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Sell Your Security Integration Business (2026): No 6-12% Broker Fee

Selling a security integration business in 2026 typically closes in 60-120 days with a buy-side advisor — vs 9-12 months with a traditional broker charging 6-12% of the sale price. Below: the exact process, who is buying, what they pay, and how to skip the 6-12% commission entirely.

Updated May 2026 · 11 min read

What Is My Security Integration Business Worth, and How Do I Sell It?

For 2026 RMR-based alarm valuation math (2026) covering RMR multiples by account type, attrition adjustments, account quality scoring, and common valuation traps, see our reference.

For 2026 sell a low-voltage company at 3x-7x EBITDA with monitoring RMR / access control / video surveillance premium and named buyers (Pye-Barker, Convergint, Everon), see our reference.

For 2026 security guard sale playbook with 3x-8x EBITDA multiples and named buyers (Allied Universal, GardaWorld, Securitas, BEST), see our reference guide.

For 2026 fire alarm / monitored-account sale playbook with 4x-10x+ EBITDA multiples on monitored accounts and named buyers (Pye-Barker, Pavion, Securitas), see our guide.

For the 36-month low-voltage business exit playbook with PE valuation multiples and pre-LOI diligence, see our guide.

For 2026 locksmith multiples by operator type and value drivers, see our locksmith SDE multiples guide.

Commercial security is consolidating fast, and valuations are driven almost entirely by recurring revenue. A well-run security integration business typically sells for 3.5x to 6.5x EBITDA. Platform-ready operators with strong management, clean financials, and over 30% RMR command 7x to 10x or higher.

Profile	Typical multiple	Why
Project / install only	3.5x to 4.5x	Lumpy, non-recurring revenue
Mixed install + monitoring	5x to 6.5x	Growing RMR base
RMR-heavy, commercial	7x to 10x+	30%+ recurring, enterprise focus, strong tech stack

The recurring monthly revenue base is valued separately and richly: monitoring and managed-service RMR trades at 30x to 45x the monthly figure. Use our valuation calculator to see where your numbers land.

Why Private Equity Is Consolidating Commercial Security

Private equity loves commercial security for its recurring revenue. Monitoring and managed-service contracts produce predictable, high-margin, low-attrition cash flow. Security sector M&A surged more than 20% year over year recently, and the momentum has carried into 2026.

Active buyers include PE-backed platforms such as Everon, backed by GTCR, and Pye-Barker Fire & Safety, alongside strategic acquirers like ASSA ABLOY, Motorola Solutions, Allegion, Honeywell, and Securitas. Buyers are not just buying revenue; they are buying RMR, commercial accounts, and technical capability. A security integration business with a clean book and a real recurring base is exactly what the most active acquirers are mandated to buy.

What Separates a 4x Security Business From a 10x Business

Recurring monthly revenue is the number one driver. Monitoring, managed access, and service agreements produce predictable cash flow buyers can underwrite. A project-only installer earns a far lower multiple than an RMR-heavy operator.

• RMR percentage. Crossing 30% recurring revenue moves you into platform-multiple territory.
• Commercial and enterprise focus. Commercial accounts are larger, stickier, and more valuable than residential.
• Owned monitoring book. An owned RMR base is the single most valuable asset on the balance sheet.
• Modern tech stack. Cloud-based access control and video platforms command a premium over legacy systems.
• Clean financials and contract data. Documented RMR, attrition, and renewal rates speed diligence.

Red Flags That Destroy Security Integration Valuations

The same issues come up in nearly every security deal that stalls or trades low:

• Project-only revenue. Little or no RMR is harder to underwrite and trades at a discount.
• Owner dependence. If the founder holds the key accounts or technical knowledge, buyers price in transition risk.
• High RMR attrition. Poor contract retention signals weak account control.
• Legacy technology. Outdated, non-cloud systems raise reinvestment concern.
• Customer concentration. Heavy reliance on one account or builder triggers a haircut.

Typical Security Integration Deal Structure

Most security integration acquisitions follow a similar shape. Expect 60% to 80% of the purchase price as cash at close, with the balance in an earnout, a seller note, and rollover equity.

• Cash at close: 60% to 80%, higher for RMR-heavy operators.
• Earnout: 10% to 25%, tied to RMR retention over 12 to 24 months.
• Rollover equity: 10% to 20% is common with PE platforms.

Who Is Actually Buying Security Integration Companies?

The security integration buyer universe is deep:

PE Platforms

Private-equity-backed consolidators acquiring add-ons, including Everon (GTCR) and Pye-Barker Fire & Safety. They pay platform multiples for RMR and commercial accounts.

Strategic Acquirers

Global players such as ASSA ABLOY, Motorola Solutions, Allegion, Honeywell, and Securitas buying capability and recurring revenue.

Regional Consolidators

Mid-size integrators rolling up a single region.

Search Funds and Independent Sponsors

Individual buyers acquiring a security integration company as a platform.

How to Sell a Security Integration Business: The Process

If you are researching how to sell your security integration business, the process is more controlled than most owners expect. It is not a public listing. It is a confidential, competitive process run directly with the buyers most likely to pay the most:

1. Confidential consultation. We learn about your security integration business, your goals, and your timeline, and give you an honest read on your valuation range.
2. Valuation and positioning. We help you present your strengths to maximize the multiple.
3. Targeted introductions. We introduce you directly to PE platforms, strategics, and search funders mandated to buy these businesses.
4. Deal support through closing. We stay involved through LOI, due diligence, and closing so the final terms reflect what your business is worth.

CT Acquisitions is paid by the buyer at close, so there is no cost to you as the seller.

Why We’re Different From a Traditional Business Broker

Most owners assume selling means hiring a business broker, signing a 12-month exclusive listing agreement, and paying an 8% to 12% success fee out of their proceeds. CT Acquisitions works differently. We are a buy-side M&A partner, not a seller’s broker:

• The buyer pays our fee, not you. 100% of the agreed price goes to you.
• No exclusivity, no lock-in. No retainer and no contract until a deal you choose to accept closes.
• Direct buyer relationships, not a public listing. We introduce you confidentially to 100+ active buyers already mandated to acquire these businesses.
• We work for the deal, not the listing. Our job runs through LOI, diligence, and closing.

How Long Does It Take to Sell a Security Integration Business?

For a well-prepared security integration business, a typical sale runs four to seven months from first conversation to close: two to four weeks to organize financials, four to eight weeks to run a confidential buyer process, two to three weeks to negotiate a letter of intent, and six to ten weeks of due diligence and legal work to closing. Clean financials speed diligence; owner dependence and customer concentration are the most common reasons a deal stalls. Our owner’s exit checklist walks through what to have ready.

When Is the Best Time to Sell a Security Integration Business?

The best time to sell is when buyer demand, your financial trajectory, and your personal readiness line up, and right now the first of those is unusually strong. Private equity consolidation in this sector is at a multi-year peak. Buyers pay the most for a business on an upward trend, so the strongest outcomes come from selling after two to three years of steady growth, while you still have the energy to support a clean transition. If you expect to exit within two to three years, the most valuable move today is a confidential conversation about where your business stands.

How to Prepare Your Security Integration Business for Sale

The owners who get the strongest outcomes start preparing well before they go to market. If you are thinking about how to sell your security integration business, these are the steps that move your valuation the most and make the process faster:

• Get your financials clean and reviewed. Three years of clear profit and loss statements, balance sheets, and tax returns, with personal expenses separated out and add-backs documented. Clean books are the single biggest lever on diligence speed and buyer confidence.
• Lock in recurring and contracted revenue. Buyers pay the most for predictable revenue. Renew agreements, document your recurring base, and show the retention data behind it.
• Reduce owner dependence. If the business cannot run a week without you, that is a discount. Build a management layer, delegate key relationships, and document your processes so a buyer sees a business, not a job.
• Tidy up operations and the asset base. Resolve aged receivables, address any licensing or compliance gaps, and make sure equipment and systems are in good order before a buyer looks closely.
• Understand your valuation range early. Know what a security integration business like yours is worth, and what would lift it, before you talk to buyers. That is the difference between negotiating from data and negotiating from hope.

You do not have to do all of this alone. A confidential conversation early gives you a clear, honest read on where your business stands and exactly what to fix before you go to market. Our owner’s exit checklist covers the full pre-sale preparation list.

Sell Your Security Integration Business by State

Every US state has a different regulatory stack for commercial security integration sales — qualifying-agent licensing varies wildly (Texas DPS Private Security Bureau, California CSLB C-7, Florida ECLB Class I/II, Georgia State Board of Low-Voltage Contractors, Virginia DCJS, North Carolina Alarm Systems Licensing Board), federal cleared-work density varies (Virginia tops the list with the Pentagon, NSA Fort Meade, Quantico, and Naval Station Norfolk; Maryland anchors Fort Meade and Aberdeen Proving Ground; Alabama anchors Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville), and the named PE / strategic buyer pool actively acquiring in each state shifts based on geography (Pye-Barker is headquartered in Atlanta and drives consolidation gravity across the Southeast; Convergint is headquartered in Schaumburg IL; Vector Security is headquartered in Warrendale PA). Pick your state below for the local valuation framework, the named PE platforms actively acquiring in 2024-2026, the state-specific qualifying-agent and license-transfer mechanics, and the 18-24 month pre-sale playbook.

International Security Integration M&A Coverage

CT Acquisitions advises owners selling security integration businesses across four jurisdictions outside the US. Each page is jurisdiction-specific: PE buyer list, multiples bands by EBITDA tier, regulator-transfer mechanics, and the local tax-arbitrage window.

• The Uk
• Canada
• Australia
• Ireland

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I sell my security business?

Start with a confidential conversation, not a public listing. To sell your security business on the best terms, you want to reach the buyers already mandated to acquire commercial security companies, PE platforms like Everon and Pye-Barker, strategics, and search funders. CT Acquisitions introduces you directly to 100+ active buyers, runs a competitive process, and is paid by the buyer at close, so there are no fees to you as the seller.

What is my security integration company worth?

Most security integration companies sell for 3.5x to 6.5x EBITDA, with platform-ready operators carrying over 30% RMR reaching 7x to 10x or higher. The recurring monitoring base is valued separately at 30x to 45x the monthly figure.

How do I sell my access control or low voltage business?

The process is the same whether your focus is access control, low voltage, alarm, or full security integration. What matters to buyers is recurring monthly revenue, commercial accounts, and a modern tech stack. We position those strengths and introduce you to the most active acquirers.

Will my employees know I am selling?

No. The process is fully confidential. Your security integration business is never publicly listed. Employees and customers are not informed unless and until you decide to tell them, typically after a deal is signed.

How much does CT Acquisitions charge?

Nothing. CT Acquisitions is paid by the buyer at close, so there is no cost to you as the seller. No retainer, no listing fee, no success fee.

Related Resources

• How to Sell Your Business: The Complete Guide
• The Owner’s Exit Checklist
• What Is My Business Worth?