The FTC Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees, 16 CFR Part 464, has been in force since May 12, 2025. The first price of a live-event ticket has to include mandatory fees. Sales tax can be shown separately. On Tickean the mandatory booking fee is 10%, so the first price of a $25 ticket is $27.50. A face value alone, with the fee added at the last step, is the pattern the rule targets.
What price does the FTC fee rule require on a ticket?
For US organizers. Numbers checked in November 2026.
The buyer total
Put the all-in price in the first number a fan sees.
Payout from the sale
Two business days from the sale. Not after the show.
Door scan
A phone browser validates the QR code.
How it works
- 1
Write the total
Face value plus the booking fee, before you announce the show.
- 2
Publish one checkout
Tiers, capacity, and a link you can send today.
- 3
Sell the first tickets
The sale date starts the payout clock.
What to look for
Tiers and codes
Early bird, general admission, guest list, and promo codes.
Sales in one view
Tickets sold, refunds, and scans.
One-time QR codes
A second scan of the same code is rejected.
The answer
The FTC Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees, 16 CFR Part 464, has been in force since May 12, 2025. The first price of a live-event ticket has to include mandatory fees. Sales tax can be shown separately. On Tickean the mandatory booking fee is 10%, so the first price of a $25 ticket is $27.50. A face value alone, with the fee added at the last step, is the pattern the rule targets.
A worked example
A caption that says "$25" and a checkout that charges $27.50 is the failure. A caption that says "$27.50, fees included" matches the charge. The $25 is what you keep. It is not what you lead with.
What to do next
Change the artwork before the on-sale, not after the first complaints. The rule is about the first price, not a footnote.
Fits many event types
Clubs and concerts
Independent rooms that do not have a venue-mandated vendor.
Parties
A page, a price, and a door list.
Conferences
Several ticket types and a scan at each room.
Understand the real cost: 0% organizer fee.
Organizers keep the ticket price. Buyers pay 10%, and card processing is included.
See pricing and fees →Frequently asked questions
What does the buyer pay on a $25 ticket?
A $25 ticket is $27.50. The organizer keeps $25. Card processing is inside the 10%. Ticket Tailor can be lower. On a $25 ticket the buyer pays about $26.68 if Stripe's domestic 2.9% + 30¢ is passed through on that one ticket. Tickean is $27.50, in one line, and the organizer does not run a Stripe account.
When does the organizer get paid?
Within 2 business days of the sale. A business day is a weekday that is not a US public holiday. The bank posts the credit on its own clock.
Is there a monthly fee?
No monthly fee and no sign-up fee. A free ticket is $0. A written rate replaces the 10%. It does not sit on top of it.
Sources & references
- Trade Regulation Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees — Federal Register (accessed 2026-11-05)
- Eventbrite pricing for organizers — Eventbrite (accessed 2026-11-05)
Need to sell tickets too?
If the model fits, create your event in minutes. 0% organizer fee. Payout of the ticket price is initiated within 2 business days of the sale.
Last updated: November 5, 2026