When Is the Best Time to Sell a Veterinary Practice? (Must Know)

In this blog, we are going to cover one of the most important and most common questions we hear from practice owners i.e  when is the best time to sell my veterinary practice. It’s a question that carries more meaning than it first seems because it’s not just about money but also about timing, your life and about what happens after you decide to take that next step.

We hear this question a lot and that may be because some are thinking about selling soon and others are just exploring their options or want to know what their practice could be worth if they ever decide to. Wherever you are in that journey, the truth is this: timing matters more than most people realize.

If you sell too early, you might leave growth and profit on the table. If you wait too long, your energy, your numbers or the market could shift. The goal is to sell when both you and your practice are ready and when the market is still working in your favor.

Before we move ahead, would you like to learn about your current practice value? Getting a clear understanding of where you stand helps you decide whether now or later is the right time to move forward.

Understanding the Market in 2025

Let’s start with what’s happening in the market right now. In 2025, corporate buyers are still paying strong prices for quality practices. According to FirstPageSage, most general practices are selling for about five to seven times EBITDA. Multi-doctor clinics that are well organized, profitable and not overly dependent on the owner are typically getting between nine and twelve times EBITDA.

That means if your practice earns one million dollars in annual profit (EBITDA), you could see offers between five and twelve million dollars depending on your systems, your leadership team, and your location. Those differences are huge, and they come down to preparation and structure, not just size.

A recent report from Ackerman Group shows that top-performing clinics with clean books and strong staff retention reached an average multiple of twelve and a half times EBITDA in early 2025. That’s among the highest we’ve seen in years.

So yes, the market is still active but buyers are being more selective. They are no longer paying top dollar for every clinic that lists for sale. They’re focusing on practices that already operate smoothly and have good leadership in place and show consistent financial performance.

Simply put, the best time to sell is when your veterirnary practice already looks like the kind of business they want to buy.

Why Timing Still Matters

The timing of your sale affects both your price and your peace of mind. Selling in a strong market helps but what matters even more is how ready your practice is to transition.

Imagine two owners with the same revenue. One has a well-trained team and clean books. The other is still managing everything personally and has messy financials. Even in the same market, one might get ten times EBITDA while the other gets six. That’s a four-million-dollar difference on the same profit level.

This happens because buyers pay for confidence. They pay for consistency not chaos. They want to see that when you leave, the practice will keep running without disruption.

That’s why the best time to sell isn’t just when the market is good. It’s when your business is organized, your systems are strong and your team can operate independently. That is what buyers reward.

What a Ready Practice Really Looks Like

A ready practice has three things in common: clean financials, strong people, and clear systems.

Clean financials mean your profit and loss statements, payroll records and tax returns are accurate and easy to understand. Buyers don’t like surprises. If you have personal expenses or unclear bookkeeping, it makes them question your numbers. Fixing that before you sell can instantly raise your value.

Strong people mean your staff can run the day-to-day without relying on you. If your practice manager, doctors and technicians are confident in their roles, the buyer sees stability. That gives them peace of mind and gives you leverage.

Clear systems mean your processes are documented. How appointments are scheduled, how inventory is managed, how clients are followed up with  when those details are written down and repeatable, buyers see a business that can perform under new ownership.

If you’re not there yet, that’s okay. Most owners aren’t. The key is to start now. It usually takes one to two years to fully prepare a practice for a smooth sale but that time adds enormous value when you do decide to sell.

Before we move to the next point, if you’d like to understand how ready your practice is, you can request a quick free Practice Valuation Assessment. It will show what buyers would likely pay today and what small steps could raise that number.

The Human Side of Timing

Timing isn’t just about business readiness but it’s also about personal readiness. Many owners wait too long to sell because they feel emotionally tied to their practice or because they worry about what will happen to their team. Those are real feelings and they matter. But waiting until you are burned out can hurt both your experience and your outcome.

The best time to sell is when you still enjoy what you do but feel ready for a new chapter. When you have energy, you make better decisions. You can plan your exit carefully, negotiate terms that protect your staff and stay involved long enough to ensure a smooth transition.

If you wait until you’re exhausted or frustrated, you often end up selling reactively. You accept whatever offer comes along because you need relief. That’s not the position you want to be in. Planning ahead gives you time to shape the deal the way you want it.

What Data Tells Us About Success

Every study of veterinary sales shows the same pattern: the best outcomes go to owners who prepare early. According to Marti Law Group, practices that addressed compliance issues, optimized operations and presented clean records achieved valuations 20 to 30 percent higher than average.

That’s because buyers don’t just buy your revenue; they buy the systems that create it. Preparation removes uncertainty. When your practice looks stable, it becomes more valuable.

Think of it this way. The market rewards confidence. The more confident buyers feel that your business will keep running smoothly after you step back, the higher your offers will be.

What This Means for You

If you’re thinking about selling soon, the next year or two could be your best window. Valuations are still strong but preparation takes time. Start reviewing your numbers now. Build independence in your team. Document what makes your practice work.

If you’re not ready to sell yet, that’s completely fine. The same steps that raise your valuation also make your practice easier to manage and more profitable today. You gain freedom now and options later.

Final Thoughts

The best time to sell your veterinary practice is when three things align i.e. the market is healthy, your practice is ready,and you are ready. The 2025-26 market is still strong but buyers are more selective which means preparation is your greatest advantage.

Start by learning where you stand. Knowing your value today helps you decide whether to grow, prepare, or sell. You’ve worked too hard to let that decision happen by chance.

Before you make your next move, would you like to learn about your current practice value? Schedule your free Practice Valuation Assessment with DVMElite and get a clear picture of what buyers are paying in 2025-26, what drives your valuation and what steps will increase it over time.