Ticket Reseller

IMPORTANT REMINDER: Ticket Sellers and Resellers

Please see latest reminder in response to questions regarding “All-In Pricing” for Ticket Sellers and Resellers here.

A Ticket Reseller is any person, firm or corporation who resells or engages in the business of reselling any tickets to a place of entertainment or who operates an internet website or any other electronic service that provides a mechanism for two or more parties to participate in a resale transaction or that facilitates resale transactions by the means of an auction, or who owns, conducts or maintains any office, branch office, bureau, agency or sub-agency for such business. It is the responsibility of licensees to understand the Ticket Reseller License Law.

Term of licensure is one year beginning January 1 and ending December 31. If you apply within the one-year cycle, your license will expire on December 31.

laws, rules and regulations 

• Submit a completed application and the required fee to the Department of State.
• A bond in the amount of $25,000, with the Power of Attorney [§ 25.15]
• Any additional documentation requested in response to a specific question on the application
• Twice annually, report to DOS the total number of and average resale or average final resale auction price of all tickets to each ticketed event. Repeat performances of a single event and multiple events that are part of a season long performance are treated as a single event for purposes of the reporting requirement. The information required to be reported shall be used exclusively for analytical purposes by DOS and is considered proprietary in nature and governed by the protections set forth in public Officers Law section 89(5). Reports must be submitted by June 30th and December 31st and may be emailed to [email protected] or sent to the following address:

Department of State
Division of Licensing Services
PO Box 22001
Albany, NY 12201-2001

There are fees associated with a Ticket Reseller license. You may pay these fees by check or money order made payable to the Department of State or by MasterCard or Visa using a credit card authorization form. DO NOT SEND CASH. Application fees are nonrefundable. A $20 fee will be charged for any check returned by your bank.
 

• $5,000 - Initial Application
• $5,000 - Renewal
• $25 - Change of Personal Name and/or Address (No fee is required if a name change is the result of a change in marital status)
• $25 - Duplicate License/Registration Request

Renew Your License

You are eligible to renew your license 90 days prior to your license expiration date. Your license expiration date is printed on the license.

Renewal forms are mailed approximately 90 days prior to the license expiration date. Complete and submit the renewal form to the address on the form.

Certification of Bonded Status (Required when renewing license)

If you are eligible to renew your license and you have not received a renewal form, email the Division of Licensing Services* and request a form.

Update Your License

To update your personal name, business or residence address download, complete and submit the Change Notice to the address on the form. 

To request a duplicate license certificate, complete and submit the Duplicate License/Registration Request to the address on the form.

To apply for a Ticket Reseller license, submit a completed application to the NYS Department of State, Division of Licensing Services.

Searches are limited to active licenses only. 

• Search by ID Number (Unique ID or Registration Number)
• Search by Name (last name, first name and optionally city/zip code/county)
• Search by Business Name (business name and optionally city/zip code/county)

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained on this site is up to date and accurate. As the Department relies upon information provided to it, the information's completeness or accuracy cannot be guaranteed.

Please note that information pertaining to residence addresses is not included on this database. Such information is protected by privacy law.

What does entertainment mean?

"Entertainment" means all forms of entertainment including, but not limited to theatrical or operatic performances, concerts, motion pictures, all forms of entertainment at fair grounds, amusement parks and all types of athletic competitions including football, basketball, baseball, boxing, tennis, hockey, and any other sport, and all other forms of diversion, recreation or show.

Can a ticket reseller maintain a business address outside of NYS?

Yes, a main business or branch office address can be out of state. The venue of performance must be in state.

Can a ticket reseller maintain a branch office outside of NYS?

Yes.

Who is the Contact Person?

A "contact person" is any individual who has ownership in the ticket reseller business. This person indicates their name and home address on the application. They sign the application affirmation and the appropriate section of the bond. If a branch office will have a different contact person, then that person must sign the branch office application and bond.

Would internet companies, such as ebay, have to obtain a ticket reseller license?

Internet companies generally are required to be licensed. However, if the website serves as a platform to facilitate resale or resale by way of a competitive bidding process solely between third parties and does not in any other manner engaged in resales of tickets to places of entertainment, it is exempt from the licensing requirements.

Would individuals who sell tickets on ebay or any other internet company have to have a ticket reseller license?

Individuals who sell tickets on ebay or any other internet website are not required to be licensed as a ticket reseller if they have purchased the ticket solely for their own use or the use of their invitees, employees and agents or if they have purchased tickets on behalf of others and resell such tickets to others at or less than the established price.

Does an individual selling tickets outside an event have to have a license to resell tickets?

Individuals who purchase tickets solely for their own use or use of their invitees, employees and agents or individuals who purchase tickets on behalf of others and resells such tickets to invitees, employees and agents or others at or less than the established price are exempt from the licensure requirement. However, even those individuals who are exempt from licensure are prohibited from reselling tickets within a defined buffer zone of 1,500 feet from the physical structure or ticket office of a venue having a permanent seating capacity in excess of 5,000 persons and within 500 feet of the physical structure or ticket office of a venue having a permanent seating capacity of 5,000 or fewer persons.

Who is exempt from licensure?

• A "Not-for-profit" organization as defined in § 25.03 of the Arts and Cultural Affairs Law. • Any operator or manager of a website that serves as a platform to facilitate resale, or resale by way of a competitive bidding process, solely between third parties and does not in any other manner engage in resales of tickets to places of entertainment.

What records must a Ticket Reseller business retain in their files?

Records shall be retained for a period of not less than ten years. See section 25.25 of Article 25 of the Arts and Cultural Affairs law for a listing of records that must be retained.

What is a "Place of Entertainment"?

A place of entertainment is any privately or publicly owned and operated entertainment facility such as a theatre, stadium, arena, racetrack, museum, amusement park, or other places where performances, concerts, exhibits, athletic games or contests are held for which an entry fee is charged.

Can the application fee be waived?

A business that provides a service to facilitate ticket transactions without charging any fees, surcharges or service charges above the established price, on every transaction, except a reasonable and actual charge for the delivery of tickets, shall have the ticket reseller application fee waived. See section 25.03(2) of the Arts and Cultural Affairs Law for the definition of "established price". A signed statement must be submitted with the ticket reseller application indicating that, "In accordance with § 25.13(2) of the Arts and Cultural Affairs law, I am applying for a ticket reseller license and I meet the qualifications for having the application fee waived."