Event Cancelled or Postponed? How to Get a Ticket Refund (Australia 2026)
Last updated · Reviewed by the Claim Done team · Not legal advice
Yes, if the organiser cancelled the event or made a major change, such as a different headline act, a new city, or a new date you can’t attend. Under the Australian Consumer Law you’re entitled to a refund even if the ticket says “no refunds”, and you may also claim travel and accommodation you lost. The exception is a cancellation caused only by someone else, such as a government ban. Resale tickets are harder: your contract is with the reseller. The route: write to the seller, send a formal demand, complain to Fair Trading, send a final demand, then file at the tribunal.
Can you get your money back for a cancelled or changed event?
A ticket to a concert, festival, sporting match or show buys you a service, and the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) gives services automatic guarantees. The ACCC puts the ticket rule plainly: where the event organiser chooses to cancel, or makes a major change to the event, consumers are entitled to a refund under their consumer rights. The ACCC’s examples of a major change are a festival’s headline act being replaced and a show moving from one city to another. You may also be entitled to a refund if the event can’t be delivered safely.
The Queensland Government’s guidance, which explains the same national law, goes a step further: you have the right to a refund for a cancelled event “even if the terms and conditions on the ticket say you can’t get a refund”. It also says you might get a refund if the event’s date changes or the venue changes significantly after you bought the ticket, and the change means you can’t use it.
Compensation as well as the refund
The ACCC says you may also be able to claim compensation for losses connected with the cancellation or major change, giving travel and accommodation as examples. Whether you can depends on the situation: costs you’d only have spent because of the event, booked before the cancellation was announced, are the strongest claims.
When you may not get a refund under the law
The ACCC says there’s no consumer law remedy if the cancellation or change is caused only by someone other than the organiser. Its example is a government restriction banning the event. Western Australia’s Consumer Protection adds uncontrollable events such as natural disasters. In those cases your ticket terms decide what you get back. Change of mind isn’t covered either: if you simply can’t go anymore, the ticket terms and any official resale or transfer service are your options.
What the seller or organiser can’t do
- Hide behind “no refunds”. The ACCC says it’s illegal for businesses to rely on terms that deny consumer guarantee rights. Any term that tries to exclude the guarantees is void (ACL s 64).
- Change the event in a major way and keep your money. Swapping the headliner, moving the city or shrinking a three-day festival to one day is a major change. You can choose a refund.
- Mislead you about the event or the tickets. The ACCC says sellers must not make false or misleading claims about the event, how many tickets are available, or being the authorised seller, and must not hide costs or details like a restricted view.
- Fob you off with a credit you didn’t choose. The ACCC’s guidance on refunds uses a parallel example: a business that owes a refund must pay it the way you paid, not in points or credit, unless you agree.
The most common problems with ticket sellers
- Event cancelled, refund not paid. Claim: a full refund of the ticket price and the booking and delivery fees you paid.
- Event postponed to a date you can’t make. Claim: a refund, where the new date means you can’t use the ticket. Write promptly and say you can’t attend the new date.
- Headline act pulled out. Claim: a refund. A changed headliner is the ACCC’s own example of a major change.
- Festival cut short or moved. A two-day festival reduced to one, a show moved interstate. Claim: a full or partial refund depending on what you lost.
- Event ran but not as promoted. The Queensland Government lists examples: the headline act didn’t perform, the promoter didn’t have the liquor licence it claimed, or the event wasn’t all-ages as promised. Claim: a full or partial refund.
- Turned away at the gate. A fake or cancelled resale ticket. Claim: a refund from the seller you paid, and a chargeback if that fails.
- Seat not as sold. Restricted view not disclosed, wrong section. Claim: a partial refund, or a full refund if the difference was major.
- Hidden fees. A price that grew at checkout. Claim: the hidden amount, as misleading conduct. The ACCC’s Viagogo case turned on fees, including a 27.6% booking fee, disclosed late.
- Unsafe event. Claim: a refund if the event couldn’t be delivered safely, plus foreseeable loss.
- Travel and hotel wasted after a cancellation. Claim: the foreseeable costs as compensation, in the same letter as the refund.
Resale tickets and scalping laws
Who owes you the refund on a resale ticket
If you bought from a reseller rather than the official seller, your contract is with the reseller. NSW Fair Trading spells out what this means when a resold ticket’s event is cancelled: refunds from the official ticketing agency or organiser go to the first purchaser, and the original supplier isn’t legally bound to refund you because you didn’t buy from it. Your claim is against the reseller. Check whether the resale site offers cover for cancelled events, and if you paid by credit card, ask your bank about a chargeback.
National rules for resale websites
Businesses that resell tickets must follow the Electronic Ticket Resale Service Information Standard 2022. The ACCC says resale sites must clearly and continuously show “This is a ticket resale service. You are not buying from a primary ticket provider.” They must also show the total price you’d reasonably expect to pay the authorised seller, alongside the resale price. These rules don’t apply to private sales on marketplaces. In 2017 the ACCC took reseller Viagogo to court; the Federal Court found it misled buyers about being the “official” seller, ticket scarcity and price, and ordered a $7 million penalty.
State resale price caps (where we’ve verified them)
- NSW: for events at NSW venues, it’s an offence to resell a ticket for more than the original price plus transaction costs, capped at 10% of the original price. Resale ads must state the original cost and seat location. An organiser can cancel a ticket resold in breach. NSW Fair Trading warns it can’t order refunds, including for buyers overcharged above the 110% cap.
- Victoria: tickets to events declared under the Major Events Act 2009 (the list includes events such as the Boxing Day Test and the Australian Open) can’t be resold for more than 10% above face value, and listings must show face value, resale price and seat details.
- Queensland: for events at major Queensland venues, the Queensland Government says it’s illegal to resell a ticket for more than 10% above the original price. Prices on resale websites otherwise aren’t regulated.
- Western Australia: under the Ticket Scalping Act 2021, tickets to WA events with a resale restriction can’t be advertised or sold for more than 10% above the original price. Ads must show the original price and seat details.
- South Australia: a ticket with a resale restriction must not be advertised for more than 110% of its original cost, excluding booking and delivery fees and card surcharges.
- Tasmania, ACT and NT: we haven’t listed a resale price cap. Check with the local consumer regulator.
Scalping laws are mainly enforced against sellers, through fines. They don’t by themselves give you a refund of the overcharge, so your money claim still runs through the steps below.
Industry code
The Queensland Government notes that event organisers who belong to Live Performance Australia must follow its code of practice, which includes holding ticket money in a separate account they can’t touch until after the event, which speeds up refunds if an event is cancelled. If the organiser is a member, you can also complain to Live Performance Australia.
What you can claim
- A full refund of the ticket price, plus booking, handling and delivery fees, for a cancelled event or a major change you didn’t accept.
- A partial refund where the event went ahead but you got materially less than you paid for.
- Foreseeable costs caused by the cancellation or change: non-refundable flights, accommodation and transfers booked to attend.
- Hidden fees that weren’t properly disclosed.
Example (round numbers, for illustration only): you buy two festival tickets for $300 each plus a $20 booking fee, and book $500 of flights and a $400 hotel to attend. Two weeks out, the organiser cancels because ticket sales were poor and offers credit toward next year’s event. That’s the organiser’s choice to cancel, so you can choose a refund: $620. You can also claim the non-refundable part of the flights and hotel, up to $900, as foreseeable loss, depending on what you can recover elsewhere (for example, if the hotel refunds you, claim only what you lost). List each amount with its receipt.
Evidence to gather
- The tickets and order confirmation, showing the seller’s name, price, fees and seat.
- Proof of payment: card statement or receipt.
- The cancellation, postponement or change announcement, with the date and the reason given (screenshot the organiser’s and seller’s pages and social posts).
- The event advertising: line-up poster, venue, dates and any “all ages” or licensing claims.
- The ticket terms and conditions as at the date you bought (download a copy).
- Any refund or credit offer, and your reply.
- Receipts for travel and accommodation booked for the event, and what you got back from them.
- For resale tickets: the listing, the seller’s details, messages, and anything showing the ticket was rejected at the gate.
- The seller’s and organiser’s legal names and ABN (on the receipt, ticket terms or ABN Lookup).
How to get your money back: 5 steps
Step 1: Tell the seller in writing what went wrong and what you want
Write to the ticket seller you paid, and copy the event organiser named on the ticket. Give the order number, the event, what changed or was cancelled, and what you want: “a refund of $X including fees to my card within 5 business days”. If you’ve been offered a credit or new date you don’t want, say you choose the refund and why (for example, you can’t attend the new date). The Queensland Government’s advice is to contact the ticket seller first. Our guide on how to write a letter of demand shows the structure.
Step 2: No answer, a refusal or credit only? Send a formal demand
Our Consumer Guarantee Letter sets out the consumer guarantee for services, the ACCC’s position on cancelled and changed events, that “no refunds” terms don’t override the law, the amount you’re owed with any travel costs itemised, and a 14-day deadline. It’s the letter a tribunal expects to see before you file. If the cancelled event was part of a travel package, our Travel Refund Demand may fit better. The general Letter of Demand ($49) is the fallback.
Send a Consumer Guarantee Letter – $49
Step 3: Complain to Fair Trading in the seller’s state
Lodge a complaint with the consumer regulator in the state where the seller or organiser is, attaching your letter. These agencies are free and can contact the business, but they can’t order a refund. If the organiser is a Live Performance Australia member, complain to it as well. If you paid by credit card, ask your bank about a chargeback at the same time. You can also report misleading ticket claims to the ACCC, which uses reports for enforcement but doesn’t resolve individual complaints.
- NSW: NSW Fair Trading, 13 32 20, online complaint form.
- VIC: Consumer Affairs Victoria, 1300 55 81 81, general complaint form.
- QLD: Office of Fair Trading, 13 QGOV (13 74 68), make a consumer complaint.
- ACT: Access Canberra, 13 22 81, get help with a consumer issue.
- NT: NT Consumer Affairs, 1800 019 319 or 08 8999 1999, conciliation request.
- WA: Consumer Protection, 1300 30 40 54, events, tickets and ticket scalping.
- SA: Consumer and Business Services, 131 882, contact CBS.
- TAS: Consumer Affairs Tasmania, 1300 654 499, enquiry and complaint form.
Step 4: Still unpaid? Send the final demand
The final demand quotes your first letter, the seller’s reply and any Fair Trading reference, and says you’ll file without further notice. In South Australia the courts say a final notice should be given and 21 days allowed before filing, or you may not recover your filing costs.
Step 5: File at the tribunal or court in the seller’s state
Name the seller you paid and, where the organiser made the decision to cancel or change the event, the organiser as well, using their legal names. Most ticket claims are small, so tribunal fees are low and you don’t need a lawyer. Our Hearing Bundle ($97) organises the tickets, announcements and receipts into evidence if the claim is defended. In WA, SA and Tasmania the claim goes to the Magistrates Court and the same product prepares your court claim.
Prepare your tribunal application – $97
Where your claim goes in each state
The forum is in the state where the seller or organiser is, which may not be where the event was held.
| State | Forum | Money limit | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | NCAT, Consumer and Commercial Division (consumer claims) | $100,000 | NCAT consumer claims |
| VIC | VCAT, Civil Claims (goods and services) | No cap | VCAT goods and services |
| QLD | QCAT minor civil dispute (consumer and trader) | $25,000 | QCAT consumer and trader disputes |
| ACT | ACAT civil disputes | $25,000 | ACAT civil disputes |
| NT | NTCAT small claims (Local Court above $25,000) | $25,000 | NTCAT applications |
| WA | Magistrates Court, consumer/trader claim (minor case up to $10,000) | $75,000 | WA consumer/trader claims |
| SA | Magistrates Court (minor claim up to $12,000) | $100,000 | CourtSA civil cases |
| TAS | Magistrates Court, Civil Division (minor civil claim up to $15,000) | $50,000 | Magistrates Court civil disputes |
Filing fees change each year and depend on how much you claim and whether you hold a concession card, so check the current fee on the tribunal or court’s own fees page (linked in the table) before you file.
The interstate rule. In NSW and VIC, if the seller or promoter is an individual or sole trader living in another state, NCAT or VCAT can’t decide the claim (Burns v Corbett [2018] HCA 15) and it goes to court instead. Companies aren’t affected. QCAT in Queensland currently hears these claims, because the Queensland Court of Appeal has held it is a court (Owen v Menzies [2012] QCA 170), although two appeals challenging that are pending. Small promoters and individual resellers are sometimes sole traders, so check the ABN Lookup.
Time limits. NCAT says to apply within 3 years of when the problem began; VCAT says generally within six years.
After you win: getting paid
If the seller or promoter doesn’t pay by the date in the order, it can be enforced. In most states the order is registered or filed with the court and enforced as a judgment: a garnishee order on the business’s bank account, seizure and sale of property, or an examination of the business about its finances.
Tribunals do not collect the money for you. In NSW, Victoria, Queensland, the ACT and the NT, an unpaid tribunal money order is first registered, recorded or filed with a court. In WA, SA and Tasmania the Magistrates Court decides the claim, so you already have a court judgment. Then you apply for the court’s enforcement tools.
| State | How the order becomes enforceable | Garnishee: bank account and wages | Other options |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | Get a certified copy of the NCAT order (no fee) and register it with the Local Court (filing fee applies) | Yes: Form 69 with Form 70 (bank) or Form 71 (wages); no filing fee | Writ for the levy of property (Forms 65, 66); examination notice (Form 51 or 52) |
| VIC | Ask VCAT to have the order recorded at the Magistrates’ Court | Yes: attachment of debt (Form 71A or 71B); attachment of earnings (Forms 72A, 72B, with a hearing) | Warrant to seize property (Form 68A); oral examination (Form 67A); instalment order |
| QLD | File the QCAT order and an affidavit with a court (the Magistrates Court up to $150,000) within six years; free | Yes: enforcement warrant for redirection of debt (Form 76 or 77) or of earnings (Form 78), with Forms 9 and 74 | Seizure and sale (Form 75); enforcement hearing |
| ACT | File the sealed ACAT order and an affidavit in the Magistrates Court, serve Form 2.49, wait 7 days | Yes: debt redirection (Form 2.62 or 2.63); earnings redirection (Form 2.64) | Seizure and sale (Form 2.59); enforcement hearing (Forms 2.50, 2.51) |
| NT | Register the NTCAT order with the Local Court (certified copy and affidavit; no fee) | Yes: attachment of debts order; attachment of earnings order with a protected earnings rate | Warrant of seizure and sale; examination summons; charging order |
| WA | Already a court judgment; apply with Form 6 and the fee | Yes: debt appropriation order (Form 6, Form 2 affidavit); earnings appropriation order (individuals only, after an instalment order is broken) | Property (seizure and sale) order; means inquiry |
| SA | Already a court judgment; start through CourtSA, Enforcement tab | Yes: garnishee order (draft Form 148); wages protected to 90% of the weekly national minimum wage | Warrant of sale (Form 163); investigation or examination summons |
| TAS | Already a court judgment; file enforcement process at the registry ($49) | Yes: provisional, then final, garnishee order attaching a debt or earnings | Warrant to sell property; judgment summons and oral examination |
Questions people ask
The concert was cancelled. Am I entitled to a refund?
Yes, if the organiser chose to cancel. The ACCC says consumers are then entitled to a refund under their consumer rights, and the Queensland Government adds that this applies even if the ticket says no refunds. The exception is a cancellation caused only by a third party, such as a government ban, where the ticket terms decide.
The event was postponed. Can I get my money back?
Often, if you can’t make the new date. Queensland Government guidance says you might be able to get a refund if the date changes after you bought your ticket and the change means you can’t use it. Tell the seller in writing straight away that you can’t attend the new date and that you want a refund.
The headline act pulled out. Can I get a refund?
Yes, in most cases. The ACCC gives a changed festival headline act as an example of a major change, and a major change by the organiser entitles you to a refund. If you still went and enjoyed the rest, a partial refund may be more realistic. Our Consumer Guarantee Letter sets out the claim formally.
Can I claim my flights and hotel if the event was cancelled?
Possibly. The ACCC says consumers may be able to claim compensation for losses related to a cancellation or significant change, such as travel or accommodation, depending on the situation. Claim only what you couldn’t get back, with receipts, in the same letter as the ticket refund.
I bought my ticket from a resale site and the event was cancelled. Who refunds me?
The reseller, not the organiser. NSW Fair Trading says organisers’ refunds go to the first purchaser and the original supplier isn’t bound to refund you, because your contract is with the reseller. Check the resale site’s cancellation cover, write to the reseller, and ask your bank about a chargeback if you paid by credit card.
I was turned away at the gate with a resale ticket. What can I do?
Demand a refund from whoever sold you the ticket, in writing, with any evidence from the venue. If that fails and you paid by card, ask your bank for a chargeback. If it was a scam, report it to your state consumer agency (in WA, WA ScamNet). The ACCC warns that buying from unauthorised resellers risks being refused entry.
Is it legal to resell tickets above face value?
It depends on the state and event. NSW caps resale for NSW events at the original price plus transaction costs of up to 10%. Western Australia and South Australia cap tickets with a resale restriction at 10% above the original price, Victoria does for declared major events, and Queensland for events at major venues. Breaches carry fines for the seller, but don’t automatically refund the buyer.
Can a ticket seller refuse a refund because the terms say “no refunds”?
Not where you’re entitled to one under the consumer guarantees. The ACCC says it’s illegal for businesses to rely on terms that deny these rights. “No refunds” can limit change-of-mind refunds, not refunds for an event the organiser cancelled or changed in a major way.
The organiser offered a credit for next year’s event. Do I have to take it?
No, if you’re entitled to a refund. A credit is something you can choose, not something you must accept. Reply in writing that you choose a refund. If the seller won’t pay, our Consumer Guarantee Letter sets a 14-day deadline before you go to Fair Trading and the tribunal.
Can I get a refund if I just can’t go anymore?
Not as a legal right. Change of mind isn’t covered by the consumer guarantees. Check the ticket terms for a refund or exchange policy, and use the official resale or transfer service if there is one, which also keeps you within any resale price cap.
Are booking fees refundable when an event is cancelled?
Ask for them back. A refund for a failed service should put you back where you were, and booking and delivery fees were paid only because of the ticket. Include them in your written demand and itemise them separately from the ticket price.
Sources
Checked 19 October 2026.
- Competition and Consumer Act 2010, Schedule 2 (Australian Consumer Law), compilation 167: ss 18, 29, 60-62, 64, 267, 268
- ACCC: Buying tickets to events
- ACCC: Repair, replace, refund, cancel
- ACCC: Claiming compensation
- Electronic Ticket Resale Service Information Standard 2022
- Queensland Government: Ticketed events
- NSW Fair Trading: Ticket reselling
- Victorian Government: Buying and reselling tickets
- WA Consumer Protection: Events, tickets and ticket scalping
- SA Consumer and Business Services: Buying tickets
- NCAT fees, VCAT goods and services fees, QCAT fees, ACAT fees, NTCAT fees, WA Magistrates Court fees, SA Magistrates Court fees, Tasmanian Magistrates Court fees
Claim Done is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. This page is general information. For a complex or high-value matter, speak to a lawyer or a free community legal centre.