About Premier Martial Arts Franchise
Premier Martial Arts is a franchise system offering martial arts instruction, self-defense training, and character development programs.
Franchisees operate dedicated studio locations (PMA Studios) where they provide classes in various martial arts disciplines including Karate, Krav Maga, and Kali to students of all ages.
The primary target market is children between ages five and twelve, with secondary markets including teens and adults.
Premier Martial Arts Franchise Cost & Fees
Minimum Investment
$108K
Average Investment
$213K
Maximum Investment
$318K
| Fee Type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $49,500 | One-time payment upon signing |
| Royalty Fee | 7% of Gross Sales of gross sales | Ongoing; paid monthly |
| Marketing/Ad Fund | 1% of Gross Sales (System Development Fee, may increase to 2%) | National brand fund |
| Total Investment Range | $108,476 – $318,237 | Includes build-out, inventory, working capital |
The investment range of $108K–$318K reflects variability in build-out costs, store size, lease terms, and market. The combined royalty (7% of Gross Sales) and marketing fee (1% of Gross Sales (System Development Fee, may increase to 2%)) are ongoing costs paid as a percentage of gross sales.
Investment Breakdown (Item 7)
| Item | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $49,500 | $49,500 |
| Optional Pre-Sale/Grand Opening Coordinator Fee | $0 | $1,000 |
| Studio Pro | $248 | $248 |
| Franchise Resource Accounting – First Month and Setup | $450 | $735 |
| Grand Opening Advertising Expenditures | $10,000 | $15,000 |
| Lease Payments – 2 months' rent/deposit | $4,640 | $10,119 |
| Leasehold Improvements | $969 | $80,000 |
| Licenses, Architectural and Engineering Fees | $2,500 | $9,800 |
| Wages, Travel and Living Expenses for You and Your Manager During Training | $577 | $6,892 |
| Furniture, Fixtures, Point of Sale/Proprietary Software and Equipment and Supplies | $15,897 | $20,325 |
| Computer System and Audio Visual/IT | $3,407 | $4,677 |
| Signs | $6,829 | $12,815 |
| Initial Inventory and Supplies | $786 | $24,271 |
| Employee Salaries – Pre-Sales | $9,867 | $35,845 |
| Optional Construction & Project Management Services | $0 | $15,000 |
| Digital Footprint Creation | $750 | $750 |
| Business Liability Insurance – Initial Installment | $120 | $1,917 |
| Legal and Accounting Fees | $1,936 | $13,576 |
| Additional Funds – Working Capital | $0 | $15,767 |
Additional Fees (Item 6)
| Fee Type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Transfer Fee | $10,000 |
| Renewal Fee | $10,000 (Successor Franchise Fee) |
| Technology Fee | Studio Pro Software: $49 setup plus $199/month; Dashboard Access Fee: $10/month |
| Audit Fee | $2,500 to $5,000 (only if audit shows understatement of revenues by more than 2%) |
| Local Advertising Expenditure | 6% of monthly Gross Sales |
| Local Advertising Cooperative Fees | Up to 2% of Gross Sales (currently none in place) |
| Additional On-Site Training | $500 per person per day |
| Mandatory Meeting Registration Fee | Currently $0 if staying at designated hotel; $500 per person otherwise |
| Late Payment/Administrative Fees | $50 per day per delinquent payment |
| Interest Charges | Lesser of 18% per annum or maximum legal rate |
| Late Report Fees | $500 per day |
| Business Management Fee | Up to 10% of Gross Sales or $5,000/month (only if franchisor manages studio) |
| Franchise Resource Accounting Fees | $225-$285 per month |
| Digital Marketing Program | Up to 20% of monthly Local Advertising Expenditure |
| Introductory Lesson Fees | Currently $39.99 per introductory lesson (collected by franchisor) |
Training Program (Item 11)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Total Duration | Up to 14 days initial training, plus 5-10 days for martial arts trainers |
| Classroom Training | 56 hours |
| On-the-Job Training | 2 hours |
| Training Location | Corporate Headquarters in Knoxville, Tennessee or other designated facility; on-the-job training at franchisee's PMA Studio |
| Additional Training | Periodic refresher training courses required at least 2-3 times per year. Additional training fee of $500 per person per day plus travel and living expenses. Opening Team provides at least 2 days of on-site training (1 pre-sale focus, 1 Grand Opening focus). |
Territory Rights (Item 12)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Territory Type | Protected |
| Exclusive Territory | No |
| Territory Size | 3-mile radius from the Site (measured by straight line), subject to reduction if population exceeds 50,000 |
| Description | Franchisees receive a Protected Area within which the franchisor will not grant a franchise for or operate a PMA Studio from a fixed location, as long as franchisee is in compliance. However, franchisor retains rights to sell through Alternative Channels of Distribution within the Protected Area, operate non-PMA branded businesses, and use internet/e-commerce without compensation. No exclusive territory is granted; the Protected Area only restricts fixed-location PMA Studios. |
Renewal, Termination & Transfer (Item 17)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Initial Term | 10 years from Opening Date |
| Renewal Term | Two 5-year successor franchise terms (beginning on the Effective Date of each Successor Franchise Agreement) |
| Renewal Fee | $10,000 (Successor Franchise Fee) |
| Renewal Conditions | Provide notice during first 90 days of 9th year; maintain or secure substitute site; bring PMA Studio into compliance with then-current specifications; sign new franchise agreement and ancillary agreements; complete training and refresher programs; sign general release; pay successor franchise fee. Royalties and System Development Fee will not change from original agreement. |
| Transfer Fee | $10,000 plus all costs including franchise/business broker fees |
| Transfer Conditions | Transferee must qualify and complete training; all amounts owed must be paid; transferor must sign general release and non-competition covenant; franchisor must approve material terms; subordination of seller financing to franchise obligations required. |
| Termination for Cause | Immediate termination for: material misrepresentation, failure to complete training, failure to open within 12 months, abandonment for 2+ business days, unauthorized transfer, felony conviction, dishonest conduct, unauthorized disclosure of confidential information. Curable defaults: 5 days for health/safety violations, 10 days for monetary defaults, 30 days for other non-compliance, 2 days for crisis response failures. |
| Non-Compete Period | 2 years |
| Non-Compete Details | For 2 years after termination or expiration, franchisee and owners may not have any interest in a Competitive Business at the Site, within the Protected Area, within 25 miles of the Site or Protected Area, or within 25 miles of any other PMA Studio in existence or under development. During the term, no interest in any Competitive Business is permitted. |
Operations & Supply (Items 8 & 15)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Owner-Operator Required | No |
| Participation Details | Either the franchisee or one principal owner (with at least 10% ownership) must serve as Business Manager and participate personally in direct operation or supervision. A qualified PMA Studio Manager must be trained and approved by franchisor but is not required to own equity. Neither the Business Manager nor PMA Studio Manager is required to be on-site at all times; they may manage remotely or part-time. |
| Required Suppliers | Studio Pro software (from affiliate), Digital Footprint setup (from franchisor/PMAI), Century Martial Arts Supplies, Fuji Sports. 80-90% of purchases must be from franchisor, affiliates, or approved/designated suppliers. |
| Supply Restrictions | Franchisees must purchase or lease fixtures, equipment, supplies, inventory and other goods from designated or approved suppliers meeting franchisor's System Standards. Franchisor may require exclusive purchasing from franchisor or affiliates. |
| Franchisor Revenue from Suppliers | Barry Van Over receives 10% rebate from Century Martial Arts ($104,788.87 in 2020); franchisor receives 15% rebate from Fuji Sports ($1,371.66 in 2020). Franchisor received $30,000 from required purchases (online setup fees) in 2020. Affiliate Studio Pro received $216,189.05 from franchisees. Affiliate PMAI received $446,884.46 from martial arts marketing services. |
Financing (Item 10)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Financing Available | No |
| Description | The franchisor does not offer direct or indirect financing and does not guarantee notes, leases, or obligations. |
Premier Martial Arts Franchise Earnings — Item 19
Premier Martial Arts does not make an Item 19 financial performance representation in their FDD. This means they do not disclose revenue, profit, or earnings data for franchised locations. Before investing, ask the franchisor directly for franchisee contact information so you can speak with existing owners about their actual financial performance.
Premier Martial Arts does not include an Item 19 financial performance representation in their FDD. Contact information for current and former franchisees is listed in Item 20 of the FDD.
Premier Martial Arts Litigation & Risk Flags
3 Pending Actions ListedReview the full FDD for details on pending litigation.
Litigation and bankruptcy data is sourced from Items 3 and 4 of the FDD. Always verify current status directly from the most recent FDD.
Premier Martial Arts System Growth
Total Units
99
Franchised
94
Company-Owned
5
Premier Martial Arts currently operates 94 franchised locations and 5 company-owned units. Unit count data is sourced from Item 20 of the FDD.
Unit History (Item 20)
| Year | Opened | Closed | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 59 | 1 | 62 |
| 2019 | 6 | 0 | 68 |
| 2020 | 27 | 1 | 94 |
Transfers: 3 | Closures: 1
State Registrations
Registered in 14 states: CA, HI, IL, IN, MD, MI, MN, NY, ND, RI, SD, VA, WA, WI
Premier Martial Arts Franchise — FAQ
The total investment to open a Premier Martial Arts franchise ranges from $108,476 to $318,237, per their Franchise Disclosure Document. This includes the initial franchise fee of $49,500. The investment covers build-out, inventory, equipment, signage, working capital, and other startup costs.
Premier Martial Arts charges a royalty fee of 7% of Gross Sales of gross sales, plus a 1% of Gross Sales (System Development Fee, may increase to 2%) contribution to the marketing/advertising fund. These fees are paid on an ongoing basis.
You can download the Premier Martial Arts Franchise Disclosure Document free on this page. The FDD is a public document filed with state franchise registries. Always also request the current FDD directly from Premier Martial Arts to ensure you have the most up-to-date version.
Premier Martial Arts does not provide an Item 19 financial performance representation in their FDD, which means they do not disclose franchisee revenue or earnings data. Prospective investors should contact existing franchisees directly (listed in Item 20 of the FDD) to gather real-world financial performance information.
Premier Martial Arts has been franchising since 2018. The FDD shows an investment range of $108,476-$318,237, a 7% of Gross Sales royalty, and includes an Item 19 earnings disclosure. There are 3 pending litigation action(s). Review the full FDD and contact current franchisees listed in Item 20 before making any investment decision.
The franchise fee is $49,500 and the total investment ranges from $108,476 to $318,237 depending on location size and market. Contact the franchisor directly for current net worth and liquid capital requirements, territory availability, and application details.
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Data Source & Disclaimer: This website is for informational purposes only. It is not an offer to sell or buy a franchise. This profile is based on publicly available FDD data sourced from state franchise registry filings. All information is for research purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or investment advice. Data may be outdated or contain errors. Always obtain the current FDD directly from Premier Martial Arts and consult a qualified franchise attorney before making any investment decision. FranchiseOverview.com is operated by Franchising Compliance, LLC and is not affiliated with Premier Martial Arts or any of its subsidiaries. To report an inaccuracy: info@franchiseoverview.com