Driver’s license verification

In this article:

• Why we verify driver’s licenses
• How the driver’s license verification works
• Supported driver’s license types and countries
  
• Tips if you’re having trouble getting verified
  
• Where we display your verification badge
• Members without a verification badge
  
• Losing your verification badge
• How we manage your personal information

At Poparide, trust is fundamental to our community—where countless members rely on each other to carpool safely together every single day in Canada.

A crucial aspect of fostering this trust is verifying the identity of our drivers. Our identity verification process involves several steps designed to confirm that all drivers on our platform are genuine so that everyone can feel confident and safe using Poparide. Every driver must have their driver's license verified to use our platform.

Through this verification process, we aim to minimize fraudulent behaviour, promote safety, and enable meaningful and authentic interactions within our community.

Why we verify driver’s licenses

Verifying driver’s licenses helps to:

• Increase safety by ensuring all drivers have a valid, non-expired driver’s license
• Promote trust between drivers and passengers
• Uphold Poparide’s Community Agreement
• Reduce fraudulent behaviour and scams
• Respond to, support, and investigate safety and security issues

How the driver’s license verification works

We require all Poparide drivers to be verified when they post a trip on our platform.

To verify your driver’s license, we will ask you to go through an easy, two-step process where you will:

• Take a photo of the front and back of your driver’s license
• Take a live selfie of your face

This verification process will be available before you post a trip. It only takes a few minutes and you’ll know straight away if your driver’s license verification has been approved.

You will have three attempts to get verified, and if your verification is rejected, you’ll have the ability to ask for help from our Support Team.

Don’t worry—any identity information you provide outside of your first name won’t be shared with any other members on Poparide, and will be handled according to our Privacy Policy.

Supported driver’s license types and countries

We support driver's licenses that meet the following requirements:

• Non-expired driver's licenses that aren't restricted due to unlawful behaviour
• Full driver's licenses: Learner’s or New licenses are not accepted
• Plastic, credit card style driver's licenses from all Canadian provinces and territories and from all US States

If you have a driver’s license from outside of Canada or the US, we cannot guarantee that it will be verified. Additionally, if you have relocated to Canada and to comply with Canadian provincial laws, you will have to exchange your international driver’s license with a provincially-issued driver’s license shortly after you arrive, typically within three months (more information).

Note that we don’t support paperback international driver’s licenses and that you will need to submit a plastic, credit card type, nationally-issued driver’s license for verification.

Tips if you’re having trouble getting verified

• Ensure you’re using the latest version of the Poparide app: Visit the App Store (iPhone) or the Play Store (Android) to ensure your app is up-to-date.

• Grant camera permission: The Poparide app or your browser may need permission to access your camera. You can typically find instructions on how to provide these permissions to Poparide by checking your browser or app settings. If you update these permissions and it’s still not working, try refreshing our app or webpage.

• Use high-quality photos: Take photos in a well-lit room, without glare, and check that the photos are clear, not obscured, and fit within the frames we designate during the process. For selfies, religious head coverings are welcome—but please make sure that we can see your eyes, nose, and mouth. Don’t worry—your selfie won’t be shown to other members on Poparide or on your profile.

• Take a picture of yourself in the moment: When taking the selfie during verification, it must be taken at the moment of submission and not be a previous photo of you. Don’t worry—this won’t show on your profile or to other users on Poparide.

• Use your original driver’s license and make sure it’s not expired: Make sure your driver’s license has not expired and is an original—that means it’s not a photocopy, PDF, or other digital copy. 

• Take a live picture of your driver’s license: Similar to selfies, the picture of your driver's license must also be taken at the moment of submission and not be a previous photo of your license. 

• Submit front and back of your driver’s license: Submit photos of both the front and back of your driver’s license.

Where we display your verification badge

Once your driver’s license has been verified, you’ll get a verified badge on your Poparide profile, your trips and in search results.

This lets members know that your driver’s license was verified, your identity is genuine and you’re contributing to the trust and safety of the Poparide community!

Members without a verification badge

Right now, only drivers on Poparide must be verified. Passengers who have not driven on Poparide will not have a verification badge on their profile.

Losing your verification badge

If you create a new Poparide account by mistake or your driver’s license expires, you may lose your driver’s license verification badge and you will need to verify again to post trips on Poparide.

How we manage your personal information

We are a community built on trust. A fundamental part of earning that trust means being clear about how we use your information.

Only authorized Poparide personnel and authorized third-party providers may access the information you submit, and all your information is stored and transmitted in a secure manner. We only share your identification information with authorized third-party service providers to help support the driver’s license verification process—including such things as verifying your identity and authenticating your identification documents. 

Note that we do not currently perform background checks.

We delete your driver’s license after a prescribed retention period, relating to the purpose it was collected for, has elapsed—unless we’re legally required to retain it. Note that after your documents have been deleted, we continue to retain some information from them—such as your date of birth—for the management of your account, legal compliance, and general security purposes. 

For more information, please consult our Privacy Policy.