India Orders Ride-Hailing Apps To Remove Pre-Ride Tip Prompts

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has directed motor vehicle aggregators to remove tip-related prompts before a ride is accepted or completed. The move aims to ensure that tipping remains entirely voluntary and does not influence ride confirmation or driver acceptance.

The directive was issued on August 11, 2026, and cites the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025, and the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. According to the guidelines, aggregators can provide a feature for passengers to give a voluntary tip to the driver, but only after the completion of the journey.

The entire tip amount must be credited to the driver, without any deduction by the aggregator. The Consumer Protection Act, 2019, prohibits misleading or manipulative tipping mechanisms, and the ministry has invoked consumer-protection considerations in its directive.

Aggregators have been asked to immediately review and modify any interface that violates the provisions of the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025. The guidelines prohibit aggregators from displaying tipping prompts during booking, before the ride begins, or while the journey is underway.

## Why it matters The directive comes after multiple instances were reported where certain ride aggregators were displaying prompts or options such as "Advance Tip", "Choose an Add-on", or "Improve your chances of quicker ride confirmation" prior to acceptance or completion of a ride. The ministry has directed all motor vehicle aggregators to ensure strict compliance with the guidelines and remove any misleading or manipulative tipping mechanisms.

The move is expected to impact ride-hailing platforms such as Uber, Rapido, and Ola, among others. The ministry's directive aims to protect consumers from unfair practices and ensure that tipping remains a voluntary and transparent process.

## What happens next Aggregators are required to immediately review their mobile applications and digital platforms and ensure strict compliance with the guidelines. Any interface or functionality inconsistent with the provisions should be suitably modified without delay. The ministry's directive is a significant step towards regulating the ride-hailing industry and protecting consumer interests.