Bill - Senate Bill 6175, Ticket Sales, Washington Access and Venue Equity Act (2026 Regular Session)

Summary

Senate Bill 6175 of the 69th Legislature, 2026 Regular Session, State of Washington, relates to ticket sales; the sponsor list begins with Senators Lovelett, J. Wilson, Wellman, and Dhingra. Section 1 states that the legislature intends to protect consumers by promoting transparency and fair competition in the primary and secondary ticket markets. Section 3 bars a ticket issuer from restricting transferability of a ticket unless the terms are clearly and conspicuously disclosed before purchase. A consumer's private right of action is limited to provisions involving fraud, speculative ticketing, bot use, or failure to provide a guaranteed refund. Section 25 names it the Washington access and venue equity act or the WAVE act, and section 26 sets July 1, 2027 as the effective date.

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Full text

     S-3869.2

                               SENATE BILL 6175


     State of Washington       69th Legislature          2026 Regular Session

     By Senators Lovelett, J. Wilson, Wellman, Dhingra, Frame, Pedersen,
     Nobles, Valdez, Alvarado, Trudeau, Cortes, Conway, Slatter, Lovick,
     C. Wilson, Kauffman, Shewmake, Salomon, Bateman, Cleveland, Orwall,
     Hunt, Wagoner, Robinson, Hasegawa, and Riccelli




 1       AN ACT Relating to ticket sales; amending RCW 19.345.010 and
 2   19.345.020; adding new sections to chapter 19.345 RCW; creating a new
 3   section; prescribing penalties; and providing an effective date.


 4   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:


 5       NEW SECTION.    Sec. 1.   The legislature finds that the ticket
 6   market for live entertainment and sporting events has become
 7   increasingly complex, leading to consumer confusion, hidden fees, and
 8   fraudulent practices. The legislature intends to protect consumers by
 9   promoting transparency and fair competition in both the primary and
10   secondary ticket markets, while also supporting nonprofit and smaller
11   arts and performance venues that are essential to Washington's
12   culture and economy. The legislature further intends to safeguard
13   artists' fair wages and the integrity of public funds by ensuring
14   that taxpayer-supported venues and organizations, which strive to
15   keep ticket prices affordable for their communities and honor
16   contractual   agreements  with   artists,  are   not   undermined  by
17   profiteering of the secondary market.


18       NEW SECTION.    Sec. 2.    This    chapter   does   not   apply   to   the
19   following:
20       (1) Agricultural fairs;
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 1       (2) K-12 schools, institutions of higher education, or associated
 2   booster clubs or student organizations;
 3       (3) Nonprofit organizations or businesses whose primary purpose
 4   is the advancement or presentation of arts, culture, science, or
 5   heritage, and that have an annual gross revenue from the sale of
 6   tickets of less than $500,000;
 7       (4) Movie theaters;
 8       (5) Professional and collegiate athletic teams;
 9       (6) Federally recognized tribes; and
10       (7) Tribal cultural institutions.


11       NEW SECTION.   Sec. 3.  A ticket issuer shall not restrict the
12   transferability of a ticket sold unless the terms and conditions on
13   transferability are clearly and conspicuously disclosed to the
14   consumer prior to purchase and the consumer acknowledges receipt of
15   such disclosure prior to purchase.


16       NEW SECTION.   Sec. 4.    It is an unfair or deceptive act or
17   practice for a person to engage in the business of a ticket reseller
18   or ticket resale marketplace without the written permission of the
19   original ticket seller, or the owner or operator of the property
20   where the event is being held, or both, if the resale transaction
21   violates the contractual or license terms of the original ticket
22   sale.


23       NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. The sale, offer for sale, or advertisement
24   of a speculative ticket is prohibited. An advertisement for a
25   speculative ticket is a violation for each ticket listed in the
26   advertisement.

27       NEW SECTION.   Sec. 6.   Resellers and secondary ticket exchanges
28   are prohibited from listing or selling tickets before their initial
29   public on-sale. Additionally, fan club presale tickets may not be
30   accessed, listed, or resold by any ticket reseller or exchange.


31       NEW SECTION.   Sec. 7.    Resellers must notify ticket buyers in
32   writing within eight hours if they receive notification that an event
33   is canceled, rescheduled, delayed, or the venue is changed.



                                     p. 2                          SB 6175
 1       NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. A person may not knowingly resell or offer
 2   to resell a ticket that was obtained in violation of this act.


 3       NEW SECTION.   Sec. 9.   (1) A person may not knowingly purchase
 4   with the intent to resell, a quantity of tickets from the original
 5   ticket seller that exceeds the maximum ticket limit quantity posted
 6   by such seller at the point of the original ticket seller.
 7       (2) Charitable organizations and their employees and volunteers
 8   are not subject to the requirements of subsection (1) of this section
 9   when offering tickets for sale in a raffle, auction, or similar
10   fundraising activity for the benefit of the organization's charitable
11   purpose.

12       NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. (1) The total price at which a reseller
13   may sell or offer to sell a ticket to a consumer, including any
14   service fees charged by the reseller or secondary ticket exchange,
15   may not exceed 110 percent of the total price of the initial ticket,
16   including all fees and taxes in connection with the initial ticket.
17       (2) A person or secondary ticket exchange may not charge a
18   service fee exceeding 10 percent of the initial ticket's total price
19   to the consumer. This fee must be incorporated into the calculation
20   of the 110 percent resale price cap established in subsection (1) of
21   this section.
22       (3) The fee and price limitations of subsections (1) and (2) of
23   this section do not apply to the resale of tickets for a sporting
24   event where the ticket issuer is a professional or minor league
25   sports team, sports organization, or promoter.
26       (4)(a) Resellers may not alter original digital tickets to change
27   ticket pricing, order numbers, names, or other information printed on
28   the face of the ticket. They must include vendor identification and
29   clearly state that it is a secondary market ticket purchase.
30       (b) Charitable organizations and their employees and volunteers
31   are not subject to the requirements of (a) of this subsection when
32   offering tickets for sale in a raffle, auction, or similar
33   fundraising activity for the benefit of the organization's charitable
34   purpose.


35       NEW SECTION.   Sec. 11.   (1) No secondary entertainment event
36   ticket exchange, reseller, or operator of any website purporting to
37   sell or offer for sale entertainment event tickets that link or
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 1   redirect to a secondary entertainment event ticket exchange or
 2   reseller may do the following:
 3       (a) Use any performing artist name, venue name, event organizer
 4   name, graphic, marketing logo, image, likeness, or other intellectual
 5   property of a performing artist, venue, or event organizer, including
 6   using any proprietary resemblance of the venue where an event occurs
 7   in promotional materials, social media promotions, or uniform
 8   resource locators of the secondary entertainment event ticket
 9   exchange, reseller, or website; or
10       (b) State or imply that the secondary entertainment event ticket
11   exchange, reseller, or website is affiliated with or endorsed by a
12   venue or performing artist, including by using words such as
13   "official" in promotional materials, social media promotions, search
14   engine optimization, paid advertising, uniform resource locators, or
15   search engine monetization unless the secondary entertainment event
16   ticket exchange, reseller, or website has the express written consent
17   of the venue or performing artist.
18       (2) Any digital advertising, website, or mobile application
19   operated by a ticket reseller or secondary marketplace must include a
20   clear, prominent, and easily visible disclosure in the top 20 percent
21   of the webpage, including the homepage, landing pages, and any page
22   where tickets are purchased, stating the following:
23       (a) That the site is a reseller or secondary marketplace; and
24       (b) That the buyer is not purchasing a ticket directly from the
25   event venue, team, artist, original/primary ticket seller.
26       (3) Resellers are prohibited from using the name of an artist,
27   performer, team, or venue in the website's uniform resource locator
28   with the intent to gain an unfair search engine optimization
29   advantage or to mislead consumers into believing the site is an
30   official or primary seller.

31       NEW SECTION.     Sec. 12.      (1) Any person or entity that
32   commercially engages in the resale of tickets for events taking place
33   within this state, or provides a platform for such commercial
34   activities, shall obtain a license from the department of licensing
35   prior to commencing operations. This chapter is subject to the
36   uniform regulation of business and professions act, chapter 18.235
37   RCW.



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 1       (2) The department of licensing shall establish and require a
 2   single class of ticket license to ensure appropriate oversight for
 3   each segment of the industry, including:
 4       (a) Ticket resale marketplace license: Required for any platform,
 5   service, or technology provider that facilitates, hosts, or operates
 6   a secondary market for the resale of tickets by third parties; and
 7       (b) Commercial ticket reseller license: Required for any
 8   individual or entity whose business, in whole or in part, involves
 9   the acquisition and commercial resale of tickets for profit.
10       (3) An individual who is not otherwise classified under
11   subsection (2) of this section is exempt from the licensing
12   requirements of this section if they resell fewer than 10 tickets
13   within a single calendar year. This exemption is intended for casual
14   sales and does not apply to tickets resold as part of a recurring
15   business or commercial activity.
16       (4) The department of licensing shall adopt rules and set license
17   fees for the licenses required under this section. Fees shall be set
18   at a level to cover the costs of administering this chapter.
19       (5) The department of licensing may revoke a reseller's
20   registration for one to five years for a violation of this chapter.


21       NEW SECTION.    Sec. 13.    (1) Any applicant who intentionally
22   provides false information in an application for licensure is subject
23   to denial of the license application, or if the license is issued,
24   suspension or revocation of the license, or a civil penalty of up to
25   $1,000 per violation, or both, as determined by the department of
26   licensing.
27       (2) Any licensee who changes the business name, business address,
28   or primary contact information must notify the department of
29   licensing in writing within 30 days of such change. Failure to
30   provide timely and accurate notice may result in suspension or
31   revocation of the license, or a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per
32   violation, or both, as determined by the department.

33       NEW SECTION.    Sec. 14.  The department of licensing shall set
34   license and endorsement fees at a level to cover the costs of
35   administering this chapter. However, the department may establish a
36   reduced or tiered fee schedule for nonprofit organizations and small
37   organizations,   as   defined  by  rule,   to  promote   access  and
38   participation.
                                     p. 5                          SB 6175
 1       NEW SECTION.    Sec. 15.    (1) If a reseller fails to deliver
 2   tickets to a consumer, the consumer may claim compensation from a
 3   surety bond, which the department of licensing shall require for all
 4   registered resellers.
 5       (2) The surety bond must be at least $25,000 and must cover the
 6   cost of the tickets, as well as any reasonable travel expenses
 7   incurred by the consumer because of the failure to deliver. The
 8   department of licensing may adjust the bond amount, not to exceed
 9   $100,000, based on the reseller's sales volume and consumer
10   complaints according to rules established by the department. The
11   department shall establish rules regarding the required bond amount
12   and the consumer claim process.
13       (3) The department of licensing may enforce collection and shall
14   oversee the consumer claim process.
15       (4) If a reseller violated the original ticket sellers' contract
16   and terms for ticket buyers at the time of purchase, the original
17   ticket sellers may claim compensation from a surety bond, which must
18   cover the cost of the ticket and associated fees, including credit
19   card fees, plus other loss of revenue, and reasonable administrative
20   expenses or legal fees, or both. The department of licensing may
21   oversee the ticket issuer claim process.


22       NEW SECTION. Sec. 16. (1) Any person who violates this chapter
23   shall be liable for the following civil penalties:
24       (a) A base penalty of at least $1,000 for each day the violation
25   occurs or continues; and
26       (b) An additional penalty equal to the greater of:
27       (i) $1,000 per ticket listed, advertised, sold, or resold in
28   violation of this chapter; or
29       (ii) An amount equal to three times the total ticket price of
30   each ticket listed, advertised, sold, or resold in violation of this
31   chapter.
32       (2)   The   department   of   licensing   may   take  appropriate
33   administrative action to enforce collection.
34       (3) A consumer who has been subjected to a violation of the price
35   limitations of section 10 of this act or has purchased a speculative
36   ticket in violation of section 5 of this act may bring a civil action
37   against the violating party for damages. Recovery for an action
38   brought under this subsection is limited to the greater of: (a) Three
39   times the amount of the initial ticket price; or (b) $500 per
                                     p. 6                          SB 6175
 1   violation. This private right of action is only available where the
 2   consumer can demonstrate actual monetary damages or denial of entry
 3   to the event resulting from the violation. This subsection (3) does
 4   not apply if the tickets are sold as part of a package that includes
 5   additional goods or services such as transportation or lodging.


 6       NEW SECTION.   Sec. 17.    (1) The department of licensing shall
 7   establish a publicly accessible website to allow individuals to
 8   report violations of this chapter.
 9       (2) The department of licensing shall prepare an annual report on
10   enforcement   actions,   penalty   collections,   and   the   overall
11   effectiveness of this chapter in reducing violations, to be submitted
12   to the relevant legislative committee and made available to the
13   public.


14       NEW SECTION.    Sec. 18.    (1) The legislature finds that the
15   practices covered by this chapter are matters vitally affecting the
16   public interest for the purpose of applying the consumer protection
17   act, chapter 19.86 RCW. A violation of this chapter is not reasonable
18   in relation to the development and preservation of business and is an
19   unfair or deceptive act in trade or commerce and an unfair method of
20   competition for purposes of applying the consumer protection act,
21   chapter 19.86 RCW.
22       (2) Notwithstanding subsection (1) of this section, a consumer's
23   private right of action for a violation of this chapter under chapter
24   19.86 RCW is limited to only those provisions of this act that
25   involve fraud, speculative ticketing, bot use, or the failure to
26   provide a guaranteed refund in the case of a canceled or illegitimate
27   ticket. No private right of action is authorized for a violation of
28   administrative requirements or disclosure requirements unless the
29   violation results in a direct and demonstrable injury to the
30   consumer.

31       NEW SECTION. Sec. 19. (1) A reseller may not request, cause, or
32   accept a refund, credit, exchange, or cancellation from the primary
33   ticket seller for any ticket that the reseller has resold, offered
34   for resale, or transferred to another person for commercial purposes.
35       (2)(a) Any refund or credit obtained in violation of this section
36   constitutes an unfair or deceptive act or practice.


                                     p. 7                          SB 6175
1        (b) A reseller who obtains a refund or causes the cancellation of
2    a ticket after reselling or transferring that ticket is liable for
3    all resulting losses incurred by the purchaser, the primary ticket
4    seller, or the event organizer, in addition to any civil penalties
5    provided under this act.
6        (c) Each ticket refunded or canceled in violation of this section
7    constitutes a separate violation.

 8       NEW SECTION.   Sec. 20.   (1) A reseller may not sell, offer for
 9   sale, advertise, transfer, or distribute a ticket, barcode, or other
10   access credential to more than one purchaser.
11       (2) A reseller may not reproduce, duplicate, alter, or distribute
12   a ticket or barcode for the purpose of selling the same ticket to
13   multiple buyers.
14       (3) A reseller may not knowingly sell or offer for sale a ticket
15   that has been, or will be, transferred, assigned, or sold to any
16   other person.
17       (4) Each sale or attempted sale of a ticket that has been
18   duplicated or resold to more than one person constitutes a separate
19   violation.
20       (5) Any person who violates this section is liable for civil
21   penalties under this act and may be subject to license suspension,
22   revocation, or surety bond claims pursuant to sections 13 and 15 of
23   this act.


24       NEW SECTION.    Sec. 21.   If any provision of this act or its
25   application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the
26   remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other
27   persons or circumstances is not affected.

28       Sec. 22. RCW 19.345.010 and 2015 c 129 s 2 are each amended to
29   read as follows:
30       The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter
31   unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
32       (1) (("Admission ticket" means evidence of a right of entry to a
33   venue or an entertainment event.
34       (2))) "Affinity group" means an identifiable group of people who
35   are members of the same organization, or who are customers of the
36   same person, and who enjoy special privileges.


                                     p. 8                          SB 6175
 1       (2) "All-in price" means the total cost of an admission ticket,
 2   including all fees and charges that must be paid to purchase the
 3   ticket, other than taxes or actual and verifiable shipping costs,
 4   such as the fee charged by a third-party postal or courier service
 5   for physical delivery, which must be disclosed prior to acceptance of
 6   payment. "All-in price" includes all fees for electronic or digital
 7   delivery regardless of whether the fee is the sole option or selected
 8   by the consumer. The disclosed "all-in price" must be the most
 9   prominent price presented to the consumer.
10       (3) "Event" means a concert, theatrical performance, festival,
11   sporting event, exhibition, show, comedy performance, or other
12   similar activity held in this state.
13       (4) "Initial sale" means the first sale of an admission ticket by
14   the primary ticket seller. "Initial sale" also includes the
15   distribution of admission tickets under an agreement between the
16   ticket seller and the recipient.
17       (5) "Person" means any individual, partnership, corporation,
18   limited liability company, other organization, or any combination
19   thereof.
20       (6) (("Place of entertainment" means any privately or publicly
21   owned or operated entertainment facility within this state, such as a
22   theater, stadium, museum, arena, park, racetrack, or other place
23   where    concerts,   theatrical    performances,   sporting   events,
24   exhibitions, shows, or other similar activities are held and for
25   which an entry fee is charged.
26       (7) "Presale" means a sale of admission tickets at or below the
27   price printed on the ticket by, or with the permission of, a ticket
28   seller, prior to their release to the general public.
29       (8) "Promoter" means a person who organizes financing and
30   publicity for an entertainment event.
31       (9) "Ticket seller" means a person that makes admission tickets
32   available, directly or indirectly, at an initial presale or sale to
33   the general public, and may include an owner or operator of a place
34   of entertainment, a sponsor or promoter of an event, a sports team
35   participating in an event, a fan club or affinity group, a theater
36   company, a musical group, or similar participant in an event, or an
37   employee or agent of any such person)) "Primary ticket seller" means
38   the person or entity that has the initial contractual right to sell
39   the admission tickets for an event directly to the public, which may


                                     p. 9                          SB 6175
 1   include the owner or operator of a venue, a promoter, or an
 2   authorized agent of the owner, operator, or promoter.
 3       (7) "Resale" means the second or subsequent sale of a ticket by
 4   any method, including in-person transactions, telephone, mail, email,
 5   facsimile, or electronic means through websites or mobile apps.
 6       (8) "Reseller" means a person, partnership, corporation, limited
 7   liability company, other organization, or any combination thereof
 8   engaged in the business of the resale of tickets.
 9       (9) "Secondary ticket exchange" means an electronic marketplace
10   enabling the sale, purchase, and resale of tickets.
11       (10) "Speculative ticket" means a ticket not in the actual or
12   constructive possession of the reseller at the time of listing, sale,
13   or advertisement. This includes tickets not owned by the reseller or
14   under contract to be transferred to the reseller at the time of sale.
15       (11) "Ticket" means any form of physical, electronic, or other
16   evidence that grants the possessor of the evidence license to enter a
17   place of entertainment or an event.
18       (12) "Ticket issuer" means the person or entity that issues
19   tickets and terms for the ticket buyers, which may include an artist,
20   a band, a promoter, a sports team, a venue, a theater, a club, or a
21   festival.
22       (13) "Ticket resale marketplace" means a person or entity that
23   operates a platform or exchange to facilitate the resale or offering
24   for resale of admission tickets between third parties, which includes
25   platforms or exchanges operating by means of an internet website,
26   application, phone system, or other similar technology, and who does
27   not generally maintain their own ticket inventory, and which may
28   include a ticket seller.

29       Sec. 23. RCW 19.345.020 and 2015 c 129 s 3 are each amended to
30   read as follows:
31       (1) A person may not:
32       (a) Use software to circumvent, thwart, interfere with, or evade
33   a security measure, access control system, or other control or
34   measure on a ticket seller's internet website; or
35       (b) Sell software that is advertised for profit with the express
36   purpose to circumvent, thwart, interfere with, or evade a security
37   measure, access control system, or other control or measure on a
38   ticket seller's internet website.


                                     p. 10                         SB 6175
 1       (2) The use or sale of software as described in subsection (1) of
 2   this section only violates this section if the user or seller knows
 3   or should know that the purpose of the software is to circumvent,
 4   thwart, interfere with, or evade a security measure, access control
 5   system, or other control or measure on a ticket seller's internet
 6   website.
 7       (3) ((The legislature finds that the conduct described in
 8   subsection (1) of this section vitally affects the public interest
 9   for the purpose of applying the consumer protection act, chapter
10   19.86 RCW. Using or selling software to circumvent, thwart, or evade
11   a control or measure, which is used on a ticket seller's internet
12   website to ensure an equitable distribution of tickets, is not
13   reasonable in relation to the development and preservation of
14   business and is an unfair or deceptive act in trade or commerce and
15   an unfair method of competition for the purposes of applying the
16   consumer protection act, chapter 19.86 RCW)) It is an unfair or
17   deceptive act or practice for any person to engage in the business of
18   a ticket reseller or ticket resale marketplace without:
19       (a) Clearly and conspicuously disclosing the all-in price before
20   a consumer selects a ticket to purchase, and an itemized breakdown of
21   the base ticket price and all additional fees, charges, and taxes,
22   before acceptance of payment, except for actual shipping costs that
23   are disclosed before payment acceptance. The all-in price must be
24   displayed in a font size and prominence that is equal to or greater
25   than the base ticket price and any service fee;
26       (b) Ensuring that the price of a ticket does not increase from
27   the time it is selected by a consumer to the time of purchase;
28       (c) Disclosing their name, and their business address. For any
29   entity whose principal place of business is outside of Washington
30   state, the disclosure must also include the name and contact
31   information of a registered agent or agent for service of process in
32   Washington state;
33       (d) Providing a readily accessible path to contacting for
34   complaints, customer service, and inquiries, including telephone
35   number, email address, a standard refund policy, and virtual support,
36   with anticipated response time, and guaranteeing a response to
37   consumer inquiries within three business days;
38       (e) Providing the actual location of seats if reserved, or
39   section, if applicable, if there is a general admission event;


                                     p. 11                         SB 6175
 1       (f)   Providing   clear   and  conspicuous   disclosure  of   any
 2   restrictions on entry to the venue and limitations or restrictions on
 3   resale or transferability;
 4       (g)(i) Guaranteeing a full refund to a purchaser within two weeks
 5   if the event for which the ticket was resold is canceled;
 6       (ii) A nonprofit event presenter that offers a purchaser the
 7   ability to choose between receiving a full refund in the event of a
 8   cancellation or another option, including donating the amount paid
 9   for their ticket to the nonprofit, or receiving an exchange or gift
10   certificate shall be understood to be compliant with (g)(i) of this
11   subsection;
12       (h) Providing the original face value of the ticket alongside the
13   resellers' price, and in the same currency. This disclosure must be
14   located directly adjacent to the resellers' price and be of
15   comparable font size;
16       (i) Providing clear and conspicuous disclosure that the person is
17   a reseller and not an official ticket seller; and
18       (j) Guaranteeing a full refund to a purchaser within two weeks if
19   the ticket is not legitimate; or the purchaser is denied entrance
20   into the facility due to violation of permissive terms by the
21   reseller.


22       NEW SECTION.   Sec. 24.   Sections 1 through 20 of this act are
23   each added to chapter 19.345 RCW.


24       NEW SECTION.   Sec. 25.   This act may be known and cited as the
25   Washington access and venue equity act or the WAVE act.

26      NEW SECTION.   Sec. 26.   This act takes effect July 1, 2027.

                                   --- END ---




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