FTC Finally Bans Those Sneaky Ticketmaster and Hotel Junk Fees
Published Date: 1/10/2025
Rule
Summary
Starting May 12, 2025, businesses selling live-event tickets and short-term lodging must clearly show the full price, including all fees, so you won’t get tricked by hidden charges. The new rule stops sneaky pricing tricks and makes sure fees are honest and easy to understand before you buy. This means less confusion and fairer deals for everyone shopping for tickets or places to stay!
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Ticket Buyers See Full Price
Starting May 12, 2025, businesses that sell live-event tickets must clearly show the total price up front, including most mandatory fees and charges, before you buy. The rule requires the total price to be disclosed clearly, conspicuously, and more prominently than other pricing information in any offer, display, or advertisement.
Lodging Buyers Get Total Price Up Front
Starting May 12, 2025, businesses offering short-term lodging (including hotels, motels, inns, short-term rentals, and vacation rentals) must show the total price up front, including most mandatory fees and charges, before you agree to pay. The total price must be displayed clearly, conspicuously, and more prominently than other pricing information in any offer, display, or advertisement.
Businesses Must Include Mandatory Fees
Starting May 12, 2025, businesses that offer live-event tickets or short-term lodging must include most mandatory fees in the advertised total price and may not misrepresent the nature, purpose, amount, or refundability of fees. Businesses must change their offers, displays, and advertisements to comply with these disclosure and truth-in-pricing requirements.
Level Playing Field for Honest Sellers
The rule is intended to protect consumers and to level the playing field by preventing businesses that hide mandatory fees from undercutting businesses that already show full prices. Honest businesses that already disclose total prices may benefit from reduced competitive pressure from firms that used hidden or misleading fees.
Personalized for You
How does this regulation affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this federal register document means for your household, plus every other regulation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Key Dates
Related Federal Register Documents
2026-17538, Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program; Correction
The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) announced the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program in a final rule on February 23, 2026. This correction amends the definition of "corn" to add blue and red corn, which are eligible commodities for the FBA Program.
2026-17522, Safety Zone; Aerial Displays, Upper Bay, New York, NY
The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters of the Upper New York Bay, in the vicinity of Liberty Island and Governors Island. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards associated with aerial displays. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port, Sector New York (COTP), or their designated representative.
2026-17553, Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes
The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10 airplanes. This AD was prompted by a Boeing investigation for manufacturing errors and excessive preload forces at the lower side of body (SOB) splice plates common to the lower outboard wing skins. That investigation concluded that shim gaps may have exceeded engineering allowances, and high pull up forces on the components may cause fatigue cracks to form at the fastener holes. This AD requires, depending on configuration, repetitive ultrasonic (UT) inspections at certain splice plates, rear spar terminal fittings, lower chords, front spar terminal fittings, and jack pads for any cracks; repetitive detailed inspections (DET) of certain splice plates for any cracks; and applicable on-condition actions. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
2026-17552, Airworthiness Directives; Airbus SAS Airplanes
The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus SAS Model A320-211, -212, -214, -216, -231, -232, and - 233 airplanes; and Model A321-111, -112, -131, -211, -212, -213, -231, and -232 airplanes. This AD was prompted by a fatigue test that identified cracks in the forward and aft upper corner of the bulk cargo door. This AD requires a rototest inspection for cracks and applicable on-condition actions. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
2026-17491, Publication of Iran-Related Web General Licenses AA and BB
The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control just published two new Iran-related licenses, AA and BB, that let certain businesses wind down their deals with Iranian entities without breaking the rules. These licenses give companies until early October and September 2026 to wrap things up smoothly, avoiding penalties. If you’re involved in these transactions, now’s the time to act and keep everything legal and on track!
2026-17494, Air Plan Approval; Arkansas; Regional Haze State Implementation Plan for the Second Implementation Period
Pursuant to the Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing approval of a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Arkansas through the Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ) on August 8, 2022, clarified by DEQ on July 29, 2025, and further supplemented on May 4, 2026, to satisfy the requirements of the Act and the EPA's Regional Haze Rule (RHR) for visibility protection in mandatory Class I Federal areas (Class I areas) for the program's second implementation period. Arkansas' SIP submission addresses the requirement that States must revise their long-term strategies for making reasonable progress to prevent any future and remedy any existing man-made visibility impairment in the Class I areas. The EPA is taking this action pursuant to CAA sections 110 and 169A.
Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2025-00211, Adjustment of Civil Penalties for Inflation
Starting January 8, 2025, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation is raising the fines for not sending important pension plan notices. If you’re involved with multiemployer or other pension plans, expect penalties up to $2,739 or $365 depending on the notice missed. These changes keep penalties fair by adjusting for inflation, so everyone stays on their toes!
Next: 2024-30358, Practices Before the Department of the Interior
The Department of the Interior is updating its rules for hearings and appeals to make the process faster, clearer, and more modern. These changes affect anyone involved in Interior Department cases by introducing streamlined procedures and a new electronic filing system. The new rules kick in on February 10, 2025, and the public can comment on them until that date, with extra time to weigh in on information collection until March 11, 2025.