Advice7 min read5 views
Updated 5 November 2026 · Written by the Wahanaya.lk team
Yes, you usually can, but only if your lease agreement doesn't ban commercial use, your insurer agrees to cover hire-or-reward driving, and you give PickMe or Uber your revenue licence and insurance. Skipping the insurance check is the costly mistake.
Yes, in most cases you can, but three separate permissions have to line up: your leasing company's contract, your motor insurer's rules, and the ride-hailing app's own sign-up requirements. People usually check only the last one, register with PickMe in a day, then find out months later that their insurance or lease terms didn't actually allow it. Check all three before you start picking up passengers.
Read the clause on "use of the vehicle" in your lease contract, because this is where restrictions are usually written, not in a separate PickMe-specific clause. Sri Lankan vehicle leases are financing contracts for the vehicle, and some are written assuming ordinary personal or business use rather than full-time commercial carriage of passengers. A lease is a long legal commitment where the finance company remains the absolute owner until you've paid it off, so they have a real interest in how the vehicle is used and insured. If the wording is unclear, call or email your leasing company, explain exactly what you plan to do (part-time or full-time PickMe/Uber driving), and get their answer in writing. Compare that answer against similar vehicles on /vehicles if you're shopping for a car specifically to drive for these apps, and use the /leasing calculator to work out whether the monthly payment still makes sense once you know your real income from driving.
This is the part most people get wrong. Private car insurance in Sri Lanka is typically written for social, domestic, pleasure and the owner's own business use — and separately excludes using the car to carry passengers or goods for payment, which insurers call "hire or reward." That exclusion usually applies however often you do it: a few trips a week on PickMe still counts as hire or reward, not just full-time taxi driving. If you have an accident while carrying a fare and your insurer later finds out you were doing paid rides, they can refuse the claim entirely, leaving you to pay for repairs — and, if the car is still on lease, you'd still owe the finance company the full balance regardless. Before you drive your first paying trip, call your insurer, describe exactly what you're doing, and ask in writing whether your current policy covers it or whether you need an endorsement or a different type of policy. Don't assume Uber's or PickMe's own trip-time insurance fills this gap — it's meant to cover the trip itself, not your vehicle's own damage or your liability outside of an active ride.
Based on PickMe's published sign-up requirements, you don't appear to need a separate commercial or "hire" registration just to drive for the app — the mandatory documents are a revenue licence, insurance, your driving licence and vehicle photos, with the vehicle registration book listed as optional supporting paperwork. This is different from questions about converting a vehicle's registration class for other reasons, which is a separate process at the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT). Still, registration rules and app requirements can change, so confirm directly with PickMe's registration line or Uber support before you assume your private registration is enough, especially if you're buying a vehicle specifically for this purpose.
For PickMe, expect to submit a driver profile photo, both sides of your driving licence, your current revenue licence, your insurance certificate, and photos of the vehicle from the front, side and inside. If you're not the registered owner of the car — which can happen if a family member's vehicle is used, or in some lease arrangements — you may be asked for an affidavit from the owner confirming you're allowed to use it. Since you are the registered owner on the CR book during a normal lease (even though the finance company holds absolute ownership), this step is usually straightforward for a leased vehicle you're paying off yourself. Uber's requirements are broadly similar: a valid driving licence, vehicle registration and insurance documents. Keep your revenue licence renewed on time, since driving without one is an offence under the Motor Traffic Act regardless of whether you're doing ride-hailing or not.
The biggest mistake is registering with PickMe or Uber and starting to drive before checking with the insurer, then discovering the insurance gap only after an accident. The second is assuming the lease contract is silent on this just because PickMe wasn't mentioned by name — read the actual "permitted use" wording, not just the payment schedule. The third is treating Uber's or PickMe's trip insurance as a substitute for your own motor insurance; it isn't, and your revenue licence and vehicle insurance still have to be valid on their own. The fourth is buying or leasing a car assuming Uber covers your district, when Uber's car service is still limited to specific districts — always check current coverage before you commit to a vehicle purchase for this purpose, and compare against PickMe's wider reach. Finally, some drivers forget that if they're not the registered owner, they'll need extra paperwork (the affidavit) and should sort that out before, not during, their first week of trying to earn.
Leasing contract wording and insurer policies both vary, and they can change. If you want to compare notes with other Sri Lankan drivers who've already gone through this, post your question on the /forum — real experiences from people driving for PickMe or Uber on a leased vehicle are often more current than any single article. And if you're ready to sell your current car and get something better suited for ride-hailing work, you can list it on /post-ad, and review basic buyer-meeting precautions on /safety-tips when you do.
Yes, banks and finance companies lease motorcycles the same way they lease cars. Since 25 May 2026, CBSL rules require at least 60% down payment on a brand-new bike and 40% on one registered over a year, plus your NIC, income proof and the bike's papers.
Wahanaya.lk team7 min read
Yes. Private limited companies, partnerships and sole proprietors can all lease a vehicle in Sri Lanka, but on top of the normal lease papers, the finance company will want your business registration documents, director or partner NICs, and usually a director's personal guarantee.
Wahanaya.lk team6 min read
Yes, most Sri Lankan leasing companies let you pick your own insurer, but the insurer must be acceptable to them, cover must be comprehensive, and the leasing company's interest must be noted on the policy for the whole lease term.
Wahanaya.lk team6 min read
Questions or your own experience? Share it here.
No comments yet. Be the first.
