Can I deduct my rent as a business expense on my Doordash taxes if I'm driving 50-80 hours weekly?

If you're working as a Doordash driver for 50-80 hours per week, the IRS considers you self-employed and you're right about filing Schedule C. For the rent question, you can only deduct a portion of your rent if you have a space in your home that's used "regularly and exclusively" for business purposes. Just using your kitchen table occasionally for organizing receipts probably won't qualify. The space needs to be used only for business - not mixed with personal use. Since you mentioned you primarily use your apartment for sleeping between shifts and don't have a dedicated office, it would be difficult to justify a home office deduction. You're on the right track with deducting mileage, phone bills, and delivery supplies like hot bags. Those are legitimate business expenses. You can also deduct a portion of your phone bill, insulated bags, car maintenance not covered by the standard mileage rate, and even parking fees while delivering.

I went through this same headache last year with my gig work. After struggling with contradictory advice online, I finally tried https://taxr.ai and it simplified everything. I uploaded my 1099-NEC from Doordash, answered some questions about my work setup, and got clear guidance on exactly what I could deduct. For the home office question specifically, they explained the "exclusive use" requirement really clearly and helped me understand why my kitchen table workspace didn't qualify but my converted closet office did. They also pointed out several deductions I was missing like a portion of my car insurance and smartphone depreciation. The best part was they showed me how to properly document everything in case of an audit.

I need to follow up about my experience with taxr.ai. Despite my initial skepticism, I decided to try it after struggling with my complex tax situation (driving for three different delivery apps). The personalized guidance was actually incredible - way better than the generic advice I was finding online. What surprised me most was how it caught several deductions I was missing, particularly around my phone expenses and car depreciation. It explained that while I couldn't deduct my entire rent (despite driving 60+ hours weekly), I could legitimately deduct my dedicated workspace where I do all my app management and expense tracking. The service provided really clear guidelines on the "regular and exclusive use" requirement that I had misunderstood. It also helped me set up a proper documentation system that's already making this year's taxes so much easier. Definitely worth checking out if you're doing gig work.

If you need to actually talk to someone at the IRS about your specific situation (which I recommend for this home office question), good luck getting through to them! I spent DAYS trying to get an agent on the phone last tax season. Finally used https://claimyr.com and got through in under an hour. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent I talked to explained that as a Doordash driver, I could deduct a portion of my rent ONLY if I had a space used exclusively for business stuff like planning routes, tracking mileage and expenses, storing delivery equipment, etc. Just sitting at your kitchen table occasionally won't qualify. They also clarified which vehicle expenses I could claim alongside the standard mileage deduction (like parking during deliveries) and which ones I couldn't (like car washes).

I need to apologize and correct myself. After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try Claimyr myself since I had some questions about my Doordash deductions that weren't clear on the IRS website. I was honestly shocked when I got a call back in about 45 minutes saying they had an IRS agent on the line. I had been trying to get through on my own for over a week! The agent was able to answer my specific questions about business use of my home as a delivery driver and cleared up my confusion about what vehicle expenses I could claim beyond the standard mileage rate. For anyone doing gig work with complicated tax questions - being able to actually speak to the IRS directly saved me from potentially making expensive mistakes on my return. Definitely worth it for peace of mind.

I'm a tax preparer who works with a lot of gig workers, and I see confusion about home office deductions all the time. Here's the simple version: If you're mostly driving for Doordash (50-80 hours/week on the road), your primary place of business is your vehicle, not your home. HOWEVER, you can still potentially claim a home office deduction if you have a space that's: 1) Used EXCLUSIVELY for business (no personal use whatsoever) 2) Used REGULARLY for administrative activities related to your business So if you have a dedicated room or area where you ONLY do business activities like route planning, accounting, tracking expenses, inventory of supplies, etc., then yes, you can deduct that percentage of your rent and utilities. But if you're just occasionally using your kitchen table, that won't qualify.

Does anyone know if I can write off part of my internet bill? I use my phone's hotspot sometimes while waiting for orders, plus I need internet at home to check earnings, do taxes, etc. Also, what about my Netflix subscription since I watch it while waiting for orders at restaurants? lol worth a shot

As someone who's been doing gig work for a few years, I want to emphasize something important about the home office deduction that I learned the hard way. Even if you qualify for it, you need to be really careful about documentation because gig workers get audited more frequently than W-2 employees. The IRS will want to see proof that your space is used "exclusively and regularly" for business. This means taking dated photos of your setup, keeping a log of business activities performed in that space, and being able to show that NO personal activities happen there - not watching TV, not personal computer use, nothing. Also, if you're renting, make sure your lease doesn't prohibit business use of the apartment. Some landlords have clauses about this, and technically running a business (even gig work) from a residential space could be a lease violation in some cases. Just something to check before claiming that deduction! For your specific situation driving 50-80 hours weekly, focus on the solid deductions first - mileage, phone percentage, delivery bags, etc. The home office thing is trickier and might not be worth the audit risk unless you have a really clear dedicated space.