BlaBlaCar needs your phone number to publish or book a carpool trip, and verifies it with a 4-digit code sent by SMS. The number is not just a check: after a booking is confirmed, BlaBlaCar passes it to the people you travel with, so you can find each other. That makes this one of the few apps where the number should be one you will answer on the day.
Why BlaBlaCar verifies your phone
Two strangers are going to share a car. BlaBlaCar wants each of them reachable and wants to catch typing mistakes before they cost someone a missed ride. Its terms say the SMS check is there to prevent input errors.
- Needed for
- Publishing or booking a carpool trip
- The code
- 4 digits, sent by SMS
- Cost
- Free, apart from what your carrier charges for receiving texts
- "Verified" means
- You completed the check, not that BlaBlaCar vouches for you
BlaBlaCar at a glance
- Virtual numbers
- Depends on the number range
- Code sent by
- SMS
- Asks for the number again later
- No
- One number per account
- Yes
Verification step by step
- Open your profile The phone verification step sits in your BlaBlaCar profile, in the app and on the website.
- Enter the number Choose the country, then type the mobile number without its national 0.
- Type the 4-digit code BlaBlaCar sends it by SMS. Enter it on the same screen.
- No SMS? Check the number, make sure it is a mobile line rather than a landline, and wait a few minutes before you ask again.
Who sees your number
| Your number | |
|---|---|
| Before a booking | Not passed on; talk through BlaBlaCar messages |
| After the booking is confirmed | Passed to the people you travel with, if you agreed to share it |
- Keep pre-booking talk in the app. A driver who wants your number, e-mail or payment details before you have booked is a warning sign.
- Pay through BlaBlaCar where the trip offers it, not by transfer to someone you have not met.
- Use a number you will answer. On the day, a co-traveller may need to call you at the meeting point.
Which number to use
Because BlaBlaCar hands your number to co-travellers, a temporary number that closes after one code works against you: nobody can reach you on the day. For carpooling, a number you keep is the right choice, even if it is a second one used only for apps.
A temporary number fits only if you need the one SMS code to finish setting up a profile and will add your real number before you travel.
Common questions
Is phone verification mandatory on BlaBlaCar?
BlaBlaCar's terms present the SMS check as an option, but its privacy policy says a phone number is necessary for publishing or booking a carpool trip. In practice you need one to travel.
How many digits is the BlaBlaCar code?
Four. It arrives by SMS and you enter it in the verification step.
Will the driver see my phone number?
After the booking is confirmed, BlaBlaCar passes your number to the people you travel with, provided you agreed to share it. Before that, use BlaBlaCar messages.
Does a verified profile mean the person is checked?
No. BlaBlaCar says "verified" only means the member completed the verification step. Read ratings and reviews as well.