Signing up to deliver for DoorDash takes about 10 to 15 minutes of your time, and most applicants can start dashing within a few days once their background check clears. The process is straightforward: you fill out a short application, submit some documents, pass a background check, and download the Dasher app. Here’s exactly what you need and what to expect at each step.
Basic Requirements
Before you apply, make sure you meet these minimums:
- Age: You must be at least 18 in most states, though some states require you to be 19, and California requires new applicants to be 21.
- Driver’s license: A valid domestic driver’s license if you plan to deliver by car or motorcycle.
- Auto insurance: You need a valid personal auto insurance policy that covers you while driving. DoorDash does not provide vehicle insurance for you.
- Social Security number: Required for the background check and tax reporting, since you’ll be working as an independent contractor.
- Smartphone: You need an iPhone or Android phone to run the Dasher app.
There are no specific vehicle requirements. You can deliver in any car, and depending on your market, you may also have the option to use a motorcycle, scooter, bike, or e-bike. If you deliver by bike, you won’t need a driver’s license or auto insurance.
How to Sign Up
Go to the DoorDash Dasher sign-up page or download the Dasher app directly. You’ll enter your name, email, phone number, and the zip code where you want to deliver. DoorDash uses your zip code to assign you to a local delivery zone.
Next, you’ll provide your Social Security number and consent to a background check. DoorDash uses a third-party company called Checkr to run this check, which reviews your driving record and criminal history. Most background checks come back within three to five days, though some take longer depending on how quickly county courts respond to records requests.
While you wait for the background check, download the Dasher app and log in. You’ll be prompted to enter a mailing address for your welcome gift (more on that below) and can explore the app’s interface in the meantime.
What the Background Check Covers
Checkr pulls your motor vehicle record and runs a criminal background search. DoorDash is looking for a clean enough history to trust you with deliveries. Serious offenses, particularly violent crimes, sexual offenses, and major driving violations like DUIs, will generally disqualify you. Minor traffic tickets typically won’t be an issue.
If your background check comes back with a flag, Checkr will send you a copy of the report and give you the opportunity to dispute any inaccuracies before a final decision is made. You can check the status of your background check through the Checkr candidate portal at any time.
Your Welcome Gift and Red Card
Once you complete your first delivery, DoorDash mails you a free welcome gift that includes a hot bag for keeping food warm, a Red Card (a prepaid card you’ll need for certain orders where you pay at the restaurant on DoorDash’s behalf), and a getting started manual. There’s no cost for this kit.
You don’t need to wait for the kit to start delivering. Most orders don’t require the Red Card, so you can begin dashing as soon as your background check clears. When orders do require the Red Card, the app will let you know, and you can decline those until your card arrives.
Waitlists and Market Availability
In some areas, DoorDash has more drivers than it needs and puts new applicants on a waitlist. If this happens in your zone, you’ll see a notification after signing up letting you know you’re on the list. There’s no way to skip ahead, and DoorDash doesn’t give a specific timeline for when spots open.
Spots typically open when demand for deliveries increases or existing drivers become inactive. If you’re waitlisted, you can try signing up with a different zip code nearby. Suburban or less saturated zones often have openings when busier urban areas don’t. Once you’re activated, you can still deliver in other zones, so starting in a less popular area doesn’t lock you in.
Your First Dash
When your account is approved, open the Dasher app and tap “Dash Now” to go online. If your zone isn’t busy at that moment, you can schedule a dash for an upcoming time slot instead. The app will send you delivery offers showing the restaurant name, the customer’s general location, estimated distance, and guaranteed minimum pay for that order. You can accept or decline each offer individually.
A typical delivery works like this: you drive to the restaurant, pick up the order, confirm the pickup in the app, then follow the navigation to the customer’s address. After drop-off, you mark the delivery complete and you’re free to accept the next one or go offline whenever you want.
DoorDash pays a base amount per delivery plus any tips the customer adds. Earnings deposit weekly by default through direct deposit, or you can use DoorDash’s instant cash-out feature (called Fast Pay) to transfer earnings to your debit card for a small fee. You’ll need to add your bank account or debit card information in the app’s earnings section to set this up.
Tax Basics for New Dashers
DoorDash classifies you as an independent contractor, not an employee. That means no taxes are withheld from your earnings. You’re responsible for reporting your income and paying both income tax and self-employment tax (which covers Social Security and Medicare contributions).
If you expect to owe more than $1,000 in taxes for the year, the IRS expects you to make quarterly estimated tax payments rather than waiting until April. DoorDash will send you a 1099-NEC form at the beginning of the following year if you earned $600 or more, summarizing your total non-tip earnings. Tips paid through the app are also taxable income even if they aren’t always reflected on the 1099.
On the upside, you can deduct business expenses like mileage, phone costs, and the hot bag. Tracking your miles from the start, either with a dedicated app or a simple log, will save you money at tax time. The IRS standard mileage rate lets you deduct a set amount per mile driven for work, which adds up quickly when you’re making multiple deliveries per shift.