A franchise directory is a multiple listing service of franchise business opportunities that are hosted through many websites found on the Internet and for a listing fee through a number of business magazine publications. You can find a franchise directory in any logical place where advertising space is available. Some may be listed at low-cost in non-profit service organizations reference sections, and can certainly be found through research at the public libraries.

All of the businesses that are in a franchise directory, have paid a listing fee to the owner of the space for designing and advertising their business listing on the site, but are not obligated to offer a franchise for sale. The franchise directory is simply a means to get information to a prospective business owner interested in purchasing a franchised company. Through these listings you can organize your business interests with your qualifications to see which businesses would be a good match for you and your family. Through a franchise directory, you can select a number of business franchises that you are interested in at one time, and fill out ready made forms and submit your request for information, which will be forwarded to the business owner directly.

The franchise directory is not responsible for the content of the listings that it is hosting. It is solely providing a service to the franchise business owner to bring their business to the forefront, for a prospective buyer to consider as a possible business opportunity. It does not constitute the sale of the franchise, and it doest not constitute an offer. The franchise business owner will provide the franchise directory host with a small overview of the type of company it is, and the locations that it is available in. There are no guarantees in the franchise business and this includes the success rate of interest that a listing may bring when listed in any type of franchise directory.

The franchise directory will divide these listing into categories to make the task of finding a suitable business easier for a prospective business owner. The franchise directory also includes special categories for listing businesses that have shown a surmountable success rate while listed. Included in some of these franchise directories are sections for franchises that are being offered for resale, and the top business opportunities available on the site.

The franchise directory does not get involved with the listing requirements put in place by the federal government. It is the responsibility of the franchise owner to ensue that the federal filing requirements have been complied with. Part of the requirements to sell a franchise business are that the business owner must complete a uniform franchise offering circular in every state where the listing is shown. There are some loopholes and oversights in most franchise directories that you should be aware of. While the business owner may have complied with filing requirements in many states, a uniform franchise offering circular may not have been completed for every state in which the listing is viewed, including international franchise directories.