Money·7 min read · updated Oct 1, 2026
Agency commission, market by market.
Twenty percent is the number everyone knows. It is rarely the whole story: a second agency abroad, a fee billed to the client, and a column of rebilled expenses decide what you actually receive. Here is how each piece works, and how to read it on the monthly statement.
A modeling agency takes about 20% of your fee in Paris, New York, Los Angeles and Copenhagen, and 20 to 25% in Milan and London; Tokyo and Seoul work on season contracts with a guarantee. Working abroad, a local agency and your mother agency are both paid on the same job, and both shares must be printed on the statement. Rebilled expenses are owed only at cost and when a clause allows them — a “miscellaneous” line with no clause behind it is not.
Written by the Odette team · reviewed by Arthur Feingold, Swapp Studio. About Odette
Standard rates, eight cities.
What the agency takes from your fee. Most also bill the client a separate agency fee — that one is not yours to worry about.
| City | Commission on your fee | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Paris | ≈ 20% of your fee + agency fee billed to the client | Employee status; contributions deducted by the agency |
| Milan | 20–25% | Withholding tax on fees; the local agency splits with your mother agency |
| London | 20–25% (+ VAT on the commission) | Self-employed; you may need to invoice the agency |
| New York | 20% (+ 20% agency fee to the client) | Independent contractor; 1099; agency advances are common |
| Los Angeles | 20% | Commercial and e-commerce heavy; union jobs have their own scale |
| Tokyo | Per-season contract with a guarantee | Flat monthly guarantee vs. commission; apartment and flights advanced |
| Copenhagen | ≈ 20% | Small market, transparent statements; direct work common |
| Seoul | Per season, through a local agency | E-6 visa sponsored by the agency; withholding at source |
Observed in 2025–2026 contracts, as of September 2026. Your contract prevails; if it says nothing, ask in writing before the first job.
Mother + local.
Working abroad, two agencies are paid on the same job. The order matters, and the amounts should be printed.
- Client pays€2,000the booking, Milan, one day
- Local agency− €50025% commission, Milan
- Mother agency− €20010% of gross, Paris
- You€1,300before tax; withholding applies
Illustrative. The mother agency’s share is set in your mother-agency contract (5–10% is typical); the local agency’s in the season contract. Both must appear on the statement.
What gets rebilled.
The commission is the visible line. The rebilled expenses are the quiet ones.
| Line | Legitimate? | How to check |
|---|---|---|
| Comp cards | Yes, at cost | Ask for the unit price and the quantity. A cap per season is normal. |
| Book and portfolio prints | Yes, at cost | Once a year is reasonable; every month is not. |
| Model apartment | Yes, with a written rate | Per night or per month; compare to the market, in Milan and Tokyo especially. |
| Courier, casting transport | Sometimes | Only if the contract says so; usually small amounts. |
| Website or “digital” fee | Questionable | Some agencies charge to be on their site. Refuse or cap it. |
| “Miscellaneous” | Not without a clause | Unitemised expenses are not owed. Ask what it covers. |
| Registration or sign-up fee | Never | A legitimate agency earns on commission, not on you joining. |
| Commission on image rights | Only if agreed | The contract must say the rights are commissionable; many do, some do not. |
What is not normal.
Every line compared to something. Odette reads the monthly statement line by line: each fee to a job, the commission to the contract’s rate, each expense to the clause that allows it and to its cap. A “miscellaneous” line, a commission above the contract or an apartment above the written rate becomes a question drafted for your booker — polite, precise, and yours to send. See Agencies in the app →
Frequently asked.
Is 20% the law?
No — it is the market. In France the agency’s fee is set by contract; 20% on the model’s fee is the usual figure, and the agency also bills the client a separate agency fee, often 20% on top. Anything above 25% deserves a question.
Does the mother agency take a cut on every job abroad?
Usually yes: 5 to 10% of your gross, on top of the local agency’s commission, for as long as the mother-agency contract runs. It is legitimate if it is in the contract — and it should be printed on the statement as a separate line.
Can the agency deduct my comp cards without asking?
It can deduct what the contract allows, at the price the contract states or a reasonable one. Ask for the cap in writing before signing; Odette reads the clause and compares every deducted line to it.
What is “miscellaneous” and should I accept it?
A catch-all line for expenses nobody itemised. Ask, in writing, what it covers. If there is no clause allowing it, it is not owed. Odette flags it on every statement where it appears.
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