Seattle Dasher Regulations and Notice of Rights
Notice of Rights: If you are dashing in Seattle, please reference your Notice of Rights for all App-Based Worker regulation in English and other languages by visiting this page. |
Overview
Since January 13, 2024, a new law impacting Dasher experience on the platform has been in effect in Seattle.
As a result of the new rules, you will see the following changes:
Instituting an earnings minimum: Dashers who deliver in Seattle will now earn a minimum pay rate based on active time (time spent while on a delivery from when an offer is accepted to when it is completed) and active mileage (miles traveled during active time) for each offer.
Changes to platform access that may impact wait time for offers: Per Seattle regulations, all Dashers beginning work in Seattle can Dash Now at any time. As a result, more Dashers may be available for offers at the same time and your wait time for an offer will likely be longer than in other cities. This means you will likely receive fewer offers while dashing in Seattle.
Priority Access programs in Seattle: These new rules restrict platforms from rewarding high-quality Dashers. As a result, we will be terminating our Priority Access program for Seattle Dashers, which gives Dashers who have high ratings priority on higher-paying offers. We understand that these are valued programs for many Dashers, and they will still be available outside of Seattle.
Changes to incoming offer screen: When available, you may see additional information about the offer related to the contents, weights and dimensions of heavy or bulky items, accessibility at locations where work is to be performed. You’ll also see the amount of any tip that a customer has provided at checkout. Each offer will be available to accept for two minutes.
If you’re dashing in Seattle, read on to see a breakdown of how these new laws will impact your earnings experience. You can view your Seattle Notice of Rights in English and other languages here.
Earnings Minimum: A Deeper Look
Minimum Earnings Requirements
Except in specific circumstances outlined by the law, Dashers in Seattle will now earn the greater of:
The minimum pay rate OR
$5.34 per offer.
In 2026, the minimum pay rate is: [engaged miles] x $0.80 + [engaged minutes] x $0.47.
Note that the minimum pay rates are adjusted annually.
How does the Earnings Minimum Work?
Continue to dash and earn per offer: Dashers can continue to dash and earn per offer. We'll ensure that your pay meets or exceeds the required earnings minimum per the formula above.
Offer Level Calculations: In the incoming offer screen, DoorDash offered pay will be calculated based on estimated active time* and estimated active miles for that offer. The incoming offer screen will also display any amount of customer tips if provided at time of checkout.
Confirmation of Pay After Offer Completion: After completion, we will confirm minimum pay based on your actual active time and actual active miles:
If re-calculated pay is higher than offered pay, we will issue you a pay adjustment.
If re-calculated pay is lower than offered pay, you will earn the offered pay. Dashers will never have their offered pay reduced.
*Wondering what active time means? View the FAQs section below for more information.
2. Receive payment in your preferred method
You will be able to continue receiving payment the way that you prefer.
You’ll still have the option to cash out daily with Fast Pay.
You'll still be able to receive Instant Payouts if you use DoorDash Crimson as your payment method.
What this looks like
For example, let’s say that you dashed in Seattle and the following were true for a given offer:
You accepted a Seattle offer for $18.90 based on estimated active time of 30 minutes and estimated active distance of 6 miles
After offer completion, your actual active time was 33 minutes and actual active distance was 6.3 miles
You earned $5 in customer tips
Your guaranteed minimum pay for the delivery would be $20.55. The breakdown of this pay is as follows:
([33 active minutes] × $0.47) + ([6.3 active miles] × $0.80) = $20.55
Since your guaranteed minimum pay is higher than the offered pay, you would receive $20.55 in DoorDash pay, which includes $1.65 in Adjusted Pay to bring you to the guaranteed minimum pay ($20.55 - $18.90). Here’s how Adjusted Pay appears in your earnings summary.
If instead, your re-calculated pay was only $17.80 (assuming your actual active time was only 28 minutes and you drove 5.8 miles), you will still earn the offered pay of $18.90. Your offered pay will never be reduced.
Keep in mind
Tips don’t count towards the Seattle earnings minimum.
If you make deliveries both within and outside Seattle during your time dashing during a given period, the earnings minimum will only apply to your active time spent on offers either picked up or dropped off in Seattle.
You will continue to be able to view your earnings on the weekly summary within the Earnings tab in the Dasher app.
You can access your digital Seattle pay receipt in the Dasher Records section of the “Account” tab located in your side menu.
Here’s how Adjusted Pay will look in your app, upon completion of a delivery
DoorDash Tip Policies in Seattle
Tips don’t count towards the Seattle earnings minimum.
Many customers tip as they place an order during order checkout, and you will see these tips reflected immediately in your “Earnings” tab in Dasher app.
Customers are also able to tip after the delivery if they choose not to do so at checkout, which may increase your total earnings per delivery. You’ll receive a push notification when a customer adds a post-delivery tip on any previous order, and you will see an updated earnings breakdown for that delivery. Customers can also provide cash tips.
Customers may choose to reduce or remove a tip after delivery by contacting Support, however, the full tip is still yours to keep.
Customers always maintain the choice of whether to leave their Dasher a tip. For reference and convenience, example tips are displayed to customers at time of checkout based on a variety of factors including order subtotal and distance. Customers can always decide to enter a specific tip amount of their choosing.
Customers can tip up to $120 or 2x of the subtotal, whichever amount is lower. For security and integrity of the platform, these protections are in place to help prevent customer tipping fraud (e.g., a customer adding an extremely high Dasher tip and then asking for a refund). Should a customer wish to add a tip higher than $120 or 2x of the subtotal, they can do so by contacting Support.
Platform Changes: A Deeper Look
As a result of the regulations passed in Seattle, we will also be making the following changes that will impact your Dasher experience.
Platform Access
Per Seattle regulations, all Dashers beginning work in Seattle can Dash Now at any time. As a result, the following will be true:
More Dashers may be available for offers at the same time.
Your wait for an offer will likely be longer than in other jurisdictions.
As a result, you will likely receive fewer offers while dashing in Seattle.
Changes to Dasher programs in SeattleAs a result of the changes described above, we will be permanently terminating our Priority Access program in Seattle, which gives Dashers who have high ratings priority on higher-paying offers.
Incoming Offer Screen
When available, you may see the following information in your incoming offer screen for any given offer:
Information about the weights and dimensions of heavy or bulky items when items are expected to weigh more than 15 lbs or exceed 2 ft in length
A list of the contents of the order
Accessibility information related to locations where work is to be performed.
Customer tips, if provided
Additionally, any given offer in your incoming offer screen will be available to accept for two minutes.
Dasher Records
In accordance with Seattle deactivations ordinance, alongside pay receipts, the “Dasher Records” section also includes the following information:
Offer history: which details your Seattle-specific and total offers in the last 180 days.
Seattle deactivation protections: which shows your eligibility to be covered under the ordinance.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Where can I find my Notice of Rights?
A: You can view your Seattle Notice of Rights here. For more information and access to the Notice of Rights in other languages please visit this page.
Q: Who do these changes apply to?
A: These changes apply to Dashers fulfilling deliveries with a pickup or dropoff location in the City of Seattle.
For example, if you deliver an offer with a pickup in Seattle and a dropoff in Bellevue, Mountlake Terrace, or Renton, the delivery will qualify for the Seattle minimum pay regulations. However, if you pick up AND drop off a delivery in Bellevue, Mountlake Terrace, or Renton, the delivery will not qualify for the Seattle minimum pay regulations.
Note that changes impacting platform access programs apply anytime you are online and located in the City of Seattle.
Q: What is the definition of active time?
A: Active time is the time you're engaged in completing an offer, which begins the moment you accept an offer and ends once you drop it off to the customer. For purposes of Seattle minimum pay regulations, only active time for offers with a pickup or dropoff in Seattle will count towards the earnings minimum.
Q: How will I get paid?
A: Dashers will continue to receive their earnings the same way, whether that’s weekly pay or instantly when opting for Fast Pay or DoorDash Crimson. Please note that pay adjustments to meet minimum earnings will be issued upon order completion.
Q: Am I still going to receive tips?
A: Yes, tips are extra and yours to keep. As always, you will receive 100% of your tips, in addition to your delivery pay.
Other Laws Applicable to Seattle Dashers
Other laws impacting Dashers are also in effect in Seattle. Please use the links below to view more information about these requirements.
App-Based Worker Paid Sick and Safe Time - requires covered workers be provided with paid sick and safe time.
Independent Contractor Protections - requires that independent contractors receive contract notices, timely payment, and payment notices.
Notice of Rights - You can view your Seattle Notice of Rights here.
