Due diligence on a gas station runs across four tracks simultaneously: environmental, financial, contractual, and physical. Sequencing them one after another wastes the inspection period and is how buyers end up asking for extensions from a position of weakness.
This is the step-by-step diligence plan by week, with the order that protects your deposit. For state-specific environmental process, see our UST and Phase I diligence guide.
Week One: Order Environmental and Open Every Request
Day one, engage an environmental consultant for a Phase I ESA and pull the site's regulatory file — registration status, release history, compliance inspections, and cleanup program enrollment. Environmental drives both financing and liability, so nothing should wait behind it.
In parallel, send the full document request: three years of tax returns and interim financials, supplier delivery records, POS exports by department, payroll registers, utility bills, the fuel supply agreement and amendments, the lease if applicable, tank testing and repair records, equipment inventory with ages, insurance loss runs, and all licenses and permits.
Weeks Two to Four: Verify, Inspect, and Underwrite
Reconcile revenue three ways — POS to tax returns to bank deposits — and rebuild expenses at your intended operating level. Inspect tanks, lines, dispensers and leak detection, canopy and lighting, refrigeration, HVAC, roof, paving, and car wash equipment, with written vendor quotes for every deficiency.
Simultaneously review contracts: assignment consent and volume minimums in the supply agreement, remaining lease term and renewal and assignment rights, vendor and category agreements, service contracts, and any equipment leases. Submit your complete file to lenders now so underwriting runs concurrently, not after.
Weeks Five to Eight: Resolve, Renegotiate, Prepare Closing
Address open items: complete Phase II if triggered, confirm cleanup responsibility and program eligibility in writing, obtain supplier consent to assignment, get license transfer applications filed, and bind insurance quotes including tank pollution liability.
Then renegotiate with documentation, not opinion — quoted repair costs, corrected financials, unfunded environmental obligations. Finally set the closing mechanics: inventory count method, meter readings, prorations of taxes and utilities, staff transition, vendor notifications, and the seller training period. We run this checklist for buyers under buyer and seller representation.
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Speak With a Florida Gas Station Specialist
Request a confidential consultation or off-market opportunities and pricing through our contact page, or call +1-305-518-1545. The Gas Station Group is headquartered at 8603 S Dixie Hwy, Miami, FL 33143. Principal: Bobby Berrido.