A commission request form is the document a real estate agent submits to their brokerage after a transaction closes to trigger payment of the commission earned on that deal. It links one specific closed sale to the dollar amount owed, and its figures have to line up with the Closing Disclosure and your independent contractor agreement before accounting will release funds.
What the Form Captures
Every commission request form starts with your identifying information: full legal name and taxpayer identification number. Brokerages need your TIN, usually a Social Security number for individuals or an Employer Identification Number if you operate through a business entity, because they’re required to report your compensation to the IRS.1Internal Revenue Service. U.S. Taxpayer Identification Number Requirement Getting this wrong doesn’t just delay your check; it creates tax reporting headaches that follow you into the next filing season.
The form then ties the payment to a specific transaction. You enter the property address, the closing date, and the gross sales price. For most residential transactions closed after October 2015, the closing date comes from the Closing Disclosure rather than the older HUD-1 Settlement Statement.2Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. What Is a HUD-1 Settlement Statement? The gross sales price is the baseline for calculating the total commission. On a $500,000 sale with a 6% total commission rate, the gross commission is $30,000.
Many firms also ask you to confirm on the form that all closing documents carry proper signatures from buyer and seller. Some treat that certification as a separate compliance step handled by a transaction coordinator.
Splits, Referrals, and Deductions
From the gross figure, the form accounts for every deduction before arriving at your net payout. Commission splits between the listing side and the buyer side come first. Your brokerage split applies next: if your agreement gives the broker 30%, you’d show a net share of 70%.
Referral fees paid to other agents or brokerages get itemized here, typically running between 20% and 35% of the referring agent’s portion. Include the receiving party’s taxpayer ID so both sides can report the payment properly. Many brokerages also deduct a flat administrative or transaction fee, which can range from a couple hundred dollars to over a thousand depending on the firm.
If you’ve drawn against future commissions or taken an advance on this deal, that balance also comes out here. A commission advance is a short-term loan from a third-party company that fronts you part of your expected commission before the deal closes; the advance company’s fee grows the longer the expected time to closing, and you still owe the balance if the deal falls through. A recoverable draw from your brokerage works similarly: it’s a guaranteed minimum against future commissions, and if your earnings don’t cover it, you owe the difference back. A non-recoverable draw doesn’t require repayment if your commissions fall short, but it’s less common because the risk sits entirely with the employer. Whichever applies, the outstanding balance gets deducted from your net payout, and your commission request form has to reflect that deduction.
CDAs Are Not the Same Document
A commission disbursement authorization, commonly called a CDA, is related but distinct. A commission request form goes to your brokerage’s accounting department. A CDA goes to the title company, escrow company, or closing attorney, and it instructs the closing entity on exactly how to split and deliver the commission funds at settlement.
The practical advantage of a CDA is speed. Instead of the entire commission flowing to the brokerage first and then being redistributed, the closing entity can cut separate checks or wire funds directly to each payee. The CDA lists each recipient’s legal name, tax ID, and payment delivery instructions, with a signature from someone authorized at the brokerage to approve the disbursement.
Not every transaction uses a CDA. Some brokerages prefer to receive the full commission and handle internal distribution themselves, especially when there are complex split arrangements or outstanding advances to recoup. If your brokerage uses CDAs, your commission request form and the CDA need to show identical figures. A mismatch between what accounting expects and what the title company disburses will freeze payment until someone reconciles the numbers.
How to Submit the Form
Most brokerages handle commission requests through transaction management platforms like SkySlope, Dotloop, or Command. You upload the completed form as a PDF into the transaction folder for that specific deal, where it sits alongside the purchase agreement, disclosures, and closing documents. The platform generates a timestamp confirming the upload. Save it.
Firms without dedicated software typically accept submissions by email to accounting, with the property address and your name in the subject line. A smaller number of offices still want a physical copy with a wet-ink signature delivered to a managing broker. Whichever method applies, get a confirmation receipt. That receipt starts the internal processing clock and protects you if there’s ever a question about when you submitted.
What Happens After You Submit
Once the form is in, someone on the brokerage side (usually the broker-in-charge or a staff accountant) compares your numbers against the Closing Disclosure and your independent contractor agreement. They’re checking that the commission percentage matches your contract, that the split math is correct, and that any referral fees or deductions are properly documented. Expect the review to take roughly two to five business days after closing, though complex transactions or missing paperwork can push that timeline out.
Payment comes as a direct deposit or a paper check, depending on what you’ve set up with your brokerage. If accounting finds a discrepancy, you’ll get an email explaining what needs to be corrected. Respond quickly. A missing document or a transposed number can stall payment for another full review cycle, and most brokerages process commission runs on a set schedule rather than on demand.
When the Payout Doesn’t Match What You Expected
Commission disputes happen more often than most agents expect. If your payout doesn’t match what you expected, start by checking your own paperwork. Compare the commission request form against your independent contractor agreement and the Closing Disclosure to find where the numbers diverge. An honest accounting error is the most common cause, and a straightforward email to your broker or the accounting department usually resolves it within a few days.
When informal communication doesn’t work, review your brokerage agreement for a dispute resolution clause. Many contracts require mediation or arbitration before either side can file a lawsuit, and local real estate boards often provide dispute resolution services for their members. Arbitration through an association like the National Association of Realtors is faster and cheaper than litigation, though the outcome is typically binding.
If mediation and arbitration fail or aren’t available, a real estate attorney is the next step. Commission disputes can involve breach of contract, unjust enrichment, or violations of state licensing regulations, depending on the facts. An attorney can also evaluate whether the brokerage’s conduct crosses into territory regulated by federal law. Under the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, paying or accepting fees for referrals of settlement services, or splitting fees where no actual services were performed, is illegal in transactions involving federally related mortgage loans.3Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. 12 CFR 1024.14 – Prohibition Against Kickbacks and Unearned Fees RESPA doesn’t cover ordinary internal errors on a commission request form, but if someone is skimming unearned fees from your commission, that’s a different situation.
Hold onto every commission request form, Closing Disclosure, CDA, 1099-NEC, and brokerage agreement for at least three years after filing the return that covers that income, which is the general IRS recommendation for income and expense records.4Internal Revenue Service. How Long Should I Keep Records? Six years gives you a comfortable buffer against audit risk, and digital copies in a cloud-based system are fine as long as you can produce them if asked.