Independent Contractor Agreement (Agent–Broker) — Nevada Edition Template

The agent–broker relationship in U.S. real estate runs on independent contractor status — and that status is legally fragile if the paperwork is wrong. Federal tax law provides a statutory safe harbor: under 26 U.S.C. § 3508, a licensed real estate agent is treated as a non-employee for federal tax purposes if substantially all compensation is tied to sales output rather than hours worked AND there is a written contract providing the agent will not be treated as an employee for federal tax purposes. No written agreement, no safe harbor. State-level classification (wage law, unemployment, workers' comp) adds another layer — many states have real-estate-specific carve-outs from tests like California's ABC test (see Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 10032), but those carve-outs typically also require a written independent contractor agreement.

This 7-page agreement is built to hold that status together. It covers: engagement and license status; the § 3508 written-contract language stating the agent will not be treated as an employee for federal tax purposes; commission-based compensation with a defined split schedule and changes-on-notice mechanics; broker supervision duties that coexist with contractor status (license law requires broker supervision — the agreement distinguishes regulatory supervision from employment-style control); expenses, fees, and chargebacks; E&O insurance; lead and listing ownership; conduct, compliance, and fair housing obligations; termination and post-termination commission treatment for pending deals; and dispute resolution.

The 50-state variation notes cover state contractor statutes, workers' comp election rules, and states requiring specific contract language. This is the single most important document in a brokerage's file cabinet — use this template as a strong starting point and have brokerage counsel adapt it to your state.

About this Nevada Edition: Every template was redrafted around Nevada's real estate license law (NRS chapter 645), including the licensee duties owed to all parties and to clients (NRS 645.252 and 645.254), the written-consent rule for a licensee acting for more than one party (NRS 645.253), the compensation-through-the-broker rule (NRS 645.280), and the requirements that exclusive listing and buyer agreements be in writing with a definite termination date and no automatic renewal (NRS 645.320). Disclosure documents track the Seller's Real Property Disclosure regime (NRS 113.100–113.150), the common-interest community resale package and cancellation right (NRS 116.4109), and the facts Nevada deems not material (NRS 40.770), while contract forms rely on Nevada's statute of frauds for land contracts (NRS 111.210) and its Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (NRS chapter 719). The independent-contractor and team agreements reference Nevada's independent-contractor presumption (NRS 608.0155) and I.R.C. § 3508, and the commission forms note the commercial broker's lien provisions of NRS chapter 645 (NRS 645.8701 et seq.). These are supplemental drafting templates, not Nevada Real Estate Division forms, and must be reviewed by Nevada counsel.