This bill creates a new regulatory framework for ticket sales by adding sections to chapter 19.345 RCW and amending several existing statutes (including RCW 19.345.010, 19.345.020, RCW 43.24.150, and RCW 18.235.020). It makes it unlawful to use or sell software intended to circumvent a ticket seller’s online purchasing limits or controls, and prohibits knowingly reselling tickets obtained through such software when not acquired for the reseller’s own use. The conduct is declared to affect the public interest and is treated as unfair or deceptive under the state Consumer Protection Act; ticket sellers must notify the attorney general if such software is used, and businesses domiciled outside Washington selling tickets to in-state events are subject to Washington law. The bill establishes a licensing regime administered by the Department of Licensing: persons who operate as ticket sellers, ticket resellers, or ticket resale marketplaces must obtain an annual ticket sales license, pay fees set by the director, register with the Department of Revenue, and, where applicable, register with the Secretary of State. It requires extensive consumer disclosure and transactional rules: disclosure of base price and “all-in” price prior to selection and the total charge prior to purchase; clear presentation of fees; no price increases between selection and purchase except for disclosed delivery fees; pre-purchase disclosures about cancellation/refund terms, transferability, ownership relationships, and complaint contact information; restrictions on speculative ticket sales and a deadline for refunding deposits if tentative tickets are not secured; rules prohibiting penalties for consumers who buy resold tickets; prohibitions on deceptive domain names that mimic a venue or event; and application of the uniform regulation of business and professions act to governance, licensing denial, and discipline. Legally, the changes are primarily procedural and regulatory: they create a new licensing requirement, add consumer protection-based prohibitions, impose disclosure and transactional obligations, and bring ticketing activities under existing professional licensure discipline provisions. The act effective date is January 1, 2027. The provided materials are incomplete in places: the full text of several early sections (notably Secs. 2, 4, 5, and part of Sec. 7), the complete amendment language for RCW 18.235.020, and specific enforcement mechanisms or penalty amounts beyond the Consumer Protection Act characterization and licensing discipline are not included in the extracted facts.

If enacted, ticket sellers, resellers, and resale marketplaces will face new annual licensing and registration requirements, routine disclosure obligations, and limits on certain sales practices. Practically that means businesses will need to apply for and pay a state license, register with the Department of Revenue and (if not a sole proprietor or general partnership) the Secretary of State, update sales platforms to show base and all-in prices before selection and full price before purchase, provide specific consumer disclosures and transferability options, avoid deceptive domain names, and follow rules for speculative ticket sales and refunds. Those changes will raise compliance costs for affected businesses, create a new administrative workload for the Department of Licensing (which must set fees, run the licensing program, and submit budget requests), and put out-of-state ticket sellers on the same footing as in-state sellers for Washington events. Consumers are likely to see clearer pricing and stronger protections (including refund timing for failed speculative sales and a right not to be denied entry solely because a ticket was resold), while sellers face increased risk of enforcement under the consumer protection act if they use or sell software that circumvents ticket limits, fail required disclosures, or violate the resale-possession rules. Fees collected will go into the state’s business and professions account. The text omits several referenced sections and specific fee levels, so the exact scope of director duties, enforcement mechanisms, and licensing costs remain unclear.