How to Start a ServiceMaster Restore Franchise in 7 Steps: Checklist

Get Franchise Bundle
Get Full Bundle:
$79 $49
$99 $79
$49 $29

TOTAL:

Opening path

How long does it take to open a ServiceMaster Restore franchise?

60–120 days
Typical new-franchise opening period

For a new ServiceMaster Restore Disaster Restoration License, the 2026 FDD says a franchise typically opens 60 to 120 days after the Franchise Agreement is signed, or about 15 days after successful AOS Training. That is a disclosed typical period, not an opening guarantee. The separate contractual requirement is to begin operating within six months after signing.

Data basis: legal franchisor ServiceMaster Clean/Restore SPE LLC; 2026 ServiceMaster Restore Franchise Disclosure Document issued April 14, 2026; primary new-unit format: Disaster Restoration License. Timeline mode: Mode A — official total timeline, using the FDD’s disclosed typical 60–120-day period and the separate six-month contractual deadline. Evidence reviewed includes FDD Items 1, 5–12, 15–17 and 20, the Franchise Agreement, and the Disaster Restoration License exhibit. Checked July 18, 2026.

Public references: official ServiceMaster Restore franchise opportunity, ServiceMaster Brands franchising page, and the FTC Franchise Rule. Contractual claims below are controlled by the 2026 FDD and attached agreements.

6 months
Opening deadline
Begin operating after signing. FDD Item 11, p. 62.
3 weeks
AOS Training
Two weeks franchisor training plus up to eight certification days.
14 days
SMBU prework lead
Online coursework due before AOS attendance. FDD Item 11, p. 62.
30 days
Office approval lead
Written approval required before lease and at least 30 days before opening.
90 days
Staffing deadline
Manager and dedicated salesperson requirements apply after signing.
Qualification

What must a prospective owner qualify for before opening?

The 2026 FDD does not state a universal numeric net-worth, liquidity, credit-score, education, or prior-restoration-experience minimum for a first-time applicant. ServiceMaster Restore still decides whether to accept a candidate, and the internal screening sequence is not fully specified in the contract. Meeting any marketing-stage preference therefore should not be treated as approval.

Once contracted, the franchisee, owners, officers and managers must devote full-time energy and best efforts to the Restore Franchise. Owners holding 10% or more of an entity franchisee sign the Personal Guaranty; smaller owners sign prescribed noncompete and nondisclosure agreements. If the owner does not personally supervise, a direct on-premises manager is required.

Source: 2026 ServiceMaster Restore FDD, Item 15, p. 71; Franchise Agreement §5.5. The official brand also describes restoration knowledge as trainable rather than presenting a degree requirement on its disaster recovery franchise guide; the current FDD controls contractual requirements.

Buyer verification

Ask the franchise development team to state, in writing, the current applicant screening criteria and any financial qualification thresholds being used for your proposed territory. The 2026 FDD does not publish a single numeric first-time-applicant threshold, so do not import figures from directories or older listings.

Verified sequence

What happens from initial inquiry to the first customer job?

The contractual sequence is driven by disclosure, signing, territory and office approvals, required systems, training, staffing, marketing and readiness to operate. Several workstreams can overlap, so the roadmap below should not be added together as a total duration.

1
Enter the franchise qualification process
Action: Submit an inquiry and provide information requested for candidate review.
Actor: Applicant and franchisor.
Timing: No complete contractual screening duration is disclosed.
Blocker: Franchisor acceptance and territory availability.
2
Receive and review the FDD before signing or paying
Action: Review the FDD, Franchise Agreement, Disaster Restoration License and guaranty documents.
Actor: Applicant; franchisor furnishes disclosure.
Timing: Federal rule requires at least 14 calendar days before signing a binding agreement or paying the franchisor or affiliate.
Next: Resolve material agreement and territory questions before execution.
3
Execute the governing agreements and confirm the Territory
Action: Sign the Franchise Agreement and Disaster Restoration License; complete entity and guaranty documents.
Actor: Approved franchisee and ServiceMaster Clean/Restore SPE LLC.
Timing: Initial franchise fee is triggered at execution.
Blocker: The Territory is non-exclusive; verify its exact description in Exhibit A.
4
Secure written approval for the Dispatch Office
Action: Find a compliant site in the Territory and submit it for written approval.
Actor: Franchisee finds the site; franchisor approves or rejects it.
Timing: Approval is required before entering the lease and at least 30 days before opening.
Blocker: No deadline exists for the parties to agree on a location.
5
Equip the office and activate required operating systems
Action: Obtain approved equipment, a startup truck, technology, software licenses, insurance and applicable local authorizations.
Actor: Franchisee, approved suppliers, insurers and government authorities.
Timing: Software required for a first-time new franchisee must be in place before opening.
Blocker: Unapproved suppliers or products can create a 20–150-day review window.
6
Complete SMBU prework and successfully finish AOS Training
Action: Finish online prework and send at least one Designated Trainee through AOS Training.
Actor: Franchisee trainees and franchisor trainers.
Timing: Prework at least 14 days before AOS; AOS is three weeks.
Blocker: At least one Designated Trainee must pass before the franchise can operate.
7
Finish staffing and pre-opening marketing obligations
Action: Put the required manager and dedicated salesperson structure in place and complete the approved launch marketing work.
Actor: Franchisee; franchisor approves the marketing plan.
Timing: Staffing requirement applies within 90 days after signing; $10,000 of Eligible Local Marketing is due before customer services begin.
Blocker: One person cannot simultaneously serve as both manager and salesperson.
8
Satisfy all pre-opening conditions and begin operating
Action: Confirm successful AOS completion, approved and properly equipped office, required systems and other pre-opening requirements.
Actor: Franchisee, with franchisor approvals where the agreement requires them.
Timing: Typical opening is 60–120 days after signing; contractual deadline is six months.
Blocker: Failure to open by the deadline is listed as a non-curable default.

Sources: 2026 ServiceMaster Restore FDD, Item 11, pp. 54–64; Item 15, p. 71; Item 17, pp. 73–74; Franchise Agreement §§1.2, 5.1 and 13.3; Disaster Restoration License Exhibit A, pp. 2–6. Federal disclosure timing: FTC Consumer’s Guide to Buying a Franchise.

Contractual deadline

The six-month opening requirement is not the same as the FDD’s 60–120-day typical opening period. Item 17 identifies failure to open by the deadline as a non-curable default, and Franchise Agreement §13.3 permits termination for specified non-curable defaults. A delayed site, financing, training or staffing workstream can therefore matter even when the cause is outside the franchisee’s direct control.

Site approval

What office, territory and lease conditions must be completed?

A first ServiceMaster Restore Disaster Restoration License must operate from a Dispatch Office inside the designated Territory. The Disaster Restoration License describes a Dispatch Office as 3,500 to 5,000 square feet with business office space, storage, a warehouse for packouts and commercial-vehicle parking. It must be dedicated commercial space, not a home or virtual office, and must satisfy the franchisor’s Standards.

The franchisee—not the franchisor—finds the site. ServiceMaster Restore considers proximity to Territory customers and other offices, but the FDD sets no deadline for agreeing on a location. A rejected site must be replaced with another proposal; operations cannot begin without an approved location, and site rejection alone does not create a contractual termination right.

Site approval is not territory protection

The Territory is expressly non-exclusive. Written approval of a Dispatch Office means the location is acceptable under the Franchise Agreement; it does not create an exclusive or protected territory. Office approval must also occur before signing the lease and at least 30 days before that office opens.

Source: 2026 ServiceMaster Restore FDD, Item 11, pp. 54 and 62; Item 12, pp. 65–66; Franchise Agreement §1.2, p. 2; Disaster Restoration License Exhibit A, p. 3.

Timing controls

Which verified day-based windows can affect opening readiness?

These four periods use the same unit—calendar days—but they have different triggers and are not additive. They show where a late submission can compress the six-month opening window.

Verified pre-opening lead times and review windows
Days; each bar has its own trigger. Supplier deviation is a disclosed 20–150-day range.
SMBU prework before AOS 14 days Custom advertising review 20 days Office approval before opening 30 days Supplier deviation review 20–150 days 0 30 60 90 120 150 days

Interpretation: the longest disclosed review window in this set is a requested supplier/product deviation. Using designated or already-approved sources avoids making that optional approval process part of the opening critical path.

Source: 2026 ServiceMaster Restore FDD, Item 11, p. 62; Franchise Agreement §1.2, p. 2; §5.3.2, p. 12; §10.2, p. 25. These periods have different triggers and must not be summed.

Training and readiness

What training, systems and certifications must be ready before opening?

At least one Designated Trainee must attend and successfully complete AOS Training to the franchisor’s satisfaction before a new Restore Franchise begins operating. New franchisees may send up to two Designated Trainees under the training included with the initial franchise fee; additional, repeat or replacement trainees can trigger the then-current training fee. Employees attending training must already be covered by workers’ compensation insurance, with written certification of coverage.

AOS Training is three weeks: two weeks of franchisor training plus up to eight certification-training days, which may be nonconsecutive. The current program includes two full in-person weeks that cannot be split, though the franchisor may use virtual delivery. The curriculum totals about 103–113 classroom/self-study hours and 37 on-the-job hours. IICRC testing may be available, but successful AOS completion is the contractual pre-opening training condition.

Before opening, a first-time new franchisee must obtain required software and sign applicable licenses, including Restore 365 Plus and relevant Xactimate or Cotality tools. Goods, equipment and vehicle specifications may require designated or approved sources. The franchisee also obtains required insurance and location- or service-specific licenses, permits and certifications.

The Disaster Restoration License also requires applicable EPA lead-renovation firm certification and at least one Certified Renovator for lead-based-paint work. EPA or an authorized state program may administer the rule, so the filing path is jurisdiction-specific.

Sources: 2026 ServiceMaster Restore FDD, Item 11, pp. 60–64; Franchise Agreement §§5.1 and 5.18; Disaster Restoration License Exhibit A, pp. 6–7. Federal lead-renovation information: EPA RRP firm certification and the official ServiceMaster Restore U.S. site.

Responsibility map

Who controls the major opening dependencies?

The franchisor provides approvals and training specified in the agreement, but the franchisee remains responsible for most execution work. Landlords, suppliers, insurers and government authorities can also affect timing without becoming franchisor obligations.

Dependency Franchisee Franchisor Third party
Territory and office Find site; submit request; negotiate lease Designate Territory; approve office in writing Landlord, zoning and local authorities
Training Complete SMBU; send and support Designated Trainees Provide AOS Training; determine successful completion IICRC may score optional certification exams
Equipment and systems Purchase, lease, install and maintain Set Standards; designate or approve sources Suppliers and software vendors
Insurance and legal compliance Obtain and maintain required coverage and authorizations Specify contractual insurance requirements Insurers and government authorities
Opening readiness Complete all pre-opening conditions and begin operations Exercise approvals required by the agreements Any unresolved lease, permit or vendor dependency
Alternative paths

Does the process differ for a conversion, transfer or additional franchise?

Yes. The 2026 FDD separates the new Disaster Restoration License from a Conversion Franchise and a transfer of an existing Restore Franchise. Recovery Management Services and Supplemental Services licenses are renewal-or-transfer-only offers, not the normal new-franchise opening path.

New Disaster Restoration License

Build the opening path from scratch

Typical opening 60–120 days after signing, subject to the six-month deadline, approved Dispatch Office, AOS completion and other pre-opening conditions.

Conversion Franchise

Convert an operating restoration business

The business is already operating, but it must transition to ServiceMaster Restore standards and execute the applicable Conversion Amendment. AOS Training must be completed within six months after purchase.

Transfer / existing franchise

Acquire an already-open Restore Franchise

Opening construction is generally not the issue. The proposed transferee must be approved, satisfy transfer conditions, complete required training at the buyer’s expense and sign or assume the required agreements.

For a second or subsequent new franchise, the active manager must complete AOS Training before opening. An owner or approved manager representative must also complete the franchisor-specified approved training class within 12 months after signing the additional Franchise Agreement.

Source: 2026 ServiceMaster Restore FDD, Item 1, pp. 20–21; Item 11, pp. 62 and 65; Item 17, pp. 75–76; Disaster Restoration License Exhibit A. ServiceMaster Brands also describes multi-unit ownership as an available growth path on its official franchising page.

Readiness checklist

What should a buyer verify before treating the franchise as ready to open?

Use this as a document-verification checklist. A checked item should mean the required evidence is actually in hand.

Current agreement packageFDD reviewed; Franchise Agreement, Disaster Restoration License, guaranty and entity documents reconciled.
Federal disclosure timingAt least 14 calendar days elapsed before the binding agreement or payment trigger.
Territory confirmedExact non-exclusive Territory description verified in the governing exhibit.
Dispatch Office approvedWritten location approval obtained before lease execution and at least 30 days before opening.
Training completeAt least one Designated Trainee has successfully completed AOS Training.
Staffing structure in placeManager and dedicated salesperson requirements satisfied or any written waiver documented.
Systems and suppliers readyRequired software licenses, approved equipment, vehicle and designated-source purchases are operational.
Insurance and legal approvals verifiedRequired policies and location/service-specific licenses, permits or certifications are effective.
Marketing prerequisites completedInitial marketing plan approved and required pre-opening Eligible Local Marketing completed.
Six-month deadline protectedRemaining site, training, vendor or government dependencies leave enough time to begin operating.
Final synthesis

What is the practical opening decision for a ServiceMaster Restore buyer?

The verified new-unit path is: qualify with the franchisor, review the 2026 FDD, sign the Franchise Agreement and Disaster Restoration License, confirm the non-exclusive Territory, secure an approved Dispatch Office, install required systems and equipment, complete AOS Training, finish staffing and pre-opening marketing, and begin operating only after all pre-opening conditions are met.

The timeline is officially disclosed as typically 60–120 days after signing; the contractual deadline is six months. The main applicant-controlled dependency is coordinating the office, training, staffing and systems. The main franchisor/third-party dependency is written office approval plus landlord, supplier, insurer or government timing. Before signing, verify the current applicant-approval standard, Territory availability and a realistic path to a compliant Dispatch Office.

Federal franchise disclosure guidance: FTC guide for prospective franchisees. Brand information: ServiceMaster Brands franchising. The 2026 ServiceMaster Restore FDD and attached agreements remain the controlling source for the contractual opening requirements summarized here.







Related Blogs