Justice Department sues Lyft for alleged discrimination against disabled passengers

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is suing ride-hailing company Lyft for discrimination against disabled passengers, alleging that Lyft has denied service and imposed fees against disabled passengers.

The lawsuit , filed in the Northern District of California, alleges that Lyft drivers have denied service to passengers with disabilities and then charged those riders cancellation fees. It specifically identifies circumstances of denials for passengers with service animals and stowable wheelchairs.

In the lawsuit, the DOJ said it receives thousands of complaints each year and accuses the company of violating the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

“Lyft has discriminated against individuals with disabilities, in violation of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act … through its policies and practices of denying or providing unequal services to individuals with disabilities, including individuals with service animals or individuals who use stowable wheelchairs or mobility devices,” the lawsuit reads.

In a statement to The Hill, a Lyft spokesperson said the company disagrees with the allegations and that its policies already protect riders with disabilities.

“We have long-standing policies that require drivers to accommodate riders who travel with service animals or use foldable mobility devices for years, and drivers who violate these policies face serious consequences, including losing access to Lyft permanently,” the spokesperson said. “We’ve worked with the DOJ throughout its review, and we’ll keep working to make sure every rider can get where they need to go.”

The DOJ has sued Lyft before, and the company settled a lawsuit over similar claims about discrimination against people with disabilities in 2020. The department also sued Lyft’s competitor Uber for similar claims on two separate occasions, in 2022 and 2025.

The department said it is seeking a court order to prevent Lyft from discrimination, as well as to force it to modify its policies and better train its drivers. The DOJ is also seeking a payout to the affected individuals, several of whom are named in the lawsuit.

In a statement, U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakin said the DOJ will “devote all the resources necessary” to the case.

“We take these allegations of misconduct seriously and, like our case against Uber for similar discriminatory conduct, we will devote all the resources necessary to make things right. The stakes are high and we owe those with disabilities nothing less,” Missakian said.