What does DoorDash look for in a background check?
DoorDash’s help center says its background check consists of:
- A criminal history report, for every Dasher
- A motor vehicle report (MVR), if you will deliver using a motor vehicle
If you plan to deliver by bicycle, DoorDash says you do not need the motor vehicle report.
DoorDash’s FAQ does not publish a lookback period, a list of disqualifying offenses, or driving record standards. It says that if your report “reflects an incident or information that results in you no longer meeting the background check criteria,” your account will be deactivated. If you want to know the exact criteria that applied to you, the best evidence is the report itself and the notice that came with it.
The check starts during sign-up, and you cannot accept offers until it is done.
Who runs the DoorDash background check?
DoorDash says it “uses accredited third-party background check providers, including Checkr.” In practice, the emails about your check come from [email protected], and your report lives in the Checkr Candidate Portal.
This matters because Checkr, not DoorDash, prepares the report and is responsible for its accuracy. DoorDash makes the decision based on what Checkr reports. For a look at the statuses you will see in the portal (Pending, Clear, Consider, Suspended, Disputed), see our guide to Checkr background check statuses, and our Checkr company guide.
How long does the DoorDash background check take?
DoorDash gives two answers in the same FAQ:
- “Most background checks are completed within a day,” but “it is not uncommon to encounter longer wait times of one to two weeks,” which DoorDash attributes to backlogs at DMVs and county offices.
- In the section on status, it gives Checkr’s estimate that the process “can take 5-7 business days and, in some instances, a bit longer.”
DoorDash also says it “is unable to expedite or provide estimated completion times,” because Checkr runs the check.
What each status means, according to DoorDash:
- Pending: Checkr is still working, and may need more information from you through the Candidate Portal.
- Suspended: Checkr needs more information or documents to continue. Check your email from [email protected].
- Consider: Checkr is finished and DoorDash is reviewing. DoorDash says reviews “are typically completed within 5 business days.”
- Complete: Checkr finished compiling the report. DoorDash notes this does not mean the report was reviewed or cleared.
- Clear: You passed. Some areas have a waitlist.
- Canceled: The check could not be completed. DoorDash says to contact Dasher Support to request a new one.
The most common cause of a long wait is a request for documents you have not seen. Check spam and log in to the Candidate Portal.
Does DoorDash run background checks again?
Yes. DoorDash says background check reruns “are performed under certain circumstances,” and that “Checkr provides a continuous check feature that can report new offenses” that occur after your first check. An active Dasher can receive a Pre-Adverse Action notice at any time.
What happens if your DoorDash background check fails?
DoorDash describes a set process:
- Pre-Adverse Action notice. You get an email from [email protected] with a copy of your report.
- A 14-day window. DoorDash says you “will have 14 days after the Pre-Adverse Action notice is sent to dispute the results.” If you are already an active Dasher, DoorDash says your account will be unavailable during that window.
- Post-Adverse Action notice. If you do not respond in time, DoorDash says a Post-Adverse Action notice follows and the account is deactivated.
The 14 days are the most important part of this process. Read the report the day you get the notice.
How to dispute a wrong DoorDash background check
DoorDash separates two situations, and you need to know which one you are in.
The report is wrong. Dispute with Checkr through the Candidate Portal. Examples: a case that belongs to someone else, a dismissed charge shown as a conviction, a case listed twice, a driving record entry that was already resolved. DoorDash says disputes “can take up to 30 days,” and that if you send new documents near the end of that period, Checkr has an additional 15 days. That tracks the federal reinvestigation rule in 15 U.S.C. § 1681i, which also requires the background check company to delete or correct anything inaccurate, incomplete or unverifiable and send you written results within five business days after it finishes.
The report is accurate, but you want DoorDash to consider context. DoorDash says to email [email protected] from the email address you used to sign up, within 14 days of the Pre-Adverse Action notice. After a deactivation, DoorDash says you can appeal at the same address with evidence such as school, training or counseling records, reference letters, certifications or rehabilitation documents.
When you dispute with Checkr:
- List each item that is wrong and say why
- Attach proof: a certified court disposition, an expungement or sealing order, or ID showing a different date of birth
- Keep copies and note the date you filed
DoorDash says reports completed more than 12 months ago are not available in the Candidate Portal; contact Checkr Support for older reports.
Also check the dates. Under 15 U.S.C. § 1681c, a background check company generally cannot report arrests, dismissed charges or other non-conviction records that are more than seven years old. That limit does not apply to convictions, or to reports for a job reasonably expected to pay $75,000 a year or more.
Does the FCRA protect Dashers who are independent contractors?
Partly, and it depends on which rule you are talking about.
The employer notice rules. When a background check is used for “employment purposes,” the FCRA requires a standalone written disclosure and your written authorization before the report is pulled, and a copy of the report plus a summary of your rights before any adverse action (15 U.S.C. § 1681b(b)). The statute defines “employment purposes” as evaluating someone for employment, promotion, reassignment or retention “as an employee” (§ 1681a(h)). If you sign up with DoorDash as an independent contractor, whether those rules apply is not settled. An FTC staff report from 2011 says the term is read liberally and can cover people who are not technically employees, such as owner-operator truck drivers, but that report is staff guidance, not a binding rule or court decision. DoorDash’s own process does include a Pre-Adverse Action notice with a copy of the report and a window to respond.
The accuracy and dispute rules. These duties fall on the background check company. When it prepares a consumer report, it must “follow reasonable procedures to assure maximum possible accuracy” (§ 1681e(b)) and reasonably reinvestigate disputes (§ 1681i). In a wrong-report case, these are usually the claims that matter most.
When can a DoorDash background check error lead to an FCRA claim?
You may have a claim against the background check company if:
- The report included a record that is not yours, or got the outcome of a case wrong
- It reported non-conviction records older than seven years
- You disputed with proof and the error was verified anyway, or not fixed in time
- You lost access to DoorDash, and income, because of the error
For negligent violations, the FCRA allows actual damages, which can include lost earnings, plus attorney’s fees (§ 1681o). For willful violations, it allows actual or statutory damages of $100 to $1,000, punitive damages and fees (§ 1681n).
Save the Pre-Adverse and Post-Adverse emails, a copy of the report, your dispute and Checkr’s response, and records of what you earned before the deactivation. Uber and Lyft drivers face a similar process; see our guide on deactivation from Uber or Lyft because of a background check error, and our page on background check errors.
Get a free case review
If a wrong DoorDash background check kept you from dashing, or Checkr did not fix your dispute, talk to an FCRA lawyer. Our case review is free, and we work on contingency: no fee unless we win.
Time limits apply. Under 15 U.S.C. § 1681p, an FCRA lawsuit generally must be filed within two years after you discover the violation, and no later than five years after the violation occurred.
Frequently asked questions
What does DoorDash look for in a background check?
DoorDash's help center says the check consists of a criminal history report and, if you will deliver using a motor vehicle, a motor vehicle report. Bicycle couriers do not need the motor vehicle report. DoorDash's FAQ does not publish its lookback period or a full list of disqualifying records.
Who does DoorDash use for background checks?
DoorDash says it uses accredited third-party background check providers, including Checkr. Notices about your check come from [email protected], and you can see your report in the Checkr Candidate Portal.
How long does the DoorDash background check take?
DoorDash says most checks are completed within a day, but waits of one to two weeks are not uncommon because of DMV and county backlogs. Another part of its FAQ says the process can take 5 to 7 business days. DoorDash says it cannot expedite checks or give completion estimates.
What happens if I fail the DoorDash background check?
DoorDash says you will get a Pre-Adverse Action notice by email from Checkr with a copy of your report, and you have 14 days to dispute. If you do not respond, a Post-Adverse Action notice follows and the account is deactivated.
Can I appeal a DoorDash background check deactivation?
DoorDash says you can email [email protected] with information that supports reactivation, such as rehabilitation records or reference letters. If the report itself is wrong, dispute it with Checkr through the Candidate Portal.
Sources
- DoorDash: Dasher Background Check FAQ
- FTC, 40 Years of Experience with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (staff report, July 2011)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681a, definitions (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681b, permissible purposes and employment rules (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681c, requirements relating to information in reports (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681e, compliance procedures (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681i, procedure in case of disputed accuracy (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681n, civil liability for willful noncompliance (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681o, civil liability for negligent noncompliance (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681p, time limit to sue (Cornell LII)
Updated November 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice.