Is the initial franchise fee for a Belocal franchise refundable?
Belocal Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
The initial franchise fee for a Franchised Business is $735. However, we are waiving the initial franchise fee for franchises offered or entered into on or after the Issuance Date of this disclosure document that facilitate the publishing of a new publication, unless this disclosure document is amended to reflect otherwise.
We reserve the right to charge the initial franchise fee of $735 if the franchise is for the management of a publication that was formerly a Bridge Publication.
If we were to charge a franchise fee, the fee would be non-refundable and due in a lump sum. Last year, we uniformly waived the initial franchise fee for both new publications and Bridge Publications.
Source: Item 5 — INITIAL FEES (FDD pages 13–14)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Belocal's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the initial franchise fee is generally non-refundable. The initial franchise fee for a Belocal franchise is $735. However, Belocal is waiving this fee for franchises offered or entered into on or after the issuance date of the FDD, specifically for those that facilitate the publishing of a new publication. This waiver is in effect unless the disclosure document is amended to reflect otherwise. Belocal retains the right to charge the $735 initial franchise fee if the franchise involves managing a publication that was formerly a Bridge Publication.
If Belocal charges the initial franchise fee, it is non-refundable and must be paid in a lump sum. Belocal states that in the previous year, it uniformly waived the initial franchise fee for both new publications and Bridge Publications.
Item 22 of the FDD provides a contract that states the initial franchise fee of $735 is waived. However, if the franchisee is purchasing a franchise located in a Territory in which a Bridge Publication is currently located, the initial franchise fee is due and payable upon execution of the Franchise Agreement and is not refundable under any circumstances. A prospective franchisee should confirm with Belocal whether the initial fee is waived at the time of signing the agreement.