D.C. Council caps ticket resale at 10% above face value

The District of Columbia Council unanimously passed a landmark consumer protection bill on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, imposing strict new regulations on the resale of live entertainment tickets. The Restricting Egregious Scalping Against Live Entertainment (RESALE) Act caps the resale price of tickets for concerts and theater events at 10 percent above their original face value and bans several controversial industry practices.

The legislation, which received final approval in a second council vote, also prohibits speculative ticket sales, where resellers list tickets they do not yet possess, and bans surveillance pricing, which uses a consumer’s personal data to set personalized prices. It mandates full price transparency, requiring resellers to disclose the original ticket cost, and forces anyone advertising 50 or more tickets per year to register with the District. Tickets for sporting events are not subject to the new law.

Councilmember Charles Allen, who introduced the bill in April 2025, championed the act as a necessary step to protect consumers and local venues. He argued that the secondary ticket market has become exploitative, harming fans and the local economy. "Ticket...