What the Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees means for you

Have you ever picked out tickets to an event or the perfect vacation rental and then ended up paying twice what you expected in fees at checkout? Help is on the way: the FTC’s Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees takes effect today. What might this mean for you?

The Rule says that anyone selling tickets to live events — like concerts or sporting events — or offering short-term lodging — like hotel rooms or vacation rentals — has to be upfront and tell the truth about the fees they charge.

So: no more hidden charges. That means the price you see upfront has to include all the required fees the seller knows about. And if there are other fees that end up applying that they can’t calculate upfront — like taxes or shipping — the seller must tell you about those, too, before asking for your final payment.

Even with the Rule in place, sellers can still charge fees. But the Rule means sellers have to tell you the truth about the price they give you. And if you know the true price upfront, it’ll hopefully save you time — and money — the next time you search for tickets to a live concert, play, or game, or when you’re booking your next vacation.

If you think a company isn’t playing by the rules, the FTC wants to hear about it. Go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov and tell us your story.