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Car wash Sale-Prep Checklist
Licenses, documents and fixes buyers look for when you sell a car wash
Know your number
[ ] Recast earnings to SDE (and adjusted EBITDA if above about $1M of earnings)
[ ] Run the car wash valuation calculator and save the brief
[ ] Estimate after-tax proceeds under asset vs stock sale
Licenses and transfer issues for car washes
Done
Issue
What to know
[ ]
Environmental review
Lenders typically require a Phase I environmental site assessment on real estate; EPA recognizes ASTM E1527-21 as satisfying federal "all appropriate inquiries."
[ ]
Water discharge and permits
Wastewater and sewer permits may need to be transferred or reissued; confirm with the local utility and state agency.
Documents buyers will ask for
[ ] 3 years of financials
[ ] Membership counts and churn
[ ] Cars washed per month
[ ] Equipment list and service records
[ ] Real estate documents or lease
[ ] Environmental reports
Fix what buyers discount
[ ] Owner dependence: document processes, delegate selling and scheduling, cut your hours in the work
[ ] Customer concentration: no single customer above about 15% of revenue
[ ] Recurring revenue: convert one-off customers to agreements or plans
[ ] Clean books: separate personal expenses, reconcile monthly, keep 3 years of tax returns ready
Deal structure notes
Many express-wash sales split the operating business from the land through a sale-leaseback; individual buyers use SBA or conventional financing.
Timeline
Deals with real estate take longer: environmental review, appraisal and lender approval add weeks.
Rules vary by state; confirm licensing and transfer requirements with counsel. General information, not legal or tax advice.
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