* § 25.03. Definitions. As used in this article the term: 1. "Entertainment" means all forms of entertainment including, but not limited to, theatrical or operatic performances, concerts, motion pictures, all forms of entertainment at fair grounds, amusement parks and all types of athletic competitions including football, basketball, baseball, boxing, tennis, hockey, and any other sport, and all other forms of diversion, recreation or show.

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2. "Established price" means the price fixed at the time of sale by the operator of any place of entertainment for admission thereto, which must be printed or endorsed on each ticket of admission.

3. "Final auction price" shall mean the price paid for a single ticket by a winning bidder. In the case of a single action price for a ticket package, including packages containing tickets to multiple events, the final auction price per ticket shall be established by evenly dividing a prorated share of the winning bid, which shall be determined by the seller, by the number of tickets to such event.

4. "Not-for-profit organization" means a domestic corporation incorporated pursuant to or otherwise subject to the not-for-profit corporation law, a charitable organization registered with the department of law, a religious corporation as defined in § 66 of the general construction law, a trustee as defined in section 8-1.4 of the estates, powers and trusts law, an institution or corporation formed pursuant to the education law, a special act corporation created pursuant to chapter four hundred sixty-eight of the laws of eighteen hundred ninety-nine, as amended, a special act corporation formed pursuant to chapter two hundred fifty-six of the laws of nineteen hundred seventeen, as amended, a corporation authorized pursuant to an act of congress approved January fifth, nineteen hundred five, (33 stat. 599), as amended, a corporation established by merger of charitable organizations pursuant to an order of the supreme court, New York county dated July twenty-first, nineteen hundred eighty-six and filed in the department of state on July twenty-ninth, nineteen hundred eighty-six, or a corporation having tax exempt status under section 501 (c) (3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code, and shall further be deemed to mean and include any federation of charitable organizations.

5. "Operator" means any person who owns, operates, or controls a place of entertainment or who promotes or produces an entertainment.

6. "Place of entertainment" means any privately or publicly owned and operated entertainment facility such as a theatre, stadium, arena, racetrack, museum, amusement park, or other place where performances, concerts, exhibits, athletic games or contests are held for which an entry fee is charged.

7. "Physical structure" means the place of entertainment, or in the case where a structure either partially or wholly surrounds the place of entertainment, such surrounding structure.

8. "Resale" means any sale of a ticket for entrance to a place of entertainment located within the boundaries of the state of New York other than a sale by the operator or the operator's agent who is expressly authorized to make first sales of such tickets. Resale shall include sales by any means, including in person, or by means of telephone, mail, delivery service, facsimile, internet, email or other electronic means, where the venue for which the ticket grants admission is located in New York state. Except as provided in sections 25.11 and 25.27 of this article, the term "resale" shall not apply to any person, firm or corporation which purchases any tickets solely for their own use or the use of their invitees, employees and agents or which purchases tickets on behalf of others and resells such tickets to such invitees, employees and agents or others at or less than the established price. Similarly, the term "resale" shall not apply to any not-for-profit organization, or person acting on behalf of such not-for-profit organization, as long as any profit realized from ticket reselling is wholly dedicated to the purposes of such not-for-profit organization.

9. "Ticket" means any evidence of the right of entry to any place of entertainment.

10. "Ticket office" means a building or other structure located other than at the place of entertainment, at which the operator or the operator's agent offers tickets for first sale to the public.

* NB Effective until July 1, 2025

* § 25.03. Reselling of tickets of admission; licenses; fees. 1. No person, firm or corporation shall resell or engage in the business of reselling any tickets of admission or any other evidence of the right of entry to a theatre, place of amusement or entertainment, or other places where public exhibitions, games, contests or performances are held, or own, conduct or maintain any office, branch office, bureau, agency or sub-agency for such business without having first procured a license or certificate therefor from the commissioner of licenses of the political subdivision in which such person intends to conduct such business and if there be no such commissioner, then the chief executive officer thereof shall be deemed to be the commissioner for the purposes of this article. A license for the principal office shall be granted upon the payment by or on behalf of the applicant of a fee of two hundred dollars and shall be renewed upon the payment of a like fee annually; and a certificate shall be granted for each branch office, bureau, agency or sub-agency, upon payment by or on behalf of an applicant of a fee of fifty dollars and shall be renewed upon the payment of a like fee annually. Such license or certificate shall not be transferred or assigned, except by permission of such commissioner. No change in the location of the premises covered by such license or certificate shall be made, except by permission of such commissioner, and upon the payment of a fee of ten dollars. Such license or certificate shall run to the first day of January next ensuing the date thereof, unless sooner revoked by such commissioner. Such license or certificate shall be granted upon a written application setting forth such information as such commissioner may require in order to enable him to carry into effect the provisions of this article and shall be accompanied by proof satisfactory to such commissioner of the moral character of the applicant. No license or certificate shall be issued for any office or branch office, bureau, agency or sub-agency unless such office or branch office, bureau, agency or sub-agency shall be a suitable place for the conduct of said business and shall meet with the approval of such commissioner.

2. This section shall not apply to any person, firm or corporation which purchases any tickets as defined in this section with the intent of using the tickets solely for their own use or the use of their invitees, employees and agents and resells them at a price not in excess of that permitted by section 25.13 of this article should they no longer be able to use them.

* NB Effective July 1, 2025