Are the rights and duties created by the Itan area development agreement transferable?
Itan Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
h such Entity guarantees the performance of all other Entities formed under the authority of this §7. Each Owner, and the spouse of each Owner who is a natural Person, must sign a Franchise Owner Agreement.
8. TRANSFERS
8.1. By Us. This Agreement is fully assignable by us, without prior notice to you, and shall inure to the
benefit of any assignee(s) or other legal successor(s) to our interest in this Agreement, provided that we shall, subsequent to any such assignment, remain liable for the performance of our obligations under this Agreement up to the effective date of the assignment.
- 8.2. By You. The rights and duties created by this Agreement are personal to you and the Owners. We are granting you area development rights in reliance upon the character, skill, attitude, business ability and financial resources of you and your Owners. Because this Agreement is a personal services contract, neither you nor any Owner may engage in a Transfer (other than a Permitted Transfer) without our prior approval. Any Transfer (other than a Permitted Transfer) without our approval is void and constitutes a breach of this Agreement. We will not unreasonably withhold our approval of a proposed Transfer if all of the following conditions are satisfied:
- (a) we believe the proposed transferee has sufficient business experience, aptitude and financial resources to develop, own and operate all Required Salons remaining to be developed under this Agreement and meets our minimum criteria for area developers;
- (b) you and your Owners and affiliates are in full compliance with all Definitive Agreements;
- (c) the transferee's owners successfully complete, or make arrangements to attend, the initial training program and the transferee pays us any applicable training fee;
- (d) the transferee and its owners sign our then-current form of area development agreement (unless we, in our sole discretion, instruct you to assign this Agreement to the transferee), except that: (i) the Term shall be the Term remaining under this Agreement; (ii) the transferee need not pay a separate Development Fee; and (iii) the Development Schedule and Development Territory shall be the same Development Schedule and Development Territory specified in this Agreement (modified to reflect the development obligations satisfied prior to the Transfer);
- (e) you or the transferee pay us a $10,000 transfer fee (in addition to the transfer fee, you must reimburse us for any commission we pay our broker if our broker finds the transferee);
- (f) you assign all Franchise Agreements to the transferee in accordance with the transfer provisions under each such Franchise Agreement, including payment of any transfer fee imposed under each such Franchise Agreement (unless we waive this requirement);
- (g) you and your Owners sign a General Release;
- (h) we choose not to exercise our right of first refusal described in §8.5; and
- (i) you or the transferring Owner, as applicable, and the transferee satisfy all other conditions we reasonably require as a condition to our approval of the Transfer.
You may not: (a) transfer less than all development rights remaining under this Agreement (i.e., you may not retain the right to develop any Salon); or (b) transfer your development rights to multiple transferees. Our consent to a Transfer shall not constitute a waiver of any Claims we may have against the transferor or our right to demand the transferee comply with all terms of the area development agreement.
- 8.3. Permitted Transfers. You may engage in a Permitted Transfer without our prior approval, but you must: (a) give us at least 10 days' prior notice; and (b) upon our request, cause the former Developer Entity to sign a corporate guarantee in the format we require to secure performance of the new Developer Entity's financial obligations under all Definitive Agreements (if the Permitted Transfer results in a new Developer Entity). You and the Owne
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPT (FDD pages 44–190)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Itan's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the rights and duties created by the Area Development Agreement are personal to the area developer and the owners. As Itan grants area development rights based on the character, skill, attitude, business ability, and financial resources of the developer and owners, any transfer, other than a permitted transfer, requires Itan's prior approval. Transfer without approval is void and constitutes a breach of the agreement.
Itan will not unreasonably withhold approval of a proposed transfer if certain conditions are met. These conditions include believing the proposed transferee has sufficient business experience, aptitude, and financial resources to develop, own, and operate the remaining required salons and meets Itan's minimum criteria for area developers. Additionally, the developer, owners, and affiliates must be in full compliance with all definitive agreements. The transferee's owners must also successfully complete the initial training program and pay any applicable training fee. The transferee and its owners must sign Itan's then-current form of area development agreement, with the term matching the remaining term of the original agreement, no separate development fee required, and the development schedule and territory remaining the same.
A transfer fee of $10,000 must be paid to Itan, and the developer must reimburse Itan for any commission paid to their broker if the broker finds the transferee. All Franchise Agreements must be assigned to the transferee in accordance with the transfer provisions under each Franchise Agreement, including payment of any transfer fee. The developer and owners must sign a General Release, and Itan must not exercise its right of first refusal. Finally, the transferring owner and the transferee must satisfy all other conditions Itan reasonably requires. The developer may not transfer less than all development rights or transfer development rights to multiple transferees.
There are also 'Permitted Transfers' which can occur without Itan's prior approval, provided that Itan receives at least 10 days prior notice. If the permitted transfer results in a new Developer Entity, the former Developer Entity must sign a corporate guarantee to secure the new entity's financial obligations. All parties must sign documents Itan reasonably requests to document the Permitted Transfer. In the event of an owner's death or permanent disability, the owner's equity interest must be transferred within 180 days to another person in compliance with the transfer rules.