DoodyCalls Franchise Costs, Fees & FDD

Year Business Began: 1999

Franchising Since: 2016

Headquarters: Columbia, Maryland

Estimated Number of Units: 125

Franchise Description: DoodyCalls Franchising SPE LLC is the franchisor. The parent company is Authority Brands, Inc. The franchise is for the operation of a DOODYCALLS business, which offers exterior pet waste removal service and odor control service for residential customers and commercial customers including apartment complexes, commercial properties, and Homeowner Associations, and other related services that the franchisor may specify periodically.
Training Overview: Before the franchised business opens, the key person and any owners that the franchisor designates must attend and successfully complete an initial training program. The training program generally lasts four to five business days, depending on the size of the training class. The training program is currently conducted at the franchisor’s offices located in Chantilly, Virginia. After the Franchised Business opens, the franchisor will make available, at the time(s) and location(s) it designates, such other required and optional training programs as it deems necessary and appropriate. The franchisor may offer an annual convention for all franchisees. Franchisees must attend the annual convention, if offered.

Territory Granted: The franchise is granted for the approved location, which may be a home office or a commercial office space. If franchisees wish to rent commercial space, it must be located within their territory and they must request approval from the franchisor. Franchisees will have a protected territory during the term of their Franchise Agreement, provided they are in full compliance with the terms of the Franchise Agreement, including certain minimum performance requirements and their obligation not to service customers outside of their territory. “Protected” means that the franchisor will not operate a business under the marks and the system in the territory or authorize others to operate franchised businesses within the territory, except as described in the FDD. A typical territory will consist of a population of approximately 100,000 to 150,000 households and will be defined using postal zip codes present at the time the territory is established.

Obligations and Restrictions: Franchisees must designate an individual who will be responsible for the day-to-day operational performance of the franchised business and who has the authority to bind the franchisee in all decisions regarding the franchised business (the “key person”). The spouse of an owner is not required to sign a Personal Guarantee if the spouse has no ownership interest in the business entity. However, the spouse will be required to sign a Spouse Acknowledgement. Franchisees are required to offer and sell all products and services that the franchisor designates as required items for DoodyCalls businesses. Franchisees may not perform services or sell products related to the franchised business outside of their territory without prior written consent.

Term of Agreement and Renewal: The length of the initial franchise term is 10 years. Franchisees can renew the Franchise Agreement for one additional term of 10 years if they meet certain conditions.

Financial Assistance: In its discretion, the franchisor may permit franchisees to finance up to 75% of the franchise fee rather than paying the entire amount in a lump sum when they sign the Franchise Agreement. Discounts off the franchise fee are available for qualified active and honorably discharged veterans of American and Canadian armed forces; minority-owned, women-owned, or LGBTQ+- owned businesses; as well as law enforcement officer, firefighter, doctor, nurse or emergency medical technician (“EMT”) /paramedic-owned businesses.

Estimated Initial Investment

Name of Fee	Low	High
Franchise Fee	$39,900	$39,900
Business Outfitting Fee	$3,000	$3,000
Grand Opening Marketing Fee	$6,000	$6,000
Travel and Living Expenses While Training	$750	$1,500
Equipment	$100	$250
Business Licenses	$100	$500
Insurance	$500	$4,000
Signage	$1,500	$2,600
Vehicle	$0	$2,600
Start-up Supplies	$500	$1,000
Computer System	$800	$2,000
Telephone and Internet Services	$300	$1,500
Professional Fees	$500	$1,500
Additional Funds (6 months)	$22,500	$27,500
ESTIMATED TOTAL (does not include real estate costs)	$76,450	$93,850

 
Other Fees

Type of Fee	Amount
Royalty Fee	The greater of (a) 7.5% of gross revenue; or (b) the minimum royalty fee.
Brand Fund Contribution	Currently, 1.5% of gross revenue.
Brand Fund Materials	The franchisor’s costs.
Local Marketing and/or Cooperative	See FDD.
Key Account Programs	Will vary under circumstances.
Technology Fees	Currently, $100 per month.
Additional Opening Support Fee	A reasonable fee, up to $500 per day, plus the reasonable travel, meal, and lodging expenses of the opening support personnel.
Training Fees – Remedial and Optional Training	$500 per trainee.
Annual Conference	The attendance fee may vary based on the location of the conference, the number of attendees under registration, the timing of registration relative to the conference date, and other factors.
Non-Attendance Fee	$500 for the first missed conference and then $2,000 for any conference missed consecutively thereafter.
Call Center Fee	None currently.
Sales Support Center Fee	Currently, 5% of gross revenue.
Service Deficiency	The franchisor’s actual costs.
Renewal Fee	The greater of: (a) 10% of the then-current base franchise fee for one territory (without any discounts applied); or (b) $5,000.
Transfer Fee	Generally, $10,000.
Change of Ownership Fee	Currently, (a) the greater of $500 or our external legal and administrative costs; plus (b) applicable training fee, currently $100 per day for each individual the franchisor requires franchisees to attend training.
Procurement of Insurance	Cost of insurance, plus reasonable fee of up to 25% of total insurance premium cost.
Vendor Review	The franchisor’s reasonable costs, plus the reasonable travel, meal, and lodging expenses of its vendor review personnel.
Management Fee	Up to $500 per day, plus the franchisor’s costs and overhead.
Step In Fee	Up to $500 per day, plus the franchisor’s costs and overhead.
Interest	12% per annum or the maximum rate permitted by applicable law, whichever is less.
Late Fee	$100 for second occurrence of payment more than 30 days past due; $200 for third occurrence; $300 for each subsequent occurrence.
Insufficient Funds Fee	$50 or the amount the bank charges the franchisor due to the insufficient funds, whichever is greater.
Indemnity for Tax Withholding	Amount of any penalties, interest, and expenses the franchisor incurs.
Audit Costs	The franchisor’s actual costs and expenses of conducting audit, including travel and lodging.
Enforcement Costs	The franchisor’s actual costs and expenses.
Defense Costs	The franchisor’s actual costs and expenses.
Indemnification	The franchisor’s actual damages, costs and expenses.
Liquidated Damages	If Franchise Agreement is terminated based on franchisee’s default: The greater of: (i) two years of royalty fees (calculated as the average royalty fees per payment period in the year preceding the termination of the Franchise Agreement, multiplied by the number of payment periods occurring in a two-year period); or (ii) $50,000.
De-identification Fee	The franchisor’s actual costs.

The above information has been compiled from the FDD of DoodyCalls. Year of FDD: 2025.
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