Can I Be Deactivated for Low Ratings in NYC?

Short answer: Yes. Uber says drivers can lose access if their rating falls below the city minimum. In the US, your rating is the average of your last 500 ratings from riders, and Uber says it leaves out some ratings it considers biased or beyond your control. Low-rating cases in NYC have a separate process from other appeals, and Uber says drivers may be able to regain access by taking a course.

How the rating works

Because the rating covers your last 500 rated trips, one bad rating moves it only a little, and a recent run of low ratings takes many good trips to balance. Uber's deactivation page also says it discounts reports from customers who abuse ratings or support systems.

We did not find the NYC minimum on an official Uber page, so we don't state a number. Check your app's ratings section or ask Uber support. We also did not find an official Lyft page on its ratings rules for NYC.

The separate low-rating process

Uber's NYC driver panel page (dated June 29, 2020) says temporary, quality-related deactivations, such as low ratings, have a separate resolution process, and that you should check your email for instructions. Uber's current deactivation page links to a resource on how drivers "may be able to regain access to giving rides by taking a course."

So for a ratings case:

1. Look for Uber's email or in-app message about your rating.
2. Follow the steps it gives, such as the course.
3. If you think specific low ratings were unfair (for example, a rider who complained about traffic or a route the app chose), note the trip IDs and raise them with support.

If your message gives a different reason, such as a rider's safety complaint, this is not a ratings case. See deactivated after a rider complaint.

Ways to protect your rating

We only list steps that follow from Uber's published rules, not tips we can't back up:

• Check your rating often in the app so a drop doesn't surprise you.
• Keep records of problem trips (trip ID, what happened) while you remember. They help if you ask Uber to review unfair ratings.
• Report riders who misuse ratings to support, since Uber says it discounts reports from customers who abuse ratings.
• Follow TLC and app rules on service, routes and accessibility. Refusing riders with service animals or wheelchairs is a separate deactivation reason under Uber's policy.

Would NYC's deactivation law change this?

If it takes effect, Local Law 52 of 2026 would allow deactivation for "failure to satisfactorily perform job duties" only as just cause, usually after progressive discipline under a written policy, with 14 days' notice. It would also require the company to give you "all customer comments, ratings, and complaints" about you after a deactivation. A federal court blocked the law in July 2026, so it does not apply today.

For every other kind of app removal, see deactivated by Uber or Lyft: what to do, Uber's NYC appeals panel, or use the deactivation path finder. This is general information, not legal advice.