If ridesharing took a big hit during the pandemic, the demand for food delivery actually sky-rocketed and that doesn’t seem to change anytime soon. Whether you’re new to food delivery, or you’re already an Uber driver willing to increase your earnings during peak rideshare hours, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to become an Uber Eats driver in Australia.

Uber Eats requirements in Australia

The requirements for Uber Eats are similar to Uber driver requirements, but more relaxed when it comes to your Uber certified car. This means that if you qualify for Uber, you’re more than likely ready to join Uber Eats as well.

Uber Eats driver requirements

• At least 18 years old
• Full Australian licence (i.e. not a probationary licence) in the state you’ll be driving in or be on a temporary visa and hold a full overseas licence
• Background check
• Legal right to work in Australia
• Medicare access or relevant health insurance

Uber Eats car requirements

• 1990-model or newer
• Registered and CTP-insured in the state you’ll be driving in
• Third-party property or comprehensive vehicle insurance

Want to become a rideshare driver? 

Check the driver eligibility criteria for each rideshare app, prepare your documents and sign up.

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How to sign up with Uber Eats in Australia

1. Download the Uber app

The first step is to download the Uber Driver app, because this is where most of the sign-up process happens.

Download Uber Driver for iOS

Download Uber Driver for Android

You can also create a new account on the Uber website, but you will still need the app for the rest of the sign-up process. Here are the steps you need to take to become an Uber Eats driver:

• Sign up with a new account, and select the city in Australia you want to deliver in
• Select Uber Eats as the type of delivery and the vehicle you’ll be using to deliver food – motorbike/scooter, bicycle, or car
• Read and accept the terms and conditions, according to the state you’ll be delivering in
• Provide your legal consent related to your right to work, medical insurance, and driver licence validity collection.

TIP: In some cities, Uber provides a sign-up bonus.

2. Upload the required documents

If you’re delivering food in a car, the next step is to upload the required documents, for both you and your car. The app describes exactly what you need and how to upload everything correctly.

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Here’s what you need to upload:

• Proof of ID – Photo of your Passport or Birth Certificate (Australian only). The photo should clearly show your legal names, surname, birth country, birth state, birth city, gender and date of birth.
• Driver’s licence – You need to have a full Australian Licence if you’re delivering by car. The front licence photo must clearly show your photo, name and address. Then the back licence photo should show your licence issue date, expiry date and date of birth. In several Australian cities, you can also drive for Uber Eats with an overseas licence. Check Uber driver’s licence requirements for more details.
• Vehicle registration documents – They should clearly show the vehicle plate number, VIN, vehicle model/year and the document expiration date.
• Vehicle insurance – The insurance must be either Comprehensive or Third-party Property. Your name, licence plate, make and model, and expiration date must be visible. If the documents consist of more than one page, you should submit a pdf version.
• Australian Business Number (ABN) – As an independent contractor running a business, you need to have one.

Why you need an ABN and how to apply

You also need an ABN in order to pay the Goods and Services Tax (GST). If you deliver for only Uber Eats you do not have to register or pay GST unless your turnover is more than $75,000 a year. If you drive for Uber and Uber Eats you need to be registered for GST and pay GST on both your rides with Uber and food deliveries.

3. Apply for a background check and a right to work check

From the Uber Driver app, you can apply once for both checks. The background check is made through National Crime Check (NCC) and it proves that you are fit to work as an Uber Eats deliverer. Background checks can take up to 14 business days to process. Apply for a Background check here.

The right-to-work check (VEVO) is done via the Australian Department of Home Affairs and proves that you have the right to work in Australia. You only have to submit this once, as part of the sign-up process.

4. Go through the delivery basics and food safety modules

Although this is not a mandatory step to finish signing up, Uber recommends that you go through Uber Eats delivery basics online material on the steps you need to follow to deliver food, how to locate and meet your customer, and how to get help.

If you’re new to food delivery, you can go through Uber Eats food safety modules online materials about the importance of food safety and how to deliver food safely to your customers.

Once you’ve completed the sign-up process, it takes a few days for your account to be active, so you can start delivering.

IMPORTANT: You will only receive delivery requests in the city where your account is based.

Uber Eats FAQ

How much does it cost to get started with Uber Eats?

The cost of signing up for Uber Eats depends on many factors, rounding up to a total of minimum $100. Here are the estimated costs for each step to sign up with Uber Eats.

How does the Uber Eats app work?

For you to get a better understanding of how the Uber Eats apps work, here are the steps you need to follow to do a delivery:

1. Accept the delivery – when a customer places an order and you’re selected as the driver, you get a notification. You can either accept or decline the delivery request.
2. Pick up the order – the next step is going to the restaurant, show the order pick-up number to the staff and pick up the order.
3. Check the order number – before putting the order in the bag and hit the road, check its number to match the pick-up number you have.
4. Deliver the order – after you know you have the right order in your bag, start driving to the customer address and deliver the order.
5. Confirm the delivery – after handing the food to the customer, confirm the delivery via the Uber Eats app.

TIP: Use a navigation app to go straight to the destination through the shortest and cheapest route.

Check our blog on the ongoing debate Google Maps vs Waze and see which one is better for rideshare driving.

When is the best time to deliver with Uber Eats?

• The peak times for food delivery requests are, as you might expect, around meal times. Morning – Breakfast time – 7:30 am to 9:30 am
• Afternoon – Lunch time – 11:00 am to 2:00 pm
• Evenings – Dinner time – 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Late Friday and Saturday nights work as well because there are plenty of deliveries in the late nights, especially in big cities like Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, etc.

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Do I need an Uber Eats bag to deliver?

No, it’s not mandatory. However, Uber does recommend that you have an insulated bag designed for food delivery, especially if you’re delivering with a car. Also, there might be some restaurants that request that you have one. We also recommend picking one that’s big enough to carry at least an 18” pizza box.

Make sure that the food you deliver is kept as fresh as possible. After all, good deliveries mean good ratings for you, from both your customers and the restaurants.

How much money can I make as an Uber Eats driver?

It depends on several things – the city you’re in, how many hours you spend driving, as well as the distances you have to cover to make the deliveries.

There is no exact number to how much Uber Eats drivers make. But in big cities like Sydney, the average income of an Uber Eats driver is around $10 for each delivery. If a delivery driver can complete 3 orders per trip every hour, that means about $30 per hour, 50% more than the minimum wage of $20.33.

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What are the pros and cons of being an Uber Eats driver?

Being a food delivery driver comes with its ups and downs. It’s up to you to weight them down and decide if this job suits your needs.

Pros:

• You’re your own boss – since you have an ABN, you’re running your own business. This can help you become more responsible, goal-oriented and productive.
• Schedule flexibility – another great thing about being your own boss is having a flexible work schedule. You decide when and how much you work and you can plan your working hours around your personal schedule.
• You drive by yourself – if you love driving, but you don’t feel like interacting with passengers, switching to delivery driving is a great idea. You’re driving in your own style, focus better and learn the city street with more ease.

Cons: 

• Running costs – as with any business, you’re also the one responsible of covering your running costs, from fuel to maintenance and car paperwork. That’s an extra responsibility on your shoulders, so it’s important to know what to expect.
• It can get tiring – if you’re an active Uber driver who loves to chat with its passengers, lonely food delivery might not be the ideal choice for you, as your interactions reduce to the bare minimum with the restaurant staff and the customers you deliver to.

How can Splend help me become an Uber Eats driver in Australia?

We provide you with a safe and reliable new-model car for rideshare or food delivery. As a customer, you get the full service from day 1, which means that besides the car, we provide a bunch of other things included:

• An Uber-approved car
• Dedicated driver support
• CTP insurance
• Loss & damage cover
• Scheduled maintenance
• 24/7 roadside assistance
• Referral program

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