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Does Ticketmaster Show Fees Upfront? What the FTC Rule Means

Ticketmaster’s U.S. listings include required fees upfront before taxes under its All In Prices rollout. The FTC rule requires clear total-price disclosure but does not ban fees.
From TheFinanceBase Team3 min to read
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Yes. Since May 12, 2025, Ticketmaster says U.S. shoppers see ticket prices with required fees included from the start, before taxes. The FTC rule behind the change requires covered ticket sellers to show known, calculable mandatory fees in the upfront total; it does not ban those fees or guarantee lower prices.

What changed on Ticketmaster?

Ticketmaster announced that it launched “All In Prices” in the United States on May 12, 2025. The company says shoppers see the full ticket price, including required fees but before taxes, as they begin shopping. It also said queue-position visibility and real-time updates would be available for some high-demand sales; those are company-described features, not independently verified here. Ticketmaster’s announcement

In practice, an upfront ticket price should make it easier to compare listings without waiting until late checkout to discover a mandatory fee. It is not necessarily the final amount charged: taxes, delivery charges, and choices such as optional add-ons may still affect the total.

What does the FTC junk-fee rule require?

The FTC’s Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees, 16 C.F.R. Part 464, took effect May 12, 2025. It applies to businesses that offer, display, or advertise live-event tickets, including online platforms and resellers, whether they sell through websites, apps, or physical locations. The rule prohibits pricing practices that obscure or misrepresent the total price. FTC staff FAQ on the rule

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Mandatory fees must be in the upfront total

When a covered seller displays a price, that total must include mandatory charges the seller knows about and can calculate. The FTC gives the example of an unavoidable online ticket purchase fee: it must be included. A charge does not become optional simply because it is automatically added or a buyer could remove it only by noticing and objecting.

Some charges may be added later, but not hidden

The rule allows sellers to initially exclude government charges such as taxes, shipping, and charges for optional add-ons. Before asking for payment, however, the seller must clearly disclose excluded charges—their nature, purpose, and amount—and show the final price including them.

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  • STORE AND PROTECT TICKET STUBS - pages are designed to fit rectangular tickets - unusual shaped tickets will NOT fit in these pages - please refer to the images of the product. The pages will hold tickets UP TO 5.25 inches wide and 2.1 inches tall. If your tickets are larger than this, the tickets will NOT fit in the pages.
  • INCLUDES 10 CLEAR PAGES WITH FOUR POCKETS -these ten pages have four pockets on each page to hold ticket stubs. There are five additional pages with a single pocket to hold oversized or special ticket stubs.
  • PATENTED UNIKEEP CASE IS FULLY ENCLOSED AND SNAPS SHUT - keeps tickets in place.
  • CAN HOLD 40 TICKET STUBS (OR 80 IF STORED BACK TO BACK) - using the included pages
  • NOTE THAT THE POCKETS ARE SIZED FOR TICKET STUBS - If you still have the full sized ticket, you will need to fold the stub over in order to fit into the pocketed pages. The pages are a great storage option for torn or used ticket stubs.

The rule does not cap or eliminate fees

Ticket sellers may still charge service fees. They may itemize mandatory fees, but the total price must remain clear and more prominent than other price information. Sellers also must accurately describe what fees are for and avoid misleading descriptions. The rule governs how prices are presented; it does not make tickets cheaper.

What does Ticketmaster include in its displayed price?

Ticketmaster’s help page says its upfront price generally includes the ticket’s face value and required fees, before taxes, and that buyers can view a breakdown. The company says event organizers set face value. It describes service fees as generally negotiated and shared among parties involved in the event; some events may also have a facility charge determined by the venue. These are Ticketmaster’s explanations, not an independent audit of how fees are allocated. Ticketmaster: How are ticket prices and fees determined?

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Rank #3
Blue PU Leather Ticket Stub Diary 3 Hole Ticket Stub Holder Album 6 x 9 Inch Ticket Stub Organizer with 40 PVC Pockets 42 DIY Stickies 26 Letter Charms for Collect Movie Concert Tickets Receipts
  • 1. Flexible and practical: Ticket stub holder adopts a 6x9x1-inch blue pu leather cover with a 3-ring clip design, which can be opened and closed freely, allowing you to add or delete inner pages as needed, meet your daily ticket sorting and preservation needs, and make the ticket sorting more orderly,flexibly respond to different ticket storage needs, and meet diverse usage scenarios.
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  • 5.Portable storage: The ticket collector organizer is easy to carry and store. Whether it is placed in a desk, filing cabinet or handbag, it can be easily stored, and the bills can be easily taken out for viewing or sorting anytime, anywhere, which brings great convenience to bill management. This ticket stub diary book is also a thoughtful gift for friends who like stamp collecting and commemorative tickets.

Ticketmaster says delivery fees can depend on the delivery method selected, while taxes are generally based on where the event takes place, with some state-specific variation. The amount for a particular purchase can therefore depend on the organizer, venue, location, ticket selection, delivery method, and optional choices.

How to compare ticket prices before buying

  1. Match the listings. Compare the same event, seat or section, ticket quantity, and delivery choice; otherwise, a lower displayed amount may reflect a different ticket or purchase option.
  2. Check what the displayed total includes. Ticketmaster says its displayed price is before taxes. Look for any other excluded charges and distinguish required fees from optional add-ons.
  3. Review the breakdown and checkout total. Confirm the nature and amount of added charges before payment, then compare the final amount—not only the initial listing price.

The FTC estimated in 2024 that its rule could save consumers up to 53 million hours per year previously spent searching for total prices for live-event tickets and short-term lodging. That is an agency estimate, not a measurement of time saved since the rule took effect. FTC estimate and announcement

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What the FTC later alleged about Ticketmaster

In a September 2025 announcement, the FTC said it had sued Live Nation and Ticketmaster, alleging, among other claims, that Ticketmaster advertised prices substantially below what consumers paid and added mandatory fees late in the transaction. The FTC said the case would be decided by a court; the announcement is not a court finding that the companies violated the rule. FTC announcement of the lawsuit

The FTC announcement also reported allegations that mandatory fees reached as high as 44% of ticket cost and that fees totaled $16.4 billion from 2019 through 2024. Those figures were reported as claims in the agency’s complaint announcement, not adjudicated findings.

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Quick Recap

SaleBestseller No. 1
Bestseller No. 2
Concert Ticket Stub Collection Case - Holds 40-80 Stubs with Pages
Concert Ticket Stub Collection Case - Holds 40-80 Stubs with Pages
PATENTED UNIKEEP CASE IS FULLY ENCLOSED AND SNAPS SHUT - keeps tickets in place.; CAN HOLD 40 TICKET STUBS (OR 80 IF STORED BACK TO BACK) - using the included pages
$17.99
Bestseller No. 5
StoreSMART Ticket & Stub Binder Page - 10 Pockets per Page - 10-Pack - VH308-TKT-10
StoreSMART Ticket & Stub Binder Page - 10 Pockets per Page - 10-Pack - VH308-TKT-10
Crafted of crystal clear 6-gauge vinyl.; Crafted of crystal clear 6-gauge vinyl.; Ten pockets per page, holds 20 tickets front-to-back.
$25.95
Best Value
StoreSMART Ticket & Stub Binder Page - 10 Pockets per Page - 10-Pack - VH308-TKT-10
  • Crafted of crystal clear 6-gauge vinyl.
  • Crafted of crystal clear 6-gauge vinyl.
  • Ten pockets per page, holds 20 tickets front-to-back.
  • Includes holes for use with three-ring binders.
  • Overall size: 8 5⁄8" x 11 1/4".

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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