No More Pre-Ride Tips: Centre Tells Ola, Uber, Rapido to Remove Option

August 13, 2026

New Delhi: The Centre has directed ride-hailing platforms Ola, Uber and Rapido to remove options and prompts that allow passengers to tip drivers before a ride is accepted or completed. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) said such pre-ride and mid-ride tipping features are not in line with the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025.

The directive requires the platforms to remove tipping prompts that appear during the booking process or before the completion of a trip. The move is aimed at ensuring that passengers are not encouraged to make additional payments before receiving the service.

Tips allowed only after completion of ride

Under the Centre’s direction, passengers can continue to tip drivers, but the option should be made available only after the ride has been completed. The tip must remain voluntary and should not be presented as a condition or incentive for securing a ride.

The government has also objected to prompts or messages that could suggest that paying an advance tip may increase the chances of a driver accepting the ride, reduce waiting time or result in faster confirmation. Such practices could give passengers the impression that an additional payment is necessary to obtain better or quicker service.

No link between tipping and ride acceptance

The Centre has made it clear that tips should not influence the allocation or acceptance of rides. Platforms have been asked to ensure that their app interfaces do not nudge or pressure passengers into making advance payments.

The issue of advance tipping had previously attracted regulatory scrutiny after concerns were raised over features that allowed users to offer a tip before booking a ride, with suggestions that it could improve the likelihood of a driver accepting the trip.

Entire post-ride tip to go to driver

The latest direction also reinforces the principle that tipping should remain a voluntary payment made after the service has been provided. If a passenger chooses to tip after completing the journey, the full tip amount should go to the driver, without deductions by the aggregator.

The Centre’s move is intended to bring ride-hailing platforms in line with the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025 and strengthen transparency in app-based cab services.