How to Start a Visiting Angels Franchise in 7 Steps: Checklist
Verified opening path
How long does it take to open a Visiting Angels franchise?
30-180 days
FDD typical estimate.The 2026 Visiting Angels FDD gives this range from signing the Franchise Agreement to commencing the Franchised Business. It is an estimate, not an opening guarantee. State licensing is identified as the biggest timing variable where a license is required. A separate contractual deadline applies after training.
Data basis: Legal franchisor: Living Assistance Services, Inc. FDD: 2026 U.S. Franchise Disclosure Document, issued April 20, 2026. Formats covered: standard startup franchise and approved transfer of an existing outlet. Timeline mode: official total timeline estimate. Evidence: Items 1, 5-12, 15-17 and 20 plus the Franchise Agreement. Checked July 19, 2026.
FDD citations in this article are plain-text citations because no matching 2026 FDD was verified on an official franchise-controlled public domain.
2 paths
Startup or approved transfer
The transfer path has separate approval and agreement conditions.
Commercial
Office address required
Home offices and mailbox-style locations are not accepted.
25%
Managing Partner ownership
Minimum stock ownership; the agreement also specifies 25% of resale value.
1 office
Per Protected Territory
Unless the franchisor grants written approval for another location.
Qualification
What must you qualify for before Visiting Angels will assign a franchise?
The 2026 FDD does not disclose a universal credit-score, net-worth, liquid-capital, education, or home-care-experience minimum. Assignment is selective and by invitation. The stated gates center on candidate fit, a required Visiting Angels Open House, personal financial runway, and an owner-management structure that satisfies training and operating requirements.
✓
Pass selective screening. An application or FDD receipt does not itself mean a franchise has been awarded.
✓
Attend the pre-assignment event. The FDD calls it a Visiting Angels Open House; the current public site uses “Discovery Day.”
✓
Show personal financial runway. The FDD focuses on ability to support yourself and your family for at least one year while the business develops, without stating a fixed dollar threshold.
✓
Have a qualifying Managing Partner. The Managing Partner must hold at least 25% of the stock and 25% of the resale value and manage full-time for the first four years, or two owners may combine schedules to equal one full-time manager.
✓
Plan for owner training. At least one required owner/principal must attend and successfully complete initial training before opening.
Source: 2026 Visiting Angels FDD, Item 1, pp. 8-10; Item 9, pp. 29-35; Item 15, pp. 58-59; Franchise Agreement §9.7(b), pp. 94-95. See the current public Visiting Angels franchise process for the marketing-stage “Discovery Day” terminology.
Application to opening
What happens from initial inquiry to opening?
The verified path is not simply “apply, sign, open.” The applicant must pass selective screening, complete the federal disclosure interval, settle a Protected Territory, obtain franchisor acceptance of the Franchise Agreement, and then coordinate parallel site, entity, insurance, licensing, systems, staffing, and training workstreams before the 120-day post-training opening deadline.
1
Inquiry, screening and required pre-assignment event
Action: Discuss the opportunity, provide requested candidate information, and attend the required Open House.
Actor: Applicant and franchisor.
Timing: Before franchise assignment.
Blocker: Visiting Angels reserves the right to be selective and may decline to invite the applicant.
2
Receive and review the FDD before commitment
Action: Review the FDD, Franchise Agreement, state addenda, territory terms and all opening obligations.
Actor: Applicant; advisers may assist.
Timing: The federal baseline is at least 14 calendar days before signing a binding agreement or making the covered franchise-sale payment; state-specific rules may add requirements.
Next dependency: Do not confuse FDD receipt with franchise approval.
3
Select an available Protected Territory
Action: Choose among available territories and agree on zip-code boundaries with Living Assistance Services, Inc.
Actor: Applicant and franchisor.
Timing: Boundaries are documented in the Franchise Agreement.
Blocker: The franchisor may accept or reject the requested available territory.
4
Sign, then obtain franchisor countersignature
Action: Execute the Franchise Agreement and make the signing-triggered initial payment.
Actor: Applicant first; franchisor approval is completed only when it signs and returns a signed copy.
Timing: If the franchisor does not sign, the FDD says the fee check and applicant-signed agreement are returned within five business days of receipt.
Next dependency: The franchise term begins when the franchisor signs.
5
Set up entity, insurance and an approvable office
Action: Provide certified entity records, secure insurance, and identify a commercial street address inside the Protected Territory.
Actor: Franchisee and third parties; franchisor approves the office address.
Timing: Entity records, pre-training insurance evidence and the site response each have a separate disclosed clock shown in the chart below.
Blocker: Home offices, PO boxes and shipping-store addresses are not accepted.
6
Run licensing and pre-opening setup in parallel
Action: Handle state licensing, zoning and permits, telephone, compatible software, printed materials and initial staffing.
Actor: Franchisee and third parties; the franchisor provides specifications and consultation.
Timing: Apply for a required state license at the earliest opportunity and meet the separate post-training application deadline shown below.
Blocker: Licensing is the FDD's largest stated timing dependency.
7
Complete initial training successfully
Action: Required trainees complete the 26.5-hour, five-day initial program to the franchisor's satisfaction.
Actor: Required owner/principal and any other required operational owners; franchisor provides training.
Timing: Training is made available within the disclosed post-signing window and must finish at least one week before opening.
Blocker: Unsatisfactory completion can lead to discretionary termination and refund under the stated agreement provisions.
8
Verify readiness and open before the contractual deadline
Action: Confirm approved site, required license where applicable, insurance, systems, approved materials, staffing and other opening prerequisites.
Actor: Franchisee; third-party approvals may remain critical.
Timing: The contractual opening clock starts when initial training is completed; see the exact period in the chart below.
Blocker: If delayed, submit the reason in writing before day 120; any extension is solely at the franchisor's discretion.
Sources: 2026 Visiting Angels FDD, Items 1, 5, 7-12 and 15; Franchise Agreement §§2, 3.1, 3.6, 4.3, 6, 8.1, 9.7, 9.10, 9.11(c), 9.14 and 9.16. Federal timing: FTC Consumer's Guide to Buying a Franchise.
Territory and site approval
How do Protected Territory and office approval differ?
Protected Territory and office address are separate approvals. Territory boundaries are mutually agreed and written into the Franchise Agreement by zip code; the franchisee then selects a commercial office inside that territory. If no address is inserted at signing, the location cannot be established without written franchisor approval.
Site approval concerns the office location and proximity to other Visiting Angels offices. Visiting Angels does not locate the office, review the lease, or lease real estate. The franchisee remains responsible for the landlord, zoning, permits, building codes and any remodeling.
Who controls each opening workstream?
Responsibility matrix based on the 2026 FDD and Franchise Agreement. Assistance does not transfer the underlying franchisee or third-party obligation.
Applicant / franchisee
Screening information, Open House attendance and financial runway.
Territory choice and office selection.
Entity, insurance, licensing, permits, lease, systems, staffing and training.
Franchisor
Selective assignment and Franchise Agreement countersignature.
Territory acceptance and office approval.
Training, specifications, consultation and discretionary extension decisions.
Third parties
Landlord: premises and lease terms.
Government authorities: licensing and local approvals.
Insurers and vendors: coverage, software, equipment and printing.
A 72-hour office decision does not create or change the Protected Territory. The territory is defined separately in the Franchise Agreement. Likewise, franchisor approval of an office does not replace a landlord's consent, zoning review, state licensing, insurance, or other third-party requirements.
Timing and critical path
Which disclosed clocks can control the opening date?
The FDD provides one official overall estimate and several separate deadlines or response periods. They start from different triggers, so they should not be added into one synthetic timeline. The practical critical path is usually the longest unresolved dependency after signing, especially state licensing where required, while the franchisee must still satisfy the 120-day deadline measured from training completion.
Verified opening clocks in the 2026 FDD
Bars show disclosed duration length in days; range bars show minimum-to-maximum estimates. Triggers differ and the bars are not cumulative.
Interpretation: The license range can consume most or all of the FDD's typical signing-to-opening estimate, while the 120-day post-training deadline continues to run from its own trigger.
Source: 2026 Visiting Angels FDD, Item 11, pp. 35-48; Item 12, pp. 48-53; Franchise Agreement §§3.6, 8.1 and 9.11(c), pp. 83, 90-91 and 98. “3 days” converts the disclosed 72-hour site-response period for chart compatibility.
Contractual deadline
If the Franchised Business misses the post-training opening deadline, the franchisor may elect to terminate the Franchise Agreement without refunding the Initial Franchise Fee. The franchisee may submit a written explanation before that deadline, but any extension and its length are discretionary rather than an automatic contractual right.
Training and opening readiness
What must be completed before the business is ready to open?
Training is necessary but does not by itself authorize or guarantee opening. Before commencement, the franchisee still needs an approved commercial address, required insurance, applicable licensing and permits, compatible technology, approved branded materials and operational staffing. The FDD assigns these tasks mainly to the franchisee while Living Assistance Services, Inc. provides specified consultation, training, written specifications and marketing materials.
✓
Training: Required attendees successfully complete the five-day, 26.5-hour program; training finishes at least one week before opening.
✓
Insurance: Required policies are in force and evidence has been provided before training; specified policies name Living Assistance Services, Inc. as an additional insured.
✓
Office: The address is a commercial street location inside the Protected Territory and has the required franchisor approval.
✓
Government approvals: State home-care licensing is obtained where required for the services to be offered, and applicable local zoning, permits or code requirements are handled with the relevant authorities.
✓
Systems: Compatible computer hardware, QuickBooks Online or functionally similar financial software, specialized home-care operations software and adequate telephone service are established.
✓
People and materials: Office staff and caregivers are recruited and trained as applicable, caregiver applicants are screened before client assignment, and advertising or promotional materials using the Marks have required approval.
Source: 2026 Visiting Angels FDD, Items 7, 8 and 11, pp. 24-48; Franchise Agreement §§4.3, 8.2, 9.4, 9.10, 9.12, 9.14 and 9.16. See official franchise support and marketing support.
Alternative path
Does buying an existing Visiting Angels outlet change the opening process?
Yes. An existing-outlet buyer does not automatically inherit the seller's contract. The franchisor has approval rights, the incoming buyer must qualify, the transfer-related payment and purchase agreement must be handled, training must be arranged, and the buyer signs the current Franchise Agreement.
Startup franchise
Screening and Open House precede assignment. Territory boundaries are established, the current Franchise Agreement is signed and countersigned, then site, licensing, insurance, systems and training work precedes opening.
Approved transfer / resale
The incoming buyer must meet franchisor qualifications and transfer conditions, including the applicable payment, purchase-agreement approval, training arrangements and execution of the current Franchise Agreement.
Source: 2026 Visiting Angels FDD, Item 5, pp. 12-13; Item 17, pp. 60-64; Franchise Agreement transfer provisions. The public process page also distinguishes starting fresh from taking over an existing business: official Visiting Angels investment process.
Buyer verification
What should a prospective franchisee verify before signing and before opening?
Verify the market-specific facts that can change the path. The FDD supplies the contract framework, but territory availability, state addenda, licensing duration, landlord timing and local approvals can changethe sequence and schedule risk.
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Territory: Which zip codes will appear in your Franchise Agreement, and is the territory still available at the point of award?
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Event terminology: Does the current “Discovery Day” on the public site satisfy the FDD's required Visiting Angels Open House, or are both required?
?
State licensing: Which agency licenses your services, when may you apply, and what current processing time should be assumed?
?
Site: Will the franchisor approve the proposed address, and separately, will the landlord and relevant authorities permit the intended use?
?
Deadline risk: If a third-party approval is delayed, what documentation will the franchisor expect before the contractual opening deadline when considering an extension?
Item 20 and the FDD franchisee lists can help buyers ask operators about actual licensing, site and training experiences. See the FTC franchise buyer guide.
Final synthesis
What is the practical bottom line for opening a Visiting Angels franchise?
The verified path is selective screening and the required pre-assignment event, FDD review, territory agreement, signing and franchisor countersignature, then parallel office, entity, insurance, licensing, systems and staffing work before successful training and opening. The official FDD estimate is typically 30-180 days from signing to commencement, not a promise.
The main applicant-controlled dependency is completing setup work promptly. The largest outside dependency identified by the FDD is state licensing where required. The key contractual clock runs from training completion; any extension is discretionary.
