Sell My Business in New York

What is my NY business actually worth?

Businesses under roughly $5M in revenue price on SDE — seller's discretionary earnings (net profit plus your salary, perks, depreciation, interest, and true one-time costs). The industry ranges below hold across the tri-state; the notes are where New York bends them:

Deeper per-industry data: the tri-state multiples database. Selling a practice in the city? See selling a medical practice in NYC.

The two levers New York punishes harder than anywhere else

• The lease. In NYC and the inner suburbs, the lease is the business. Buyers and SBA lenders want 10 years of term plus options; institutional landlords move slowly on assignments and often demand fresh guarantees. If your occupancy cost runs above ~10%–12% of revenue, expect the multiple to compress no matter how good the product is. Getting the lease extended before listing is the single highest-ROI prep step for a NY sale.
• Cash that isn't on the returns. The NY main-street economy runs heavy on cash, and every buyer knows it — which is why they refuse to pay for it. SBA lenders underwrite filed tax returns only. If real earnings aren't on the returns, the fix is reporting fully for 2–3 tax years before selling; there is no shortcut a legitimate buyer will accept.

Structured self-check first? The 8-factor sellability score takes three minutes.

The confidential process — built for dense markets

In a borough trade community, word of a sale travels through suppliers and staff in days. The process is designed against exactly that:

1. Confidential valuation. Three years of returns and P&Ls, the lease, payroll, add-backs — and a realistic price range with a fix-it list. Free, no obligation to list.
2. Blind packaging. The public profile names the borough or county, industry, and financial summary — never the business. The full memorandum goes only to NDA-signed, financially qualified buyers, and you approve each disclosure individually.
3. Confidential marketing to the major marketplaces and our buyer channels. Suppliers, staff, landlord, competitors: told nothing.
4. Offers to LOI. Price, structure, transition, timeline negotiated into a signed letter of intent.
5. Diligence, financing, and the NY closing path (60–120 days). Financial verification, SBA processing, lease assignment, licensing — and the AU-196.10 clearance below.
6. Closing and transition. Funds wire; you train the buyer 2–4 weeks; employees are told on your timing, usually at closing.

Most NY deals run 6–9 months engagement to funded close.

The NY-specific closing steps that catch sellers off guard

Form AU-196.10 — the NY bulk sale notice

The buyer must file Form AU-196.10 with the NY Department of Taxation and Finance at least 10 days before taking possession or paying. The state then has 90 days to assert any unpaid sales tax against the sale proceeds, and buyers escrow part of the price until the release issues. Skipped, the buyer inherits your sales tax liability personally — so no competent buyer's attorney will close without it. It's NY's cousin of New Jersey's C-9600, and like the C-9600 it isn't a problem, just a scheduling item that has to go on the critical path early.

Liquor licensing through the SLA

NY liquor licenses don't transfer person-to-person the way NJ licenses do — the buyer applies for its own license with the State Liquor Authority, with municipal notification and, for on-premises licenses, community board input in NYC. Plan 3–6 months; temporary permits can bridge the gap so closing doesn't wait for the full license. Restaurants and bars: this goes in motion the day the LOI signs.

Healthcare practices: corporate practice of medicine

New York bars non-physicians from owning medical practices, so practice sales to non-licensed buyers run through MSO structures — management companies that hold the non-clinical assets. If you're selling a practice, start with our healthcare M&A hub or the NYC practice guide; the structure decision shapes everything downstream.

What it costs: $0 upfront, success-only

Typical NY brokerage success fees run 8%–12% on main-street deals, and plenty of firms charge retainers or monthly fees on top — sale or no sale. Nexus Bridge charges nothing upfront: no retainer, no monthly fee, no valuation charge. We're paid at closing, out of proceeds, only if your business sells — which is why the valuation conversation is honest even when the honest number isn't the one you hoped for.

Frequently asked questions

How much can I sell my business for in New York?

Most NY main-street businesses: 1.8×–4.0× SDE by industry; healthcare practices 3.5×–5.5×; recurring-revenue professional books up to 6.5×. NYC occupancy costs compress multiples when rent exceeds ~10%–12% of revenue; the depth of the metro buyer pool rewards clean books at the top of the range.

What is the AU-196.10 and do I need it?

Yes — it's NY's bulk sale notice. The buyer files it with NY Taxation at least 10 days before closing; the state has 90 days to claim unpaid sales tax; escrow bridges the gap. Without it, the buyer inherits your sales tax liability, so every deal includes it.

Can I sell without staff, suppliers, or my landlord finding out?

Yes — blind listing, NDA and financial qualification before any name is disclosed, and you approve every disclosure. The landlord enters at lease assignment, on your approved timing; employees at or just before closing.

How long does a NY sale take?

6–9 months typically. The AU-196.10 clearance, SLA licensing (3–6 months when liquor is involved), institutional lease assignments, and any board consents are the NY items that need early scheduling.

What does a broker cost in NY?

Market success fees run 8%–12% with minimums; many firms add upfront charges. Nexus Bridge is $0 upfront, success-fee-only at closing.

Do you cover my borough or county?

All five boroughs, Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk), and Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, and Orange. Dedicated local guides: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Nassau, Westchester.

Selling a specific type of NY business?

Restaurant in NY · Medical Practice in NYC · Urgent Care in NY · Distribution Routes · FedEx Routes

Also: Sell my business in NJ · Sell my business in CT · Sellability Score · Quality of Earnings · SBA 7(a) Guide