DoorDash Activation Kit - The Complete Guide For Drivers

If you want to make extra cash, it's hard to beat the flexibility and ease-of-use of gig economy jobs.

And, out of all the gig apps, food delivery jobs like DoorDash are some of the most popular.

Now, DoorDash actually owns the largest share of the food delivery market, and it's incredibly easy to sign up and start delivering.

But, one of the things you need before you DoorDash for the first time is your DoorDash activation kit, which the company sends new drivers.

So, if you're wondering what your Dasher activation kit is for, what it contains, and how long it takes to receive one, this is the post for you.

Let’s dive in!

Looking for more ways to make money in the gig economy? Checkout:

Instacart – Become an Instacart Shopper and earn $15 to $25+ per hour!
Uber Eats – Start delivering with Uber Eats!

What Is A DoorDash Activation Kit?

A DoorDash activation kit is a three item kit DoorDash sends new Dashers to let them start making deliveries. This kit enables you to complete every type of DoorDash order, helping you make more money per hour.

Many new Dashers get their DoorDash activation kit mailed to them because you can skip the in-person orientation in most markets.

The kit is commonly handed out to new drivers in person, but choosing online orientation allows the kit to be shipped to your mailing address.

Now, let's cover what comes in your DoorDash kit and why this kit is so important for making more money with DoorDash.

What Comes in the DoorDash Activation Kit?

The DoorDash activation kit includes three items:

The DoorDash Red Card
An insulated food delivery bag
A DoorDash driver manual

You can deliver for DoorDash without your activation kit, but as I'll cover later, waiting for your Dasher kit lets you accept more order types. Plus, it's nice to have a food delivery bag to complete deliveries with.

DoorDash-tips-and-tricks

Now, let's cover what each item in your DoorDash starter kit contains!

DoorDash Red Card

Your Red Card is a DoorDash credit card that you use to pay for certain orders. When you accept an order in the DoorDash driver app, it clearly indicates if it's a Red Card order.

DoorDash actually has three types of orders, not just Red Card orders:

Standard Order: Show up to the restaurant, show the staff the name and order number from the DoorDash app, and collect the order.
Place Order: You have to go into the restaurant and place the order yourself.
Red Card Order: The customer has made an order but you have to pay for it with your DoorDash Red Card.

Standard orders are very common, so again, you don't need your Red Card to begin making money with DoorDash.

But you never get the other two types of order requests until your Red Card arrives and you activate it, so you might get fewer order requests per hour until your activation kit arrives.

Also note that you can't use your Red Card to pay for gas or for personal purchases; trying to game the system can lead to DoorDash deactivating you.

When you accept a Red Card order, the exact order payment amount gets added onto your balance so you can make the purchase at the restaurant.

In the rare event you can't use the Red Card at a restaurant, you can contact Dasher support to figure out how to proceed.

Food Delivery Bag

Another item in your DoorDash activation kit is your food delivery bag.

This is the iconic red DoorDash bag you might have seen other couriers using as they drive, bike, or scooter around your city.

DoorDash-tote-bag — You can also purchase bags or your Red Card through DoorDash's online store.

This food delivery bag or “hot bag” (as DoorDash calls it) is a bag that holds heat for orders that need to stay warm during delivery.

Using a food delivery bag for any type of food delivery gig is incredibly important since it helps keep food at the right temperature, leading to happier customers and the potential for more tips.

Furthermore, if you want to get paid to workout and be a DoorDash bike courier, you absolutely need a food delivery bag so you can actually transport orders to customers.

If you don't have time to wait for your DoorDash activation kit, you can purchase an affordable food delivery bag on Amazon for around $20 to $30.

A lot of couriers actually prefer this since the bag DoorDash sends you is honestly a little flimsy, so the food gets colder faster than if you buy a more heavy-duty bag.

Other driving gigs like delivering for Uber Eats or Grubhub also require a food delivery bag, so the bottom line is you're going to need a bag at some point!

Extra Reading – DoorDash vs Uber Eats For Drivers.

A Dasher Manual

The driver manual or “getting started manual” is a DoorDash manual that answers basic questions for how to start completing deliveries for DoorDash.

Basically, this is your crash course on how to start using the Dasher app, accept and complete orders, and make money as a food courier.

In reality, this is the least important item in your DoorDash welcome kit since the Dasher app has a tutorial and you can also learn a lot about working for DoorDash on this blog and on YouTube.

But, going through the manual provides a nice overview of how to Dash, and it can limit the number of times you have to contact DoorDash support with questions.

Most of the information in the driver manual is pretty straightforward, but keeping the driver manual on hand for the first few orders never hurts.

This handy tool also gives you the instructions for things like adding your Red Card onto DoorDash, setting up DoorDash Fast Pay, and other useful tips.

How To Request An Activation Kit For DoorDash

When you sign up for DoorDash, you fill out basic information like your name, address, and phone number.

You also upload proof of a valid driver's license, insurance, and consent to a background check.

Finally, you also fill out information which includes what type of driver orientation process you prefer.

You have 2 choices for your orientation method:

In-person
Online

If you attend an in-person orientation, you receive the activation kit while you’re there.

If you prefer the online orientation method, you can request an activation kit for DoorDash in five steps:

Choose “Activation Kit” as your preferred orientation method
Select “Ship it to me”
Complete the W-9 form
See the “Activation Confirmation” page to confirm request
Check your email for tracking information

The DoorDash activation kit takes around one to four business days to be delivered. Keep in mind that you have tracking information, so you can stay up to date on the shipment.

Do You Need to Wait for Your Activation Kit to Begin Working?

You don't need your DoorDash activation kit to begin working for DoorDash. However, you need the kit if you want to accept Red Card orders and get more order requests overall.

Technically, you can Dash for weeks or months without ever activating your Red Card, but this isn't a wise idea.

Your Red card offers you a ton more orders to complete because certain restaurants and merchants only accept red card purchases.

Second, the food delivery bag lets you accept hot food orders, which in turn also gets you more deliveries (and more money as well).

Finally, the easiest way to maximize your earning potential on DoorDash is with the help of the activation kit.

In other words, you can work without it, but you really shouldn’t unless it’s your first few orders and you just want to learn how the platform works.

How Long For My DoorDash Activation Kit To Arrive?

Your DoorDash activation kit should arrive in one to four business days from the day you complete your W-9 form and request the kit.

However, depending on shipping delays or problems on DoorDash's end, it can take longer for your activation kit to arrive.

For example, in this Reddit thread, some other Dashers share their experience in waiting for their activation kits to arrive:

kstewart95 says: “The same thing happened to me. I emailed support a few times but they weren't much help and always told me different things. I stopped trying and it randomly showed up on my doorstep yesterday. Took almost 3 weeks I'd say.”
Refried_Hippie says: “May take a little longer than expected to. Mine took exactly a week and I was hoping for 2-4 days.”
kenny06207 says: “My activation kit arrived one month later.”

Consider contacting DoorDash support if it takes longer than five days for your activation kit to arrive.

And, as some of these Dashers mention, you can also buy your own food delivery bag if you're itching to start delivering and want hot orders.

How To Track Your Dasher Activation Kit?

When you request your Dasher activation kit, you get a confirmation email that also includes tracking information. Tracking information is usually offered through USPS.

DoorDash-activation-kit-tracking

If your kit isn’t showing up in time or the tracking information is wrong, double check some of these common issues:

Your mailing address was entered incorrectly
Your kit got lost in the mail
Kits are in high demand (takes longer to produce and ship out)
Your background check is still under review

Again, it never hurts to contact support after waiting a long time for your kit to show up.

Extra Reading – How Much Can You Make Per Week With DoorDash?

Frequently Asked Questions

My DoorDash Kit Never Came, What Do I Do?

If your DoorDash kit doesn’t arrive within a week of requesting one online, check your tracking status in your confirmation email.

If the item is lost, not showing up, or hasn’t been shipped yet, contact DoorDash support for further assistance.

Can I Use My Own Food Delivery Bag?

Yes, you can use your own food delivery bag to complete DoorDash orders. However, the DoorDash activation kit comes with a free hot bag so you can also wait for the kit to arrive if you don't want to spend $20 to $30.