* § 25.13. Licensing of ticket resellers. 1. No person, firm or corporation shall resell or engage in the business of reselling any tickets to a place of entertainment or operate 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 own, conduct or maintain any office, branch office, bureau, agency or sub-agency for such business without having first procured a license or certificate for each location at which business will be conducted from the secretary of state. 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 shall be exempt from the licensing requirements of this section. The department of state shall issue and deliver to such applicant a certificate or license to conduct such business and to own, conduct or maintain a bureau, agency, sub-agency, office or branch office for the conduct of such business on the premises stated in such application upon the payment by or on behalf of the applicant of a fee of five thousand dollars and shall be renewed upon the payment of a like fee annually. Such license or certificate shall not be transferred or assigned, except by permission of the secretary of state. Such license or certificate shall run to the first day of January next ensuing the date thereof, unless sooner revoked by the secretary of state. Such license or certificate shall be granted upon a written application setting forth such information as the secretary of state may require in order to enable him or her to carry into effect the provisions of this article and shall be accompanied by proof satisfactory to the secretary of state of the moral character of the applicant.

Terms Used In N.Y. Arts and Cultural Affairs Law 25.13

  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • 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. See N.Y. Arts and Cultural Affairs Law 25.03
  • Established price: means the price fixed at the time of sale by the operator of any place of entertainment for admission thereto, which must be printed or endorsed on each ticket of admission. See N.Y. Arts and Cultural Affairs Law 25.03
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Operator: means any person who owns, operates, or controls a place of entertainment or who promotes or produces an entertainment. See N.Y. Arts and Cultural Affairs Law 25.03
  • Resale: means any sale of a ticket for entrance to a place of entertainment located within the boundaries of the state of New York other than a sale by the operator or the operator's agent who is expressly authorized to make first sales of such tickets. See N.Y. Arts and Cultural Affairs Law 25.03
  • Ticket: means any evidence of the right of entry to any place of entertainment. See N.Y. Arts and Cultural Affairs Law 25.03

2. No operator's agent shall sell or convey tickets to any secondary ticket reseller owned or controlled by the operator's agent.

3. The operator or the promoter shall determine whether a seat for which a ticket is for sale has an obstructed view, and shall disclose such obstruction. Every sale or resale of such ticket shall include a disclosure of such obstructed view.

4. If any licensee under this section demonstrates that their business 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, then the fees for licensing under this section shall be waived.

* NB Effective until July 1, 2025

* § 25.13. Printing price on ticket. Every person, firm or corporation who owns, operates or controls a theatre, place of amusement or entertainment, or other place where public exhibitions, games, contests or performances are held shall, if a price be charged for admission thereto, print on the face of each such ticket or other evidence of the right of entry the price charged therefor by such person, firm or corporation. Such person, firm or corporation shall likewise be required to print or endorse thereon the maximum premium (not to exceed two dollars, plus lawful taxes), at which such ticket or other evidence of the right of entry may be resold or offered for resale. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to resell or offer to resell such ticket or other evidence of the right of entry at any premium or price in excess of such maximum premium printed or endorsed thereon, plus lawful taxes, or so that the ultimate price to the purchaser of such ticket shall exceed a sum in excess of two dollars over and above the original price charged for admission as printed on the face of each such ticket or other evidence of the right of entry, plus lawful taxes.

* NB Effective July 1, 2025

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