Free template
The split-fee agreement, ready to use
Everything a split-fee agreement needs, in plain English: the split, ownership, payment, rebates, and disputes. Download it free, no email required.
The seven clauses
What the template covers
1. Parties and role
Full legal names and companies of the Role Holder (the recruiter who owns the job order and client relationship) and the Candidate Owner (the recruiter supplying the candidate), plus the role title, client name, and location the agreement covers.
2. Fee split
The percentage of the total placement fee due to each party, fixed before any candidate details are exchanged. State the gross fee basis (e.g. 15% of first-year salary) and the split (e.g. 50/50), and that the split applies to the fee actually received from the client.
3. Candidate ownership and introduction
The Candidate Owner warrants they have the candidate's consent to be represented. The introduction date and time are recorded; the candidate is considered introduced by the Candidate Owner for a protection period (commonly 12 months) for this client.
4. Payment terms
When the Candidate Owner is paid (e.g. within 14 days of the Role Holder receiving cleared client funds), the payment method, and what happens if the client pays late or short-pays.
5. Rebate and replacement
If the placed candidate leaves within the client's rebate period and a rebate is due, both parties refund their share in the same proportion as the original split. If a free replacement is made instead, no repayment is due.
6. Confidentiality and non-circumvention
Neither party may approach the other's client or candidate directly to bypass the agreement, for a stated period (commonly 12 months). Candidate and client details remain confidential to this placement.
7. Disputes
How disagreements are resolved: first by reference to the recorded timestamps and this agreement, then escalation (mediation or a named jurisdiction's courts). On RecXchange this clause is rarely needed because the record settles ownership automatically.
This template is general information, not legal advice. Have a qualified adviser review it for your jurisdiction.
Or never write one again
On RecXchange, this entire agreement is generated, agreed, and recorded automatically before any candidate details are exchanged, with every submission timestamped. The template above is what the platform does for you on every single partnership.
FAQ
Agreement questions
Do I really need a written split-fee agreement?
Yes. The most common way recruiters get burned in split-fee deals is a handshake arrangement where terms are "agreed" verbally and remembered differently after the placement. A written agreement fixing the split, payment timeline, and ownership before any candidate details change hands removes the argument entirely.
What should a split-fee agreement include?
Seven things: the parties and the role covered; the fee split percentages; candidate ownership and the introduction record; payment terms; rebate and replacement handling; confidentiality and non-circumvention; and a dispute clause. The free template on this page covers all seven.
Is this template legally binding?
It is a general template, not legal advice. Signed by both parties it forms a contract in most jurisdictions, but you should have a qualified adviser review it for your local law. On RecXchange, agreements are generated and accepted on-platform automatically, with every submission timestamped.
New to the terminology? Check the split-fee glossary