Are Best Western Annual Dues refundable, and for which period are they charged?

According to Best Western's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, annual dues are nonrefundable. These dues cover each fiscal year. If a Best Western property joins the system mid-year, the annual dues are prorated from the date the property is activated on the Best Western reservation system.

This means that a prospective Best Western franchisee should be prepared to pay annual dues that are not refundable, regardless of whether they fully utilize the membership for the entire year. However, new franchisees who join during the fiscal year will only pay a portion of the annual dues, calculated from their activation date.

This policy is fairly standard in the franchise industry, as annual fees are typically used to cover ongoing support and services provided by the franchisor. The nonrefundable nature of the dues underscores the importance of carefully considering the investment and the terms of the franchise agreement before joining the Best Western system.