Gigs & business
Booking fee
A booking fee is the agreed amount a DJ is paid to play, independent of how the night performs. It is sometimes called a guarantee, because that is exactly what distinguishes it from a share of the door.
In practice
Agree the fee, then agree what it does not include. Travel and a buyout move the real number more than the fee does.
Put five things in the confirmation: the fee, the currency, what travel and accommodation are covered, when it is paid, and who handles any tax withholding. Invoice the day after rather than a fortnight later — an invoice that arrives while the night is still in someone’s memory gets paid faster than one that arrives once the accounts have moved on. And if a fee is below what you would take, say the number you would take rather than declining, because promoters have more room than the first offer suggests.
5
Things the confirmation needs
Next day
When to invoice
Counter
Better than declining
Where these come from: Standard booking-confirmation practice — convention, not financial advice and not a catalog figure. For what we can measure, see securing part of it up front.
Why it matters
The fee is the number everyone focuses on and it is only part of the deal. Travel, accommodation, a buyout and who pays the withholding in a foreign country can each move the real figure by more than a negotiation over the fee itself, and they are all easier to agree before you say yes.
It also sets a floor you will be quoted against later. Promoters talk to each other, and a fee accepted once becomes the number the next offer starts from — which is a good reason to be careful about taking a low fee for a room you actually wanted.
Frequently asked
What should be in a booking confirmation?+
Fee, currency, travel and accommodation, payment timing, and who handles tax withholding. Five lines, agreed before the date is announced anywhere.
When should a DJ be paid?+
Terms vary, but on the night or within a defined number of days afterwards, stated in the confirmation. "Whenever" is how a fee becomes a chase.
Can I negotiate a fee that has already been offered?+
Usually, and countering is normal rather than rude. The first offer is rarely the ceiling, and declining outright ends a conversation that a number would have continued.
Related terms
Deposit
A deposit is part of the fee paid before the event, typically on signature or a set number of days ahead. It converts an intention into a commitment, and it is usually non-refundable if the promoter cancels.
Door split
A door split pays a DJ a share of ticket income rather than a fixed fee. The share is usually taken after the promoter’s costs, which is the term that decides whether the deal is generous or worthless.
Buyout
A buyout is cash paid instead of providing something the rider asked for — usually the hospitality items, sometimes a meal or accommodation. Both sides often prefer it, because cash is easier than shopping.
Booking agent
A booking agent sells your live dates: they take offers, negotiate fees and terms, advance shows and chase payment, for a commission on the fee — commonly around ten to fifteen per cent of it.
Explore: DJ invoice template · DJ contract template · Booking agent · All DJ terms