How to Upload Chauffeur Documents: Photos and PDFs

Most delays in verification are not about the documents themselves. They are about the files: a photo taken at night, a corner cut off, a scan so large it will not upload. Every one of those means a person cannot read what they need, and you wait longer.

This guide covers the practical side of how to upload chauffeur documents on LimoFarmOut so they are readable the first time.

The file rules

These come straight from the upload form:

• Size: 5 MB at most per file.
• Documents (licences, insurance, registration, inspection, background check, operating authority): a photo or a PDF.
• Photos (your professional photo and the five vehicle photos): images only, as JPEG, PNG or WebP.

If a file is over 5 MB, the form stops it before upload with a short message: take the photo at a lower size, or scan to PDF.

The platform also checks what a file really is from its contents, not from its name, so renaming a file to end in ".pdf" will not help. Use a real photo or a real PDF.

Photo or PDF: which is better?

Either works for documents. Choose the one that gives a clearer result.

• Use a PDF when you already have the document digitally, such as an insurance certificate your insurer emailed you, or when you scan a document with more than one side. Your driver's licence should show front and back in one photo or PDF, and a PDF is a tidy way to do that.
• Use a photo when you only have a paper or plastic card and a phone. A careful photo is perfectly acceptable.

Most phones have a built-in document scanner in the notes or files app that crops, straightens and saves as PDF. That is often the quickest route to a clean, small file.

How to photograph a document

1. Lay it flat on a plain, dark surface. A card on a patterned tablecloth is harder to read.
2. Use soft daylight near a window. Avoid the flash, which leaves a white glare across laminated cards.
3. Hold the phone straight above it, so the document is a rectangle, not a trapezium.
4. Fill the frame but keep a small border, so every corner and edge is visible.
5. Check it before uploading. Zoom in. Can you read the name, number and expiry date without squinting? If you cannot, neither can the reviewer.

What the reviewer needs to see

A person checks every upload, so think about what they are looking for in each slot:

• Driver's licence: front and back, the licence class, the number and the expiry date.
• Chauffeur or limo licence: the issuing authority, the number and the expiry date.
• Commercial insurance: that the cover is commercial or for-hire, the insurer, the policy number and the expiry. Upload the certificate page, not a payment receipt. The guide to commercial vs personal insurance explains why.
• Registration: the vehicle and its plate, matching your plate photo.

You also type the number, issuer and expiry date into the form. Make sure what you type matches what is printed. Mismatches are a common reason a document is turned down.

Your professional photo

This photo is seen by posters and passengers, so treat it like a work photo. The form asks for head and shoulders, a plain background, and dressed for work. Face the camera in good light, no sunglasses, no car interior behind you.

Vehicle photos

The five vehicle slots each want a specific shot: front, back, inside from the open rear door, the open empty trunk, and the plate. Daylight, clean car, plate readable. The full checklist is in vehicle registration and photos.

Making files smaller

Modern phone cameras can produce large files. If you hit the 5 MB limit:

• Lower the camera resolution in your phone settings, or use the scanner mode, which produces smaller files.
• Crop out the background so the document fills the image.
• Save as JPEG or WebP rather than very large uncompressed formats.
• Combine pages carefully. A multi-page PDF scanned at a very high quality can grow quickly. A normal document scan quality is enough for a person to read.

A five-minute check before you press Upload

• The file opens and every word is readable at normal zoom.
• All four corners of the document are visible.
• Both sides are included where the slot asks for them.
• The number, issuer and expiry date you typed match the document exactly.
• The file is under 5 MB and is a JPEG, PNG, WebP or PDF.
• It is the current version, not last year's certificate.

Tick all six and your upload has the best chance of being approved at the first review.

Your files are protected

Uploaded documents are encrypted. Only the verification team can view them, and every view is logged. Documents are erased when you delete your account. The privacy policy has the full detail.

Not sure which official paper is which? Issuing authorities explain their own documents. In the UK, for example, the DVLA issues driving licences and its vehicle registration guidance describes the registration certificate. Your own licensing office will have similar pages.

After you upload

You see a confirmation, and a person usually reviews it within a business day. You get an email when it is approved, or a reason and a link to upload again if it is not. See how document review works and, if needed, what to do when a document is turned down.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the maximum file size for document uploads?

5 MB per file. If a file is larger, take the photo at a lower size or scan it to PDF.

Which file types can I upload?

Documents can be a photo or a PDF. Your professional photo and vehicle photos must be JPEG, PNG or WebP images.

Should I upload the front and back of my driver's licence?

Yes. Upload both sides in one photo or one PDF.

Why was my clear photo still turned down?

Usually because a detail does not match, such as the number or expiry date typed in the form, or because it is the wrong document for the slot. The reason is shown on the item.

Who can see the documents I upload?

Only the LimoFarmOut verification team. Files are encrypted and every view is logged.

Upload your documents in one go

Sign up free as a chauffeur and add every document with clear, readable files. Stuck? The help centre can help.