Panama real estate agent fees: licensed brokers, market rate.
// Short answer
Panama does not set a commission rate: unless agreed otherwise, whoever hired the broker owes the commission prevailing in the market. What the law does require is a licence: a real estate broker needs one from the Junta Tecnica de Bienes Raices, a bond and an exam, and anyone can check a broker online. ITBMS (VAT) is 7%.
Rules and rates as of October 2026.
On this page
How much does a Panamanian real estate broker charge?
No law sets the rate. The law presumes that whoever hired the broker owes the prevailing market commission, unless agreed otherwise (Decree Law 6 of 1999, article 15). The brokers' Code of Ethics sets an optional minimum of 5% on sales (Resolution 002-2001, article 21).
So agree the percentage in writing. Every other cost: Panama property buying costs.
Sources
Who pays the estate agent in Panama, buyer or seller?
Whoever hired the broker, unless agreed otherwise.
So agree in writing who pays before you sign anything.
Sources
Is ITBMS charged on agent fees in Panama?
Yes, at 7%, once the provider's annual billing exceeds B/.36,000.
Taxes once you own: Panama property tax for foreigners.
Panama agent guide
Choosing a broker in Panama? The questions to ask first
Every broker needs a licence and a B/.10,000 bond, and "5%" is a floor a broker may choose, not the law. The 12 questions, the MICI check, who may take your deposit, a first-call script and a worksheet in dollars.
How do I check a Panamanian real estate broker?
Practising needs a Junta Tecnica licence, a B/.10,000 bond renewed every year, and an exam; foreign applicants need five years' residence; brokering without a licence carries a B/.10,000 fine. Search the broker in MICI's online list of licensed brokers.
The title record to check: the Panama public registry explained.
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the real estate commission in Panama?
Do real estate agents need a licence in Panama?
How can I check a real estate broker in Panama?
Header photo: 123Hollic, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. All credits: image credits.