law
Firm Ownership of Listings and Compensation (Washington)
In Washington, listings, transactions, property management agreements, and other brokerage service contracts belong to the real estate firm, not the individual broker. A broker may be licensed to only one firm at a time and may accept compensation for licensed activity only from his or her own firm. A broker may not pay any part of a commission to anyone except through the firm's designated broker, and a firm may not pay unlicensed persons or brokers not licensed to it.
- Exam tip
- 'Money in, money out, through the firm and nowhere else.' A broker paid directly by a client, lender, or another agent is almost always a violation.
- Example
- A pleased buyer hands a broker a $1,000 personal bonus check; the broker must have the payment go to the firm, which then pays him.
Related terms & state variants
Sources
Source verification pending. Confirm current requirements with your state regulator.
Last verified: 2026-10-23