How much does a Card My Yard franchise cost?
A prospective U.S. franchisee should plan around the 2026 FDD Estimated Initial Investment of $10,350 to $18,550 for one Card My Yard business. The range applies to the system's home-office model or a small leased warehouse-space alternative; it is not a storefront build-out estimate. The Initial Franchise Fee is $8,500 and is already included in the total. FDD Item 7, pp. 23–26.
2026 FDD range for one home-based or small leased-space Card My Yard business. It includes the $8,500 Initial Franchise Fee and $500–$1,500 of Additional Funds for the first three operating months, but excludes owner salary or draw, debt service, land acquisition and building construction.
Data basis: CMY Franchising, LLC; Franchise Disclosure Document issued April 8, 2026; one Card My Yard business operated from a home office or approved small leased space; FDD Items 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11 and 17; checked July 21, 2026. Item/page references use the document's printed pagination. A matching 2026 FDD was not publicly posted on an official franchise-controlled website when checked, so FDD citations below are not clickable.
The current offer is also described in the official Card My Yard franchise information and the parent platform's Card My Yard franchise fast facts. For disclosure-document context, the FTC franchise buying guide explains how Items 5 through 7 separate initial and ongoing obligations.
Capital snapshot
What is included in the $10,350 to $18,550 range?
The 2026 Item 7 total combines the fixed Initial Franchise Fee with premises, technology, training, insurance, professional services, launch marketing and three months of Additional Funds. The official range assumes a home office or small warehouse with no land purchase, building construction or leasehold improvements. FDD Item 7, pp. 23–26.
Contract, premises and technology costs
| Item 7 category | Low | High | Payment timing or basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $8,500 | $8,500 | Lump sum when the Franchise Agreement is signed; paid to CMY Franchising, LLC. |
| Lease Expenses (three months) | $0 | $500 | As incurred; low end assumes a home office, high end a small leased warehouse. |
| Furniture and Fixtures | $150 | $500 | Includes storage racks and other required fixtures meeting system standards. |
| POS/Computer Hardware and Software | $0 | $1,500 | As incurred; includes a laptop and software if the franchisee does not already have compliant equipment. |
| Initial Training Costs (per person) | $0 | $1,000 | Training tuition is not charged; the range covers travel, lodging and meals if in-person training is chosen. |
| Utility/Security Deposits | $0 | $300 | As incurred with third parties; primarily relevant when leased space or added services are used. |
Launch, insurance and operating-reserve costs
| Item 7 category | Low | High | Payment timing or basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Opening Marketing | $250 | $500 | Item 7 lists the amount at signing; Note 8 requires it to be spent from 10 days before opening through 60 days after opening. |
| Business Permits/Licenses (first year) | $0 | $500 | As required by government authorities; a home office may have no applicable permit cost. |
| Office Equipment/Supplies | $0 | $500 | As incurred; the low end assumes the franchisee already owns suitable supplies. |
| Insurance Deposits and Premiums (first six months) | $700 | $1,500 | Before opening; required policies include general liability and automobile coverage, with workers' compensation when applicable. |
| Professional Fees | $0 | $1,500 | Legal, accounting and entity-formation costs as arranged. |
| Additional Funds (three months) | $500 | $1,500 | Start-up supplies and expenses during the first three months after opening; owner compensation and debt service are excluded. |
| Cardference Fee | $250 | $250 | Item 7 includes one $250 amount; Item 6 describes $250 per franchise owner on demand. |
| Total Estimated Initial Investment | $10,350 | $18,550 | Official 2026 Item 7 total. |
Scale maximum: $1,500. The fixed $8,500 Initial Franchise Fee is excluded so smaller variable categories remain legible.
Interpretation: the widest disclosed variability comes from computer hardware/software, professional fees, insurance and Additional Funds. Source: 2026 Card My Yard FDD, Item 7, pp. 23–26. Values are official ranges; bar positions are proportional renderings.
Home-office assumption
The low end permits $0 lease expense, $0 utility/security deposits, $0 permits, $0 office equipment and $0 computer cost when compliant assets and approvals are already available. The business still needs dry storage with at least 18 feet of wall space and walls at least 8 feet high.
Small leased-space assumption
The high end allows three months of lease expense up to $500 and deposits up to $300, but assumes no leasehold improvements. A non-home site requires franchisor acceptance, lease review and local zoning or permit compliance.
The $8,500 Initial Franchise Fee represents approximately 82% of the low-end Item 7 total and 46% of the high-end total. This is a derived calculation from compatible 2026 Item 7 figures, not a separate franchisor estimate. The widening of the total range therefore comes mainly from third-party setup and reserve categories, not from a variable franchise fee.
When is the money paid?
The 2026 FDD creates a staged cash sequence: the Initial Franchise Fee is paid at signing, most setup costs are paid before opening or as incurred, Grand Opening Marketing straddles the opening date, and Additional Funds cover the first three months after opening. CMY Franchising, LLC estimates 15 to 55 days from signing to operations and requires opening within 55 days unless it grants an extension. FDD Items 5, 7 and 11, pp. 14–15, 23–26 and 34–35.
Franchise Agreement signing: pay the $8,500 Initial Franchise Fee in one lump sum. Item 5 calls it fully earned and nonrefundable when received. Item 7 also lists the $250–$500 Grand Opening Marketing commitment at signing, although the spending window occurs around opening.
Site and pre-opening setup: pay lease expenses, deposits, furniture, computer equipment, permits, professional fees and insurance as incurred or before opening. Initial training has no tuition charge; online training can avoid travel expense.
Grand Opening Period: spend $250–$500 from 10 days before opening through 60 days after opening and complete at least 10 promotional yard greeting services under Item 7 Note 8.
First three operating months: use the included $500–$1,500 Additional Funds for start-up supplies and expenses. This reserve is part of the $10,350–$18,550 total, not an amount to add again.
Month eight and later: the Royalty Fee remains 25% of Gross Sales but becomes subject to the applicable monthly minimum. Local advertising, any Marketing Fund contribution and required sign purchases continue separately.
If an unforeseen health or personal issue prevents opening, CMY Franchising, LLC may permit mutual termination for $1,000 plus its out-of-pocket expenses. If required training is not completed satisfactorily within 60 days after signing, the franchisor may terminate, retain 50% of the Initial Franchise Fee and return the other 50%. FDD Item 5, pp. 14–15.
Which fees continue after Card My Yard opens?
The principal continuing obligation is the Royalty Fee: 25% of Gross Sales for the first seven months after the Franchise Agreement effective date, then the greater of 25% of Gross Sales or a seasonally adjusted monthly minimum. Gross Sales is defined broadly in Item 6, with stated exclusions including sales taxes, qualifying tips, rush fees and delivery fees. FDD Item 6, pp. 15–23.
These are disclosed minimum floors, not estimated royalties. The 25% of Gross Sales calculation still applies, and the franchisee pays whichever amount is greater once minimums begin.
Interpretation: no minimum royalty applies during the first seven months; the Year 1 total is then allocated seasonally according to opening month. Renewing franchisees are subject to the Year 5 minimum schedule throughout a renewal term. Source: 2026 Card My Yard FDD, Item 6, pp. 22–23.
| Continuing obligation | Amount or basis | When paid | Cost interpretation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royalty Fee | 25% of Gross Sales; month eight onward, greater of 25% or the monthly minimum | Deducted from customer receipts and reconciled weekly; shortfalls payable on request | The centralized website collects customer payments, deducts royalties and other amounts, then remits Net Proceeds. |
| Local Marketing and Cooperatives | 24 promotional yard greeting services, approximately $2,400 in stated value, plus $300 in year 1, $500 in year 2 and $800 annually thereafter | On demand or paid to local providers | Cooperative contributions, if a cooperative is created, are additional and do not offset the individual local requirement. |
| Marketing Fund | Item 6 states the greater of 0.5% of monthly Gross Sales or $50 per month in the first 12 months and $100 per month thereafter, subject to increases up to 2% | Withheld in the same manner as royalty payments if implemented | Item 11 contains a different minimum schedule; written clarification is necessary before relying on a budget number. |
| Required yard letters and signs | At least $500 per year | As purchases are required | CMY Franchising, LLC is the sole approved source for yard letters and signs; stakes must come from it or designated supplier Parker Davis. |
| Cardference Fee | Item 6 states $250 per franchise owner | On demand when a mandatory conference is held | Travel, lodging, meals and wages are additional; Item 11 states a different $200 amount. |
| New-product items and equipment | Item 6 states $500–$1,000 per year | On demand after notice | The franchisor may require new products or services and gives up to 90 days to obtain identified items or equipment. |
The 2026 FDD is internally inconsistent on two continuing fees. Item 6 lists Marketing Fund minimums of $50 per month in the first 12 months and $100 thereafter, while Item 11 lists $25, $40 and $65 stages. Item 6 and Item 7 use a $250 Cardference Fee, while Item 11 states $200. This article does not average or select the lower figures. A buyer should obtain written confirmation of the current amounts and the controlling Franchise Agreement language.
Which fees arise only after a specific event?
Item 6 also creates event-triggered charges that are not part of the ordinary Item 7 opening range. The amount depends on late payment, added training, territory changes, transfer, renewal, default, audit findings, insurance lapses or supplier-review requests. FDD Item 6, pp. 17–21; Item 17, pp. 48–51.
Does Card My Yard disclose liquid-capital, net-worth or financing requirements?
The April 8, 2026 FDD does not state a minimum Liquid Capital threshold, Net Worth threshold or Non-Borrowed Funds requirement. The current official franchise pages reviewed also do not publish those qualification amounts. Item 10 states that the franchisor offers no direct or indirect Financing and does not guarantee notes, leases or other obligations. FDD Item 10, p. 32.
This absence does not make the Estimated Initial Investment equivalent to cash qualification. CMY Franchising, LLC may still evaluate a candidate's financial capacity, and the Franchise Agreement requires each owner to sign a personal Guaranty; an individual franchisee's spouse must also guarantee performance. FDD Items 1 and 15, pp. 9–13 and 45–46.
Request the current written candidate-screening standards and identify which funds must be available before signing. Do not substitute a directory's claimed Liquid Capital or Net Worth figure for a value that the 2026 FDD and official franchise pages do not disclose.
Is there a veteran fee reduction?
The official Five Star Franchising Card My Yard page advertises a $1,000 veteran reduction from the Initial Franchise Fee as of July 21, 2026. The 2026 FDD does not mention that program and Item 5 states that the $8,500 Initial Franchise Fee is imposed uniformly. Therefore, the reduction should be treated as a current supplemental offer requiring written eligibility terms and an agreement or addendum; it has not been deducted from the official Item 7 total in this article.
What does the official investment range not fully resolve?
The $10,350 to $18,550 range is an Item 7 estimate, not a guarantee that every buyer can open and operate for the high end. The 2026 FDD expressly leaves several local and contractual variables unresolved, including market-specific lease terms, future technology changes, new-product equipment, cooperative contributions and owner living expenses. FDD Items 6–8 and 11, pp. 15–31 and 32–40.
Cost decision in one view
The verified 2026 starting range is $10,350 to $18,550, of which the fixed $8,500 Initial Franchise Fee is the largest single component. The main opening-range variables are technology, insurance, professional advice, training travel, premises choice and the three-month Additional Funds reserve. After opening, the cost contract shifts to a 25% Royalty Fee with minimum floors beginning in month eight, local marketing obligations, potential Marketing Fund payments, annual sign purchases and event-triggered fees. The unresolved issues that require written confirmation are the internally inconsistent Marketing Fund and Cardference amounts, any veteran reduction, current financial-screening criteria and location-specific third-party costs.