Getting started as a DoorDash delivery driver takes about 15 to 20 minutes of setup time, plus a few days for your background check to clear. Once approved, you can start accepting deliveries immediately through the Dasher app. Here’s everything you need to know to go from signup to your first delivery.
Basic Requirements
You need to be at least 18 years old in most states, though the minimum age is 19 in more than a dozen states and 21 for new applicants in one state. Check DoorDash’s signup page for your specific state’s requirement. Beyond age, you need a smartphone (iPhone or Android) and a valid form of government-issued ID.
If you plan to deliver by car, you’ll need a valid driver’s license and personal auto insurance that meets your state’s minimum coverage requirements. There are no specific vehicle requirements beyond that. DoorDash doesn’t care about your car’s age, make, or model. Depending on your market, you may also be able to deliver by motorcycle, scooter, bike, or e-bike, which means you can start without owning a car in many cities.
The Signup Process, Step by Step
Start on the DoorDash Dasher website or download the Dasher app directly. You’ll enter your zip code, email, and phone number, then create a profile with your full name and password. Next, select your vehicle type (car, bike, scooter, etc.) and provide your home address.
After that, you’ll complete identity verification. This involves uploading a photo of your government ID and taking a selfie so DoorDash can confirm you match the ID. The process is quick and handled entirely through the app.
DoorDash then runs a background check. If you’re delivering by car or motorcycle, this includes a motor vehicle report in addition to a criminal history report. Most background checks come back within three to seven days, though some take longer. You can check the status anytime in the Dasher app.
While you wait, DoorDash will prompt you to confirm your address for a free welcome kit and set up your payment preferences. You have two payout options: get paid after every dash through DoorDash’s instant payment feature (called DoorDash Crimson), or receive weekly direct deposits to your bank account. You can always switch later.
Setting Up Your Red Card
The Red Card is a prepaid card DoorDash loads with funds when you accept “Shop & Deliver” orders, which require you to pick up items at a store and pay at checkout before delivering them. The card is not connected to your personal bank account or earnings.
The easiest option is adding a digital Red Card to Apple Wallet or Google Pay directly from the Dasher app. On iPhone, go to the Account tab, tap “Dasher Red Card,” and add it to Apple Wallet. On Android, you’ll need the Google Pay app installed, then tap the menu icon in the Dasher app and follow the prompts to add the card to Google Pay.
If your phone doesn’t support contactless payments, you can order a free physical Red Card from the DoorDash Store and activate it through the app once it arrives. Without a Red Card, you’ll miss out on shop-and-deliver offers, which can be some of the higher-paying orders available.
How You Get Paid
Your earnings on each delivery come from three components: base pay, customer tips, and promotions.
Base pay is what DoorDash itself pays you per order. If you’re earning per offer (the default), base pay is calculated from the estimated time, distance, and how appealing the order is to drivers. DoorDash also offers an “Earn by Time” mode in some markets, which guarantees a minimum hourly rate for time spent actively on deliveries instead of paying per order.
Tips go directly to you. DoorDash passes along 100% of whatever the customer tips, and tips often make up the largest portion of your income on a given delivery. When you see an offer pop up in the app, the displayed amount typically includes the estimated tip, so you can decide whether the total payout is worth the trip.
Promotions like Peak Pay and Boosts add extra money on top of your base pay during busy times or in high-demand areas. These apply automatically when active. For example, if Peak Pay adds $2 in your zone, every delivery you complete during that window pays $2 more than it normally would.
Insurance While Delivering
You’re required to carry your own personal auto insurance that meets your state’s minimum liability limits. This is your primary coverage whenever you’re logged into the app but haven’t accepted an order yet.
Once you accept a delivery and until you mark it as complete (or it’s canceled or unassigned), DoorDash maintains third-party auto liability insurance that covers damages or injuries you cause to others. This does not cover damage to your own vehicle. If your car is hit or damaged during a delivery, that falls to your personal insurance.
It’s worth knowing that some personal auto insurance policies exclude coverage while you’re using your car for commercial delivery. Many insurers now offer rideshare or delivery add-ons at a modest extra cost. Adding this coverage closes the gap between your personal policy and the periods when DoorDash’s insurance kicks in.
Gear Worth Having on Day One
DoorDash doesn’t require you to buy any equipment, but a few inexpensive items make a real difference. An insulated delivery bag keeps food hot and prevents spills. You can find basic ones for $10 to $20 online, and some Dashers upgrade to larger catering bags as they take bigger orders. A phone mount for your car keeps navigation visible and your hands free. A small flashlight helps you find house numbers at night.
Keep a few napkins and paper towels in your car for minor spills, and consider a nonslip mat or a small crate in your trunk to keep bags from sliding around during turns. None of this is mandatory, but customers notice when food arrives intact and warm, and that translates into better ratings and better tips.
Your First Dash
Once your background check clears, open the Dasher app and tap “Dash Now” if your zone is busy, or schedule a dash for an upcoming time slot. The app will show you available delivery offers one at a time. Each offer displays the restaurant name, the customer’s general location, the estimated distance, and the guaranteed minimum payout.
You’re an independent contractor, which means you choose which offers to accept and which to decline. There’s no penalty for declining an order that doesn’t seem worth the drive. When you accept, the app gives you turn-by-turn navigation to the restaurant, then to the customer. At the restaurant, confirm the order, pick it up, and head to the drop-off. Most deliveries are contactless, meaning you leave the order at the door, take a photo as confirmation, and mark it complete.
New Dashers in many markets get temporary access to busy time slots even before building up a track record, so your first few weeks are a good time to experiment with different hours and zones to see when demand is highest in your area. Lunch (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.) and dinner (5 p.m. to 9 p.m.) tend to be the most active windows everywhere, and weekends typically outperform weekdays.