As teens mature, parents look for ways to strike a balance between independence and safety. Transportation is one of the biggest challenges: how do you give your teen the freedom to get to school activities, jobs, or friends’ houses without always being in the driver’s seat yourself?
There may also be times when it makes sense for them not to drive or ride with a friend, such as late at night. With Uber Teen Accounts, teens can request a ride from a highly rated and experienced adult driver.
These accounts, which require a parent or guardian’s approval to set up, allow teens to request rides while keeping parents informed and in control.
What Is an Uber Teen Account?
An Uber Teen Account is a special type of account linked to a parent or guardian’s Uber Family profile that allows teens to book and take rides and request food deliveries with parental supervision. Instead of opening a standard account, which requires being 18 years or older, teens ages 13–17 can have a Teen Account after being invited and approved by a parent or guardian. Teen Accounts offer parents and guardians real-time notifications, live trip and delivery tracking, and spending controls. This setup ensures that the adult remains in charge of key features, settings, and spending.
Safety Features for Uber Teen Accounts
Uber Teen Accounts include a series of important safety features:
- All Uber drivers are required to undergo a multi-step background check before driving on the app. In addition, only highly rated, experienced drivers can receive trip requests from teens.
- Before the ride begins, the teen shares a unique PIN with the driver to help confirm they’re getting in the right vehicle.
- Parents can see the ride’s progress in real-time, including the route and estimated arrival time.
- Uber’s technology detects potential issues, such as unexpected long stops or crashes, and automatically checks in with both the driver and rider to ask if everything is OK.
- Drivers cannot change the drop-off location—only the teen account holder or their guardian can.
- Parents get alerts when a ride is requested, begins, ends, or if the teen changes the dropoff.
- Teens can call 911, contact Uber Support, or report an issue directly through the app during any trip.
- Teens can also allow mic access through the Uber app, which records everything during the ride. (The audio is stored in an encrypted file on the rider’s phone and is only accessible if an incident report is filed with Uber.)
- While a teen is on a ride requested through their teen account, parents can phone or text the driver from the Uber app.
- After a ride, teens can report a safety incident in the app by selecting the trip from their ride history, tapping Help > Report Safety Issue, or by calling Uber’s Safety Incident Reporting Line.
Parental Controls and Spending Limits
With an Uber Teen Account, parents or guardians approve the setup and can manage important controls before and during use. Parents and guardians can:
- Request rides for teens directly from their own Uber app.
- Set a budget for how much a teen can spend on rides each week or month.
- Review completed trips. Every completed ride is logged in the parent’s app, including cost, driver information, and route details.
- Change settings or remove the teen’s access to Uber.
Uber Eats for Teens
Teen accounts can also be used for Uber Eats for food delivery. Orders are displayed on the parent’s app, where they can view details, receive notifications, and manage payments. Families can also set spending limits for deliveries or turn off access to Uber Eats.
How to Set Up an Uber Teen Account
- Open the Uber app and go to your profile. Tap Account > Family. If you don’t yet have a Family Profile, you’ll need to create one first.
- Invite your teen. Select Add new member > Teens. Then pick your teen’s name from your phone contacts. Add their birth date.
- Send the invite. Your teen will get an invitation via text message. They’ll need to accept the invite to use the service. If they don’t have the Uber app, they’ll need to download it.
- Complete safety education. Before they can take their first ride or place orders, the teen must complete a mandatory safety onboarding process, which explains features such as PIN verification and destination lock.
Closing Thoughts for Parents
Uber Teen Accounts can be a useful and reassuring tool for families, providing a convenient way for young people to get to school, work, or social activities without always relying on parents or friends for a ride. Parents enjoy peace of mind, knowing that safety features, highly rated drivers, and real-time trip updates are built into the experience. Teens also have the opportunity to develop essential life skills, such as managing a budget and taking responsibility for their own transportation.
Even with these features and advantages, family conversations are essential. Talk with your teen about using Uber, and review the safety tools and advice together—especially PIN verification, ride tracking, and how to respond if they ever feel unsafe, whether inside or outside a ride. You might also discuss practical topics, such as whether and how to share costs with friends—helping them build confidence, make smart decisions and take on more independence over time.
Uber provides financial support to ConnectSafely. ConnectSafely is solely responsible for the content of this guide.