After you pass

Your Georgia Sponsoring Broker

A Georgia salesperson licence is issued inactive unless a Sponsoring Broker Statement is filed with your application. The broker holds your licence, supervises your work and is responsible for the trust account your clients' money sits in. Choosing one is the most consequential decision of your first year, and commission split is the least useful way to compare them.

What a sponsoring broker actually does

The broker holds your licence, supervises your transactions and is legally responsible for the brokerage trust account. Under Georgia law the brokerage engagement is with the broker, not with you, which is why the choice matters more than a commission percentage suggests.

That last point catches new agents out. When a client signs, they are contracting with the firm. You are the person doing the work, but the duties and the liability run through the broker, which is exactly why brokers care how you work.

What to ask before you sign

What training do you actually provide in the first ninety days? Ask for specifics. Everyone says they train.
What are the total monthly costs? Desk fees, technology fees, MLS and association dues. Add them up before comparing splits.
Where do leads come from? If the answer is your own network, that is fine, but it should be said out loud rather than discovered in month three.
Who do I call at ten at night with a contract question? The answer tells you what supervision really looks like here.
How many agents does the managing broker supervise? Attention is finite.

Why split is the wrong headline

A 70/30 split with real training and a mentor will usually out-earn a 90/10 split where nobody answers the phone, because the first one produces closings and the second produces a licence gathering dust. Compare on what gets you to your first three transactions.

If you are not ready to choose

You do not have to. An inactive licence is a legitimate holding position while you decide, and activating later is straightforward. Active versus inactive status covers what each permits, and remember the 25-hour post-license course still applies in your first year.

Choosing a broker

Facts checked against the current PSI Candidate Information Bulletin and GREC sources. Last reviewed August 2026. Editorial standards.

Do I need a sponsoring broker to get licensed?

Not to pass the exam or to buy the licence, but yes to practise. Without a Sponsoring Broker Statement your licence is issued inactive, which means you are licensed but cannot work or be paid.

Can I change brokers later?

Yes, and most agents do. Transferring is an administrative process rather than a difficult one, so a first broker is not a life sentence. Pick for training rather than for permanence.

What commission split should a new agent expect?

It varies widely, and the headline number tells you very little on its own. A higher split with no training, no leads and a monthly desk fee can pay less than a lower split with support.