Tax Preparation for DoorDash & Delivery Drivers
From deliveries to deductions, your taxes deserve careful attention.
Whether you deliver with DoorDash, Uber Eats, Instacart, Grubhub, or a few apps at once, you’re running a small business in the eyes of the IRS. We prepare your return with your delivery income from every platform and the vehicle and other expenses you can support, so you report what you earned and claim what you’re entitled to.
What we prepare and report
- Income from every app, combined on one Schedule C, whether you received a 1099-NEC, a 1099-K, or no form at all.
- Tips paid through the app, which are part of your delivery income.
- Vehicle expenses, using either the standard mileage rate or your actual costs, whichever applies to your situation and records.
- Other eligible expenses, such as the business share of your phone and data plan, insulated bags, parking, and tolls.
- Self-employment tax on Schedule SE.
Common tax considerations
Working on more than one platform
Each app reports separately, and depending on how much you earned and how you were paid, you might get a 1099-NEC, a 1099-K, or nothing from a given platform. All of it is reportable. We add up every source and check it against your own earnings statements.
Mileage is usually the biggest deduction
Miles you drive while working deliveries can add up quickly. To deduct them you need a record: a mileage log or a tracking app that shows dates and business miles. The platform’s own mileage summary may not include every mile you drove for work, so your own record matters.
Standard mileage or actual expenses
You can generally use the IRS standard mileage rate, or deduct the business share of your actual costs (gas, maintenance, insurance, depreciation). There are rules about switching between methods from year to year; we’ll explain which one fits your records.
Self-employment tax and estimated payments
Delivery apps don’t withhold income tax or Social Security and Medicare. Self-employment tax generally applies once your net earnings reach $400, and many drivers make quarterly estimated payments to avoid a large bill and penalties. We’ll show you what you owe and help you plan for next year.
Keeping good records
Download your annual earnings statements from each app, keep a mileage log, and save receipts for supplies and parking. Good records make your return more accurate and easier to support if the IRS ever asks.
Documents and records to gather
- 1099-NEC or 1099-K from each app
- Annual earnings summary from each platform
- Mileage log or tracking-app report
- Vehicle details (and actual costs, if you use them)
- Phone bill, if part is used for deliveries
- Receipts for bags, supplies, parking and tolls
- Estimated tax payments you made
- Any W-2 job income, too
Related services
Independent Contractors
1099-NEC income from one or several clients.
Learn more →All self-employed services
Contractors, freelancers, drivers and sole proprietors.
Learn more →DoorDash, Uber Eats, Instacart and Grubhub are trademarks of their respective owners. The Square Penny is an independent tax practice and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by any of them. Deductions depend on your eligibility and records; we don’t promise a particular refund or savings.