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United States v. Uber Technologies, Inc.

DOJ alleges Uber and its drivers routinely deny rides to passengers with service animals and stowable wheelchairs, and charge improper surcharges.

Reading level
Plain language + legal text

What this case is about

On September 11, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice sued Uber Technologies, Inc. under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California (3:25-cv-07731-SK). DOJ alleges that Uber routinely denies rides to passengers with service animals (often guide dogs); routinely denies rides to passengers with stowable wheelchairs that can fit in standard Uber vehicles; charges improper surcharges and cleaning fees related to disability; and has failed to adequately train drivers and enforce its own anti-discrimination policies. This is a NEW case — separate from the 2016 NFB-CA v. Uber settlement (still in compliance phase). DOJ's case applies the federal government's direct enforcement authority to Uber's ongoing pattern of driver-level discrimination. If you've had an Uber driver refuse you because of your service animal, refuse to stow your wheelchair, or charge you a disability-related fee, you can support DOJ's case by reporting the incident. You can also report through Uber's in-app system and via DOJ at ADA.gov. Litigation may take years. Where to report: DOJ Civil Rights Division at ADA.gov; civilrights.justice.gov; Uber's in-app reporting; NFB testing program at testing@nfb.org; for California residents, the California Civil Rights Department for Unruh Act statutory damages.

Who may qualify

You can support DOJ's active case (and pursue your own remedies) if: - You have a disability — service-animal use, wheelchair use (including stowable wheelchairs), or other disability covered by Title III. - You used or tried to use Uber. - A driver refused you, charged you improperly, or otherwise discriminated against you because of disability. Reports of incidents from any state are useful for DOJ's case. State-law remedies are stronger in CA, NY, MA, and other states with statutory-damages frameworks.

What helps your case

Documentation: rider-app trip records (downloadable from rider account); driver and vehicle identification; cancellation/refusal timestamps and reasons; verbatim driver statements; in-app report submissions and responses; cleaning-fee assessments and appeal records; disability documentation supporting service-animal training or mobility-device use.

How to document what happened

Contemporaneous: app screenshot capture; driver/vehicle identification; verbatim statement preservation; in-app report submission preserving carrier-side record. Post-incident: parallel DOJ + state AG + private-counsel complaint flow. Pattern evidence across incidents supports both the DOJ enforcement record and individual statutory-damages claims.

What if you don’t have documentation?

Reports may proceed without records. Uber maintains backend trip data subject to DOJ subpoena. Channels: DOJ Civil Rights Division (ADA.gov; civilrights.justice.gov); in-app reporting; NFB testing program; state AG; state civil-rights agencies; private counsel for parallel individual claims.

What this case doesn’t cover

Outside scope: Lyft (separate ongoing enforcement); traditional taxis (Title III + state-PUC framework); fixed-route public transit (Title II); long-haul intercity bus (see doj-investigation-flixbus-greyhound); airline travel (ACAA framework); non-rideshare service-animal denials (see restaurant-service-animal-denials); the 2016 NFB-CA v. Uber settlement (related but distinct — see related listing).

ADA Title III

Named defendants

  • Uber Technologies, Inc.

Case facts

Type
Enforcement action
Affected states
Nationwide
Court
U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
Docket
3:25-cv-07731-SK
Filed
2025-09-11

Who to contact

Nobody is running an intake for this one. You can still report what happened.

  • Government agency

    U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division

    Takes complaints about businesses open to the public and about state and local government. It investigates and enforces, but it does not represent individuals and cannot advise you on your own claim. Your city or state may also license rideshare and taxi operators and take complaints directly.

    Phone 800-514-0301

    TTY 833-610-1264

    civilrights.justice.gov/report

    Filing a complaint is not the same as having a lawyer, and it does not pause any legal deadlines. If you may want to bring a case, talk to an attorney about your dates as well as filing.

    Every state has one. They are free, they take intake directly, and unlike a federal agency they can represent you. Find yours

Key dates

Docket
3:25-cv-07731-SK (N.D. Cal.)
Status
Active litigation; early phase
Companion case
NFB-CA v. Uber, 3:14-cv-04086 (settled 2016, ongoing compliance)
DOJ complaint filed
2025-09-11