2026 FDD Issued Mar 31, 2026 Minnesota Commerce (CARDS)
Zerorez Franchise Cost (2026)
A Zerorez franchise costs an estimated $218,718 – $410,698 to open, according to Item 7 of the 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). That total includes the $15,000 – $30,000 initial franchise fee (Item 5) and covers this format: Franchise Business with one Mobile Unit. Item 6 lists royalty fee: 6% of Gross Sales, subject to the conditions below. This record has unresolved source-review issues and was published provisionally before independent verification was complete.
Read the source-review hold before using these figures.
- Total investment
- $219K – $411KItem 7 source and qualifications
- Franchise fee
- $15K – $30KItem 5 source and terms
- Royalty
- 6% of Gross SalesItem 6 conditions and fee bases apply
- Brand fund
- 1% of Gross SalesItem 6 conditions and fee bases apply
What stands out about Zerorez
The Item 19 average sits well above the median franchise. Among reporting franchisees, average 2025 Gross Revenues of $1,428,301 compare with a median far below it, and only about a third reached the average; the highest reported franchise is many times the median. The table also reports average monthly revenue per mobile unit, but its reporting operators averaged multiple units. Neither the franchise-wide median nor the per-unit average is a forecast for a new single-unit operation.
The profit-type line, contribution margin, deducts only two kinds of cost: products and supplies counted as cost of goods sold, and advertising and marketing. Neither definition lists wages, the royalty, the technology fee, vehicle payments or rent, and owner cash distributions are excluded, so it is not a measure of what an owner keeps.
For a standard territory, three percentage charges apply to Gross Sales: the royalty, the brand fund and a technology fee for the required Zr Ware system that can rise each year during the initial term. Their stated percentages do not capture the monthly royalty minimum or the alternate flat royalty for a Hometown Market. Item 5 says existing-business discount recipients begin paying the territory-based royalty immediately and do not qualify for the initial minimum schedule.
The additional-funds line in Item 7 covers the first year of operation. Its explanatory note lists payroll among included costs, then says employee salaries and benefits and an owner's draw are excluded. The FDD does not reconcile those statements, so the stated reserve cannot be treated as a documented staffing budget. A buyer can request a written clarification of what labor costs the estimate contains.
What are the initial franchise fees and financial requirements for Zerorez?
Item 5 lists an initial franchise fee of $15,000 – $30,000 for Zerorez. Check the cited Item 5 for payment timing, discounts and format-specific terms.
Item 5 (PDF pages 12-14) charges a $30,000 Franchise Fee for an Operating Territory of up to 60,000 households, or $15,000 for a Hometown Market of up to 30,000 households, due when the Franchise Agreement is signed and nonrefundable. Discounts include a Technician to Owner Pathway (up to 100% off for technicians with at least five consecutive years of service), an existing-business discount of 50% to 100% based on that business's annual gross sales, a 10% additional-franchise discount after two years in the system, a separate 25% discount for a qualifying outside-territory sales threshold, employee discounts up to 25% and a 20% veteran discount. Existing-business discount recipients do not qualify for the minimum-royalty schedule and pay the territory-based royalty immediately when operations begin (PDF page 13). Initial training for up to two people is included; each additional person is $1,500. A $1,500 Zr Ware license and setup fee is paid before opening.
Source: Zerorez 2026 FDD, Item 5, PDF p. 12.
This record lists no minimum net worth or liquid-capital requirement for Zerorez, because no sourced figure has been recorded. Ask the franchisor for its current financial qualifications in writing.
How much does it cost to open a Zerorez franchise? (Item 7)
Source: Zerorez 2026 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 18.
Item 7 of Zerorez’s 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document estimates the total cost to open one franchise business with one mobile unit at $218,718 – $410,698. This total includes the initial franchise fee.
| Expense Category | Low ($) | High ($) |
|---|---|---|
| Franchise Fee | $15,000 | $30,000 |
| Zr Ware | $1,500 | $1,500 |
| Equipment Package | $16,979 | $18,479 |
| Initial Supplies | $3,000 | $6,000 |
| Mobile Unit | $82,165 | $92,145 |
| Travel & Living Expenses While Training (based on two persons) | $3,000 | $5,000 |
| Certifications | $574 | $574 |
| Computer System & Equipment, and Telephone | $3,500 | $6,000 |
| Real Property | $0 | $4,500 |
| Insurance | $3,000 | $5,000 |
| Additional Funds (covers first 12 months) | $90,000 | $241,500 |
| Total | $218,718 | $410,698 |
For comparison, the median high-end investment among 5 cleaning records without a source-review hold is $203,950.
Item 7 (PDF pages 18-19) prints $218,718 to $410,698 for a franchise using one Mobile Unit; its 11 lines add to that total. The low franchise fee is the $15,000 Hometown Market fee. Additional funds cover the first 12 months. Note 10 (PDF page 21) says this reserve includes payroll, then says the estimate excludes salaries and benefits for employees and any owner's draw. The FDD does not reconcile those statements; do not treat the reserve as a verified employee-pay budget. The equipment line is the Zr Water package; an optional ERW Generator package instead costs $50,148 to $51,648 (note 3). Mobile Units are often financed (PDF page 19).
What ongoing royalties and fees does Zerorez charge? (Item 6)
Source: Zerorez 2026 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 14.
Item 6 of Zerorez’s 2026 FDD lists the charges below. Recurring charges and charges triggered by a transfer, renewal or other event have different conditions. Read each fee’s basis and notes before comparing rates.
How to read an Item 6 fee table.
| Fee Type | Amount / Rate | Payment Frequency | Notes & Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royalty Fee | 6% of Gross Sales | Every period | 6% of Gross Sales, by the 15th of each month for the prior month by EFT, subject to minimum amounts. A Hometown Market pays a $750 per month flat fee instead, subject to the minimum. The Minimum Royalty Payment starts at $250 per month in the fourth full month after Operations Commencement, $500 from the sixteenth and $750 from the twenty-eighth (note 1). Item 5 (PDF page 13) says existing-business discount recipients do not qualify for that minimum schedule and owe the territory-based royalty from the start of operations. (Item 6, PDF p. 14) |
| Zr Ware Technology Fee | 2.25% of Gross Sales | Every period | 2.25% of Gross Sales, monthly with the royalty, for the required Zr Ware technology package. It may increase by up to 0.5% per year but will not exceed 3.5% during the initial term; payment-processing and some telecom charges are extra (note 2). (Item 6, PDF p. 14) |
| National Brand Fund Contribution | 1% of Gross Sales | Every period | Currently 1% of monthly Gross Sales, by EFT with the royalty. It may increase by no more than 1% per year, up to a maximum of 3% (note 3). (Item 6, PDF p. 15) |
| Non-Compliance Fee | $100 | When it applies | $100 per day per deviation from a contractual requirement, plus reasonable expenses of ensuring compliance, after notice and a 10-day opportunity to cure. (Item 6, PDF p. 15) |
| Late Charges | 2% of late royalty payment | When it applies | 2% of a late royalty payment if received after the 20th of the month, plus 2% per month interest on unpaid balances (note 2 sets the interest at 2% per month, or 24% per year, or the legal maximum if less). (Item 6, PDF p. 15) |
| Training Fee for Additional Persons | $1,500 | When it applies | $1,500 per person at the time of training, for more than two people or training after the initial session (note 4). (Item 6, PDF p. 15) |
| Additional Training/Assistance | $250 | When it applies | $250 per day plus expenses for any special assistance you request. (Item 6, PDF p. 15) |
| Transfer Fee | $7,500 – $30,000 | When it applies | $7,500 when the franchise goes to a current Zerorez franchisee or you keep an interest; $30,000 when it goes to a new franchisee outside the system, including training for up to two individuals (note 5). (Item 6, PDF p. 15) |
| Audit Expenses | Varies | When it applies | The cost of the audit plus late fees, only if it shows Gross Sales understated by more than 2%. (Item 6, PDF p. 15) |
| Services We Provide to Your Customers | Varies | When it applies | Reimbursement of costs Zerorez reasonably incurs to inspect or correct your work after a customer complaint you fail to resolve (note 6). (Item 6, PDF p. 15) |
| Annual Conference Fee | Varies | When it applies | No charge currently for you and up to four individuals; Zerorez may charge for additional approved attendees, and you pay travel, lodging and food (note 7). (Item 6, PDF p. 15) |
| National Customer Acquisition Fee | Varies | When it applies | If Zerorez institutes a national customer acquisition program, you pay the designated fee for each customer you service, with the royalty; participation is mandatory (note 8). (Item 6, PDF p. 16) |
Explore annual fees and payback assumptions
This fee schedule cannot be reduced to the calculator’s simple sales-based formula. Enter your own assumptions and check them against the Item 6 terms.
Zerorez startup investment and modeled fees over 10 years
A source check placed this record on review hold. Automatic fee estimates are withheld until the outstanding issues are resolved. The royalty depends on territory type, monthly sales and whether the franchisee qualifies for the initial minimum-royalty schedule. A standard territory generally pays 6% of Gross Sales subject to a minimum, while a Hometown Market pays a $750 monthly flat fee subject to that schedule. Item 5 says existing-business discount recipients pay the territory-based royalty immediately and do not qualify for the minimum schedule. Annual sales alone cannot determine the charges, so this record does not produce an annual fee estimate or payback preset from a flat percentage. See the fee amounts and definitions in Item 6 above. Open the calculator with your own assumptions.
Item 20: Zerorez franchised outlet history
Source: Zerorez 2026 FDD, Item 20, PDF p. 52.
Item 20 Table 3 reports 60 franchised outlets at the end of 2025. The company-owned table reports a further 22 outlets.
| Year | Franchised at Start | Opened | Reported Exits | At End | Franchise Exit Rate (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 53 | 7 | 5 | 55 | — |
| 2024 | 55 | 6 | 4 | 57 | — |
| 2025 | 57 | 8 | 5 | 60 | — |
Calculated outlet totals, net growth and exit rates are withheld because this record has not cleared the current Item 20 source checks. The table retains the outlet counts printed in Item 20. Read the unresolved source issues.
Reported exits include terminations, non-renewals, franchisor reacquisitions and other cessations. A reacquired outlet may continue operating. How we calculate the exit rate. How to read the Item 20 outlet tables.
2 units changed owners in 2025.
Item 20 Table 3 prints national totals on PDF page 52. Table 4 (PDF page 53) reports the company-owned outlets; transfers come from Table 2 (PDF page 48).
How much do Zerorez franchise owners make? (Item 19)
Source: Zerorez 2026 FDD, Item 19, PDF p. 46.
Item 19 of the 2026 FDD reports average Gross Revenues of $1,428,301 (2025, 43 of 60 franchisees with at least one year of operating history that reported). Besides sales, Zerorez’s Item 19 reports “Average Contribution Margin (Gross Profit less Advertising & Marketing)” and “Contribution Margin of the franchise with the median Gross Revenues”. Each figure follows the franchisor’s own definition in Item 19, which decides which costs are deducted and whether an owner’s salary is one of them. None of them is necessarily an owner’s take-home pay.
Read the source-review hold before using this figure.
See every Zerorez Item 19 figure, with its period and sample.
Payback calculator (enter your own assumptions) Check any inputs against this record’s Item 7 startup costs and Item 6 fee rules.
How to interpret Zerorez’s Item 19 figures and sample limits.
How long is the Zerorez franchise agreement term?
Source: Zerorez 2026 FDD, Item 17, PDF p. 42.
The standard Zerorez franchise agreement runs 10 years, with renewal terms of 10 years.
Item 17 (PDF page 42): 10 years from the date of the Franchise Agreement; if in good standing, you may renew for another 10-year term by signing the then-current agreement, which may differ materially, and paying a $10,000 fee.
How long does it take to open a Zerorez franchise? (Item 11)
Source: Zerorez 2026 FDD, Item 11, PDF p. 32.
Item 11 of the 2026 FDD states the time from signing a franchise agreement to opening: 90 to 120 days.
Item 11 measures this to the commencement of operations.
Franchises with a similar investment range
These published records are selected by proximity to Zerorez’s $218,718 low-end Item 7 investment, starting with Cleaning. Formats, fees and source qualifications differ; the figures are not interchangeable budgets:
- HOODZ $201K – $247K Cleaning
- The UPS Store $222K – $606K Source review pending Provisional publication Business Services
- Nekter Juice Bar $230K – $645K Coffee, Juice & Beverage
- Domino's $231K – $744K Restaurants & Food
- Wild Birds Unlimited $232K – $376K Retail
- Sharkey's Cuts for Kids $200K – $341K Source review pending Provisional publication Children’s Services
Compare other cleaning franchises
Sources
ZEROREZ Franchising Systems, Inc. Franchise Disclosure Document, issued March 31, 2026, as filed with the Minnesota Commerce (CARDS). Read the source FDD PDF. How to get this FDD yourself.
- Item 5: cited PDF p. 12
- Item 6: cited PDF p. 14
- Item 7: cited PDF p. 18
- Item 19: cited PDF p. 45
- Item 20: cited PDF p. 52
- Agreement term (Item 17): cited PDF p. 42
Page references for Zerorez use the PDF viewer's digital page count, not printed page headers. Some viewers download the document instead of opening the referenced page.
If the state document viewer does not open, use Minnesota Commerce's public filing instructions to look up the filing by franchisor name and document date.
Document & verification changelog
- November 3, 2026: Provisional publication approved per owner directive: Owner authorized provisional publication on November 3, 2026. Item 7 gives conflicting descriptions of payroll coverage in additional funds; sourceReview retains the issue and this record is not independently verified.
- November 3, 2026: Initial cost profile published from the 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document (issued March 31, 2026).
- October 30, 2026: Source review hold recorded. Unresolved corrections are listed in this source section.
- October 30, 2026: Corrected the royalty-minimum and existing-business-discount qualifications, clarified the Item 19 sample, and documented the conflicting payroll statements in Item 7 Note 10. The source conflict remains unresolved, so FDD verification and publication remain on hold.
- October 29, 2026: Drafted from the March 31, 2026 Clean FDD filed in Minnesota: cover, Item 1, Item 5, all 12 Item 6 rows, every Item 7 row and total, Item 11 opening time, Item 17 term, Item 19 Tables 1-2 and notes, and Item 20 Tables 1-4.