How to Pass the 19-Point Vehicle Inspection

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What Is the 19-Point Vehicle Inspection?

This inspection is a procedure carried out by government or private organizations to check a car in 19 specific areas to ensure that it conforms to safety and operational requirements.

While the 19 points are the same for different companies, their procedures differ slightly. The process also varies based on the geographical location where the inspection is performed.

Uber and Lyft drivers can also use services like Rideshare Mechanic to get their vehicles inspected remotely. This service conducts a video vehicle inspection, which eliminates the inconvenient process of going to a Jiffy Lube or local mechanic. No more getting stuck in traffic, wasting money on gas, or dealing with a mechanic who wants to upsell you on other parts.

Their cost is comparable to your local mechanic, and you don’t pay unless your car passes the inspection.

Click HERE to sign up with Rideshare Mechanic and get your vehicles inspected quickly and efficiently.

19 Points Checked:

1. Headlights
2. Tail-lights
3. Turn indicator lights
4. Stop lights
5. Foot brakes
6. Emergency/parking brake
7. Steering mechanism
8. Windshield
9. Heat and air conditioning
10. Front, rear and side window
11. Front seat adjustment mechanism
12. Door controls (open, close, lock)
13. Horn
14. Speedometer
15. Body condition/damage
16. Muffler and exhaust system
17. Condition of tires, including tread depth
18. Interior and exterior rear view mirrors
19. Safety belts for driver and passengers

If your vehicle has problems in any of these areas, you will not pass the inspection until they are addressed.

In order to become an Uber or Lyft driver, your car must pass the 19-point vehicle inspection to confirm that it meets the company’s requirements. In this article, we’ll describe what the inspection is about, and how to pass it.

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Requirements for Uber Vehicle Inspection

The following is the process for ensuring that your car meets Uber’s inspection requirements:

First, make sure that you meet the minimum driver requirements before you start preparing your vehicle for inspection:

• You must be at least 21 years old.
• You must have at least one year of driving experience in the USA, and three years if you are under the age of 23.
• You must have a valid US driver’s license.
• You must drive an eligible 4-door vehicle.

There are several options for undergoing an Uber inspection.

If you live in a large city, such as in Los Angeles, you can have your car inspected at an Uber Greenlight Center. This is free and takes less than 30 minutes.

If you do not have a specialized Uber center nearby, you can pass inspection at any government Motor Vehicle Inspection Station.

Here’s the procedure for registering for inspection with Uber:

1. Sign up at Uber

Sign up as a driver and choose your location.

2. Download an inspection form

Download an inspection form from Uber’s website, being sure to choose the one appropriate for your city.

Note that you don’t need a printed form for some Greenlight centers because specialists there will have the required papers. Check this information on Uber’s website.

3. Choose a center and schedule an inspection

The best way to find the closest vehicle inspection center is to visit Uber’s website. Select your city, and click on Get an Inspection.

You will see a map with the location of Greenlight Centers.

In Los Angeles, Jiffy Lube and Sprint Stores are Uber partners. They will cover 100% of annual inspection costs.

When you sign up as a driver, you automatically get an offer to have a vehicle inspection at the nearest Uber center, depending on your location.

You will also receive an offer to schedule your inspection.

Here is a screenshot of the Greenlight Riverside, Los Angeles schedule.

As mentioned before, inspection at Uber Greenlight Center is free. Uber does not cover the cost of inspection by a third-party mechanic, the average cost of which is $20 to $40.

4. Pass vehicle inspection in Uber Greenlight Center

Bring all the necessary documents to get started. These include your driver’s license, vehicle registration, car insurance, and downloaded inspection form.

5. Upload the completed form

Once your vehicle passes inspection, upload pictures of all of the required documents to your profile using your Uber app. If you have trouble, the Uber staff at Greenlight Center will help you.

An example of the inspection form:

Requirements for Lyft Vehicle Inspection

Lyft vehicle inspection varies from state to state, just like Uber’s. In some states, Lyft drivers don’t actually have to visit an inspection station; they can upload photos of certain documents as proof that they meet the specifications.

Before preparing for Lyft vehicle inspection make sure that you meet the main Lyft driver requirements:

• You must be at least 21 years old.
• You must have had a valid driver’s license for at least 1 year.
• You must have a clean driving record.
• You must have a vehicle insurance.

Assuming that you meet all of these requirements, you may sign up HERE to drive with Lyft. Then, choose your location, and carefully read all the standards for your state described on Lyft.com.

Vehicle Inspection in Lyft may be carried out in two ways: with the help of a mentor inspection or at a mechanic station. The correct procedure depends on the state.

Mentor inspections are widespread in many states.

Here is a short guide on how to pass a mentor inspection, based on Lyft recommendations:

1. Prepare your car. Make sure that it not only will pass all 19 points of the inspection, but is also clean and tidy.
2. Schedule a session with your mentor, chosen from the list that Lyft will provide.
3. Download a Vehicle Inspection Form for your state from lyft.com.
4. Meet with your mentor at the arranged time and place. Don’t be late. The mentor will conduct the 19-point vehicle inspection, and examine your driving skills. Follow his guidance, and feel free to ask questions. Remember, any mistake may cost you the mentor’s approval.
5. After the mentor’s session, you may need to wait as long as several weeks for Lyft to run a background check. Check your email regularly for a Welcome Kit with a Lyft emblem for your windshield; once it arrives, you are ready to hit the road.

Lyft mentor inspection is free.

The Inspection Form in Arizona:

Mechanical Inspection

Citizens of Maryland, for example, may undergo an official state vehicle inspection in the state or several neighboring regions (Maryland driver requirements):

• Maryland.
• Virginia (see discounted inspection locations).
• Washington, DC.
• Pennsylvania (only for Baltimore drivers).

Here is an example of Maryland Vehicle Inspection report:

The details of the vehicle inspection procedures in all cities where Lyft operates are described here.

Lyft doesn’t provide free mechanic inspection, but will give you a list of auto repair centers and facilities near you. For example, here is a list of Los Angeles facilities.

What If Your Car Doesn’t Pass the Inspection?

The mechanic, Greenlight Center specialist or a mentor who conducted the inspection will explain why your car failed and how to correct the problems.

Once your car is repaired, you can attempt again to pass the inspection.

Summary

In this article, we described how to pass the 19-point vehicle inspection on the Uber and Lyft platforms.

The procedure for completing the motor inspection varies based on the company and the region where you are located.

• The first step is always to make sure that you meet the general requirements to be an Uber or Lyft driver.
• Next, you should check for information about any special requirements in your city. If you are going to work for Uber, find a Greenlight Center or other mechanic center. Download the correct form, schedule an inspection, check that your car is in good condition, and go in for the inspection.
• Assuming that all goes well, you will receive a form indicating that your car passed. Upload it to Uber’s website or app, and you can start driving and making money.
• If you are going to work for Lyft, first find out what kind of inspection is required for your city: mentor inspection or mechanic inspection. In some cases, you may just need to verify that your car is in good condition through photos and uploaded documents.
• You should prepare your car both for a mentor and mechanic inspection. If doing a mentor inspection, you should take the human factor into account as well: be punctual and treat your mentor with respect.
• After the mentor session or mechanic review, you may need to wait for up to two weeks to get final approval. Check for an email indicating that you passed, and you’re ready to start driving with Lyft.

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We wish you the best of luck in passing your 19-point vehicle inspection successfully, and have a wonderful working experience with Uber or Lyft!

If you would like to start renting or driving, please click here.