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Driving for on-demand delivery apps is a growing work opportunity, especially if your car isn’t new enough for Uber and Lyft.
The vehicle requirements for most delivery apps are easy to meet: Any working vehicle qualifies, and you can even deliver on a bicycle or moped in some cities.
Delivery jobs are especially appealing to younger drivers: Most delivery apps hire drivers 18 or older.
Vehicle requirements of the top delivery apps
Scroll past the table to see more details about each app.
| Oldest Vehicle Accepted | Deliver on Bicycle, Scooter, Motorcycle? | |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon Flex | Any year qualifies | No |
| DoorDash | Any year qualifies | Yes, in select cities |
| Instacart | Any year qualifies | No |
| Shipt | 1997 or newer | No |
| Spark | Any year qualifies | No |
| Uber Eats | Any year. 20 years or newer in some cities | Yes, in select cities |
Uber Eats vehicle requirements
Uber Eats has flexible vehicle requirements—nearly any vehicle will qualify.
- Any 2 door or 4 door vehicle qualifies
- Must be 20 years old or newer in some cities
- Bicycle and scooter delivery is available in larger cities
- Apply to Uber Eats
If you want to drive passengers, your vehicle has to meet the UberX vehicle requirements.
More about Uber Eats
DoorDash vehicle requirements
Dashers can use just about any vehicle to deliver for DoorDash, and bicycle delivery is available in some large cities.
- Any car, truck, or van in any condition qualifies. 2 or 4 doors is ok
- Auto insurance, your name on the policy
- No vehicle inspection
Learn more about DoorDash
- DoorDash Driver Requirements
- How to Schedule More Hours on DoorDash
- The Latest Data on DoorDash Driver Pay
- See The Highs and Lows of DoorDash Driver Pay
Instacart vehicle requirements
Instacart shoppers go to stores to shop for groceries and deliver orders to customers.
- Any car, truck, or van qualifies
- Drivers can be 18 or older
- Click here to sign up for Instacart
More about Instacart
- Instacart: Should You Be a Full-Service or In-Store Shopper?
- How to Become an Instacart Shopper
- How Much Instacart Shoppers Make
Amazon Flex vehicle requirements
Amazon Flex is a delivery service that uses independent contractors to complete deliveries.
- Vehicle must be a four-door sedan, a pickup truck, or a minivan
- Trucks and minivans may be eligible for extra earnings
Flex drivers sign up for shifts in blocks of 1–4 hours, pick up packages from a warehouse or Amazon store, then deliver items by following a route in the Amazon Flex app.
Read more about driving for Amazon Flex:
Shipt vehicle requirements
Shipt shoppers go to stores to shop & deliver groceries.
- Vehicle must be 1997 or newer
- Drivers can be 18 years or older
- Click here to sign up for Shipt
More about delivering for Shipt
Spark Vehicle Requirements
Spark drivers pick up and deliver orders for Walmart, Home Depot, and other major retailers.
- Any car, truck, or van qualifies
- No motorcycles, scooters, or bicycles are accepted
More about Spark
Postmates vehicle requirements
Uber Eats acquired Postmates in 2020. All Postmates orders are now completed by Uber Eats drivers.
Delivering on scooters, bicycles, and mopeds
You can deliver on a bicycle, scooter, moped, or motorcycle for Uber Eats and DoorDash in some larger cities.
To find out if bicycle or scooter delivery is available in your city, begin the application process and check if bicycle delivery shows up as an option on the application.
The other major requirement: Background and driving record screening
Most delivery companies run a background and driving record check during the application process.
You may be disqualified for any major violations: DUI, reckless driving, driving with a suspended license, and others. You’re also may be disqualified if you have more than 2 moving violations in the last several years.
Do you need special auto insurance to drive for delivery apps?
When it comes to auto insurance and delivery work, there are two important questions to answer: What coverage does the delivery app offer, and does your auto policy cover delivery work?
Insurance coverage is offered by (some) delivery apps: Most (but not all) delivery apps provide liability auto insurance that covers you while you do delivery work.
Amazon Flex and Uber Eats also offer contingent collision coverage, meaning you receive collision coverage and liability coverage if you carry collision coverage on your own policy.
Instacart does not offer any insurance for delivery partners, so your auto policy must cover everything in the event of an accident.
Does your auto insurance policy cover delivery work? Most personal auto insurance policies do not cover delivery driving, so your claim may be denied if you get into an accident while working for a delivery app.
Check with your insurance company to see what they cover, and seek out a policy that covers delivery if they don’t. Many of the big-name insurance companies now have products that cover delivery.
Contact insurance agents in your area to find a policy, or do a google search for ‘delivery auto insurance’ in your area.
How to rent a car for delivery apps
You can rent a car to drive for delivery apps if you don’t have access to a qualifying vehicle.
Rentals from HyreCar can be used for any delivery app. You can also use HyreCar to rent a vehicle for Uber and Lyft.
If you want to deliver for Uber Eats, the Uber Eats Vehicle Marketplace offers weekly rentals that start around $250 per week.
Jessica R Monn says
Does my vehicle have to be owned outright? I’m currently on a lease with only a year left to go. Also, is DD a reasonably light weight job? I’m pregnant, so I have physical weight limits, but until furlough ends, I need to make some kind of income to keep afloat with the pandemic. Speaking of pandemic, I assume DD is just following CDC guidelines for safety?
DougH says
Your vehicle doesn’t have to be owned outright, but doing commercial activities might violate the terms of your lease. Be careful about that, especially if you’re near your mileage limit. I’d say the max you’d ever have to lift with DD is 30 pounds, and if an order seems too heavy you could have it split between several bags. Safety wise, DD gives drivers recommendations and offers drivers a chance to get free hand sanitizer and gloves, but you have to ask for it.
Nakia says
I wanna do deliveries for a company such as Postmates, Door Dash, etc I Have A Newer Car and Insurance But No Drivers License Which Company Is More Likely To Hire Me Thanks!
DougH says
You need a drivers license for all of the companies.
Temi says
I just got my driving license can I apply for Uber eats delivery?
DougH says
Uber Eats requires a year of license history
Michael says
I have a 2019 Honda Rebel, is this an acceptable vehicle for Door Dash
DougH says
The cities that accept non-cars usually mention scooters and bicycles, not motorcycles. But I think it’s possible. Start the application to see if it’s an option in your city
William says
Does anyone know if I can use a salvaged vehicle to deliver for UberEats in California?
DougH says
I’m not 100% sure. You can’t use a salvage title vehicle for UberX, but the delivery requirements pages don’t specify. If you give it a try, can you leave a comment or send me an email with your results?
austin walsh says
WILL I BE DISQUALIFIED IF I HAVE A RACING CHARGE ON MY RECORD?
DougH says
If it was in the last 3 – 5 years there’s a good chance you won’t be accepted
Rickey says
Good afternoon… I am a scooter driver in Miami… What are the requirements for driving with a scooter?
DougH says
Here’s Uber’s page for delivery in miami. Scroll to the scooter section. Scooter has to be under 50cc, and you have to be 19 or older.
James says
Do I need a commercial driver’s license to work for any of these companies?
DougH says
No, you don’t need a CDL. That’s one of the big perks. Some cities and states may require a business license, but those aren’t very hard to get.