MAACOFranchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Maaco franchise requires a total initial investment of $196K – $4.0M, including a $45K franchise fee and an ongoing 8.0% royalty[2]. Per the 2025 FDD, average unit revenue was $1.6M[2]. SBA 7(a) loans show a 17.4% charge-off rate across 612 loans[1]. Verdict grade: B. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified June 21, 2026 · figures per the 2025 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $196K – $4.0M
- 23rd pct Automotive
- Avg gross sales
- $1.6M
- 18th pct Automotive
- Royalty
- 8.0%
- 25th pct Automotive
- Units
- 363
- 34th pct Automotive
- SBA default
- 17.4%
- system-wide median varies by category
Quick verdict · Automotive · color = vs category peers
Green = >15% above Automotive avg · No shading = within ±15% · Red = >15% below avg · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
At 0.8x revenue per dollar invested, this system underperforms the typical 1.5-2.5x range.
Franchising since 1972. Systems this mature have refined operations and brand recognition.
12 legal cases disclosed in the FDD. Read Item 3 before signing.
Bottom line
- Total investment $196K – $4.0M including a $45K franchise fee, 8.0% ongoing royalty.
- Average unit revenue of $1.6M/year (median $1.3M).
- Verdict B (Above Average) with a risk score of 55/100. SBA loan charge-off rate of 17.4% across 612 loans (above the 16% franchise average, based on all SBA 7(a) franchise lending, 2010–2024).
- 12 litigation matters disclosed in Item 3, higher than typical. Review the summary for patterns (franchisor-initiated vs. franchisee-initiated).
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
- Legal entity
- MAACO FRANCHISOR SPV LLC
- Parent company
- Driven Systems LLC
- Ultimate parent
- Driven Brands, Inc.
- Incorporated in
- DE
- HQ
- 440 South Church Street, Suite 700, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202
- Auditor
- PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $290K
- vs $270K prior year
Affiliated brands
- Driven Brands Shared Services
Other brands the franchisor or its parent operates (Item 1).
Overview
About
Maaco franchisees operate automotive collision repair and paint shops, managing day-to-day operations including customer intake, damage assessment, repair scheduling, paint/body work execution, quality control, and customer delivery. Franchisees handle local marketing, hiring/training technicians, inventory management, and business accounting while adhering to Maaco's standardized processes and brand standards.
- CEO
- Daniel Rivera
- Headquarters
- NC
- Founded
- 1972
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 45
FDD Item 7 · 2025 filing · 16 line items
Initial investment breakdown
| Line item | Low | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee (Auto Body Conversion Center)not refundable | $45K | $45K | |
| Initial Training and Opening Fee (Auto Body Conversion Center)not refundable | $10K | $10K | |
| Initial Advertising Contribution (Auto Body Conversion Center)not refundable | $15K | $15K | |
| Living Expenses During Training (Auto Body Conversion Center)not refundable | $4K | $5K | |
| Equipment, Signage and Initial Computer Hardware (Auto Body Conversion Center)not refundable | $33K | $307K | |
| Opening Inventory and Supplies (Auto Body Conversion Center)not refundable | $15K | $37K | |
| Construction, Design, Tenant Improvements and Miscellaneous Start-Up Costs (Auto Body Conversion Center)not refundable | $25K | $150K | |
| Additional Funds - 3 Months (Auto Body Conversion Center)not refundable | $50K | $75K | |
| Initial Franchise Fee (Ground Up Center or Non-Auto Retrofit Center)not refundable | $45K | $45K | |
| Initial Training and Opening Fee (Ground Up Center or Non-Auto Retrofit Center)not refundable | $10K | $10K | |
| Initial Advertising Contribution (Ground Up Center or Non-Auto Retrofit Center)not refundable | $15K | $15K | |
| Living Expenses During Training (Ground Up Center or Non-Auto Retrofit Center)not refundable | $4K | $5K | |
| Equipment, Signage and Initial Computer Hardware (Ground Up Center or Non-Auto Retrofit Center)not refundable | $240K | $307K | |
| Opening Inventory and Supplies (Ground Up Center or Non-Auto Retrofit Center)not refundable | $15K | $37K | |
| Construction, Design, Tenant Improvements and Miscellaneous Start-Up Costs (Ground Up Center or Non-Auto Retrofit Center)not refundable | $350K | $3.5M | |
| Additional Funds - 3 Months (Ground Up Center or Non-Auto Retrofit Center)not refundable | $50K | $75K | |
| Total initial investment | $925K | $4.6M |
Line items extracted from FDD Item 7. Ranges reflect the franchisor's stated low and high per line. Total is the sum of line-item lows / highs — actual costs may fall outside this range depending on market and build-out scope.
Single-unit · estimated
Returns at a glance
Indicative numbers using FDD Item 7 / Item 19 inputs and category-benchmarked cost ratios. Full single-unit, 25-unit portfolio, and LBO models (with every input editable to stress-test your own scenario) live on the financials page.
Store EBITDA · annual
$226K
14.0% margin
Unlevered ROIC
10%
EBITDA / total invested capital
Payback
9.5 yrs
cash-on-cash, unlevered
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $196K – $4.0M
- Better than avg vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $50K – $75K
- Better than avg vs category
- Franchise fee
- $20K – $45K
- Better than avg vs category
- Royalty
- 8.0%
- Gross Receipts · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 1200 per week
- Total fee load
- 8.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 8.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $0 |
| Training fee | $10K |
| Transfer fee | $3K |
| Renewal fee | $3K |
| Total fee load | 8.0% of rev |
Financial Performance
- Avg gross sales
- $1.6M
- Per unit, per year
- Median gross sales
- $1.3M
- Item 19 type
- Historical Average and Median Gross Receipts
- Sample size
- 317 units
- vs category median 70 · large
- Range (low → high)
- $446K→$10.5M
- Cohort dispersion (min → max)
- Transparency tier
- none
- Categorical assessment of disclosure depth
- Transparency
- 4 / 5
- vs category median 4 / 5 · typical
Compared against 221 Automotive brands
Revenue is only 0.8x the investment. This means each unit may take 5+ years to recoup the initial outlay at typical margins.
vs Automotive averages
How MAACO Compares
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 363
- Opened
- 6
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 19
- Terminated
- 19
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- 5.2%
- Company-owned
- 0
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 100%
- vs corporate-owned
- Multi-unit owners
- 13.6%
- Net growth (yr3)
- -3.5%
- Net unit change last year
- 3-yr CAGR
- -8.8%
- Compounded over last 3 years
3-year detail · Item 20
- Transfers (3yr)
- 16
- Transfer rate
- 4.4%
- Owners selling to other franchisees
- Continuity rate
- 95.0%
- Units that stayed open
- Termination rate
- 5.2%
- Franchisor-initiated terminations
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 20 · 15 states with active franchisees
The Territory Map
Derived from franchisee contact records. Shows states with at least one current operator. Not where the franchisor is registered to sell new units (that data is re-extracting in a future refresh).
States derived from franchisee contact records (FDD Item 20). Shows states with at least one current operator on file. Full state registration data (Item 12) will appear on a future FDD refresh.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
- Total loans
- 612
- Loan volume
- $226.5M
- Median loan
- $408K
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- 17.4%
- rates vary by category · see methodology
Historical SBA 7(a) lending data, not predictive of future performance. How SBA charge-off rates are calculated
- Repayment rate (PIF)
- 77.8%
- 5-yr charge-off
- 35.7%
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 140
- Defaults
- 76
Vintage analysis
MAACO charge-off rate by loan vintage
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
Premium insight
SBA Lending Report
Deep-dive into MAACO's SBA lending history: lender network, geographic footprint, interest rates, and more.
SBA Lending Report
- Principal loss rate and NAICS industry benchmark
- 10 lenders with concentration factor
- Per-state charge-off rates across 15 states
- Startup risk premium and job creation velocity
- 11-year lending trend
- SBA 504 real estate/equipment data
Instant access. No subscription.
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 5, 6, 12, 17
Risk & Legal
Maaco presents high-risk profile with a shrinking franchise system, absent profitability data, unresolved securities litigation, and unprotected territories that threaten franchisee sustainability.
Litigation (Item 3)
Maaco Franchisor SPV, LLC filed two actions against former franchisees: (1) v. La Familia Auto Mechanic, LLC et al. (Case No. 1:24-cv-3678, D. Md., filed 12/19/2024) for unauthorized use of Proprietary Marks - dismissed after unauthorized use ceased; (2) v. J&L Auto Services, LLC et al. (Case No. 3:24-cv-00262, W.D.N.C., filed 3/4/2024) for abandonment/closure and non-payment - settled and closed. Parent company Driven Brands Holdings is defendant in two pending securities class actions: (1) Genesee County Employees' Retirement System v. Driven Brands Holdings Inc. et al. (Case No. 3:23-cv-00895-MOC-DCK, W.D.N.C., filed 12/22/2023) - alleged Securities Exchange Act violations; Michigan Funds appointed lead plaintiffs 5/31/2024; amended complaint filed 8/13/2024; motion to dismiss denied 2/20/2025; (2) Terwilliger v. Fitzpatrick et al. (Case No. 3:25-cv-00019, W.D.N.C., filed 1/10/2025) - derivative complaint alleging breach of fiduciary duty and mismanagement; stay granted 4/30/2025 pending Genesee discovery completion.
Largest disclosed settlement: $6
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Score breakdown · what drove the 55 / 100 rating
- 01MINORDeclining unit count (-3.5% YoY) signals system contraction and market saturation concerns
- 02MINORNo average net income disclosure prevents ROI validation despite $196k-$4M investment range
- 03HIGHMultiple active litigations including shareholder derivative and securities class actions create franchisor stability uncertainty
- 04MINORNo protected territory combined with 363 competing units increases cannibalization risk
- 05MED8% royalty on $1.6M average revenue = $128k annual royalty burden with undisclosed profitability
- 06HIGHGoing concern status is FALSE but pending securities litigation suggests financial/operational stress at parent level
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
FDD Items 5, 6, 12, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 15 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 15 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 1 |
| Territory type | Core Based Statistical Area (CBSA) |
| Protected territory | No |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Territory population | 50,000 |
| Online sales rightsℹ | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Not allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 1 year |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | No |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | North Carolina |
| Litigation count | 12 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
Maaco Franchisor SPV, LLC filed two actions against former franchisees: (1) v. La Familia Auto Mechanic, LLC et al. (Case No. 1:24-cv-3678, D. Md., filed 12/19/2024) for unauthorized use of Proprietary Marks - dismissed after unauthorized use ceased; (2) v. J&L Auto Services, LLC et al. (Case No. 3:24-cv-00262, W.D.N.C., filed 3/4/2024) for abandonment/closure and non-payment - settled and closed. Parent company Driven Brands Holdings is defendant in two pending securities class actions: (1) Genesee County Employees' Retirement System v. Driven Brands Holdings Inc. et al. (Case No. 3:23-cv-00895-MOC-DCK, W.D.N.C., filed 12/22/2023) - alleged Securities Exchange Act violations; Michigan Funds appointed lead plaintiffs 5/31/2024; amended complaint filed 8/13/2024; motion to dismiss denied 2/20/2025; (2) Terwilliger v. Fitzpatrick et al. (Case No. 3:25-cv-00019, W.D.N.C., filed 1/10/2025) - derivative complaint alleging breach of fiduciary duty and mismanagement; stay granted 4/30/2025 pending Genesee discovery completion.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 127 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 0 hrs
- Training location
- On-site and corporate
- POS system
- CCC One
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: CCC One
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
29 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
Maaco · FDD (2025) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Maaco franchise?
The total investment to open a Maaco franchise ranges from $196K – $4.0M, with an initial franchise fee of $45K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Maaco franchise owners earn?
According to Item 19 of the Maaco FDD, the average gross sales per unit is $1.6M. The median is $1.3M. Note: this is gross revenue, not profit. Actual owner earnings vary based on location, operating costs, and management.
What is Maaco's franchise failure rate?
Based on SBA 7(a) loan data, Maaco has a charge-off rate of 17.4% across 612 loans, meaning 17.4% of franchise loans were charged off. Charge-off rates are one proxy for franchise risk, though they do not capture all closures. This data comes from FOIA-sourced SBA lending records.
How many Maaco franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Maaco has 363 total units in the United States, including 363 franchised units and 0 company-owned units. 6 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Maaco a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Maaco as a B-grade franchise with a risk score of 55 out of 100, based on our analysis of investment costs, revenue data, SBA loan performance, and growth trends. Our rating is based solely on publicly available FDD and government data; we recommend speaking with current franchisees before making any investment decision. This is not investment advice.
Data sourced from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) FOIA records. Not financial advice.
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Data extracted from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan disclosures (FOIA). This information is provided for research purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Verify all figures with the franchisor's current Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision.