DoorDash Driver Taxes (Canada)

MyCarTracks_support · May 13, 2026, 5:54pm

As a DoorDash Dasher in Canada, you generally need to report your delivery earnings, tips, promotions, and other business amounts on your personal income tax return. Most Dashers do that as self-employment income using Form T2125. You should also keep proper records for your income and expenses, which CRA covers in its gig economy guidance.

GST/HST is a separate issue from income tax. If you only deliver food with DoorDash, you generally follow the small-supplier rule for taxable supplies, which means you usually need a GST/HST number after you pass the $30,000 threshold. Before you register or start charging tax, check the current CRA GST/HST registration rules.

Quick answer for DoorDash Dashers in Canada

For DoorDash delivery work, keep:

Dasher app Earnings history, weekly deposits, Fast Pay transfers, adjustments, and any year-end platform information
base pay, tips, Peak Pay, promotions, reimbursements, and other delivery income
bank deposits matched to DoorDash records
Form T2125 income and expense workpapers
GST/HST registration, returns, input tax credits, payments, and notices if you are registered
business kilometres, total vehicle kilometres, odometer readings, dates, destinations, and delivery purpose notes
receipts for the business-use portion of vehicle, phone, gear, supplies, software, and professional costs
CPP or QPP cash planning based on self-employed net business income

DoorDash app records are useful, but they are not your whole tax file. DoorDash does not provide a separate Canada tax summary report in the way some other platforms do, so start building your own record set from your first dash. If you’re new, your first tax-year file starts on the day you complete your first order and runs to December 31 unless a tax professional tells you a different fiscal setup applies.

Possible tax deductions for Dashers

You can usually claim expenses you paid to earn DoorDash business income, as long as they are reasonable for the work and you have records to support them. A receipt alone does not turn a personal cost into a tax deduction. The cost still needs a business connection.

Use this as a review checklist, not as a promise that every item is deductible in full.

Vehicle expenses

fuel and oil
electricity for a zero-emission vehicle
vehicle insurance and any delivery-use coverage
licence and registration fees
lease payments where CRA limits allow
car-loan interest where CRA limits allow
capital cost allowance when the vehicle and class rules support it
business parking and tolls

Repairs and maintenance

oil changes and routine servicing
tires, tire installation, rotation, and repairs
brakes, fluids, inspections, and mechanical repairs
car washes or cleaning tied to delivery work
maintenance needed to keep the vehicle usable for deliveries

Phone, app, and payment costs

business portion of a phone plan and mobile data
phone mount, charger, cable, battery pack, and headset
delivery, map, parking, bookkeeping, or receipt software used for DoorDash work
bank charges or payment fees tied to the delivery business
DoorDash service or platform charges shown in your records, if applicable

Delivery gear and supplies

insulated delivery bags, backpacks, coolers, and blankets
car accessories used for delivery work
bike, scooter, or weather gear used for deliveries
roadside assistance for the delivery vehicle
office supplies, receipt storage, scanning, and bookkeeping materials
bookkeeping, accounting, or tax-preparation help

Do not claim personal meals, personal driving, fines, unsupported cash purchases, or the same cost twice. If you use a phone, vehicle, subscription, or accessory for both personal life and DoorDash work, keep the business-use calculation with the receipt.

For a deeper Canada vehicle workflow, use Self-Employed Vehicle Expense Deductions (Canada).

Business-use percentage and kilometre logs

If you use the same vehicle for DoorDash and personal driving, the usual starting point is:

business-use percentage = DoorDash business kilometres / total vehicle kilometres

Example: you drove 10,000 total kilometres during the year, and 4,000 kilometres were for DoorDash deliveries. Your business-use percentage is 40%. If your eligible mixed-use vehicle costs were $7,340 before CCA limits, GST/HST handling, or other adjustments, the first review amount would be $2,936.

That calculation only works if your log is credible. Your records should show the date, destination, purpose, and kilometres for business trips, plus total kilometres and odometer readings, as covered in CRA motor vehicle records guidance.

Track DoorDash separately from Uber Eats, Instacart, SkipTheDishes, rideshare, errands, commuting, and personal driving. A delivery app’s order distance may not include all of your business driving, and it usually will not prove your total annual kilometres.

Use MyCarTracks automatic mileage tracking from your first delivery week. Tag DoorDash trips as DoorDash, review unclassified trips each month, and export reports before tax season instead of trying to rebuild routes from memory.

DoorDash income and app records

DoorDash Canada Dasher pay includes base pay, customer tips, and promotions. In the Dasher app, the Earnings area shows what you made on a particular day, your cash-out options, and your Earnings History.

Keep more than the final deposit total. Save:

daily or weekly Earnings screenshots or exports where available
direct deposits and Fast Pay transfers
base pay, tips, Peak Pay, challenges, promotions, reimbursements, and adjustments
cancelled-order, store-closed, refund, and support-message records
Red Card or Shop & Deliver reimbursement records if you receive them
bank statements used to reconcile DoorDash deposits

DoorDash Canada provides in-app earnings history, but your CRA file should not depend on one app screen. Save monthly records while the information is still easy to access.

Tips and promotions

DoorDash Canada says Dashers receive 100% of customer tips. For tax purposes, those tips are still business income. Include tips, Peak Pay, challenges, bonuses, and other promotional amounts in your DoorDash income records.

If a customer tips after delivery or DoorDash adjusts an order later, record the amount in the period where it belongs in your income file. Match your app totals to your bank deposits so you can explain timing differences.

GST/HST number for DoorDash drivers

Delivery-only DoorDash work should not be treated the same way as passenger rideshare. CRA gig economy guidance generally requires GST/HST registration for many taxable gig economy goods and services after more than $30,000 in taxable sales over four calendar quarters. The general GST/HST registration page also has a single-quarter test.

For most delivery-only Dashers:

if you do not exceed the $30,000 threshold, you are generally a small supplier and do not have to register, though voluntary registration may be possible
if you exceed $30,000 in one calendar quarter, your effective registration date is no later than the supply that made you cross the threshold
if you exceed $30,000 over four consecutive calendar quarters but not in one quarter, the effective registration date follows CRA’s timing rule after the quarter in which you crossed the threshold
after the rule requires registration, treat 30 days from the effective registration date as the practical deadline to get the GST/HST account in place
if you also provide commercial ride-sharing passenger trips, review the separate first-day rideshare GST/HST rule

After you register, keep records for GST/HST collected or collectible, input tax credits, returns, instalments, payments, refunds, and CRA notices. A GST/HST account does not replace Form T2125, and Form T2125 does not replace a GST/HST return.

Use GST/HST for Gig Drivers (Canada) for the full delivery-versus-rideshare split.

GST/HST returns, ITCs, and deadlines

If you’re a GST/HST registrant, you file a separate GST/HST return. That return reports GST/HST collected or collectible, eligible input tax credits, adjustments, and net tax.

Input tax credits can reduce net GST/HST when you paid GST/HST on eligible business expenses. For DoorDash, review GST/HST on the business-use portion of vehicle and phone costs, delivery gear, software, and professional costs. Keep receipts that show the tax amount. An income tax deduction and an input tax credit are related records, but they are not the same entry.

Monthly and quarterly filers generally have one month after the reporting period ends to file and pay, under CRA GST/HST deadline guidance. If you file annually, have a December 31 fiscal year-end, and have business income, the final GST/HST payment deadline is April 30 and the filing deadline is June 15.

Annual GST/HST filers may also need quarterly instalments when their net tax meets CRA’s threshold. Do not reuse income-tax instalment rules or an old province-specific figure for GST/HST instalments without checking current CRA guidance.

Forms and income-tax deadlines

DoorDash delivery income usually goes on Form T2125, Statement of Business or Professional Activities, which you file with your personal income tax return. If you drive in Quebec, you may also need Revenu Quebec’s TP-80-V for business or professional income and expenses.

For the 2025 tax year, June 15, 2026 is the filing deadline when you or your spouse or common-law partner carried on a business. If you owe a balance, it is due April 30, 2026. The June deadline is not extra time to pay. If a filing or payment deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or public holiday recognized by CRA, check CRA’s current next-business-day rule before assuming the deadline moved.

Business income on Form T2125

Start with your gross DoorDash business income before you deduct expenses. Include base pay, tips, promotions, incentives, adjustments, reimbursements that are taxable in your situation, and other business amounts that belong to the tax year.

If you’re registered for GST/HST, keep a separate GST/HST workpaper beside your income workpaper. You want to reconcile the DoorDash app, bank deposits, Form T2125, and GST/HST return without counting the same tax amount incorrectly.

Example: an Ontario Dasher has $28,000 of DoorDash delivery receipts for the year, including tips and promotions, and no passenger rides. They reconcile DoorDash earnings to bank deposits, keep receipts and kilometre logs, then use Form T2125 to report business income and eligible expenses. If they later cross the GST/HST threshold or register voluntarily, they also prepare the separate GST/HST return.

Business expenses and net income

Separate direct delivery expenses from mixed-use expenses.

Direct expenses might include an insulated delivery bag, delivery-only parking, bookkeeping support, or delivery-specific supplies. Mixed-use expenses might include fuel, insurance, phone, repairs, lease payments, or car-loan interest when the vehicle or phone is also used personally.

Net business income is generally your business income minus eligible business expenses, motor vehicle expenses, capital cost allowance where claimed, and any other allowed adjustments. That net amount then flows into your personal tax return.

CPP and QPP planning

CPP is separate from income tax and GST/HST. With limited exceptions, people over 18 who work in Canada outside Quebec and earn more than $3,500 per year must contribute to CPP. If you’re self-employed, you make the whole contribution. Quebec uses QPP instead. When you’re preparing a paper-style return or checking software output, use the current T1 package and Schedule 8 workflow from CRA’s income tax package page.

Use current Canada.ca or Revenu Quebec guidance for the year’s rates and maximums. Do not copy old CPP and CPP2 ceiling examples into a current return without checking the tax year.

Set aside cash for income tax, CPP or QPP, and GST/HST if you’re registered. Gross DoorDash earnings can feel higher than take-home pay because no employer is withholding tax or pension contributions for you.

Records to keep as a Dasher in Canada

Keep tax records and supporting documents for at least six years. Keep your DoorDash file organized by tax year.

Store:

DoorDash Earnings history, weekly statements, deposit records, tips, promotions, and adjustments
bank statements showing DoorDash deposits and Fast Pay transfers
GST/HST registration, returns, payments, ITC workpapers, and notices where applicable
kilometre logs, total annual kilometres, odometer readings, and vehicle-change notes
receipts for fuel, charging, repairs, tires, cleaning, insurance, interest, lease payments, licence, and registration costs
phone, data, delivery gear, software, office supply, bookkeeping, and tax-preparation receipts
Form T2125 workpapers, filed return copies, and notices of assessment
Quebec TP-80-V support if you file in Quebec

Do not wait for tax season to build this file. Monthly reconciliation is usually faster and more accurate than sorting a full year of app screens, receipts, and bank deposits at once.

FAQ

Should DoorDash drivers report tips to the CRA?

Yes. DoorDash tips are business income. Include customer tips with base pay, promotions, and other DoorDash amounts when you prepare your income records.

Does DoorDash keep part of Dasher tips in Canada?

DoorDash Canada says Dashers receive 100% of customer tips. You still need to include tips in your tax records.

Do DoorDash drivers in Canada need a T4 or T4A?

Do not wait for an employee slip to file DoorDash delivery income. Dashers are generally self-employed for this work and report business income on Form T2125. If DoorDash or another platform gives you a platform information statement under Canada’s reporting rules, use it to reconcile your records, but do not treat it as your full return.

Can DoorDash drivers receive EI benefits?

Employment Insurance depends on insurable employment and the specific benefit. DoorDash delivery work by itself is generally self-employment, so do not assume Dasher income creates regular EI coverage. If EI matters to your situation, check Service Canada or a tax professional before relying on it.

Do DoorDash drivers need a GST/HST number in Canada?

Not automatically from the first delivery. Delivery-only DoorDash work generally follows the GST/HST small-supplier threshold. If you cross the threshold, register and start charging GST/HST according to CRA timing rules. If you also drive passengers for rideshare, review the separate commercial ride-sharing rule.