Indian Contract Act, 1872 · Chapter X: Agency · Agent’s duty to principal
Section 219: When agent's remuneration becomes due
In plain words
Unless specially agreed, an agent's payment for an act is not due until the act is complete. But an agent can hold back money received from goods sold, even if not all the goods are sold or the sale is not fully complete.
A simplified explanation, prepared with AI assistance from the official text below and checked automatically against it for numbers and cross-references. The official text is the law and prevails over this summary. Not legal advice.
Official text
In the absence of any special contract, payment for the performance of any act is not due to the agent until the completion of such act; but an agent may detain moneys received by him on account of goods sold, although the whole of the goods consigned to him for sale may not have been sold, or although the sale may not be actually complete.
Source: India Code (indiacode.gov.in), the consolidated text published by the Legislative Department, Government of India. Text as updated on India Code on 15 October 2026. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.
Supreme Court judgments citing the section 219
No Supreme Court judgment in our database cites this section yet.