The Best Non-Food Franchises for Veterans (VetFran)

For a veteran, the most reliable financial edge in buying a franchise is not a secret opportunity; it is a discount that already exists. Through VetFran, hundreds of franchisors cut their initial franchise fee for veterans, and non-food franchises, from home services to care to fitness, are where a lot of veterans land, because the work rewards the operational discipline and small-team leadership the military builds. This guide lists real, verified VetFran non-food brands with each one’s sourced veteran fee discount and investment range, and it is honest about what the discount does and does not cover.

One framing point up front: the veteran discount applies to the franchise fee, which is only a slice of the total investment. So it is a genuine saving, but it does not change the fundamentals of whether a given franchise fits your budget and your life. Judge the whole investment, then treat the discount as a bonus.

How VetFran works, briefly

VetFran is a program of the International Franchise Association that connects veterans with franchisors who offer them incentives, most commonly a discount on the initial franchise fee. It uses a tiered Star System: a 1-Star brand commits to at least 10 percent off the fee, a 3-Star brand to at least 15 percent, and a 5-Star brand to at least 20 percent. Individual brands then set their own actual figure at or above that floor, which is why the numbers below range from flat dollar amounts to 30 percent. Our VetFran explainer covers how to verify a brand’s status, and for the food side of the house, see our veteran food-franchise discounts guide.

Verified VetFran non-food brands

Every brand below is a current VetFran participant with a veteran fee discount published on the IFA’s own franchise directory. Discounts apply to the initial franchise fee. Investment ranges are the brand’s reported total initial investment and are wide, so confirm the current figures in each FDD.

Brand	Category	Veteran fee discount	Total investment (verify in FDD)
PuroClean	Restoration and remediation	25% off the fee (5-Star)	$234,000 to $277,000
Homewatch CareGivers	Senior and home care	30% off the fee	$122,000 to $178,000
Christian Brothers Automotive	Automotive repair	$12,500 off the fee	$515,000 to $650,000
Mosquito Joe	Outdoor pest control	$8,500 off the fee	$151,000 to $193,000
Anytime Fitness	Fitness	$7,500 off the fee	$459,000 to $908,000
Tutor Doctor	Tutoring and education	$5,000 off the fee	$94,000 to $211,000
Junk King	Junk removal	15% off the fee	$125,000 to $300,000
Dogtopia	Dog daycare	10% off the fee ($4,250)	$668,000 to $1,444,000
ActionCOACH	Business coaching	10% off the fee	$140,000 to $369,000

Why these categories fit military backgrounds

The common thread is not the industry; it is the operating model. Home-service brands like PuroClean and Junk King, and route-based outdoor work like Mosquito Joe, run on small crews, scheduling, and logistics, which map cleanly onto military operational roles, often with no storefront to lease. Care brands like Homewatch CareGivers are mission-driven and home-based. Automotive fits technical and mechanical backgrounds directly. Coaching and tutoring, like ActionCOACH and Tutor Doctor, lean on leadership and mentorship with low fixed overhead. None of this makes any brand a sure thing; it just means the day-to-day work is likely to feel familiar, which matters for staying power.

Beyond the discount

The fee discount is the headline, but it is not the only veteran-relevant factor. Weigh the total investment and the working capital you will need to reach steady operations, not just the fee, using our guide to how much you need to start. Read the full FDD, especially Item 5 for the fee the discount applies to and Item 7 for the true investment, with a franchise attorney and an accountant. And avoid the mistakes first-time owners make most, because a discount does not offset an under-capitalized start.