Refund / Cancellation Eligibility Checker
Find out whether you are likely to get a refund when an event is cancelled, postponed, or changed — and what to do next. Answer four questions and get one clear verdict, the expected timing, and the exact next step.
Check your refund
Your verdict
Answer the questions above, then press Check my refund to see your verdict.
How this checker works
- Tell it what happened. A cancelled event, a postponed event, a show you cannot attend, and a big lineup change are treated very differently by every platform. The single biggest mistake is treating a postponement like a cancellation.
- Tell it where you bought. Primary sellers (Ticketmaster, AXS, the box office) follow the event organizer’s rules. Resale marketplaces (StubHub, SeatGeek, Vivid Seats) follow their own buyer guarantees, and Eventbrite leaves refunds to the organizer of each event.
- Read the one verdict. The checker gives one of four answers: Likely refund, Likely credit, Probably no refund — resell instead, or Depends — check this. There is no maybe hidden in a paragraph.
- Follow the next step, in order. Some refunds are automatic and the right move is to do nothing. Others only happen if you request them inside a short window, sometimes 30 days from the announcement. The next step tells you which one applies to you.
The rule behind the verdicts, in plain words: a cancelled event with no new date usually means a refund or credit. A postponed event usually means your tickets stay valid for the new date, and a refund only happens if the organizer offers one. Changing your mind, or not being able to go, is almost never a refund reason on any platform — reselling is the way out. A big lineup change is not a cancellation in most platforms’ terms, so it depends on the organizer.
Reference table: event status by platform
Every combination in the checker, at a glance. The checker above gives you the same answer with the timing and the next step for your exact situation.
| Platform | Cancelled, no new date | Postponed or rescheduled | Event happening, you cannot go | Event changed a lot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ticketmaster (primary) | Likely refund — automatic | Depends — organizer decides | Probably no refund — resell instead | Depends — organizer decides |
| AXS (primary) | Likely refund — or credit, at AXS’s discretion | Probably no refund — resell instead | Probably no refund — resell instead | Depends — check with AXS |
| StubHub (resale) | Likely credit — 120% credit, or cash refund on request | Probably no refund — resell instead | Probably no refund — resell instead | Probably no refund — resell instead |
| SeatGeek (resale) | Likely refund — or credit, at SeatGeek’s discretion | Probably no refund — resell instead | Probably no refund — resell instead | Probably no refund — resell instead |
| Vivid Seats (resale) | Likely refund — or credit, at Vivid Seats’ discretion | Probably no refund — resell instead | Probably no refund — resell instead | Depends — Vivid Seats decides |
| Eventbrite | Likely refund — organizer issues it | Likely refund — organizer issues it | Probably no refund — transfer or resell if allowed | Depends — organizer decides |
| Box office or venue | Likely refund — at the box office | Depends — ask the box office | Probably no refund — ask about an exchange | Depends — ask the box office |
Outcomes are the usual policy for each platform, not a promise for your order. The organizer’s rules for your event, the terms you accepted at checkout, and the law where you bought can change the answer. If the platform tells you something different from this table, follow what the platform tells you for your order.
If your refund never arrives
First, check the window. A Ticketmaster refund for a cancelled event usually takes 14 to 21 days once the organizer funds it. A StubHub cash refund is counted from the day you request it in your Wallet, not from the cancellation. Banks add their own posting time after the platform sends the money, so a refund can be sent and still take a few more days to show up.
If the stated window has passed and there is no refund, contact the seller in writing — email or the platform’s message center, not only a phone call — and keep a copy. State your order number, the event, and the refund the seller promised. If that still does not work and you paid by card, ask your card issuer about a dispute. This checker gives general information, not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a cancelled event and a postponed event?
A cancelled event has no new date, and that usually triggers a refund or credit. A postponed or rescheduled event has a new date, and your tickets usually stay valid for that date. A refund for a postponed event only happens if the organizer offers one, often inside a short window of about 30 days from the new-date announcement. That is why the checker asks what happened first.
Why is my refund taking so long?
Most often because the clock starts later than people expect. On Ticketmaster, the refund is automatic, but only once the organizer funds it, and then it usually takes 14 to 21 days to appear. On StubHub, the cash refund clock starts when you select Request cash refund in your Wallet, not when the event is cancelled. On Eventbrite, the organizer has to approve the refund first, and it then takes 5 to 7 business days. Your bank can also add a few days of its own after the platform sends the money. Enter the days since the change was announced in the checker and it will tell you if the usual window has passed.
Do I get the service fees back?
For a cancelled event, usually yes — the refund is normally the full amount you paid, including fees. StubHub’s 120% credit is worked out on the total you paid, including fees, and Vivid Seats refunds the purchase price including delivery charges, less possible restocking fees. The main exception is Eventbrite: when you ask for a refund yourself, the fees are usually kept, but when the event is cancelled or postponed the refund covers the whole purchase, including the fees. Always check the refund confirmation to see exactly what was returned.
What if I bought resale, on StubHub, SeatGeek, or Vivid Seats?
Resale platforms have their own buyer guarantees, and they treat cancellations and postponements differently. If the event is cancelled with no new date, StubHub gives a 120% Wallet credit or a cash refund on request, SeatGeek gives a full refund or a credit at its discretion, and Vivid Seats gives a full refund or a credit at its discretion. If the event is only postponed, all three normally keep your tickets valid for the new date and do not refund — your way out is to resell them on the same marketplace.
What if the headliner changed?
A lineup change alone is usually not a cancellation. StubHub’s FanProtect and SeatGeek’s Buyer Guarantee both exclude lineup, performer, and schedule changes, so a changed headliner is normally a no-refund case on those platforms and the answer is to resell. On Ticketmaster, AXS, Eventbrite, and at the box office, the organizer decides — a major change is sometimes treated like a cancellation and sometimes not, so check your order page and email for the organizer’s offer.
What if I just cannot go, or I changed my mind?
There is generally no refund for changing your mind on any platform. All ticket sales are final unless the event itself is cancelled, postponed with a refund window, or changed in a way the organizer accepts. Your options are to resell the tickets where the platform allows it, or transfer them to someone else. List them early: tickets usually sell best while the event is still weeks away.
What if my event was postponed and there is no new date yet?
Your tickets stay valid while the organizer looks for a new date. No refund is due yet, because the event has not been cancelled. If the organizer later cancels it, the cancelled-event rules apply — a refund or credit, depending on the platform. If the organizer later sets a new date you cannot make, check at once whether a refund window opens, because it is often only about 30 days from the announcement.
Related guides
These guides from TheTicketLover explain the refund rules behind this checker in more detail.
TheTicketLover is an independent ticket guide. It does not sell tickets. Platform names are used only to explain refund rules. This checker gives general information, not legal advice.