Delivering for DoorDash as an independent contractor, or Dasher, requires adherence to specific operational standards. Compliance with the platform’s service agreement is necessary for continued access to delivery opportunities. DoorDash enforces these expectations using the Contract Violation (CV), a formal notification signaling a lapse in service performance. This article explains what a contract violation is, details the actions that trigger one, and outlines steps to manage or prevent them.
Understanding the Independent Contractor Agreement
The relationship between a Dasher and DoorDash is established through the Independent Contractor Agreement (ICA), not an employer-employee relationship. The ICA grants the Dasher autonomy in determining the manner and method of performing contracted services. This autonomy requires the Dasher to provide services in a timely, efficient, safe, and lawful manner. The ICA sets the performance benchmarks, and failure to meet a material term constitutes a breach, which can result in a Contract Violation.
Defining a Contract Violation
A Contract Violation (CV) is a formal notice issued by DoorDash when a Dasher’s actions or performance metrics fall below the minimum service standards outlined in the ICA. These notifications appear in the “Ratings” section of the Dasher app. A CV indicates a serious breach of the terms agreed upon for accessing the platform.
Violations are tied to specific, measurable failures, such as extreme delivery lateness or a customer claiming non-delivery. They serve as an official warning that the Dasher’s conduct places their account access at risk. Accumulating multiple violations signals a pattern of non-compliance, which can lead to platform deactivation.
Common Actions That Result in Violations
Extreme Lateness
A CV can be issued when a Dasher arrives at the merchant or the customer significantly later than the estimated arrival time calculated by the DoorDash system. The platform uses real-time traffic data to determine a reasonable travel time for the delivery. Lateness is calculated based on exceeding this travel time estimate, not the suggested pickup or drop-off time displayed in the app.
A CV is often triggered if the Dasher is more than 10 minutes past the estimated arrival time at either the restaurant or the customer’s location. This failure to complete the delivery in a timely fashion breaches the obligation to perform services efficiently. Repeated instances of extreme lateness can lead to deactivation.
Failure to Complete Accepted Deliveries
Dashers are expected to follow through on accepted delivery opportunities, as unassigning an order midway disrupts the customer experience. The minimum standard is tracked by the Completion Rate, which measures the percentage of accepted deliveries a Dasher successfully completes. Current policy requires maintaining a Completion Rate of at least 90% of the last 100 accepted offers.
Falling below this 90% threshold for any reason is a material breach of the ICA. This low Completion Rate violation can result in immediate deactivation, demonstrating a failure to reliably perform the contracted service.
Fraudulent Behavior
Actions involving dishonesty or misuse of the DoorDash platform are serious violations that can result in immediate deactivation without warning. Examples of fraudulent behavior include falsely marking an order as picked up or delivered when it was not. Stealing an order, such as taking the food after marking it delivered, is a severe form of platform abuse. Providing false personal information during signup or misusing the provided Red Card for unauthorized purchases also falls under this category.
Customer Reported Issues
A common Contract Violation occurs when a customer reports that their order was never delivered, despite the Dasher marking it as complete in the app. These “Order Not Delivered” claims trigger a CV pending review by DoorDash’s specialized team. This violation is dangerous because it directly implicates the Dasher in a service failure. While DoorDash attempts to filter out claims from known fraudulent customers, multiple undisputed non-delivery reports put the Dasher’s account at risk.
The Impact of Violations on Your Account Status
Contract Violations are cumulative and directly impact a Dasher’s standing on the platform. DoorDash does not publish a fixed number of CVs that guarantees deactivation, but accumulating multiple violations increases the probability of losing access. Most Dashers are deactivated if they accrue three or more CVs within a short period or before the oldest violation has expired.
Each CV remains on the Dasher’s record until the Dasher completes 100 additional deliveries without incurring a new violation. Deactivation is the consequence of failing to resolve or appeal multiple CVs, preventing the Dasher from accepting further delivery opportunities.
The Process for Appealing a Violation
If a Dasher believes a Contract Violation was issued incorrectly, they can submit an appeal to dispute the finding. This process starts in the “Ratings” section of the Dasher app, where the Dasher locates the violation and selects the option to provide additional details. The appeal requires the Dasher to clearly present their side of the story and the context surrounding the delivery.
Submitting supporting evidence is a component of a successful appeal. Documentation can include timestamped photographs of the drop-off, screenshots of customer text messages, or GPS data. Appeals for deactivation must be submitted through a specific appeal link provided in the deactivation notice, not through general Dasher Support channels.
Proactive Strategies to Avoid Contract Violations
Dashers can take several steps to minimize the risk of incurring a Contract Violation. Maintaining consistent communication with the customer is important, especially when delays are unavoidable. Using the in-app status buttons, such as “Arrived at Store” and “Confirm Pickup,” accurately ensures the system’s estimated times are correctly calibrated.
For “Leave at Door” deliveries, Dashers should use the in-app camera feature to take a clear photo of the food at the drop-off location before completing the order. Retaining a personal, timestamped photo of the delivery can serve as evidence against a false “Order Not Delivered” claim. Dashers should also decline offers they cannot reasonably complete on time, preventing lateness violations.