The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) issued a directive on August 11 requiring all app-based ride aggregators to remove pre-ride tipping prompts, according to medianama.com. The order enforces Clause 14.15 of the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025, which prohibits any feature that encourages tipping before or during a ride. Tipping must now be voluntary and only visible after the journey ends.
The advisory specifically cited examples of banned prompts such as "Advance Tip," "Choose an Add-on," and "Improve your chances of quicker ride confirmation." MoRTH instructed ride-hailing platforms to review their apps and remove any interface elements that create an impression that additional payments can influence ride confirmation, driver acceptance, or service quality. The letter mandates that 100% of any tip given post-ride must be credited to the driver without platform deductions.
This move comes amid concerns about transparency and fairness in ride-hailing services. A LocalCircles survey reported by MediaNama in November 2025 found that 78% of app-based taxi users opposed advance tipping. The guidelines aim to prevent any indirect inducement for riders to pay extra before the ride, ensuring tipping remains a voluntary gesture rather than a perceived requirement to secure better service.
The Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025, now explicitly ban pre-ride tipping prompts, with the directive effective immediately. Ride-hailing companies must comply by removing such features from their digital platforms, reinforcing the principle that tipping should only occur after ride completion.