How to Start a Time Share Exit Business

Timeshares promise vacationers unforgettable getaways, but those experiences come with substantial recurring payments in the form of mortgages and annual maintenance fees. Many people who purchase timeshares ultimately have buyers remorse and want out, only to find that getting rid of a timeshare isn’t as easy as they hoped.

Timeshare owners who have passed the recession period (during which the agreement can be canceled) have few ways to dispose of their timeshare. Resorts often won’t agree to cancel timeshares and, since timeshares depreciate faster than cars, selling doesn’t bring in much money. In many cases, owners aren’t even able to give away their timeshares.

Timeshare exit businesses help timeshare owners get out of the agreements they’ve signed. With 1.15 million or more owners wanting out of timeshare agreements, there is strong demand for this type of business.

Ready to turn your business idea into a reality? We recommend forming an LLC as it is the most affordable way to protect your personal assets. You can do this yourself or with our trusted partner for a small fee.

Northwest ($29 + State Fees)

DIY: How to Start an LLC

Start a time share exit business by following these 10 steps:

  1. Plan your Time Share Exit Business
  2. Form your Time Share Exit Business into a Legal Entity
  3. Register your Time Share Exit Business for Taxes
  4. Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
  5. Set up Accounting for your Time Share Exit Business
  6. Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Time Share Exit Business
  7. Get Time Share Exit Business Insurance
  8. Define your Time Share Exit Business Brand
  9. Create your Time Share Exit Business Website
  10. Set up your Business Phone System

We have put together this simple guide to starting your time share exit business. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas.

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

What will you name your business?

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Time Share Exit Business Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business name by checking:

  • Your state’s business records
  • Federal and state trademark records
  • Social media platforms
  • Web domain availability

It’s very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

What are the costs involved in opening a time share exit business?

Aside from the legal training required, the costs associated with owning a timeshare exit business are minimal. Business owners need a printer, copier, computer, website, phone, and fax machine. Any legal fees can be paid using funds that are collected up front, and there’s no need for an office since most work is done remotely.

What are the ongoing expenses for a time share exit business?

The ongoing expenses for a timeshare exit business are manageable. A business must pay for an office if it has one. Otherwise, the main expenses are the cost of a phone line and internet access, and employees’ salaries.

Who is the target market?

The target market for a timeshare exit business is timeshare owners. Timeshare owners tend to have at least some discretionary income, but that’s not always the case. They are usually people who like to go on vacations.

How does a time share exit business make money?

A timeshare exit business makes money by charging customers to help them get out of timeshares. Because the process can take months or years, many companies charge their fee up front.

How much can you charge customers?

The costs to get out of a timeshare vary depending on the complexities of the agreement and applicable laws, and a lack of transparency in the industry makes it difficult to know exactly what competitors are charging customers.

Nonetheless, there are some reports that claim Timeshare Exit Team charges an average fee of $4,000. Others place the cost of getting out of a timeshare at $5,000 and up.

How much profit can a time share exit business make?

A timeshare exit business can bring in a substantial revenue. At the time of writing, the Finn Law Group has 16 pending cases. From those cases alone, the group likely saw $80,000 or more in payments (based on the $5,000-plus price noted above).

How can you make your business more profitable?

Most timeshare exit businesses don’t branch out beyond timeshare law. Instead, they may expand their geographic reach when they want to grow.

Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC’s free Small Business Startup Guide – a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

One crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked when starting your time share exit business is the importance of establishing a solid business foundation. While sole proprietorships and partnerships are the most common entity types for small businesses, they’re a far less stable and advantageous option than LLCs.

This is because unincorporated business structures (i.e., sole proprietorships and partnerships) expose you as an owner to personal liability for your business’s debts and legal actions, while LLCs protect you by keeping your personal assets separate from your business’s liabilities.

In practice, this means that if your time share exit business were to face a lawsuit or incur any debts, your savings, home, and other personal assets could not be used to cover these costs. On top of this, forming your business as an LLC also helps it to appear more legitimate and trustworthy.

More than 84% of our readers opt to collaborate with a professional LLC formation service to kickstart their venture. We’ve negotiated a tailored discount for our readers, bringing the total down to just $29.

FORM YOUR LLC

Note: If you’re interested in more information before getting started, we recommend having a look at our state-specific How to Start an LLC guide (DIY) or our in-depth Best LLC Services review (for those opting for a professional service).

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It’s really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website. If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.

Open a business bank account

Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:

  • Separates your personal assets from your company’s assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
  • Makes accounting and tax filing easier.

Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.

Get a business credit card

Getting a business credit card helps you:

Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers’ Compensation Coverage.

Find out what types of insurance your Time Share Exit Business needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Time Share Exit Business.

STEP 8: Define your brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator. Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.

How to promote & market a time share exit business

Timeshare owners who want to cancel their timeshares typically do at least some research online, so most timeshare exit businesses focus their advertising efforts on internet campaigns. Search engine optimization, pay-per-click advertising, and retargeting ads are a few ways to market this type of business.

How to keep customers coming back

Timeshare exit businesses can set themselves apart from most of the competition by simply being honest and transparent. Timeshare Exit Team has largely built an entire company on simply cultivating a good reputation, although even they have some negative reviews online.

STEP 9: Create your business website

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:

  • All legitimate businesses have websites – full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
  • Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
  • Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

Recommended: Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders.

Other popular website builders are: WordPressWIXWeeblySquarespace, and Shopify.

STEP 10: Set up your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2024 to find the best phone service for your small business.

Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com

Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it’s fair pricing.

Is this Business Right For You?

Anyone who is detail oriented and not afraid of conflict may enjoy running a timeshare exit business. In many cases, helping customers get out of timeshares involves heady legal battles that call for attention to detail and confrontation.

Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?

Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!

Entrepreneurship Quiz

What happens during a typical day at a time share exit business?

Running a timeshare exit business is a legal proposition that has three primary aspects:

  • Explaining the process to customers, who may be upset, confused, and frustrated
  • Researching applicable laws and preparing legal paperwork
  • Communicating with resorts, which may involve phone calls, letters, and court appearances

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful time share exit business?

In order to help people get out of legally binding timeshare agreements, business owners must be qualified to practice law. In most states, this means completing law school, passing the bar examination, and becoming a lawyer.

Business owners can theoretically start a timeshare exit business and hire attorneys for the legal work, but at this point the business owners add little value to the business. There’s a risk that the attorneys would start their own, competing company.


After passing the bar exam, business owners may need to study laws specific to timeshares in different states and countries. There are some books on these subjects, such as The Condominium Concept and How to Cancel a Mexico Timeshare. Business owners will gain more knowledge, however, by spending a short time working for a timeshare exit business before striking out on their own.

What is the growth potential for a time share exit business?

Most of a timeshare exit business’ work is done remotely, so it’s easy to grow. Some businesses may remain smaller law firms, but many expand quickly once they specialize in timeshares. Primo Management Group is a one-attorney practice specializing in this work. Finn Law Group and Timeshare Exit Team are examples of larger companies handling timeshare exits.

Take the Next Step

Find a business mentor

One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.

Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.

Learn from other business owners

Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.

Resources to Help Women in Business

There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:

  • Funding
  • Events
  • Guides
  • Support

If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.

What are some insider tips for jump starting a time share exit business?

The timeshare exit industry is rife with complaints from consumers that claim businesses are dishonest. While there are plenty of honest businesses in the industry, there are also many that don’t have good reputations. Several are even being sued by timeshare sellers.

For long-term success, timeshare exit businesses should carefully build up a good reputation. Businesses can develop positive reputations by being accredited with the Better Business Bureau, being transparent in what they charge and do, and offering timely communications with customers.

How and when to build a team

Because timeshare exit laws are detailed and vary by location, business owners will want to hire some legal experts as soon as a business secures its first customer. Paralegals and other attorneys can help a business handle and win more cases.

Many business owners also either hire an administrative assistant or outsource their administrative work so that they can focus on the legal work that actually generates revenue.

Useful Links

Industry Opportunities

Real World Examples

Further Reading