Military Spouse Business Ownership Through Franchising

What do PCS moves mean for your career?

The 2024 Active Duty Spouse Survey also tracked employment among civilian active duty spouses, and it found no statistically significant change in the civilian unemployment rate from 2021 (21%) to 2024 (20%) (Department of Defense, 2024 Active Duty Spouse Survey).

In 2024, a PCS move within the previous year more than doubled the odds that a civilian active duty spouse was unemployed (Department of Defense, 2025), and unemployed spouses had been looking for work for an average of 23 weeks (Department of Defense, 2025). If you have started over at more than one duty station, you have probably thought about which kinds of military spouse jobs can move with you.

Remote work is one option spouses use, and in 2024, 39% of employed spouses had an employer that offered remote work or telework (Department of Defense, 2025). Self-employment is another, and in 2021, 12% of military spouses were self-employed (U.S. Department of Labor, 2024). Owning a business gives you more say over how the work is set up, though it also asks for your money, your time and a plan for what happens to it when you move.

Which businesses can a military spouse run through PCS moves?

Moving with the military gives you practice in much of what ownership asks, from planning around deadlines you did not set to building a network from scratch. There is no single best franchise for military spouses, because the right choice depends on your skills, your budget, how long you expect to stay at your current station and how much of the daily work you want to do yourself.

• Home-based and mobile businesses usually run from a home office with no storefront lease to unwind when you relocate, so the at-home franchise category is a sensible place to start. If you live in on-base or privatized housing, ask the housing office about its rules for home businesses.
• Manager-run and semi-absentee franchises rely on a manager for daily operations while you oversee the business, which can make ownership easier to keep through a move or a deployment.
• Storefronts and other location-based businesses stay put when you move, so they tend to suit families with a longer tour ahead, a plan to settle near a base after service, or a partner or manager who can take over.

What happens to your franchise when PCS orders come?

Even a home-based franchise may be tied to a territory, so the first question for a military spouse business is what happens when the family moves. Depending on the franchise agreement, an owner facing orders might run the business through a manager, sell or transfer it, or, where the franchisor allows it, start again near the new duty station. Before you commit, put these questions to each franchisor and to current franchisees who have moved.

• Does the agreement allow an owner to run the business through a manager, and must the owner live nearby?
• What does a transfer or resale involve, and what approvals, fees and timelines apply?
• Can an owner who relocates move to an open territory in another state, and on what terms?
• If orders take you overseas, can you keep the business and oversee it from abroad?

Have an attorney review the agreement with your family’s moves in mind, and ask an accountant what owning a business from another state or country would involve. FranNet’s overview of how buying a franchise works covers the broader steps.

How do licenses work when you move to another state?

In 2024, 35% of active duty spouses needed a state-issued license for their career field or occupation, and 28% had to acquire a new professional license or credential after their last PCS move (Department of Defense, 2025). Licensing boards may offer a temporary license, recognize your license from another state, expedite the application review or waive fees, and spouses who move between states on change-of-station orders may be eligible for reimbursement of licensing costs up to $1,000 (U.S. Department of Labor, 2026).

With a franchise, you need to know whether the business depends on your own professional license, and you should ask the franchisor what licenses the business itself needs where it operates. A business that does not hinge on your personal license is usually simpler to plan around frequent moves, while one built on a credential you already hold can put that training to work.

Do military spouses qualify for VetFran?

The International Franchise Association’s VetFran program was established with a mission to provide veterans and military spouses with access to franchise ownership, education and support, and many participating brands now extend incentives and support specifically to military spouses (International Franchise Association, 2026).

Incentives vary by franchisor, so ask each one what it offers military spouses and get the details in writing. If your service member is nearing separation and you are weighing ownership together, our pages for veterans and transitioning service members and for couples and families cover what military experience brings and how partners split roles.

Which SBA programs and loans are open to military spouses?

The SBA supports military spouse entrepreneurs with training, counseling and other resources (U.S. Small Business Administration, 2026), including these programs that name spouses directly.

• Military Spouse Pathway to Business is a business ownership class specific to military spouses, offered virtually and in person, that you can take at your own pace through SBA Learning (U.S. Small Business Administration, 2026).
• Boots to Business is available free of charge at participating installations to service members and military spouses (U.S. Small Business Administration, 2026).
• Veterans Business Outreach Centers provide entrepreneurial development services to service members, veterans, National Guard and Reserve members, military spouses and family members, and the SBA has 31 organizations serving as VBOCs (U.S. Small Business Administration, 2026).

The SBA has programs available at over 180 locations and online (U.S. Small Business Administration, 2026), and the online options go with you wherever your next orders take you. Military spouse entrepreneurs can also apply for any SBA-guaranteed loan (U.S. Small Business Administration, 2026). Being able to apply does not guarantee approval, so explore financing early, starting with FranNet’s funding options calculator.

How can a FranNet consultant help you compare options?

A FranNet franchise consultant is a local franchise expert whose help comes at no cost to you and with no obligation, because FranNet receives its fee from the franchisor of the franchise you may buy. Your consultant can introduce you to franchisors that fit your model, so you can put the manager, transfer and relocation questions above to several of them in one place.

When you tell us a bit about your goals, mention how long you expect to stay at your current station, because that affects whether a home-based, manager-run or location-based model suits you, and your consultant can tell you which franchises are currently available in your area. The decision to sign is yours, and FranNet consultants will not pressure you into an opportunity that does not fit your goals, budget or skill set, a commitment set out in the FranNet client bill of rights.