Washington DC's delivery app fee cap: 15%, or 5% when the app doesn't deliver
Updated October 20, 2026
Last updated: 20 October 2026. Read from the Code of the District of Columbia, Title 48, chapter 6A (§§48-651 to 48-656).
Washington DC caps what a delivery app can charge a restaurant at 15% of the order's menu price, or 5% when the app doesn't deliver the order. The limits don't apply to an app that offers every restaurant a "core delivery service" (listing and discoverability on all its platforms) for 15% or less, without requiring other purchases. The permanent law took effect on 10 March 2023, and DC's Attorney General enforces it.
In short
- The cap: 15% of the purchase price (menu price, without tax, tips and other fees) per online order; 5% for orders the app doesn't deliver.
- The exception: an app offering every restaurant core delivery at 15% or less may sell pricier plans.
- Search fairness: an app may not drop you from search results within 4 miles, shrink your delivery radius or cut your couriers because of the commission level you chose.
- Contracts: an app needs your agreement before delivering your food, can't make you indemnify it for what happens after the food leaves, and must let couriers use your restroom.
- Enforcement: the Attorney General, with damages up to $5,000 or actual damages, whichever is greater.
What does DC's law say?
| Rule | D.C. Code chapter 6A |
|---|---|
| Fee cap | No more than 15% of the purchase price per online order; no more than 5% where the platform doesn't deliver (§48-654(a)) |
| Exception | The cap doesn't apply to a platform that offers all restaurants core delivery service for a total charge of 15% or less, without other required purchases, and told existing partners within 30 days of 10 March 2023 (§48-654(b)) |
| Core delivery service | Listing the restaurant and making it discoverable on all of the platform's modalities; not advertising, SEO, business consulting or card processing (§48-651) |
| Agreement first | A platform may not arrange delivery from a restaurant without an agreement expressly authorizing it (§48-652) |
| No indemnity for after pickup | Agreements may not make restaurants indemnify the platform for harm after the food leaves the restaurant (§48-652) |
| Courier restrooms | Agreements must let delivery workers use the restaurant's restroom (§48-652) |
| No penalties in search | No dropping a restaurant from search results within 4 miles, reducing its delivery radius or cutting available couriers because of its commission level; paid options for a larger radius or priority delivery are allowed (§48-652) |
| Fee disclosure | To customers before checkout (§48-653) and to restaurants in the agreement, in plain language (§48-653.01, added 2024) |
| Registration | Platforms operating in DC register with the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (§48-655) |
| Enforcement | Attorney General, as an unfair or deceptive trade practice; damages up to $5,000 or actual damages, whichever is greater, plus fees and injunctions (§48-656) |
What it means on a $30 order
| Order | Most an app can charge on the capped basis | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Delivered by the app | $4.50 (15%) | $25.50 |
| Not delivered by the app (e.g. pickup) | $1.50 (5%) | $28.50 |
| A higher plan an app may sell alongside 15% core delivery, e.g. 30% | $9.00 | $21.00 |
| Your own ordering page with Stripe (2.9% + 30¢) | $1.17 | $28.83, before your plan fee and delivery costs |
Worked example: a Shaw Ethiopian restaurant has 300 app orders a month at $30: 220 delivered, 80 pickup. On the capped basis the most it pays is 220 × $4.50 + 80 × $1.50 = $1,110 a month. On a 30% plan for everything it would pay $2,700. The 4-mile rule means choosing the cheaper option shouldn't push it down the app's search results for nearby customers.
Uber Eats lists a 15% Lite delivery rate in Washington DC (20% in most of the US). See Uber Eats commission in the US.
How the law developed
DC capped delivery commissions at 15% through temporary and emergency laws from 2020. The permanent version, D.C. Law 24-292, took effect on 10 March 2023, with the core-delivery exception. D.C. Law 25-162 (21 May 2024) added the duty to disclose fees to restaurants in the agreement.
How to report a problem
Violations are enforced by the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia as unfair or deceptive trade practices. Keep your agreement, the options you were offered and your statements.
DC caps app fees at 15%; your own page charges no commission. See the.
Frequently asked questions
What is the delivery app fee cap in Washington DC?
15% of the order's menu price, or 5% when the app doesn't deliver the order. The cap doesn't apply to an app that offers every restaurant core delivery service for 15% or less.
Can DoorDash charge more than 15% in DC?
Yes, if it also offers all restaurants core delivery service, meaning listing and discoverability on all its platforms, for a total of 15% or less without requiring other purchases.
Can an app hide my restaurant for choosing the cheaper plan?
No. DC law bars platforms from dropping a restaurant from search results within 4 miles, reducing its delivery radius or cutting available couriers because of its commission level.
When did DC's permanent delivery fee law start?
D.C. Law 24-292 took effect on 10 March 2023, after temporary and emergency caps that began in 2020.
Who enforces DC's delivery app law?
The Attorney General for the District of Columbia, who can seek damages of up to $5,000 or actual damages, whichever is greater, plus fees and injunctions.
Sources (2)
- Code of the District of Columbia, Title 48, chapter 6A (§§48-651 to 48-656, with history lines: D.C. Law 24-292, 70 DCR 898, 10 Mar 2023; D.C. Law 25-162, 71 DCR 3525, 21 May 2024): https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/titles/48/chapters/6A/index.full.html and §48-654: https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/48-654 (read 20 Oct 2026).
- DC Council, Third Party Food Pickup Temporary Amendment (2021 PDF): https://dccouncil.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Third-Party-Food-Pickup-Temporary.pdf (seen in search results 20 Oct 2026; evidence of the 2020–21 temporary caps).