DoorDash Self-Employment Tax 2026: What 15.3% Means
DoorDash self-employment tax for 2026 is 15.3% of 92.35% of your net profit. It’s the Social Security and Medicare tax that an employer would otherwise split with you. A Dasher with $42,000 of pay and $13,745 of mileage deduction owes about $3,865, often most of their federal tax.
How DoorDash self employment tax is calculated
- Start with your DoorDash pay, tips included: $42,000 in our example.
- Subtract mileage and other expenses to get net profit.
- Multiply net profit by 92.35%.
- Multiply that by 15.3%: $3,865 in our example.
You can deduct half of it when you work out income tax.
The parts of the 15.3%
| Part | Rate | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Social Security | 12.4% | First $184,500 of wages plus self-employment earnings |
| Medicare | 2.9% | No limit |
| Additional Medicare | 0.9% | Above $200,000 single, $250,000 married jointly |
Self-employment tax for Uber drivers
The same rules apply to Uber, Lyft and every other app. If you also have a W-2 job, your wages count toward the $184,500 Social Security limit first.
Why it often outweighs income tax
The standard deduction ($16,100 single for 2026), the tips deduction and the 20% business income deduction often wipe out income tax for drivers with moderate profit. None of those reduce self-employment tax. Only business expenses, like mileage, do.
How to lower it
Track every business mile and expense. Each dollar of deductions saves about 14 cents of self-employment tax, plus income tax. See your number with the self-employment tax calculator.
Do DoorDash drivers pay self-employment tax?
Yes. Dashers are self-employed, so they pay 15.3% on 92.35% of their net profit if that comes to $400 or more.
Why do gig drivers pay 15.3%?
Employees and employers each pay 7.65% of Social Security and Medicare. Self-employed people pay both halves.
Does the tips deduction lower self-employment tax?
No. It only lowers federal income tax.