Delivery job joining fees: what's normal, what's a scam

Joining fees and deposits for delivery jobs: what's normal, what's a scam

Last updated 8 Oct 2026

Some delivery companies do charge an onboarding fee, and some say joining is free. Fake recruiters in Delhi also ask for fees, with names like registration, verification or processing. This guide shows what each company says, and how to tell a real fee from a trap.

Companies that say they charge a fee

These companies mention an onboarding fee, deposit or similar charge:

Swiggy: an onboarding fee of around ₹1,500, which varies by city. It is cut in instalments after you join.
Swiggy Instamart: an onboarding fee that varies by city and store. You can pay it at once, or in instalments cut from your earnings over a few weeks. The amount is shown in the partner app.
Zomato: an onboarding fee for training and support, paid once or in instalments. The amount depends on the city.
Blinkit: a one-time joining fee during onboarding, for training and support. Blinkit shares the details at the interview.
Zepto: its rider agreement says it may charge onboarding and training fees and a refundable security deposit, cut from your payouts. Replacing a damaged Zepto t-shirt or bag can also cost a fee.
Rapido: says joining as a Captain is free, but its terms allow fees or a subscription shown in the app.
Uber Moto: drivers pay a subscription fee instead of a commission on each ride.

Companies that say joining is free

Porter says there is no registration fee to join.
XpressBees says there is no joining fee and onboarding is free.

For Amazon Flex, Amazon Now, BB Now, Delhivery, Ekart, Flipkart Minutes and Shadowfax, ask about any fee during onboarding, and get the answer from the company itself.

Real fee or scam: how to tell

A real company fee and a scam can look alike. Look at who asks, when and how.

What the companies above describe:

The fee is explained by the company during onboarding or at the interview.
Several of them cut it from your earnings in instalments after you start work.
The amount is shown in the company's own partner app.

What the Delhi scam cases looked like:

A "HR" person on WhatsApp, a phone call or social media.
Money sent to a QR code or a person's account before any work starts.
A chain of small fees: registration, verification, agreement, TDS, processing.
A promise that the money will be refunded after joining.

In one case, a jobseeker was promised a job with a grocery delivery company and sent over ₹9,000 in such fees. In another, a fake placement office in Uttam Nagar asked for ₹3,000 to ₹4,000, or ₹4,800, as registration and account-opening charges. Read more in our guide to fake job scams.

Before you pay anything

Check what the company says about fees. Where a company states it, its page on this site shows it with the source.
Never pay a person who only promises you a job. The government's National Career Service says jobseekers should not pay fees to employers.
If a caller asks for money or your bank details, or the email comes from a free email address, treat it as a warning sign.
Ask whether the fee will be cut from your earnings, and get the amount in the company's app.
If you already paid and feel cheated, call the cyber fraud helpline 1930 straight away.

e-Shram registration is free. Don't pay anyone to make your e-Shram card.

How applying works here

Fill in our form with your name, phone, city and area. Our team calls you back to talk about openings and what each company asks for.

Questions people ask

What does the government say about paying a fee to get a job?

The Labour Ministry's National Career Service (NCS) says it never charges a fee for registration, job applications or interviews, and that jobseekers should not pay fees to employers. Some delivery platforms do state an onboarding fee or deposit on their own pages, so check the company's page on this site to see what it says. If someone on a call or WhatsApp asks you to pay to get a delivery job, treat it as a warning sign. NCS helpline: 1514. Cyber fraud: call 1930.

What are the warning signs of a fake job call?

The Department of Telecommunications lists two key warning signs: the caller asks for money or your bank details, or emails come from free or non-official email addresses. If an offer sounds too good to be true, it is likely a fraud. You can report a suspicious call or message on the Sanchar Saathi website or app.

I already paid someone for a job and now think it was a scam. What do I do?

Report it straight away. Call the National Cyber Crime Helpline 1930 or file a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in. Delhi Police also urge people to report cyber fraud on 1930 immediately and not to pay registration, processing or account-opening charges without checking the placement agency first.

What does a fake delivery job scam look like in Delhi?

In June 2025, Shahdara cyber police in Delhi arrested a man who posed as a recruiter. He contacted a jobseeker on social media as "HR Kamal", called him to a walk-in interview in Nirman Vihar and promised a job with a grocery delivery company. The jobseeker was then asked to pay for registration, document verification, agreement, TDS and processing, and sent over ₹9,000 to QR codes between 27 May and 6 June 2025. A long list of small fees before you start is a red flag.

Are placement agencies that charge registration fees safe?

Be careful. In August 2026, Delhi Police arrested seven people running a fake placement office in Uttam Nagar. They posted job vacancies on online job portals, contacted people on WhatsApp and phone posing as HR executives, called them for interviews, and took ₹4,800 as "registration and account-opening charges", or ₹3,000 to ₹4,000 as registration, processing or account-opening fees. Police advise not paying such charges without verifying the agency.

Someone wants money to make my e-Shram card. Do I have to pay?

No. The e-Shram portal says registration is totally free and workers do not have to pay any charges to anyone who registers them. You can register yourself on the portal or at a Common Service Centre. The card never expires and does not need renewal.

Is a refundable security deposit normal?

Zepto's rider agreement says it may take a refundable security deposit, cut from your payouts in one or more instalments. A deposit asked by a stranger on WhatsApp, to a QR code, before any work, is a different thing: treat it as a warning sign.

Can I pay the onboarding fee in instalments?

Swiggy says its fee is cut in instalments after you join. Swiggy Instamart lets you pay at once or in instalments over a few weeks. Zomato collects its fee once or in instalments. Zepto cuts its fees and deposit from your payouts in one or more instalments.