ReceiptKitFor delivery and rideshare drivers
Delivery Driver Tax Calculator
Driving for DoorDash, Uber Eats, Uber or Lyft makes you self-employed, and the app takes no tax out of your pay. Enter your profit after mileage and costs to see the self-employment tax you owe. It runs in your browser, and nothing you type is stored or sent.
Mileage is your biggest deduction
Drivers can usually deduct car costs either with the IRS standard mileage rate or with actual expenses. The deduction lowers your profit, and so your self-employment tax.
Work out your mileage deduction first with the mileage deduction calculator, subtract it with your other costs, then enter the profit here. Brand names are used only to describe who this page is for; this site is not affiliated with any delivery or rideshare company.
- Log the date, miles and purpose of each business trip.
- Keep receipts for parking, tolls, phone mounts, cleaning, hot bags and supplies.
- Platform fees and service charges can count as costs too.
How it's calculated
Self-employment tax = Social Security + Medicare on 92.35% of your profit
- Net earnings = profit × 92.35%.
- Social Security = 12.4% of net earnings, up to a wage base of $184,500.00. Wages from a job use up part of that base first.
- Medicare = 2.9% of net earnings, with no limit.
- Additional Medicare tax = 0.9% on earnings above $200,000.00 (single), $250,000.00 (married filing jointly) or $200,000.00 (head of household), counting wages.
- Under $400.00 of net earnings there is no self-employment tax.
The rates and limits come from the same IRS and SSA figures as our quarterly tax calculator.
Worked example
| Net earnings | $35,093.00 |
| Social Security | $4,351.53 |
| Medicare | $1,017.70 |
| Self-employment tax | $5,369.23 |
| Share of profit | 14.1% |
| Deductible half | $2,684.62 |
Other calculators for DoorDash, Uber Eats, Instacart, Uber and Lyft drivers
- Self-Employment Tax Calculator: anyone who earns money outside a regular job
- Self-Employed Tax Calculator: people running their own business
- Freelance Tax Calculator: freelancers, designers, writers, developers and consultants
- Independent Contractor Tax Calculator: independent contractors paid on a Form 1099-NEC
- Gig Worker Tax Calculator: gig workers and people with a side hustle
- 1099 tax calculator: income tax and self-employment tax together
- Quarterly tax calculator: four payments and due dates
Keep the records with ReceiptKit
ReceiptKit is a receipt scanner with a business or personal switch, tax paid totals and exportable reports. Scan your business receipts as you pay, and your costs are ready when you need to lower your profit. See the tax report and export features.
FAQ
Are DoorDash, Uber Eats, Uber and Lyft drivers self-employed?
Usually yes. Most delivery and rideshare drivers are treated as independent contractors, so they pay self-employment tax on their net earnings.
Does mileage reduce self-employment tax?
Yes. The mileage deduction lowers your profit, and self-employment tax is figured on profit. Use the mileage deduction calculator for that amount.
Do I pay tax on tips?
Tips you receive for driving are part of your income. Include them in your total before you subtract costs.
How much should a driver set aside?
The calculator shows the self-employment tax as a share of your profit. Add federal income tax, which the 1099 tax calculator estimates, and your state's tax.
Sources
- IRS Self-employment tax (Social Security and Medicare taxes) (checked 2026-10-25)
- IRS Instructions for Schedule SE (2026) (checked 2026-10-25)
- IRS Publication 505 (2026): withholding and estimated tax (checked 2026-10-25)
- IRS Topic no. 560: Additional Medicare tax (checked 2026-10-25)
- SSA 2026 Cost-of-Living Adjustment fact sheet (checked 2026-10-25)
Rates and rules checked on official IRS and SSA pages on 2026-10-25. This calculator gives an estimate of U.S. federal self-employment tax only. It is not tax advice and does not calculate income tax, state tax, credits or special cases such as church employee income or farm income. Ask a tax professional before you file or make a payment.
Keep every receipt ready for tax time.
ReceiptKit keeps receipts, deductions and exports together with no sign-up.