The short answer: switching brokerages in Ontario costs very little. Staying at the wrong one is what gets expensive. Here's every cost you'll run into, with real numbers and two worked examples using Burlington prices.
The quick answer
When you join a brokerage, you pay three kinds of costs. You pay them wherever you hang your licence. The difference between brokerages is almost all in the third:
- Regulator costs, paid to RECO. These are the same at every brokerage.
- Board and association dues, paid to your local board, OREA and CREA. These are the same at every brokerage in your market.
- Brokerage costs: splits, desk fees, transaction fees, caps and extras. These vary a lot.
Here's what the first year looks like for an agent transferring into Right at Home Realty's Burlington branch:
| Cost | Amount | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| RECO transfer fee | $25, one time | RECO |
| RECO professional liability insurance (2026–27) | $500 a year | RECO |
| RECO registration renewal | $350 every two years (includes continuing education) | RECO |
| Board, OREA and CREA dues | Varies by board. Check your current invoice. | Your board |
| Brokerage fee | $109 + HST a month ($1,308 + HST a year), billed quarterly | Right at Home |
| Transaction fee | $599 + HST per sale, $250 + HST per lease | Right at Home |
| Annual cap on transaction fees | $15,000. After that, $99 per deal for the rest of the calendar year. | Right at Home |
| Commission split | None. You keep 100%. | — |
RECO figures are from RECO's published fee schedule and its 2026 insurance renewal notice. Brokerage figures are from our full fee schedule.
Costs every Ontario agent pays
These costs follow your licence, not your brokerage. They shouldn't drive your decision, but they belong in your budget.
RECO registration
RECO registers salespeople and brokers on a two-year cycle. A new salesperson registration is $356, and a renewal is $350, which includes the $44 continuing education fee. If you're already registered and moving to a new brokerage, the transfer itself is $25, and your renewal date doesn't change.
Professional liability insurance
Every registrant must be covered under RECO's mandatory insurance program. For the 2026–2027 policy period, RECO set the total cost at $500, payable to RECO. The cost is the same whichever brokerage you join.
Board and association dues
To use MLS® and call yourself a REALTOR®, you belong to a local board, which also bills OREA and CREA dues. Most Burlington agents belong to the Cornerstone Association of REALTORS®, the board formed when the Hamilton-Burlington association merged with several neighbouring boards. Some agents also keep a second board membership, such as TRREB, for access to another MLS. Dues change from year to year, so use your most recent invoice as your number.
What the brokerage charges
Ontario brokerages use some mix of these four models:
- Traditional split. The brokerage keeps a percentage of every commission, often 20% to 50% for newer agents. There's sometimes a monthly fee on top.
- Capped split. You pay a split until you've paid a set annual amount, then keep more for the rest of the year.
- Desk fee. You pay a higher flat monthly fee for a desk and services, often alongside a smaller split.
- Fee-based 100%. You pay a flat monthly fee and a flat fee per transaction, and keep the whole commission. This is Right at Home's model.
None of these is automatically better. What matters is how much you pay at your volume and price point, and what you get in return. Our article on 100% commission vs. traditional splits covers the trade-offs in detail.
Two worked examples
Both examples start from the agent's total gross commission for the year, so you can swap in your own numbers.
Example 1: newer agent, townhouses and condos
5 sales a year, for $80,000 a year in gross commission.
| Model | Brokerage takes | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Right at Home ($1,308 + 5 × $599) | $4,303 | $75,697 |
| 70/30 split | $24,000 | $56,000 |
| 50/50 split | $40,000 | $40,000 |
Brokerage amounts are before HST. With HST, the Right at Home total is about $4,862.
Example 2: established agent, detached homes
12 sales a year, for $300,000 a year in gross commission.
| Model | Brokerage takes | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Right at Home ($1,308 + 12 × $599) | $8,496 | $291,504 |
| 80/20 split, no cap | $60,000 | $240,000 |
| 80/20 split, capped at $20,000 | $20,000 | $280,000 |
Brokerage amounts are before HST and don't include any per-deal fees a capped brokerage may charge after the cap.
The pattern is the same in both: under a split, your costs grow with your success. Under a fee-based model, they stay flat. The question to ask is what the extra money buys you, and whether you'd rather spend it on your own marketing, a buyer's agent or an assistant.
Questions to ask before you sign
The headline split rarely tells the whole story. Ask every brokerage you interview for these in writing:
- Are there franchise, royalty or "brand" fees on top of the split?
- Is there a separate technology, sign, admin or E&O fee?
- Is there a cap, and what do you pay per deal after you hit it?
- How are team deals, referrals, leases and new-construction deals charged?
- Is there a minimum production requirement?
- What does it cost to leave? At Right at Home, the offboarding fee is $300, or $150 with 48 hours' notice and a completed exit survey.
- How fast is commission paid after closing? Ours is direct-deposited daily, Monday to Friday.
The Burlington picture
Burlington is a high-price, lower-volume market, which makes fees matter more. In July 2026, Cornerstone reported a median single-family price of $1,194,750 in Burlington, on 94 sales. That's down 18.3% from a year earlier. Townhouse and condo sales were down 17.0%, and the median days on market rose to 50.
When fewer deals close, each one carries more of your year. On a $25,000 commission, a 20% split costs you $5,000. At Right at Home, the fee on that same deal is $599 + HST.
The Burlington branch is at 5111 New Street. Our agents work across Halton, Hamilton, Peel and the GTA. Along with the 100% model, you get a managing broker who coaches: business plans built from your income goal, regular one-on-ones, and help with online lead conversion and your database.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to transfer my licence to a new brokerage in Ontario?
RECO's transfer fee is $25. Your new brokerage processes the transfer through RECO's MyWeb portal, and your renewal date stays the same.
Do I have to pay RECO insurance again when I switch?
No. RECO's professional liability insurance is a mandatory annual payment, $500 for 2026–2027, and it isn't tied to which brokerage you're with.
What does a new agent pay to join Right at Home Burlington?
New registrants pay the same monthly and transaction fees, plus a mandatory $599 Fast Track Program fee. That fee is credited back to your Right at Home account when you complete the program.
Is 100% commission really 100%?
Yes, but it isn't free. You keep your full commission and pay flat fees instead: $109 + HST a month and $599 + HST per sale, capped at $15,000 a year in transaction fees.