U.S. Ticket Resale Laws by State
Ticket resale is legal and widely practiced across the United States, but regulation happens at the state level. The BOTS Act (15 U.S.C. § 45c) prohibits automated circumvention of ticket purchase limits — everything else is governed by individual states. The table below summarizes each jurisdiction's approach, sourced from official legislative websites where statutes exist.
State / Territory | Summary of Ticket Resale Laws | Government Source |
Alabama | No statewide price cap. A 2009 repeal of the state's anti-scalping law means tickets may be resold at any price under Ala. Code § 8-19E-2. Municipalities may still enact local ordinances. | Ala. Code § 8-19E-2 |
Alaska | No statewide ticket resale statute. Local ordinances may restrict scalping near venues. | NCSL 2024 summary |
Arizona | Petty offense to resell above face value (plus taxes/fees) within 200 feet of a venue. Outside the 200-foot zone, no price cap applies. A.R.S. § 13-3718 also prohibits altering a printed ticket price without the original vendor's consent. | A.R.S. § 13-3718 |
Arkansas | Reselling tickets to high school or college athletic events or charitable events above face value is prohibited. No restriction on reselling tickets to other event types. Ark. Code § 5-63-201. | Ark. Code § 5-63-201 |
California | No statewide price cap. Civil Code § 1739.1 requires refund guarantees and prohibits deceptive practices (e.g., listing tickets the seller doesn't own). Some municipalities restrict scalping near venues. | Cal. Civil Code § 1739.1 |
Colorado | Amended consumer protection law (2023). Operators may not deny entry solely because a ticket was purchased from a reseller. Resellers must guarantee refunds for cancellations, denied admissions, or non-delivery. Colo. Rev. Stat. § 6-1-208. | Colo. Rev. Stat. § 6-1-208 |
Connecticut | No price cap. Internet resellers must provide refund guarantees if an event is cancelled, the ticket fails to grant admission, or is not delivered. Violations constitute unfair trade practices. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53-289c. | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53-289c |
Delaware | No statewide ticket resale statute. Municipalities may regulate scalping near venues. | NCSL 2024 summary |
District of Columbia | No price cap. D.C. Code § 47-3903 prohibits selling tickets on public streets without a license and authorizes regulations on scalping. Online resale is generally permitted. | D.C. Code § 47-3903 |
Florida | Resale is allowed but prohibited on venue property without the owner's consent. Refund guarantees required for cancellations, counterfeit tickets, or failure to grant admission. Fla. Stat. § 817.36. | Fla. Stat. § 817.36 |
Georgia | Broker licensing required. O.C.G.A. § 43-4B-25 limits above-face-value resale to licensed brokers. § 43-4B-28 makes it a misdemeanor to sell within 1,500 feet of venues seating 15,000 or fewer, or within 2,700 feet of venues seating more than 15,000. | O.C.G.A. §§ 43-4B-25 & 43-4B-28 |
Hawaii | No statewide anti-scalping statute. 2024 legislation to cap fees and require refund guarantees was introduced but not enacted. Resale is permitted absent local ordinances. | NCSL 2024 summary |
Idaho | No statewide ticket resale statute. Local laws may regulate scalping around venues. | NCSL 2024 summary |
Illinois | No statewide price cap. Broker licensing and refund guarantees required. Resellers must refund if an event is cancelled, the ticket fails to grant admission, or is not delivered. 815 ILCS 414/1.5 et seq. | 815 ILCS 414/10 |
Indiana | Venue owners may regulate or prohibit resale on venue property. No restriction on offsite resale. Ind. Code § 24-4-21-2. | Ind. Code § 24-4-21-2 |
Iowa | No statewide scalping prohibition. Resale is legal. Local ordinances (e.g., near college athletic venues) may apply. | No statewide statute |
Kansas | No statewide regulation of ticket resale. No price cap or licensing requirement. | NCSL summary |
Kentucky | Reselling tickets above face value is illegal unless the seller is an official ticket agent or licensed broker. Violations are Class B misdemeanors. KRS § 518.070. | KRS § 518.070 |
Louisiana | Ticket price must be printed on the ticket; selling above the printed price is generally prohibited. Exception: online resale at any price is permitted if the operator guarantees a full refund for cancellations, denied admissions, or non-delivery. La. Rev. Stat. § 4:1. | La. Rev. Stat. § 4:1 |
Maine | Resellers may not charge more than the higher of $2 or 10% above face value — unless resale occurs online with refund guarantees. 17 M.R.S. § 331. | 17 M.R.S. § 331 |
Maryland | No price cap. Full price disclosure (including all fees and taxes) required. Secondary exchanges and resellers must provide refund guarantees and are prohibited from deceptive marketing. Md. Code Bus. Reg. § 17-1206. | Md. Code Bus. Reg. § 17-1206 |
Massachusetts | One of the strictest statutes. Licensed resellers may not charge more than $2 above the printed price (plus service charges). Refund guarantees required for cancellations and failed admissions. M.G.L. c. 140 § 185D. | M.G.L. c. 140 § 185D |
Michigan | Anti-scalping statute repealed in 2014 (Public Act 76). No statewide price cap. Venues may restrict resale on their property. | Mich. P.A. 76 (2014) |
Minnesota | No price cap. Resellers and online marketplaces must disclose seat location, price, and refund policy. Selling duplicate tickets is prohibited. Minn. Stat. § 325E.53. | Minn. Stat. § 325E.53 |
Mississippi | No statewide scalping statute. Resale is generally legal. Local ordinances (e.g., Oxford, near collegiate venues) may apply. | No statewide statute |
Missouri | No statewide resale regulation. Some cities (Kansas City, Columbia) prohibit reselling within a set distance of a venue. 2024 statewide bill was not passed. | No statewide statute |
Montana | No statewide ticket resale statute. | NCSL 2024 summary |
Nebraska | Reselling above face value within 500 feet of a venue entrance is prohibited. No cap outside that radius. Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-21,254. | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-21,254 |
Nevada | No price cap. Broker licensing required. Refund guarantees required for cancellations, counterfeit tickets, or non-delivery. Resale within 500 feet of a venue without venue consent is prohibited. NRS §§ 597.944–597.947. | NRS §§ 597.944–597.947 |
New Hampshire | Reselling above advance price is prohibited at venues owned by cities or towns. N.H. Rev. Stat. § 39:12. | N.H. Rev. Stat. § 39:12 |
New Jersey | Broker licensing required. No price cap (caps repealed in 2010). Resale price including service charges must be clearly disclosed. N.J. Stat. § 56:8-26 et seq. | N.J. Stat. § 56:8-26 to 8-35 |
New Mexico | No statewide scalping statute. Resale is legal. Local governments may regulate sidewalk sales near venues. | No statewide statute |
New York | Comprehensive regulation. Broker licensing required. Bot use prohibited. Resale within 1,500 feet of venues is prohibited. Full price and seat disclosure required. Refund guarantees mandated. Speculative listings prohibited. N.Y. Arts & Cultural Affairs Law §§ 25.30–25.34. | N.Y. Arts & Cultural Affairs Law §§ 25.30–25.34 |
North Carolina | Online resale above face value is permitted if: the venue has not filed a notice prohibiting resale, the website provides a ticket guarantee, and the reseller holds a certificate of registration and remits sales tax. G.S. § 14-344.1. | G.S. § 14-344.1 |
North Dakota | No statewide ticket resale statute. Resale is permitted. Local ordinances may apply. | No statewide statute |
Ohio | Anti-scalping statute repealed in 2007 (H.B. 172). No statewide price cap. Some municipal ordinances (e.g., Cincinnati) restrict resale near venues. | Ohio H.B. 172 (2007) |
Oklahoma | Reselling above face value on event property without the owner's consent is prohibited. Offsite resale is unrestricted. Okla. Stat. tit. 21 § 903. | Okla. Stat. tit. 21 § 903 |
Oregon | No statewide scalping law. Resale is permitted. Portland and other localities may require permits for street sellers. | No statewide statute |
Pennsylvania | Broker licensing required. Resale above 25% over face value (plus reasonable service charges) is prohibited unless the resale occurs online. Refund guarantees required for cancellations, invalid tickets, or non-delivery. 4 Pa. C.S. §§ 201–212. | 4 Pa. C.S. §§ 201–212 |
Puerto Rico | Reselling above face value (plus authorized charges) is prohibited at publicly owned facilities. Resale at privately owned venues is generally allowed. Law No. 118-2010. | P.R. Law No. 118-2010 |
Rhode Island | Resale price capped at $3 above face value plus legitimate service charges. Broker licensing required. Gen. Laws § 5-22-26. | R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-22-26 |
South Carolina | Reselling above $1 over face value within 500 feet of a venue is prohibited without written permission from the venue owner. Resellers must display a permit. S.C. Code § 16-17-710. | S.C. Code § 16-17-710 |
South Dakota | No statewide scalping statute. Resale is legal. Local ordinances (e.g., near university stadiums) may restrict resale. | No statewide statute |
Tennessee | Selling above face value on venue property is prohibited. Online resale is generally permitted. Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-1105. | Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-1105 |
Texas | Class B misdemeanor to resell above face value on venue premises, or within 1,000 feet of a venue entrance while the event is in progress. Offsite and online resale is legal. Tex. Penal Code § 165.08. | Tex. Penal Code § 165.08 |
Utah | No price cap on legitimate resale. Altering a ticket's price or selling counterfeit tickets is illegal. Utah Code § 76-10-104. | Utah Code § 76-10-104 |
Vermont | Reselling above face value is unlawful without the written consent of the venue. Fines up to $1,000 per ticket. 9 V.S.A. § 418a. | 9 V.S.A. § 418a |
Virginia | Reselling above face value on venue property or within the event structure is prohibited. Offsite/online resale is legal with no statewide price cap. Ticket brokers must register with the Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Va. Code § 18.2-487.5. | Va. Code §§ 18.2-487.5 & 59.1-456 |
Washington | Broker registration required. Refund guarantees required for cancellations and failed admissions. No statewide price cap. Seattle and other cities prohibit scalping near venues. RCW §§ 19.16.010–19.16.250. | RCW §§ 19.16.010–19.16.250 |
West Virginia | Reselling above face value within 200 yards of a venue is prohibited. On venue property, resellers may not charge more than $1 above face value. Offsite resale is legal. W. Va. Code § 61-7-14. | W. Va. Code § 61-7-14 |
Wisconsin | Resale on venue grounds without venue owner permission is prohibited. No price cap for offsite/online resale. Broker licensing required. Wis. Stat. § 134.65. | Wis. Stat. § 134.65 |
Wyoming | No statewide scalping statute. Resale is legal. Municipalities may regulate sales on public property. | No statewide statute |
⚠️ This table is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws change frequently. Participants and broker partners are responsible for verifying current regulations in their jurisdiction.
Ticket resale is legal across the United States, but how it's regulated depends entirely on where you are. Most states don't regulate it at all — the secondary market operates freely with little to no restriction. A handful of states — Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Kentucky — still have statutes that cap resale prices. Others, like North Carolina, Louisiana, and Colorado, take a consumer protection approach, focusing on refund guarantees and disclosure requirements rather than price controls. The bottom line: resellers can generally operate and profit freely across the U.S., with only a small number of states placing meaningful limits on how or how much tickets can be resold.
Updated on: 07/03/2026
Thank you!