U.S. Ticketing Junk Fee Rules: Full Prices Before Checkout

Learn how U.S. junk fee rules affect ticketing and lodging, what sellers must disclose about full prices, and how buyers and operators can respond.

The Federal Trade Commission now requires sellers of live-event tickets and short-term lodging to show the full price, including mandatory fees, before a customer reaches checkout. This requirement comes from the FTC’s Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees, also known as 16 C.F.R. Part 464, which took effect on May 12, 2025. It applies to any business advertising, displaying, or offering tickets or lodging to U.S. consumers.

How Spotlio helps operators meet the new pricing standard

Centralizing pricing and commerce is the practical path to staying compliant without rebuilding your tech stack every time a rule changes. Our platform is designed to handle pricing, commerce, websites, and mobile apps within a single system, so the total a guest sees in search matches what they see at checkout.

Dynamic Pricing keeps demand-based pricing adjustments reflected in the same all-in total across every channel
Commerce unifies ticket, pass, rental, lodging, and bundle sales under one pricing engine
Websites and Mobile Apps display that same total consistently, from discovery through purchase

If you’re reworking your pricing architecture for compliance, visit our products page to see how the pieces fit together, or reach out to talk through a migration plan.

FAQ

What is the junk fee rule?

The junk fee rule is the FTC’s Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees, which took effect May 12, 2025, and requires sellers of live-event tickets and short-term lodging to display the total price, including mandatory fees, upfront. It bans bait-and-switch pricing where fees appear only after a customer starts checking out.

What constitutes a junk fee?

A junk fee is a mandatory charge left out of the advertised price and added later in the purchase process, often labeled as a “service fee” or “convenience fee.” Charges that are genuinely optional, like shipping or a customer-selected upgrade, aren’t junk fees as long as they’re disclosed before payment.

Are resort fees illegal now?

Resort fees aren’t banned outright, but under the FTC rule they must be included in the total price shown upfront if they’re mandatory for every guest. A lodging operator can still charge a resort fee, it just can’t be hidden until checkout.

What are examples of junk fees?

Common examples include mandatory ticket service fees, booking fees added late in a hotel reservation flow, and processing fees that apply to every transaction with no fee-free alternative. Optional charges like trip insurance or premium seating aren’t junk fees as long as sellers disclose them clearly before payment.