DoorDash Driver Requirements & How to Become a Dasher!

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Want to deliver for DoorDash? Being a Dasher is a flexible gig, and it is easy to get started. Dashers can get paid $23 per hour while on a delivery*.

To start as a DoorDash driver, you’ll have to meet the simple requirements outlined in this article.

And read on to learn what it’s like the be a Dasher and the types of orders you will be doing.

Summary: Dashers must be 18 or older and have access to any vehicle. You can deliver on a bicycle or scooter in some cities.

*Earnings info is for illustrative purposes only, actual earnings may differ and depend on expenses

Article contents

• DoorDash Driver Requirements
• DoorDash Vehicle Requirements
• How Much Do DoorDash Drivers Make?
• The DoorDash Scheduling System
• What Do Dashers Do? How to Do a Delivery
• Becoming a Dasher: The Application Process
  • The Waitlist
  • Getting the Hot bag and Red Card

DoorDash vehicle requirements

DoorDash has very flexible vehicle requirements. Any working vehicle qualifies. In some markets, you can also deliver with motorcycles, scooters, or bicycles.

• Any model year is acceptable
• There is no vehicle inspection
• There are no cosmetic requirements
• Motorcycles qualify
• Scooters and bicycles qualify in some cities

More about vehicle requirements for delivery apps and rideshare

• Vehicle requirements for DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Postmates
• How to rent a car for delivery and rideshare

Can you deliver for DoorDash with a bicycle or scooter?

You can deliver with a bike or scooter in some larger urban markets, but DoorDash doesn’t currently list cities that allow bicycles or scooters.

To find out if you can deliver for DoorDash on a bicycle in your area, begin the DoorDash application and check to see if delivering on a bicycle or scooter is listed as an option in the early steps of the application.

How much do DoorDash drivers make? Dasher earnings

DoorDash delivery drivers can get paid $23 per hour while on a delivery*. Dashers are paid for each completed order.

The payout for a delivery is calculated according to a formula: Base pay + Promotions + Tips = Total Earnings. 

DoorDash base pay is a calculation of “time, distance, and desirability.” Base pay is around $3–$6, but it can climb higher during periods of high demand.

Tips are a significant portion of Dasher pay. When you receive an order request, it will show an estimated payout that includes some or all of the tip left by the customer.

A low estimated payout indicates that the customer didn’t leave a tip, so many Dashers choose to skip the lowest-paying orders.

• How much Dashers make, according to top sources
• See examples of Dasher earnings here

*Hourly pay is calculated using average Dasher payouts while on a delivery (from the time you accept an order until the time you drop it off) over a 90-day period and includes compensation from peak pay, tips, and other incentives.

When a customer tips during checkout, some or all of that tip is included in the up-front order payout. The payout estimate will be low when customers don’t tip.

Peak Pay

DoorDash sometimes offers Peak Pay, a bonus added to each order during busy times and peak hours. Areas that are eligible for Peak Pay will be indicated on the map with a label that says the Peak Pay amount.

An example of a Peak Pay offer: “Earn $3 extra per order in Los Angeles between 11 am–2 pm if you accept 80% of delivery opportunities.”

Challenges

Challenges offer a bonus for completing a set number of deliveries during a specific time period. Example challenge: “Earn $20 for completing 15 deliveries in a week.” Not all markets offer Challenges.

• Full Details on Peak Pay, Challenges, and Other Dasher Bonuses

Getting paid: Direct deposits & Dasher Direct*

Dasher earnings are paid once per week via a free direct deposit, or you can withdraw your earnings on demand with Fast Pay for a $1.99 fee.

DoorDash also offers a debit card called DasherDirect. With DasherDirect, your earnings will be deposited instantly at the end of each Dash, no fee required.

DasherDirect also has benefits like cash back on gas and no-fee ATMs.

*DasherDirect is subject to approval

How DoorDash drivers pay taxes

Dashers are 1099 independent contractors. That means that DoorDash does not deduct tax withholding from your earnings, and you are responsible for reporting your DoorDash income on your tax return.

DoorDash does not pay for your gas, insurance, or any other expenses you run into along the way.

You can Minimize your taxes at the end of the year by keeping track of all mileage during your shift using a mile-tracking app.

How to schedule shifts on DoorDash

DoorDash uses a scheduling system to prevent markets from becoming oversaturated with too many Dashers.

Dashers use the app to reserve shift blocks. Block times range from an hour, up to a full day.

You can also Dash Now without a schedule if the market is busy enough. More on that below in the Dash Now section.

New shift blocks are released at midnight daily, so some Dashers stay up late to claim the best shifts.

If you have Early Access scheduling, you can select hours at 3 pm each day, instead of midnight.

There is a penalty for missing a shift or starting late: DoorDash may cancel your shift if you don’t log in within 30 minutes of the start time.

• Scheduling system hacks: How to get more hours

Early Access scheduling:

DoorDash has a feature called ‘Early Access Scheduling’ that gives highly-rated drivers priority scheduling.

With Early Access, Dashers get access to new shifts each day at 3 pm rather than midnight. Dashers have to re-qualify for Early Access each week. Learn how to get Early Access.

Dash Now

The Dash Now option appears when delivery demand is high. Dash Now allows you to sign in and deliver without scheduling a delivery block.

Delivery regions appear red in the Dasher app when Dash Now is available.

Arrive in the delivery region and tap Dash Now to begin, but be warned: Dash Now toggles on and off dynamically and may turn off by the time you arrive in an area.

What do DoorDash drivers do? The delivery process

Dashers use the Dasher app to receive and complete on-demand delivery requests. Begin by signing into the DoorDash app to wait for order offers.

When an order offer pops up, it will show the estimated payout, the name & location of the restaurant or store, the location of the pickup, the location of the drop-off, and the total estimated miles to complete the delivery.

After you accept a delivery request, navigate to the restaurant and pick up the order using the information given inside the app.

After picking up the order, the DoorDash app will direct you to the customer and give you any special instructions you’ll need to complete the delivery.

Sometimes you will make multiple pickups and drop-offs if you accept a ‘stacked’ order.

The DoorDash app makes it easy to contact the customer if you need more information about directions, parking, or gate access codes.

Paying for orders: The Red Card & COD

Dashers don’t handle the payment for most orders. Instead, payments take place behind the scenes, and all the Dasher has to do is pick up and deliver the order.

But for some orders, Dashers use a special card called the Red Card to pay for orders. The only difference from regular orders is that you will have to use your Red Card to pay for the order before you pick it up.

Order requests will indicate when an order is a Red Card order. So if you prefer not to do Red Card orders, simply decline the request.

DoorDash also allows cash on delivery in some cities. Currently, COD is opt-in only, so don’t opt in if you prefer not to deal with cash.

Shop and deliver orders

For a Shop and deliver order, Dashers go inside stores to pick out items, pay for the order with the Red Card, then deliver the items to the customer. Shop and delivery orders are similar to shopping for Instacart.

• Are Shop and Deliver Orders Worth it for Dashers?

DashMart

In some cities, DoorDash operates convenience stores called DashMart. At DashMart, DoorDash employees pack the orders and Dashers pick up & deliver the order.

• Should DoorDash Drivers Do DashMart Orders?

About acceptance rates: You don’t have to accept every order!

Each Dasher has an acceptance rate—the number of orders a Dasher accepts divided by the number of orders they were offered.

DoorDash encourages Dashers to accept more orders, but according to the DoorDash deactivation policy, you can’t be deactivated for having a low acceptance rate.

You are free to accept or decline as many orders as you want, so don’t worry too much about your acceptance rate.

DoorDash frequently launches new incentives and programs designed to get you to accept more orders, but you are still free to decline as many orders as you want without risking your account.

However, DoorDash may pause or end your Dash if you decline too many orders in a row.

• DoorDash Can Pause Your Dash for Skipping Orders

Becoming a Dasher: The application process

1. Apply online or in the app
2. Wait to complete the screening process
3. If DoorDash accepts you, start dashing!

The application process can be as short as 3–5 days if there are no issues with your screening and if DoorDash is currently accepting new Dashers in your area.

The waitlist: When DoorDash isn’t accepting new Dashers

DoorDash may add you to a waitlist after you apply if a market has too many Dashers.

The Dasher app will have a message that says something like, “We’ve added you to our waitlist. Please check back here to see when we’re ready to have new Dashers join.”

When you’re on the waitlist, occasionally check the app for updates and look out for emails or text messages letting you know when a spot opens up.

DoorDash says Mondays are the best day to check the Dasher app for new openings.

DoorDash will send you an email when you are taken off the waitlist. When your spot is open, you’ll be able to log into the Dasher app and start delivering.

While you wait, you can sign up for other delivery apps.

Getting your hot bag and Red Card

DoorDash sends you a free welcome kit with a hot bag, the Red Card, and a Getting Started manual after you are accepted as a Dasher.

If you don’t receive the welcome kit, you can contact DoorDash to request one.

Interested in other delivery gigs?

DoorDash isn’t the only app in the game! Try other delivery apps and see which one works best for you.

• Driving for Uber Eats: What it’s like to deliver food for Uber
• Too young for Uber? Try these jobs instead
• How to Shop for Instacart
• Other delivery gigs: Shipt, Amazon Flex, goPuff