Thinking about delivery work? Do the sums first

Food delivery can look straightforward from the outside. Before joining a platform, make a page of questions about the work, your costs and the conditions that apply to you.

Read the arrangement

Check the platform’s current eligibility, onboarding and vehicle requirements. Establish what kind of working arrangement is being offered. Do not assume it comes with the same conditions as an employee role: Fair Work explains employees, contractors and regulated workers (opens in a new tab).

Write a cost list

Consider equipment, phone data, maintenance, fuel or charging, suitable insurance and time spent waiting or travelling between jobs. Ask your insurer about your intended use. A headline payment or temporary promotion is not the same as what you keep after expenses.

Check permission and obligations

Check your own visa conditions and ask the ATO which registrations and records apply to your activity. Food delivery and carrying passengers are different activities; do not assume tax instructions for one automatically cover the other. Our tax resources link to official starting points.

Plan for an ordinary week

Think about weather, safe routes, study commitments and what happens when work is quiet. Compare the arrangement with an employee job on the same basis. No platform placement on this site guarantees work, earnings or a sign-up bonus.