A junk removal franchise costs $96,010 to $359,160 to open across five current FDDs (Item 7), and trucks drive the spread: each franchisor requires one or two, priced at $77,750 to $110,000 new.
Key takeaways
- The lowest Item 7 floor among the five filings is $96,010 and the highest ceiling is $359,160, both in the Junkluggers FDD issued April 30, 2026.
- 1-800-GOT-JUNK? requires a minimum of two trucks at opening and prices each gasoline truck at $77,750, including a $25,100 dump body (1-800-GOT-JUNK? FDD, Item 7 Note 5).
- Territories run from 300,000 to 400,000 residents per College Hunks Zone up to 500,000 to 700,000 for a Junk King territory (Junk King FDD, April 1, 2026, Item 12).
- Percentage fees at standard rates range from 7% of sales (JUNKCO+ at its lowest royalty tier) to 16% (1-800-GOT-JUNK?: 8% royalty plus an 8% Sales, Marketing and Technology Fee, Item 6).
- In California a city or county may award a wholly exclusive solid waste franchise (Public Resources Code section 40059), and the JUNKCO+ FDD warns that such arrangements can carve areas out of your territory.
Five junk removal franchise disclosures, line by line
Five junk removal franchisors had a current Franchise Disclosure Document on file with the Minnesota Department of Commerce CARDS database in November 2026. Their Item 7 totals start at $96,010 and end at $359,160. The table holds the seven fields that set the opening budget; the dataset behind it codes 18 fields per filing, including Item 6 minimums and Item 20 counts.
| Brand (franchisor) | FDD issued | Item 5 initial fee | Item 7 total | Trucks at opening | Item 12 territory | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-800-GOT-JUNK? (1-800-GOT-JUNK? LLC) | April 30, 2026 | $8,125 per subterritory; 8 minimum = $65,000; 12 = $97,500 | $182,300 to $303,500 | 2 minimum | 8+ subterritories of 62,500 to 75,000 people | FDD Items 5, 7, 12 |
| College Hunks Hauling Junk (CHHJ Franchising LLC) | April 30, 2026, amended August 26, 2026 | $35,000 per standard Zone | $138,100 to $232,000 (junk only) | 1 | 300,000 to 400,000 people per Zone | FDD Items 5, 7, 12 |
| Junk King (JUNK KING SPV LLC) | April 1, 2026 | $0.11 per resident; typically $55,000 to $77,000 | $121,200 to $236,000 | 1 | 500,000 to 700,000 people | FDD Items 5, 7, 12 |
| The Junkluggers (Junkluggers Franchising SPE LLC) | April 30, 2026 | $50,000 for 400,000 people, plus $0.12 per extra resident | $96,010 to $359,160 | 1 | About 400,000 people, by zip code | FDD Items 5, 7, 12 |
| JUNKCO+ (Junkco+ International, LLC) | March 28, 2025, amended November 17, 2025 | $55,000 for 450,000 to 550,000 people | $200,760 to $307,760 | 1 per territory | 450,000 to 550,000 people, up to 600,000 | FDD Items 5, 7, 12 |
The ranges are not built on the same basis. The 1-800-GOT-JUNK? total covers 8 to 12 subterritories and six months of additional funds; Junk King and JUNKCO+ budget three months; College Hunks prices one Zone and one Service Vehicle. Read each Item 7 note before comparing totals, as our guide to reading a Franchise Disclosure Document explains item by item.
Item 7 totals run from $96,010 to $359,160 across five junk removal FDDs (Minnesota CARDS, accessed November 2026).
For a wider view of trades that share the truck-and-crew model, our comparison of eight home services franchise options by license load and vehicle count places College Hunks next to plumbing, pest and cleaning brands.
How many trucks must you buy, and what does each one cost?
Every filing requires at least one branded truck with a dump body or box, and the stated new price runs from $77,750 (1-800-GOT-JUNK?, gasoline) to about $110,000 (Junkluggers, one body). Most Item 7 vehicle lines count only a down payment or the first lease payments, so the financed balance sits outside the headline total and shows up later as monthly debt.
| Brand | Trucks required at opening | Price stated in the FDD | Item 7 vehicle line | What the line assumes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-800-GOT-JUNK? | 2 minimum; more on an agreed schedule | $77,750 gasoline; $82,700 diesel; dump body $25,100 included | $10,000 to $30,000 | Low: lease or finance; high: 20% down (Note 5) |
| College Hunks Hauling Junk | 1 Service Vehicle with the custom dump bed | $90,000 for a new junk truck | $3,000 to $25,000 down payment | Lease or finance (Note 6) |
| Junk King | 1 Isuzu cab with an 18-cubic-yard box | Cash price about $96,000 to $100,000 | $10,000 to $30,000 | Down payment; lease only if lease-to-own (Note 6) |
| The Junkluggers | 1; franchisor may require more later | About $85,000 (fixed body) to $110,000; $9,000 per extra body | $4,600 to $88,500 | Low: 3 payments, 1 truck; high: 20% down, 2 trucks, 4 bodies (Note 3) |
| JUNKCO+ | 1 per territory | Not stated separately | $92,000 to $100,000 | High: a brand-new vehicle (Note 3) |
How much truck debt sits outside the Item 7 total?
Subtracting the Item 7 vehicle line from the stated truck price gives the balance a buyer would finance on day one. The arithmetic below uses only numbers printed in each FDD and excludes tax, shipping and interest, which every filing also leaves out.
| Brand | Truck price x trucks | Item 7 vehicle line (high) | Balance outside Item 7 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-800-GOT-JUNK? (gasoline) | $77,750 x 2 = $155,500 | $30,000 | $125,500 |
| 1-800-GOT-JUNK? (diesel) | $82,700 x 2 = $165,400 | $30,000 | $135,400 |
| College Hunks Hauling Junk | $90,000 x 1 = $90,000 | $25,000 | $65,000 |
| Junk King (low cash price) | $96,000 x 1 = $96,000 | $30,000 | $66,000 |
| JUNKCO+ (new vehicle) | Included in Item 7 | $100,000 | $0 |
Junk King adds a second capital step: by the earlier of 36 months or a cumulative sales threshold set in Item 1, owners must offer dumpster rentals, which requires at least seven dumpsters and a second hauling vehicle estimated at $130,000 to $150,000 (Junk King FDD, Item 7 Note 11). Lenders will ask about both steps, and our franchise financing guide lists the SBA and equipment-loan routes.
How many residents come with each territory, and what does 100,000 of them cost?
All five franchisors size territories by population from Census or demographic data, from 300,000 residents per College Hunks Zone to 700,000 for a large Junk King territory. Dividing the Item 5 fee by the Item 12 population puts the price of 100,000 residents between $8,750 and $13,000, so the cheaper upfront fee does not always buy cheaper coverage.
| Brand | Item 12 population | Item 5 fee | Fee per 100,000 residents (our arithmetic) | Home office allowed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-800-GOT-JUNK? | 62,500 to 75,000 per subterritory; 8 minimum = 500,000 to 600,000 | $8,125 per subterritory | $10,833 to $13,000 | Not stated; 300 to 400 sq ft location budgeted (Item 7 Note 6) |
| College Hunks Hauling Junk | 300,000 to 400,000 per Zone | $35,000 | $8,750 to $11,667 | No; about 1,500 sq ft office and warehouse |
| Junk King | 500,000 to 700,000 | $0.11 per resident | $11,000 | No; 1,200 to 2,500 sq ft |
| The Junkluggers | About 400,000 | $50,000 base | $12,500 (extra residents $12,000) | Yes (Item 12) |
| JUNKCO+ | 450,000 to 550,000 | $55,000 | $10,000 to $12,222 | Yes, or about 500 sq ft (Item 7 Note 9) |
The fee per 100,000 residents runs from $8,750 to $13,000 when Item 5 fees are divided by Item 12 populations (five FDDs, November 2026).
Four of the five filings state that you will not receive an exclusive territory; protection is limited to the franchisor not placing another unit inside your lines, with carve-outs for national or key accounts. The Junkluggers ties its protection to minimum gross revenue requirements in Item 12, with a revenue improvement program if you miss them. Discounts change the per-resident math: Junk King cuts the fee 15% for veterans and The Junkluggers 30% (Item 5), and our veteran franchise discount study tracks those programs across 2026 filings.
What share of every invoice goes back to the franchisor?
Item 6 percentage fees at standard rates take 7% to 16% of sales before local advertising: 5% to 8% plus 2% at JUNKCO+, 7% royalty plus a 2% fund at The Junkluggers and College Hunks, 8% plus 2% plus a 5% Customer Care Center Fee at Junk King, and 8% plus an 8% Sales, Marketing and Technology Fee at 1-800-GOT-JUNK?. Dollar minimums apply in slow months at all five.
| Brand | Royalty | Fund and marketing fees | Other percentage fees | Minimums | Standard % total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-800-GOT-JUNK? | 8% of Gross Revenue | Sales, Marketing and Technology Fee 8% | Branding cooperative up to 5% if formed | $1,200 to $4,000 per subterritory per year | 16% |
| College Hunks Hauling Junk | 7% of Gross Sales | Brand Development 2% | Call-center fee on appointments it books | Minimum Annual Royalty per Zone | 9% |
| Junk King | License Fee 8% of Gross Sales | MAP Fee 2% (minimum $625, then $845 per month) | Customer Care Center Fee 5% | $2,000 per month from month 19 | 15% |
| The Junkluggers | 7% of junk removal Gross Revenue | Brand Fund 2% (Remix resale 1%) | None listed as a percentage | Annual Minimum Royalty Fee | 9% |
| JUNKCO+ | 4% for 6 months, then 5% to 8% | Brand Marketing Fee 2% from month 13 | None listed as a percentage | Monthly minimum royalty | 7% to 10% |
Local advertising sits on top: 1-800-GOT-JUNK? requires 8% of Gross Revenue and at least $3,600 per quarter in year one (Item 7 Note 7). Across 2026 filings in every sector, our franchise royalty rate study puts these stacks in context.
Can a city’s exclusive hauler contract shut you out of part of your territory?
Yes, in some places. California’s Public Resources Code section 40059(a)(2) lets each city, county or district provide solid waste handling “by partially exclusive or wholly exclusive franchise”, and two of the five FDDs tell buyers to check for exactly that before signing. A franchise territory map does not override a municipal hauling contract.
The 1-800-GOT-JUNK? FDD (Item 1) tells buyers to investigate whether any government “has issued or granted an exclusive right or license to another garbage or waste hauler that would bar your operations in that area”, and whether local rules limit access to a transfer site or landfill. The JUNKCO+ FDD (Item 12, page 39) says you may apply to be named a permitted hauler, and that the franchisor does not modify your territory when an exclusion exists.
The Junkluggers draws the line by service type: its Item 1 excludes trash “normally picked up by municipalities or other private trash removal services” and hauling of liquids, gases or hazardous waste. In Minnesota the license question is statewide: under Minnesota Statutes section 115A.93, subdivision 1, collecting mixed municipal solid waste for hire requires a license from the jurisdiction where it is collected, and collecting recyclables for hire requires registration with the state agency.
Refrigerators, CRT televisions and scrap metal: the rules in three states
Three load types carry their own rules: appliances with refrigerant, televisions and monitors with cathode-ray tubes, and recyclables sold to processors. The federal floor is 40 CFR 82.155, which makes the final processor of a fridge, freezer or window unit recover the refrigerant or obtain a signed statement naming who recovered it and when, kept for three years.
| State | Rule | What it means for a junk crew | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | Materials that require special handling must be removed from major appliances before crushing or disposal; anyone removing hazardous ones is a hazardous waste generator | Fridges and washers go to a certified handler or recycler, not straight to the transfer station | Health and Safety Code section 25212 |
| California | Local agencies choose nonexclusive or exclusive franchises, contracts, licenses or permits for solid waste handling | Check each city in the territory for an exclusive hauler before quoting debris jobs | Public Resources Code section 40059 |
| Florida | Anyone who handles, buys, sells or recovers recovered materials must certify annually; fee up to $50; report by February 1 | Selling scrap metal or cardboard may require state certification | Florida Statutes section 403.7046(1) |
| Florida | Local governments may not require a certified recovered materials dealer to sign a franchise agreement to serve a commercial customer | Commercial recycling pickups have a carve-out from local franchise demands | section 403.7046(2)(d) |
| Florida | White goods, lead-acid batteries and used oil may not go to landfills | Appliances and batteries are pulled from every load | Florida Statutes section 403.708(12) |
| Minnesota | Major appliances must be recycled or reused; capacitors, ballasts and CFC refrigerant removed | No appliance in mixed waste or landfill | Minnesota Statutes section 115A.9561 |
| Minnesota | No electronic product containing a cathode-ray tube in mixed municipal solid waste, effective July 1, 2006 | Old tube TVs go to an electronics recycler | Minnesota Statutes section 115A.9565 |
The diagram sorts one load into four rule sets, listed here as text:
- Fridges, freezers, AC units: Federal: 40 CFR 82.155; CA: HSC 25212; MN: 115A.9561; FL: 403.708(12)(d).
- CRT TVs and monitors: MN: 115A.9565. No CRTs in mixed municipal solid waste since July 1, 2006.
- Recyclables: FL: 403.7046 annual certification, fee up to $50; MN: 115A.93(b) register.
- Mixed household junk: MN: 115A.93(a) license from the collecting city; CA: PRC 40059 local exclusive franchise.
Insurance follows the same risk: 1-800-GOT-JUNK? sets $2,000,000 per occurrence comprehensive liability and $1,000,000 vehicle liability minimums and flags California, Florida, Louisiana, New York and Texas for higher premiums (Item 7 Notes 8 and 9). Our franchise insurance requirements study compares those minimums across sectors. This page is general information, not legal, financial or investment advice.
Where do circulating junk removal cost figures differ from the filings?
The top-ranking junk removal franchise guides in November 2026 cite no FDD issue date, and the most-cited brand table dates from May 2024. All four brands it shares with this page now file different Item 7 ranges, and one general guide still quotes a $25,000 to $100,000 starting range whose top end barely clears the lowest 2026 floor of $96,010.
| What a guide says (date) | What the filing says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Junk King total investment $93,000 to $180,000 (listicle, May 2024) | $121,200 to $236,000 | Junk King FDD 2026, Item 7 |
| 1-800-GOT-JUNK? $164,800 to $249,650, 6% marketing fee (May 2024) | $182,300 to $303,500; Sales, Marketing and Technology Fee 8% | 1-800-GOT-JUNK? FDD 2026, Items 6 and 7 |
| College Hunks $158,700 to $288,500, fee $45,000 to $65,000 (May 2024) | Junk only $138,100 to $232,000; $35,000 per standard Zone | CHHJ FDD 2026, Items 5 and 7 |
| Junkluggers $96,010 to $339,160 (May 2024) | $96,010 to $359,160 | Junkluggers FDD 2026, Item 7 |
| Junk removal franchises start at $25,000 to $100,000 (guide, July 2025) | Lowest Item 7 floor in five filings: $96,010 | Item 7 of all five FDDs |
| Junk King royalty 8% (software vendor guide, September 2026) | 8%, and from month 19 at least $2,000 per month, plus 2% MAP and 5% Customer Care Center fees | Junk King FDD 2026, Item 6 |
Did these systems add or lose territories in 2025?
Item 20 counts moved in both directions in 2025. The Junkluggers grew from 149 to 167 territories, Junk King slipped from 172 to 171 outlets, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? fell from 146 to 138 as franchised units dropped to 92, and College Hunks went from 190 to 165. JUNKCO+ reported one company-owned location and no franchised units through 2024.
| Brand | End 2023 | End 2024 | End 2025 | What the count measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-800-GOT-JUNK? | 149 | 146 | 138 (92 franchised, 46 affiliate-owned) | Franchised businesses plus affiliate outlets |
| College Hunks (junk and moving) | 206 | 190 | 165 (159 franchised, 6 company-owned) | Outlets; 11 merged into other franchisees, 16 closed in 2025 |
| Junk King | 172 | 172 | 171 (all franchised) | Outlets |
| The Junkluggers | 138 | 149 | 167 (163 franchised, 4 company-owned) | Territories; 70 franchisees at end 2025 |
| JUNKCO+ | 1 | 1 | Not in the 2025 filing | Company-owned outlet; 0 franchised |
All five filings include an Item 19 financial performance representation, so each franchisor publishes historical sales data in its own FDD; we do not reproduce those figures. Units differ (subterritories, Zones, territories, outlets), so compare each count with its own Item 20 notes, and call former owners listed in the Item 20 exhibits before you sign.
Which junk removal setup fits your cash, your market and your hours?
Three FDD facts sort most buyers: whether you can finance two trucks or one, whether your market has 400,000 or 700,000 residents to cover, and whether you need to start from home. The table maps each condition to the filing that matches it, with the item that holds the rule; it is a reading aid, not a ranking.
| If your situation is | Look first at | Why (FDD item) |
|---|---|---|
| Under $150,000 in cash and credit for opening | The Junkluggers, College Hunks or Junk King low cases | Item 7 floors of $96,010, $138,100 and $121,200 |
| Able to finance two new trucks from day one | 1-800-GOT-JUNK? | Two-truck minimum, $77,750 each (Item 7 Note 5) |
| Market under 400,000 residents | College Hunks Zone or 1-800-GOT-JUNK? subterritories | 300,000 to 400,000 per Zone; 62,500 to 75,000 per subterritory (Item 12) |
| Want to run from a home office at first | The Junkluggers or JUNKCO+ | Home office allowed (Item 12; Item 7 Note 9) |
| Already own a hauling business with $150,000 or more in annual sales | Junk King roll-in discount or JUNKCO+ conversion | 10% to 50% fee discount; conversion Item 7 $163,610 to $282,760 (Item 5, cover) |
| Territory includes cities with exclusive hauler contracts | Any brand, after a city-by-city check | Item 1 and Item 12 warnings; Cal. PRC 40059 |
A consultant can pull competing territory maps and current FDD amendments; our page on what a franchise consultant does and how they are paid explains that referral relationship. For how these totals compare with 2026 filings in other sectors, see our franchise initial investment study.
How we compiled this
We read five Franchise Disclosure Documents filed with Minnesota CARDS (four downloaded on November 8, 2026, one on November 3, 2026) and coded Items 5, 6, 7, 12, 19 and 20 into an 18-field dataset. State rules come from seven statute sections in California, Florida and Minnesota plus 40 CFR 82.155, opened in November 2026; California’s legislative site blocked automated access, so its two sections were read from Wayback Machine captures. We excluded all Item 19 figures and any brand without a current filing.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to start a junk removal franchise?
Across five current FDDs, Item 7 totals run from $96,010 (The Junkluggers low case) to $359,160 (its high case with two trucks). Junk King lists $121,200 to $236,000, College Hunks $138,100 to $232,000 for junk only, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? $182,300 to $303,500 and JUNKCO+ $200,760 to $307,760. Financed truck balances sit outside most of these totals.
How much does a 1-800-GOT-JUNK franchise cost?
The 1-800-GOT-JUNK? FDD issued April 30, 2026 puts the Item 7 total at $182,300 to $303,500 for 8 to 12 subterritories. The initial fee is $8,125 per subterritory, so $65,000 to $97,500, plus a $25,000 Initial Marketing Expense. You must start with two trucks priced at $77,750 each (gasoline), per Item 7 Note 5.
How much is a Junk King franchise?
Junk King’s FDD issued April 1, 2026 lists an Item 7 total of $121,200 to $236,000. The initial fee is $0.11 per resident, typically $55,000 to $77,000 for a 500,000 to 700,000 person territory. The truck’s cash price is about $96,000 to $100,000, and later dumpster service adds an estimated $130,000 to $150,000.
Do you need a license to run a junk removal franchise?
Usually a local business license, and in some states more. Minnesota section 115A.93 requires a license from the collecting jurisdiction to haul mixed municipal solid waste for hire and state registration to haul recyclables. Florida section 403.7046 requires annual certification for recovered materials dealers, and California cities may grant exclusive hauling franchises under PRC section 40059.
How much do junk removal franchise owners make?
We do not publish earnings figures. Owner income depends on the fee stack in Item 6 (7% to 16% of sales at standard rates across five brands), truck payments and crew wages from Item 7, and local pricing. All five FDDs include an Item 19 with historical sales data; read it in the current FDD and ask former owners listed in Item 20.
Is a junk removal franchise better than starting an independent hauling business?
A franchise adds an initial fee of $35,000 to $97,500 across these five filings and ongoing fees of 7% to 16% of sales, in exchange for a call center, brand and protected population. An independent hauler skips those fees but faces the same truck costs, state hauling licenses and refrigerant rules under 40 CFR 82.155.
Can you run a junk removal franchise from home?
Two of five expressly allow it. The Junkluggers’ Item 12 permits a home office or commercial office, and JUNKCO+ allows home, an industrial park or about 500 square feet (Item 7 Note 9). Junk King and College Hunks bar home operation, and 1-800-GOT-JUNK? budgets a 300 to 400 square foot office.
Sources
- 1-800-GOT-JUNK? LLC, Franchise Disclosure Document, issued April 30, 2026, Items 1, 5, 6, 7, 12, 19, 20 (Minnesota CARDS doc 36694-202605-01), accessed November 8, 2026
- CHHJ Franchising LLC, Franchise Disclosure Document, issued April 30, 2026, as amended August 26, 2026, Items 5, 6, 7, 12, 19, 20 (doc 37194-202608-03), accessed November 3, 2026
- JUNK KING SPV LLC, Franchise Disclosure Document, issued April 1, 2026, Items 1, 5, 6, 7, 12, 19, 20 (doc 36171-202604-02), accessed November 8, 2026
- Junkluggers Franchising SPE LLC, Franchise Disclosure Document, issued April 30, 2026, Items 1, 5, 6, 7, 12, 19, 20 (doc 36460-202604-10), accessed November 8, 2026
- Junkco+ International, LLC, Franchise Disclosure Document, issued March 28, 2025, as amended November 17, 2025, Items 5, 6, 7, 12, 19, 20 (doc 35067-202511-03), accessed November 8, 2026
- 40 CFR 82.155, Safe disposal of appliances, Legal Information Institute, accessed November 8, 2026
- California Public Resources Code section 40059, Wayback Machine capture of June 4, 2023, accessed November 8, 2026
- California Health and Safety Code section 25212, Wayback Machine capture of May 23, 2025, accessed November 8, 2026
- Florida Statutes section 403.7046 (2025), Florida Senate, accessed November 8, 2026
- Florida Statutes section 403.708 (2025), Florida Senate, accessed November 8, 2026
- Minnesota Statutes section 115A.93, Office of the Revisor of Statutes, accessed November 8, 2026
- Minnesota Statutes section 115A.9561, Office of the Revisor of Statutes, accessed November 8, 2026
- Minnesota Statutes section 115A.9565, Office of the Revisor of Statutes, accessed November 8, 2026