The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has directed ride-hailing aggregators to immediately remove all tipping prompts and related features that appear before a ride is completed.
Focus on Upfront In-App PromptsThe directive aims to ensure that passengers are not pressured into paying extra during the booking process or given the impression that an advance tip could lead to faster ride confirmation, shorter waiting times or better service.
The ministry took note of interface features used by some aggregators, including options such as “Advance Tip” and “Choose an Add-on”, which encouraged passengers to make additional payments before their journey had ended.
Tipping Must Remain Voluntary
Citing Clause 14.15 of the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025, the ministry said tipping must remain voluntary and cannot be requested during booking, before a ride begins or while the journey is in progress.
The ministry also clarified that no prompt, message, payment option or other feature shown before the end of a trip should influence driver selection or the quality of service provided.
Aggregators Asked to Review Apps
All motor vehicle aggregators have been asked to immediately review their mobile applications and remove features that do not comply with the guidelines. Companies must ensure that their digital platforms do not prompt passengers to tip before the formal completion of a ride.
The ministry has also directed aggregators to eliminate dark patterns and interface designs that could undermine consumer rights under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
In addition, when passengers choose to tip after completing a ride, 100% of the tip must be passed on to the driver, with no commission or operational deduction made from the driver’s earnings.