How DoorDash taxes work in 2026
As a DoorDash driver you are an independent contractor, not an employee. No taxes are taken out of your pay, so you owe them yourself, in two parts:
- Self-employment tax (15.3%): your Social Security and Medicare. It applies to 92.35% of your net profit, and half of it is deductible.
- Federal income tax: your normal tax bracket, applied to your net profit after deductions.
Your mileage is your biggest deduction
For 2026 the IRS standard mileage rate is 72.5 cents per mile. Every business mile you log cuts your taxable income by that much. Drive 12,000 business miles and that is an $8,700 deduction, which often wipes out most of the income tax a part-time driver owes. The catch: you need a dated mileage log to back it up if the IRS asks.
Set the money aside as you earn it
A safe habit is to move 25 to 30 percent of your net income into a separate account the moment you get paid, and pay your estimated taxes quarterly (April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15). That way the IRS deadline is never a surprise.
Want it tracked, not just estimated?
This calculator gives you a snapshot. The 1099 Sheets Rideshare & Delivery spreadsheet does it for the whole year: mileage log, income and tips, every deduction, and your real take-home per hour. One payment of $29.