MoRTH said tipping must be “entirely voluntary” and directed aggregators not to display any feature, prompt, message, add-on, payment option or other user-interface element before completion of a ride
| Photo Credit:
The government has directed ride-hailing and other motor vehicle aggregators to remove prompts and interface features that encourage passengers to tip drivers before or during a journey, warning that tipping cannot be linked, directly or indirectly, to faster ride confirmation, driver acceptance or better service.In a letter dated August 11, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) asked all motor vehicle aggregators to comply strictly with Clause 14.15 of the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025.The directive comes after the Ministry took note of tipping prompts displayed by some ride aggregators, including options such as “Advance Tip”, “Choose an Add-on” and “Improve your chances of quicker ride confirmation”. The Ministry said such interfaces could create an impression that passengers who offer a tip are more likely to get their ride accepted or confirmed.Entirely VoluntaryUnder the 2025 guidelines, an aggregator may provide passengers with a facility to tip the driver, but the option can only become visible after completion of the journey. It cannot be made available at the time of booking, before commencement of the journey or while the ride is underway.The guidelines also stipulate that the entire tip amount must be credited to the driver, without any deduction by the aggregator.MoRTH said tipping must be “entirely voluntary” and directed aggregators not to display any feature, prompt, message, add-on, payment option or other user-interface element before completion of a ride that could directly or indirectly encourage passengers to believe that an additional payment could improve ride confirmation, driver acceptance, allocation, waiting time or quality of service.Consumer ProtectionThe Ministry has also invoked consumer-protection considerations, stating that no tipping mechanism should be “misleading” or “manipulative” or otherwise violate the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.The directive effectively draws a regulatory line between a post-ride gratuity and a pre-ride payment incentive. While passengers remain free to reward drivers after a journey, aggregators cannot present tipping as a means of influencing the outcome of a booking.“All Motor Vehicle Aggregators” have been advised to immediately review their mobile applications and digital platforms and suitably modify any interface or functionality that is inconsistent with the guidelines.Published on August 13, 2026
