DC Approves Ticketing Reform With Price Cap

The District of Columbia Council unanimously approved the RESALE Act Tuesday, overhauling ticketing in the nation’s capital.

The legislation, shepherded by Councilman Charles Allen, establishes a resale price cap of 10% above face value, bans speculative ticketing, requires full fee transparency and bars ticketers from using so-called “surveillance pricing,” a tactic that uses buyers’ personal data to establish pricing.

Further, anyone advertising the sale of more than 50 tickets annually is required to register with the District. The law also beefs up enforcement and consumer protection.

“Today, the DC Council stood with DC’s most beloved and iconic music venues, with our storied theaters, and with every music and live theater fan who’s tired of getting ripped off and priced out,” Allen said. “Ticket resellers have used technology and unrestrained profits to turn our live entertainment scene into the wild west – just last week it was revealed StubHub has been running a major ticket scalping operation while they’ve argued they’re just a platform for fans to sell extra tickets. People are sick of big tech wringing more and more money out of them. DC is a leader here and I expect many other jurisdictions to step in once they see we can save our residents money and keep more dollars in our local economy instead of propping up big tech.”

“Washington, D.C. has raised the bar for ticketing reform nationwide by establishing the strongest consumer protection framework in the country that should be replicated in every state,” said Stephen Parker, Executive Director of the National Independent Venue Association. “From the resale price cap to stronger safeguards against deceptive ticketing practices, the RESALE Act puts fans first and strengthens the District’s independent stages. We commend Councilmember Allen, Councilmember Henderson, Councilmember Pinto, the entire DC Council, and the many local advocates whose time and leadership made this landmark achievement possible. We hope states across the country will look to Washington, D.C. as the blueprint for the next generation of resale ticketing reform.”

“We’ve been fighting hard for legislation that will put an end to predatory scalpers from all over the country taking advantage of people in D.C.,” said Audrey Fix Schaefer, Director of Communications for I.M.P., 9:30 Club and The Anthem. “This will stop opportunistic profiteers from making more than the artists, and it will enable more fans to see more shows, and then cross the street to enjoy a meal in the neighborhood restaurants, since they still have enough money in their pockets. The RESALE Act will keep millions of dollars in D.C.”

The act now heads to Mayor Muriel Bowser for approval, which is expected. Under the District’s Charter, the law must then be submitted to the House and Senate, which may repeal it, though that power is used infrequently. The RESALE Act goes into effect January 1, 2027.