Driver Articles HUGE Sign-on Bonus: Lyft Driver Promo Code

Whether you’re a college student needing money for books or a full time employee with extra money on your mind, claiming a Lyft sign-up bonus is a great way to earn some extra cash.

Lyft is giving away some great bonuses that are too big to miss. Weekly guarantees in some cities are as high as $2,500 (read more about that here), so believe us when we say this company isn’t messing around.

In this post, we’ll show you everything you need to know about sign up bonuses, including a tutorial about how to claim the driver guarantees and promotions.

But before we get started, make sure you have the most important part of your bonus: a Lyft driver promo code.

If you’re looking to make extra money working your own hours, then sign up to drive using our referral link below to receive a cash bonus worth thousands.

Sign-on bonus for new Lyft drivers Make $1,000 guaranteed in all cities - CLAIM THIS BONUS Give 125 rides in your first 30 days to make $1,000 guaranteed. CLAIM THIS BONUS

**Please note: bonus amounts vary by city and are subject to Lyft’s official terms and conditions.

Now that’s out of the way, let’s dive right in.

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Lyft Driver Promotions For 2020

The Lyft new driver sign up bonus can range from $10 to $2,500, depending on the city you drive in. The bonuses change often depending on the level of driver supply in a region, so make sure to claim yours now before the amount drops.

When claiming an earnings guarantee, there are a few important terms to note:

The Lyft promo code must be entered during the first step of the application process. You can do this by clicking our referral link above. If you don’t, you will not be eligible to claim the sign-on bonus From ride one onwards, each ride will count toward the total ride amount to meet your bonus requirements New drivers will need to fulfill some basic bonus requirements. These include: Giving a certain amount of rides (varies by city)

Giving those rides within a certain time frame (varies by city)

If you have questions at any point during the application process, feel free to email us or get in touch with Lyft directly.

How Do Lyft Sign Up Bonuses Work?

Every driver has a unique Lyft referral code tied to their account that unlocks cash bonuses for referring new drivers and riders. Often referred to as a “Lyft driver referral code”, this is the key to claiming new driver sign up bonuses.

For a new driver to obtain a cash bonus or a passenger to obtain free ride credit, this promo code must be applied during signup. Drivers can have the bonus automatically applied by applying through our referral link during the signup process, and passengers enter it into the Lyft app when opening an account.

This step is important, as most drivers who forget to enter one often find that Lyft will oftentimes not retroactively apply this promotion to their account at a later date.

Each code pretty much works the same, and choosing one code over another won’t change your bonus amount.

Types of Driver Promotions

If you’ve paid attention to Lyft driver promotions, you’ll notice that all bonuses are not alike. In fact, depending on which city you sign up to drive in, bonuses can vary by amount, or type alltogether.

Historically, bonuses are split into two types:

Weekly Guarantees Drip promotions

There are notable differences between the two types of driver promotions, and understanding how each works is critical to your success of the highest payout.

What is offered in your city at the time of signup is what you get. Unfortunately you can’t pick which one you’d like to claim, as it’s up to your local team to determine the payouts.

**Update: Drivers who apply through our referral link are eligible to earn at least $1,000 in all cities when you give 125 rides in your first 30 days.

1. Lyft Guarantee Promotions

In certain cities, Lyft is testing what they are calling Earnings Guarantee promotions that pay drivers a set amount of money for completing a simple ride requirement. Instead of paying drivers a cash bonus for each ride they give, they will guarantee a driver will make a certain amount, and if they don’t, Lyft will pay the difference.

Drivers wanting to cash in on this type will need to drive during Lyft guaranteed hours, which usually fall within times of high demand. Examples:

Weekday Guarantee: 5 AM Monday – 4:59 AM Friday

5 AM Monday – 4:59 AM Friday Weekend Guarantee: 5 AM Friday – 4:59 AM Monday

5 AM Friday – 4:59 AM Monday Weekly Guarantee: 5 AM Monday – 4:59 AM the next Monday

Weekly guarantees are a great way to earn a lump sum of money in a set amount of time. From what I can tell, they’re geared more towards drivers who do rideshare full time, as the ride requirements are typically pretty high.

These are usually a relevant bonus for cities with high passenger demand and a lot of driver turnover. Bigger cities like Boston, Dallas, San Diego, Seattle, Los Angeles, Nashville, and Philadelphia are just a few examples where Lyft needs plenty of cars on the road.

But regardless, making a large amount of money, like $1,000 in the first 30 days, is something that is worth checking out.

2. Drip Promotions

The second type of promotion that Lyft has previously offered is called a drip promotion.

Drip promotions pay out a cash bonus for every ride given during a set time frame. Instead of having to complete an incredibly high amount of rides in a set amount of time, ridesharing drivers can earn extra money regardless, allowing them to be as ambitious as they want.

Here is a hypothetical example. Let’s say the promotion in an example city was a $300 total bonus, if the drier gave 200 rides within the first 28 days of signing up. If they gave all 200 rides, they earned the full $300 payout. If they only gave 50 rides though, they still earned an extra $75 without having to lose the entire bonus.

Chicago drivers have recently been offered the chance to claim an extra $1.50 for every ride they give in their first 28 days, up to $300.

The introduction of this incentive was a vast improvement over previous Lyft sign up bonuses. In the past, bonuses were either win or lose, meaning you’d be required to give a certain number of rides within a timeframe. If you didn’t hit that number of rides, you’d lose the entire bonus, even if you were short by just one ride.

And these promotions paid out incredibly well too. Some of the best paying cities for signup bonuses at one time paid out:

Pittsburgh: $800 San Francisco: $750 Indianapolis: $650 Sacramento: $650 San Jose: $650

Other high paying cities include Denver, New York City, Atlanta, Phoenix Orange County, and Washington D.C.

But as Lyft grows, there is less need for these types of promotions, meaning they will continue to change and evolve as time goes on.

How Much Is The Bonus?

The referral bonus amount for new Lyft drivers fluctuates based on which city you sign up in. It ranges from a measly $10 to a whopping $2,500 in certain cities. But first, a note on the $2,500 Lyft promotion that I’m sure you’ve heard about by now.

$2,500 Lyft Bonus

By now you’ve probably come across the Lyft $2,500 bonus and wondered how you can claim it.

Unfortunately, this is a blanket bonus for certain cities carefully selected, and not something you can sign up for. If your lucky city is offering it, jump right in and claim it now. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck with the amount that is currently being offered in your city.

$2,500 Lyft bonuses are offered as weekly guarantees, which comes out to $625 per week. If you sign up for this bonus, you’ll be guaranteed to make at least $625 per week. If you don’t, Lyft will pay you the difference out of their own pocket.

While this might sound crazy and too good to be true, we assure you it’s very much real. However, it’s not easy to attain.

Drivers looking to cash in and claim $2,500 need to accept 90% of the rides available to them, and driver at least 30 hours per week for no less than 65 rides. If you drive full time, you’re in luck. If you’re part time though, you’ll need to step up your game.

Is Your City Offering The $2,500 Bonus? Does this bonus apply to your city? [Find Out Now] Find Out What Bonus Your City Is Currently Offering Check Your City's Bonus

$5,000 Lyft Bonus

Just like we’ve seen with the $2,500 promotion, some competing sites are claiming drivers can easily claim a $5,000 Lyft bonus. In the past, we’ve seen this type of bonus offered, but our research shows that currently the highest bonus amount is $2,500 in select cities.

If we come across a bonus this high, however, we’ll add it here. Make sure to check back often to see if your city is eligible for this incredibly lucrative payout.

Additional Bonus Amounts

Like the $5,000 and $2,500 guarantees, there are a handful of other bonuses that can be unlocked with a Lyft referral code.

Like we said above, the amount varies by city, bonus type, and amount of drivers and new applicants for each city. Regardless, you’re likely to see bonuses in the following amounts:

$500 Lyft bonus: Atlanta, Arlington, Austin, Charlotte, Orange County

$650 Lyft bonus: Indianapolis, New Orlean. Sacramanto

$750 Lyft bonus: San Francisco

Disclaimer: We try to keep up, but the Lyft new driver bonus amounts change almost daily, so we recommend applying to become a driver, or reaching out to Lyft Support for the exact bonus amount for your city.

Claim Your Bonus – Submit A Lyft Driver Application

The Lyft driver application process is very easy. All information gets auto-saved as you go along the steps. So if you need a break, you can take one without worrying about starting the application all over again.

Visit the link below, or simply click the image to go to the application page.

Step 1 – Fill out the official Lyft driver application

Visit the Lyft driver application page and enter your phone number, agree to Lyft’s Terms of Service, then click Submit.

Make sure to apply through a Lyft referral link at this step or you won’t receive the sign-on bonus. (When you click our link the code should populate automatically).

Step 2 – Enter Additional Information

You’ll now enter basic information including your first and last name, email address, city you want to drive in, and if you haven’t already, the Promo/Referral Code.

Please note – this says “optional” but if you’re looking to get the bonus, you’ll need to enter the code manually, or enter through the referral link.

Step 3 – Verify Your Phone Number

Lyft will send you an SMS text message with a 4 digit code for verification, which you’ll enter into the box shown. This ensures that you actually own the phone number.

The number you sign up with is the one that will be tied to your Lyft account. It’s what you’ll log into your dashboard with, and the number that the Lyft driver app will route the call to when passengers need to contact you.

So make sure to sign up using a phone number you have access to instead of a number that could go away, such as a work phone.

Also, check the box that says “Stay Signed In”, otherwise if you hit the back button on your browser, you’ll have to go through the verification process all over again.

Step 4 – Provide Vehicle Information

Select one of the two options available: Use your own vehicle or Rent a vehicle.

If you’re using your own vehicle to drive with Lyft, enter the year, make, model, number of doors, and number of seatbelts for the vehicle you’d like to sign up with.

Please keep in mind that you and your vehicle will need to meet the Lyft driver requirements. These vary by city, but most are pretty similar as standard.

It doesn’t matter if you’re driving for Lyft, Lyft XL, Lyft Lux, or another service, all vehicles must be roadworthy and meet the minimum requirements put in place.

You will want to review the vehicle, driver, and smartphone requirements needed to drive by reading our Lyft Driver Requirements post.

If your vehicle meets Lyft’ standards, enter the empty fields. Once entered, select Continue.

If you don’t have a car to drive with, Lyft lets you rent one from their Express Drive program. This program allows drivers to rent vehicles at a low weekly rate. Instead of purchasing a car for Lyft driving, you can rent a car for a week or two and see if you like it.

Express Drive rentals include:

Insurance and standard maintenance

Unlimited miles – drive the vehicle for both rideshare and personal trips

No long-term contracts or red tape

Additionally, Express Drive offers “Rental Rewards”, which are additional bonuses that help offset the rental cost. For example, Chicago drivers have seen an additional $195 per week when they give 130 rides, with 50 of those rides during peak hours.

Step 5 – Provide Driver Information

Fill out your profile with personal information such as full legal name, social security number, date of birth, driver’s license number, state, expiration date, and shipping address.

The shipping address is where the company will send your car emblem and other driver essentials that you’ll use when picking up passengers.

Step 6 – Authorize background and DMV Check

Give your consent to a background and DMV check. Lyft will review your criminal and motor record. This process takes about a week to clear: if you don’t hear back right away, don’t worry. Lyft will notify you about the outcome of the check.

Step 7 – Get your vehicle inspected

Schedule a date and time for a 19 point vehicle inspection by a certified mechanic to ensure that you meet all the vehicle requirements. After all, nobody wants to be riding in an unsafe vehicle that’s barely roadworthy.

Of the available options, choose a location most convenient for you.

Before having your vehicle inspected, we suggest watching the requirements video above to get familiar with the vehicle requirements and inspection process, so you know what to inspect once you do take your car in.

Speaking from experience, it’s worth knowing, so you can avoid taking your car in more than once.

Step 8 – Get approved and drive

After you get your vehicle inspected, you just have to clear your background check. If approved, Lyft will send you an email to let you know you can hit the road and give your first ride.

Lyft Bonuses for Existing Drivers

You may be wondering what happens once you claim your new driver guarantee or cash bonus. We’re happy to report that the perks don’t stop there.

You can earn extra money as an existing driver through specialized programs for drivers, and even MORE by inviting people to drive using your Lyft referral code.

1. Prime Time

Prime Time kicks in during times of heavy demand and it lets drivers earn an extra on top of the usual base fare. Prime Time earnings can increase the ride fare anywhere from 25% to 200%.

This is what Prime Time looks like to a driver in Driver Mode

Prime Time usually activates during major holidays, or later in the night, during busy hours like when the bars close. As of March 2016, Lyft has removed the cap on Prime Time, allowing new drivers to earn more than ever before.

2. Weekly Guarantees

Lyft lets drivers in some cities make a guaranteed amount per week , granted they meet a few requirements, like maintaining a 90% weekly acceptance rate, completing a required number of rides, and completing a certain number of hours in driver mode.

At the end of a pay period, Lyft will look at your eligible ride payments which includes time and distance fares (after Lyft takes its commission) and Prime Time. If the total does not meet the guaranteed minimum, Lyft covers the difference.

3. Earn More Using Your Lyft Referral Code

The Lyft refer a driver program is arguably the most lucrative promotion for Lyft drivers. We’ve spent the majority of this post talking about how to claim a Lyft referral code, now we’re going to show you how to turn the tables and earn with one of your own.

How do I find my Lyft referral code?

In previous years, existing drivers were encouraged to invite new applicants through the Lyft driver app, or through their online dashboard.

As of 2019, however, the company phased out the Ambassador and Affiliate programs, and instead shifted to a new referral program through Rakuten, one of the world’s most popular affiliate networks.

Applying for the program, and referring new drivers, is a great way to make extra income.

Lyft Driver FAQ – Commonly Asked Questions

I signed up to drive without using a Lyft referral code. What should I do?

Unfortunately, there is no way for Lyft to grant existing drivers retroactive credit after they sign up. You should reach out to support for more information about bonus requirements and eligibility.

Do Lyft drivers get free rides?

Lyft drivers do not get free rides, however, they can earn referral credit by referring new riders through the affiliate program located in their driver dashboard. Bonus amounts range from $5-10 depending on the referring driver’s city and bonus amounts at the time the referral occured.

Which pays more, Lyft or Uber?

A recent survey of over 2,500 active rideshare drivers indicated that Uber and Lyft pay about the same. However, according to the data, Lyft drivers earn more money from passenger tips.

As the two biggest rideshare companies compete for market share, they consistently drop prices. These price decreases are great for a Lyft rider, but not so much for drivers. However, we still suggest driving, but treat it as a side hustle rather than a full time job.

How do Lyft drivers make money?

Lyft drivers make money through ride fares and select referral bonuses. Lyft takes 20% of each Lyft ride fare, and the Lyft driver keeps the rest for themselves. In addition, drivers are incentivized to invite their friends to ride and drive with Lyft.

Fares include the base fare, cost per mile, cost per minute plus Prime Time (if applicable). Other fees that may be added include cancellation fees, service fees, pickup/dropoff Airport fees, venue fees, tolls, and taxes.

Many passengers tip drivers, which usually adds another $20 or $30 of extra income per week. These are not included in the commission taken from a drier’s paycheck, which is 80 of the fare after fees.

From what I have found, landing tips is easy. Just be kind and courteous. Know the route and drive safely and confidently. Engage with the passengers if they seem open to a conversation. But DON’T infer that you want a tip.

If you do, you likely won’t get one. It might also affect your rating. I usually tip fellow drivers $5-$10, just because I know it will make their night. But if the driver outrightly suggests I give them one, I tip nothing. I don’t like tipping out of obligation, and most other passengers take the same stance.

Are Lyft drivers safe?

Lyft drivers are typically safe. In addition to being backed by a $1,000,000 insurance policy, Lyft covers their drivers with liability insurance, contingent and collision insurance, as well as uninsured/underinsured motorist insurance. Read more about Lyft safety on their official site .

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