How Long Does It Take to Sell a Security & Alarm Business?

A well-prepared security and alarm business typically sells in 5-9 months from engagement to closing in 2026. The first 45-60 days are prep and positioning, the middle 60-90 days are marketing and LOIs, and due diligence plus close runs another 60-90 days. Shops with strong monitoring RMR and clean attrition data close on the fast end. Messy books or concentrated contracts push you past 12 months.

At a Glance

  • Typical Timeline: 5-9 months
  • Typical Multiple: 35x-45x MRR or 3x-5x EBITDA (small); 6x-10x (integrated)
  • Active Buyers: Pye-Barker, ADT, Brinks, Alert 360, CPI Security, PE rollups
  • Revenue Sweet Spot: $25K+ MRR with 95%+ retention

What drives the timeline on a security business sale?

Three variables control how fast you close. First, the quality of your RMR book. Buyers want to see at least 24 months of monitoring revenue history, attrition reports, and contract terms. If your data lives in a spreadsheet instead of a central station-integrated platform like Bold, Stages, or AvantGuard, expect an extra 30-60 days of cleanup. Second, contract assignability. Monitoring agreements need clear assignment language or written consent workflows - and municipal or commercial contracts often require re-bidding. Third, the buyer pool you run. Strategic buyers like Pye-Barker, ADT and Alert 360, and the PE-backed platforms move fast when the asset fits their thesis. Individual buyers using SBA financing move slower because the bank adds 60-90 days of its own underwriting.

What can shorten the timeline?

Clean, dashboard-ready RMR reports. Signed, assignable monitoring contracts with 2+ year remaining terms. Central station that's bought-in and cooperative on transition. A CPA who's already produced reviewed financials. And a broker who pre-qualifies buyers before they see the CIM. I've closed security businesses in under 5 months when all of those pieces were in place before we went to market. I've also watched deals drag 14 months when we discovered attrition was 18% - not the 7% the seller reported - three weeks into due diligence. That's why I dig into your data before we ever set an asking price. Related reading on what buyers are paying: our fire protection industry overview covers parallel consolidator activity in a closely related vertical.

"I had a client with $38K in monthly RMR, 96% retention, and a properly-documented Bold contract database. We went to market on a Monday and had three LOIs within 21 days. Closed 147 days from engagement at 42x MRR. That's the power of having your data house in order before you start - buyers can underwrite you in an afternoon, and your leverage in negotiation goes way up." - John M. Salony

Find Out What Your Security Business Is Worth

Start with our free valuation calculator - it takes about 5 minutes and gives you a defensible range on your RMR. From there, let's have a confidential conversation about your timeline and what we'd need to tighten before go-to-market.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What drives the timeline on a security business sale?
Three variables control timeline. First, quality of your RMR book - buyers want 24 months of monitoring revenue history, attrition reports, and contract terms. Data living in a spreadsheet instead of a central station-integrated platform (Bold, Stages, AvantGuard) adds 30-60 days of cleanup. Second, contract assignability - monitoring agreements need clear assignment language or written consent workflows, and municipal/commercial contracts often require re-bidding. Third, the buyer pool. Strategic buyers like Pye-Barker, ADT, Alert 360, and PE-backed platforms move fast when the asset fits their thesis. Individual buyers using SBA financing move slower because the bank adds 60-90 days of its own underwriting. If you're positioning for a strategic, your deal moves on strategic timelines - usually fast.
What can shorten the timeline?
Clean, dashboard-ready RMR reports. Signed, assignable monitoring contracts with 2+ year remaining terms. Central station that's bought-in and cooperative on transition. CPA-reviewed financials. And a broker who pre-qualifies buyers before they see the CIM. I've closed security businesses in under 5 months when all those pieces were ready before going to market. I've also watched deals drag 14 months when we discovered real attrition was 18% - not the 7% the seller reported - three weeks into due diligence. That's why we dig into your data before setting an asking price. The work you do in the 90 days before listing has more impact on your close date than anything that happens in the 9 months after.