The gig economy is estimated to account for up to 52% of the American workforce, with more than half the working population reported to have at least one side gig.

One of the most popular gig job platforms is DoorDash — America’s number-one food delivery app. Customers order goods through the app, and delivery drivers, also known as Dashers, earn money by delivering these products.

But like with any other job, Dashers must meet some requirements before they can sign up and start making money. Join us as we take a closer look at these DoorDash requirements to help you land that DoorDash driver gig.

DoorDash Driver Requirements

DoorDash enforces some basic requirements to uphold the platform’s reputation and safeguard its stakeholders. These include:

1. You Must Be At Least 18 Years of Age

DoorDash requires that all drivers must be legal adults, that is, at least 18 years old, in line with child labor laws.

This restriction also helps ensure that all Dashers are eligible for auto insurance, which is only available to drivers over 18.

Note: DoorDash provides alcohol delivery services. This is an optional service, and opting out will not impact your ability to complete other orders. However, DoorDash requires that you must be of legal drinking age (21+) to deliver orders containing alcohol.

2. You Must Have a Valid Driver’s License

All DoorDash drivers must have a valid domestic driver’s license. This helps ascertain that they meet the legal road competence and safety criteria.

This applies to all Dashers, even those who provide DoorDash deliveries through alternative means, including motorcycles, mopeds, and bicycles.

3. You Must Have Valid Auto Insurance

DoorDash requires Dashers to maintain a valid auto insurance policy. To ensure coverage while Dashing, you’ll need to purchase a commercial auto insurance policy in addition to your personal insurance coverage.

Typically, drivers pay between $1,500 to $4,000 annually for their insurance coverage. You can request your provider to add “rideshare insurance” to the coverage, which will add about $10 to $30 to your monthly rate.

DoorDash will supplement your insurance with a liability policy of up to $1 million. But this only applies when on active delivery orders or en route to collect them.

4. You Must Pass a Background Check

DoorDash conducts a background check on all potential Dashers. The check covers everything from local and federal criminal records to motor vehicle records, including traffic violations.

You’ll need to provide the following information during your application to help facilitate these background checks:

• Full legal name
• Date of birth
• Social Security number
• Current address
• Contact information
• Consent form

Note: DoorDash may revisit your records annually to confirm your continued compliance with its driver requirements. Also, while the platform insists on a clean driving record, this doesn’t necessarily lock out applicants with past convictions.

5. You Must Have a Smartphone

DoorDash operates through real-time data communication. You need a smartphone with decent battery life and internet connectivity to help you do your job.

You can access the Dasher app on your iPhone or Android smartphone. Ideal phone requirements include a smartphone that runs at least iOS 15.0 or Android 5.0 (Lollipop) to support the app’s advanced protocols and APIs.

During active use, as data travels between the servers and your device, you’ll need at least a 4G LTE connection to facilitate low-latency communication. This, in addition to intensive tasks like GPS navigation, necessitates a decent-sized battery (at least 3,000 mAh) to keep you operational throughout the day.

6. Delivery Subcontractors Must Be Registered Dashers

As independent contractors, Dashers are free to delegate their deliveries to third parties. The DoorDash independent contractor agreement doesn’t require Dashers to perform the deliveries personally.

But even so, these subcontractors must meet DoorDash’s driver requirements. For instance, they need to be at least 18 years old and registered as subcontractors under your DoorDash account.

Additionally, the primary account holder will be held responsible for all the actions of their subcontractors.

DoorDash Car Requirements

DoorDash is more flexible with its delivery vehicle requirements than other platforms like Uber Eats and Lyft. It doesn’t have specific stipulations about the model, make, or vehicle age. The only requirements are that the car is reliable and you have valid auto insurance.

Thanks to this open-ended car requirement policy, Dashers can use alternative travel modes to deliver orders, including motorbikes, scooters, and bicycles.

Motorbike Requirements

Motorbikes are a great alternative for Dashers in busy urban areas, thanks to their enhanced agility in traffic. However, DoorDash doesn’t offer blanket availability for delivery by motorcycle, so be sure to check if they’re supported in your region.

If so, you’ll still need to meet all the driver requirements, including valid motorbike insurance.

You’ll also need to define “motorcycle” as your mode of transport on the DoorDash app and consent to a background check.

These are more or less the same requirements you’ll need to meet for mopeds and scooters. Just be sure to provide accurate information about your moped or scooter during registration.

Bike Requirements

DoorDash offers bike delivery services that are perfectly suited for congested urban areas like New York, Los Angeles, and Seattle. Make sure to check bicycle delivery availability in your areas.

Unlike other delivery options, bike delivery doesn’t require you to have a driver’s license. Even so, DoorDash will still need you to present one for identification.

Under this mode of transport, you can choose between electric, hybrid, or traditional bikes depending on your city’s terrain. You’ll also need an insulated hot bag and high-visibility clothing to complete food deliveries. You can find these on the DoorDash Store.

Wrapping Up

It doesn’t take much to impress DoorDash. As long as you meet these basic driver requirements, you can start earning an income through DoorDash and its vast clientele.

To start dashing, check out our comprehensive guide on top Dasher requirements and get ahead of the competition.