which passenger left which review.

How the rating system works for passengers

Passengers also receive a star rating based on driver feedback. Drivers rate passengers on cleanliness, behavior, communication, and whether they followed the pickup instructions. A passenger's rating is visible to drivers before they accept the ride request, and many drivers decline rides from passengers with ratings below 4.6 stars.

Passengers with very low ratings may find that few drivers accept their requests, or that wait times become very long. Unlike drivers, passengers are not formally deactivated for low ratings in most markets — instead, the matching algorithm makes it progressively harder to get a ride. In some cities, Uber has deactivated passenger accounts for ratings below a certain threshold combined with safety complaints, but this is less common than driver deactivation.

Passengers can see their own rating in the app but cannot see individual reviews or category breakdowns the way drivers can. You see only the star number.

What triggers driver deactivation

Uber deactivates drivers when their rating falls below the minimum threshold for their city, which typically ranges from 4.4 to 4.7 stars depending on the market. The exact threshold is not published and changes periodically. Deactivation is not automatic — Uber reviews accounts individually, and a driver at 4.5 stars in one city might be deactivated while a driver at 4.5 stars in another city remains active.

Deactivation also happens for reasons other than low rating: safety complaints, cancellations above a certain rate, no trips in a long period, or violations of Uber's community guidelines. A single serious complaint — such as a report of unsafe driving, harassment, or damage to the vehicle — can trigger immediate deactivation regardless of overall rating.

When Uber deactivates a driver account, the app sends a notification explaining the reason in general terms. Drivers can request to know more by contacting Uber support, but Uber does not always provide detailed information about which reviews or complaints led to deactivation. Some drivers have successfully appealed deactivation by submitting additional context or evidence, but appeals are not may provide to succeed.

What reviews can and cannot be used for

Reviews are meant to reflect the quality of the trip itself. A driver should not be rated down because the passenger was upset about surge pricing, a long wait time, or a route they didn't like. A passenger should not be rated down because they asked the driver to take a different route or because they were quiet during the ride. Uber's guidelines say reviews should address the actual service — cleanliness, safety, communication, and whether the driver or passenger followed the rules.

In practice, people leave reviews for many reasons outside these guidelines. Some drivers rate passengers 1 star for not tipping. Some passengers rate drivers 1 star for playing music they didn't like. Uber does not actively police these reviews, and there is no formal process to report an unfair review while it remains on your account. Your only option is to respond to the written review (if one was left) or to contact support if you believe the review violates a specific rule, such as containing harassment or false safety claims.

How to respond to a review

If a passenger or driver left a written review about you, you can write a response in the app. Open the trip details, find the review, and select "Reply." Your response is visible to the other party and to Uber. Responses are most useful when they address a factual misunderstanding — for example, if a passenger said you took a wrong turn and you can explain why that route was faster, or if a driver said you were late and you can note that traffic was severe.

Responses that are angry, defensive, or accusatory usually make your rating look worse, not better. Uber does not remove reviews based on responses, and responses do not change your star rating. The response is simply a chance to add context that future passengers or drivers can see.

If you did not receive a written review, only a star rating, there is nothing to respond to. You cannot contact the other party directly through Uber to ask why they rated you low.

Disputing a review or requesting removal

Uber does not allow users to delete or dispute reviews through the app. If you believe a review is false, contains harassment, or violates Uber's community guidelines, you can contact Uber support and request that they investigate. Support may remove the review if it contains explicit profanity, threats, slurs, or false claims about safety (such as "this driver stole from me" with no evidence).

Uber is unlikely to remove a review simply because you disagree with it or because it hurt your rating. The threshold for removal is high — the review has to violate a specific rule, not just be unfair or inaccurate. If support declines to remove the review, you have no further recourse within the app.

Some drivers and passengers have filed complaints with local consumer protection agencies or small claims court over reviews they believe were retaliatory or false, but these cases are difficult to win because Uber's terms of service give users broad freedom to leave reviews, and courts are reluctant to order removal of speech.

How reviews affect matching and pricing

Uber's matching algorithm uses ratings as one factor in deciding which drivers to show to a passenger and which passengers to show to a driver. A passenger with a 4.2 rating will see fewer available drivers than a passenger with a 4.8 rating, because many drivers have set their preferences to decline low-rated passengers. A driver with a 4.3 rating will receive fewer ride requests than a driver with a 4.8 rating, because the algorithm prioritizes showing high-rated drivers to passengers.

Ratings do not directly affect the fare you pay as a passenger or the per-mile rate you earn as a driver. However, low ratings can indirectly increase costs for passengers by reducing driver supply — if few drivers accept your requests, surge pricing may kick in. For drivers, low ratings reduce the number of rides offered, which lowers total earnings even if the per-ride rate stays the same.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see which passenger or driver left a specific review about me?

No. Uber does not tell you which trip or which person generated any particular review. You see only your overall star rating and, for drivers, category breakdowns. You cannot identify the reviewer or contact them directly through the app.

What is the minimum rating I need to stay active as a driver?

The minimum varies by city and changes over time, but it typically ranges from 4.4 to 4.7 stars. Uber does not publish the exact threshold for your location. If your rating approaches the minimum, Uber usually sends a warning before deactivating your account, giving you a chance to improve.

If I get a 1-star review, will I be deactivated immediately?

No. A single low review does not cause deactivation. Deactivation happens when your overall average rating falls below the minimum threshold for your city, or when you receive a serious safety complaint. One bad review affects your average but usually does not trigger removal by itself.

Can I ask Uber to remove a review that I think is unfair?

You can contact Uber support and request removal if the review contains harassment, threats, slurs, or provably false safety claims. Uber is unlikely to remove a review simply because you disagree with it or because it was harsh. Support will investigate, but removal is not may provide.

Do tips affect ratings?

Tipping and ratings are separate. A driver should not rate a passenger low because they didn't tip, and Uber's guidelines discourage this. In practice, some drivers do rate low-tipping passengers poorly, but this is against policy. Passengers can tip after rating, so a low tip does not automatically predict a low rating.