ARTICLE 3. Compensation of Agent, Broker, or Auctioneer [10160. - 10168.]

Cal. Probate Code - PROB 3.

in effect

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 10160. Section 10160.

The estate is not liable to an agent, broker, or auctioneer under a contract for the sale of property or for any fee, commission, or other compensation or expenses in connection with a sale of property unless the following requirements are satisfied: (a) An actual sale is made. (b) If court confirmation or approval is required, the sale is confirmed or approved by the court as required. (c) The sale is consummated.

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 10160.5. Section 10160.5.

The estate is not liable to an agent or broker under a contract for the sale of property or for any fee, commission, or other compensation or expenses in connection with sale of the property in either of the following cases: (a) Where the agent or broker, directly or indirectly, is the purchaser of the property. (b) Where the agent or broker representing the purchaser to whom the sale is confirmed has any interest in the purchaser.

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 10161. Section 10161.

(a) Subject to the provisions of this article, whether or not the agent or broker has a contract with the personal representative, the fee, commission, or other compensation of an agent or broker in connection with a sale of property shall be the amount the court, in its discretion, determines to be a reasonable compensation for the services of the agent or broker to the estate. (b) Unless the agent or broker holds a contract granting an exclusive right to sell the property, an agent or broker is not entitled to any fee, commission, or other compensation for services to the estate in connection with a sale except in the following cases: (1) Where the agent or broker produces the original bid which is returned to the court for confirmation. (2) Where the property is sold on an increased bid, made at the time of the hearing on the petition for confirmation, to a purchaser procured by the agent or broker. (c) If the agent or broker has a contract with the personal representative, the amount of the compensation of the agent or broker in connection with the sale of property shall not exceed the amount provided for in the contract.

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 10162. Section 10162.

(a) Subject to subdivision (b), where the bid returned to the court for confirmation is made by a person who is not represented by an agent or broker and the successful bidder is represented by an agent or broker, the compensation of the agent or broker who procured the purchaser to whom the sale is confirmed shall not exceed one-half of the difference between the amount of the bid in the original return and the amount of the successful bid. (b) This section does not limit the compensation of the agent or broker who holds a contract under Section 10150 granting him or her the exclusive right to sell the property.

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 10162.3. Section 10162.3.

(a) This section applies if all of the following circumstances exist: (1) There is no agent or broker holding a contract under Section 10150 granting the exclusive right to sell the property. (2) The bid returned to court for confirmation is made by a purchaser represented by an agent or broker. (3) The court confirms the sale to that purchaser either on the bid returned to court for confirmation or on an increased bid made at the time of the hearing on the petition for confirmation. (b) If all the circumstances described in subdivision (a) exist, the court shall allow the agent or broker who procured the purchaser to whom the sale is confirmed the compensation determined under Section 10161 on the full amount for which the sale is confirmed.

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 10162.5. Section 10162.5.

Subject to Section 10162.6, where an agent or broker holds a contract under Section 10150 granting the exclusive right to sell the property, the court shall allow to the agent or broker holding the contract the compensation determined under Section 10161 on: (a) The full amount for which the sale is confirmed in either of the following circumstances: (1) The bid returned to the court for confirmation is made by a purchaser who is not represented by an agent or broker and the court confirms the sale to that purchaser on that bid. (2) The bid returned to the court for confirmation is made by a purchaser who is represented by the agent or broker holding the contract and the court confirms the sale to that purchaser on an increased bid made at the time of the hearing on the petition for confirmation. (b) The amount of the original bid if both of the following circumstances exist: (1) The bid returned to court for confirmation is made by a purchaser who is not represented by an agent or broker or who is represented by the agent or broker holding a contract under Section 10150 granting the exclusive right to sell the property. (2) The court confirms the sale on an increased bid, made at the time of the hearing on the petition for confirmation, to a purchaser who was not procured by a bona fide agent or broker.

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 10162.6. Section 10162.6.

(a) This section applies if both of the following circumstances exist: (1) An agent or broker holds a contract under Section 10150 granting the exclusive right to sell the property. (2) The contract provides that no compensation is payable to the agent or broker holding the contract if sale is confirmed to a particular purchaser named in the contract. (b) If the court confirms the sale to the purchaser named in the contract, whether on an original bid returned to the court or on an increased bid made at the time of the hearing on the petition for confirmation, the compensation of any agents or brokers involved in the sale is determined as provided in this article, except that no compensation is payable to the agent or broker holding the contract. (c) If the court confirms the sale to a purchaser other than the person named in the contract, whether on an original bid returned to the court or on an increased bid made at the time of the hearing on the petition for confirmation, the compensation of the agent or broker holding the contract, and of any other agents or brokers involved in the sale, is determined under this article as if the limitation in the contract did not exist.

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 10162.7. Section 10162.7.

(a) Subject to Section 10162.6, this section applies if all of the following circumstances exist: (1) There is an agent or broker holding a contract under Section 10150 granting the exclusive right to sell the property. (2) The bid returned to court for confirmation is made by a purchaser procured by another agent or broker. (3) The court confirms the sale to that purchaser either on the bid returned to court for confirmation or on an increased bid made at the time of the hearing on the petition for confirmation. (b) If all the circumstances described in subdivision (a) exist, the court shall allow the compensation determined under Section 10161 on the full amount for which the sale is confirmed. The compensation allowed by the court shall be divided between the agent or broker holding the contract and the other agent or broker as is provided in any agreement between the agent or broker holding the contract and the other agent or broker. If there is no agreement, the compensation on the amount of the original bid returned to the court shall be divided equally between the agent or broker holding the contract and the other agent or broker and, if the sale is confirmed on an increased bid, the other agent or broker shall be paid all of the compensation on the difference between the original bid and the amount for which the sale is confirmed.

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 10163. Section 10163.

Subject to Sections 10162 and 10162.6, where the original bid returned to the court for confirmation was made by a purchaser who was not procured by an agent or broker, the court shall allow the compensation determined under Section 10161 on the full amount for which the sale is confirmed to the agent or broker who procured the purchaser to whom the sale is confirmed if either of the following conditions is satisfied: (a) The court confirms a sale on an increased bid, made at the time of the hearing on the petition for confirmation, to a purchaser procured by an agent or broker holding a contract under Section 10150 granting the exclusive right to sell the property. (b) There is no agent or broker holding a contract under Section 10150 granting the exclusive right to sell the property and the court confirms a sale on an increased bid, made at the time of the hearing on the petition for confirmation, to a purchaser procured by a bona fide agent or broker.

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 10164. Section 10164.

(a) This section applies only where the court confirms a sale on an increased bid, made at the time of the hearing on the petition for confirmation, to a purchaser who was not procured by a bona fide agent or broker. (b) Except as provided in subdivision (c), the court shall allow the compensation determined under Section 10161 on the amount of the original bid to the agent or broker whose original bid was returned to the court. (c) If an agent or broker holds a contract under Section 10150 granting the exclusive right to sell the property and the original bid returned to the court is made by a purchaser who was procured by another agent or broker, the compensation determined under Section 10161 on the amount of the original bid shall be divided between the agent or broker holding the contract and the other agent or broker as is provided in any agreement between the agent or broker holding the contract and the other agent or broker. If there is no agreement, the compensation shall be divided equally between the agent or broker holding the contract and the other agent or broker.

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 10165. Section 10165.

(a) Subject to Section 10162.6, where the court confirms a sale on an increased bid, made at the time of the hearing on the petition for confirmation, to a purchaser procured by a bona fide agent or broker, the court shall allow the compensation determined under Section 10161 on the full amount for which the sale is confirmed, as provided in this section, if either of the following conditions is satisfied: (1) The original bid returned to the court for confirmation was made by a purchaser who was procured by another agent or broker. (2) The original bid returned to the court for confirmation was made by a purchaser who was not represented by an agent or broker, and another agent or broker holds a contract under Section 10150 granting the exclusive right to sell the property. (b) The agent or broker who procured the purchaser to whom the sale is confirmed shall be paid one-half of the compensation on the amount of the original bid and all of the compensation on the difference between the original bid and the amount for which the sale is confirmed. (c) The other one-half of the compensation on the amount of the original bid shall be paid as follows: (1) If the original bid returned to the court is made by a purchaser who was procured by the agent or broker holding a contract under Section 10150 granting the exclusive right to sell the property, the entire one-half of the compensation on the original bid shall be paid to that agent or broker. (2) If the original bid returned to the court is made by a purchaser who was procured by a bona fide agent or broker and there is no agent or broker holding a contract under Section 10150 granting the exclusive right to sell the property, the entire one-half of the compensation on the original bid shall be paid to that agent or broker. (3) If there is an agent or broker who holds a contract under Section 10150 granting the exclusive right to sell the property and the original bid returned to the court is made by a purchaser who was procured by another agent or broker, the one-half of the compensation on the amount of the original bid shall be divided between the agent or broker holding the contract granting the exclusive right to sell the property and the other agent or broker whose original bid was returned to the court for confirmation as is provided in any agreement between the agent or broker holding the contract and the other agent or broker. If there is no agreement, the one-half of the compensation on the amount of the original bid shall be divided equally between the agent or broker holding the contract and the other agent or broker whose original bid was returned to the court for confirmation. (4) If there is an agent or broker who holds a contract under Section 10150 granting the exclusive right to sell the property and the original bid returned to the court is made by a purchaser who is not represented by an agent or broker and the court confirms the sale on an increased bid, made at the time of the hearing on the petition for confirmation, to a purchaser procured by another agent or broker, the entire one-half of the compensation on the original bid shall be paid to the agent or broker holding the contract. (5) If the agent or broker compensated under subdivision (b) holds a contract under Section 10150 granting the exclusive right to sell the property, the entire one-half of the compensation on the original bid shall be paid to the other agent or broker who procured the original bid returned to the court.

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 10166. Section 10166.

Notwithstanding that a bid contains a condition that a certain amount of the bid shall be paid to an agent or broker by the personal representative, only such compensation as is proper under this article shall be allowed. Acceptance of the bid by the court binds the bidder even though the compensation allowed by the court is less than that specified by the condition.

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 10167. Section 10167.

(a) Subject to subdivision (b), whether or not the auctioneer has a contract with the personal representative, the fees, compensation, and expenses of an auctioneer in connection with a sale of property shall be the amount the court, in its discretion, determines to be a reasonable compensation for the services of the auctioneer to the estate. (b) If the auctioneer has a contract with the personal representative, the amount of the compensation of the auctioneer in connection with the sale of property shall not exceed the amount provided for in the contract.

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 10168. Section 10168.

This article does not supersede any agreement cooperating agents or brokers may have among themselves to divide the compensation payable under this article.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026