Signal 88 Security franchise: cost, fees & unit track record
Opening a Signal 88 Security franchise takes $126,950 – $5,093,300 all-in, per its franchise disclosure filings (data as of 2026-05). The initial franchise fee is not disclosed in the filings we cover. Ongoing, franchisees pay a royalty of 4% on sales plus an ad-fund contribution of up to 5%. To qualify, Signal 88 Security asks for $50,000 in liquid cash. Anything the filings do not state is marked "Not disclosed" below — never estimated.
Signal 88 Security franchise costs and fees
| Verification mark | Cost item | Low | High | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise feeOne-time, paid to the franchisor at signing | Not disclosed1 | Not disclosed1 | ||
| Initial investment (all-in)FDD Item 7-derived range: build-out, equipment, opening costs | $126,950 | $5,093,300 | $126,950 to $5,093,300 | |
| Net worth requiredFranchisor's stated qualification minimum | Not disclosed1 | Not disclosed1 | ||
| Liquid cash requiredFranchisor's stated qualification minimum | $50,000 | $50,000 | $50,000 | |
| Cash to open (all-in range) | $126,950 | $5,093,300 | $126,950 to $5,093,300 | |
- 1 "Not disclosed" means Signal 88 Security's filings do not state this figure. We publish the gap instead of estimating it.
| RoyaltyOngoing, % of sales | 4% |
|---|---|
| Ad fundOngoing, % of sales | Up to 5% |
| Initial termLength of the first franchise agreement | Not disclosed |
See the full Signal 88 Security cost breakdown — what's in that number and what isn't
How Signal 88 Security's cost compares
A dollar figure means more with a yardstick. Here is where Signal 88 Security's disclosed cost sits against the Professional Services category:
- Minimum startup cost of $126,950 — about 1.5× the Professional Services median of $84,700.
Category medians are computed from the Professional Services brands in our data that disclosed each figure — a benchmark for scale, not a quality judgment. See all Professional Services franchises
Free info kit — costs, fees, and unit track record. You choose who may follow up.
Figures look outdated? Report outdated info.
How Signal 88 Security's units have held up
Openings and closures from FDD Item 20-style unit history, 2012–2020: began the window at 206 units; 536 units opened, 90 closed, ending at 582 units. (partial records: 2018 is not in the source data — totals span the reported years only.)
What about earnings?
We don't publish per-brand earnings figures — for Signal 88 Security or anyone else. The only primary source is Item 19 of the brand's own franchise disclosure document (FDD), and no law requires a franchisor to publish one, so the "average owner income" numbers circulating elsewhere are usually unsourced or survivorship-biased. Ask Signal 88 Security for its current FDD and read Item 19 yourself — and if there is no Item 19, that silence is information too.
What this data can't tell you
Everything on this page comes from disclosure filings — fees, ranges, and unit counts. Four questions that matter just as much are not in any filing we can source, so we say so instead of guessing:
- The hours and the labor
- No dataset field says whether Signal 88 Security is a manage-from-a-laptop business or a 60-hour week in disguise. Item 15 of the FDD states whether you're obligated to run the business personally, and Item 11 lists what the franchisor actually does for you — then ask current owners what their week looks like (validation calls), not the sales team.
- How hands-on the ownership really is
- "Semi-absentee" is a pitch, not a filing field. Treat any hands-off claim as unverified until it's consistent with Item 15 and with what multiple current franchisees tell you — what absentee ownership actually means.
- Your territory — whether it's protected, and whether it's open
- Two territory questions sit outside our data. Whether Signal 88 Security grants a protected or exclusive area is set in Item 12 of the FDD and varies brand to brand — some grant none, and the carve-outs (online sales, national accounts) matter as much as the map. And filing data can't say what's open in your market this month; only Signal 88 Security can confirm current availability. Ask both before you inquire, and get the answer in writing.
- What owners earn
- Covered honestly above: our dataset has no earnings fields, the only primary source is the brand's own Item 19, and here is how to read that evidence.
About the Signal 88 Security franchise
Signal 88 Security is a professional services franchisor with 582 units at the end of 2020 (FDD Item 20-style unit history). Between 2012 and 2020, it began the window at 206 units; its filings record 536 unit openings and 90 closures, ending at 582 units (partial records: 2018 is not in the source data — totals span the reported years only). Its parent company is Signal 88, LLC. The filings indicate financing options are available; terms come from the franchisor, not from us.
Disclosure filings report 5 franchise-related lawsuits. Review Item 3 of the FDD. (as of 2026-05)
From the franchisor's materials
The franchise described in this disclosure document is for the establishment and operation of a security-services business that would include patrol and dedicated service under the service mark and trade name Signal 88 Security. Specifically, franchisees will engage in the provision of onsite and off-site surveillance, executive security services, and security consulting services for contracting clients.
Signal 88 Security franchise: quick answers
- How much does a Signal 88 Security franchise cost?
- $126,950 – $5,093,300 all-in to open, per Signal 88 Security's franchise disclosure filings (data as of 2026-05).
- How many Signal 88 Security units are there?
- 582 units at the end of 2020 (FDD Item 20-style unit history).
- How have Signal 88 Security's units held up?
- 94.4% of units at risk between 2017 and 2020 did not close, per our metric recomputed from FDD Item 20-style unit history (methodology published on our verification page).