Ticket Transfer Readiness Checker
About to send tickets to a friend or a buyer? Tick off the 7 steps below and find out whether the transfer will go through — or fail. You get a plain verdict, a list of exactly what is still missing, and the exact next step for your platform.
Check your transfer readiness
Pick the platform first, then tick every step you have already done. Your score updates as you go.
Your readiness result
You have 0 of 7 steps done. Work through the list below, starting with the recipient and the tickets.
Still to do
How this checker works
- Pick the platform where the tickets live. The exact next step is different on Ticketmaster, AXS, SeatGeek, Vivid Seats and StubHub, so the checker needs to know which one you are using.
- Tick off the steps you have already done. Each of the 7 steps is worth one point. Be honest — ticking a step you have not done only hides the problem until the transfer fails.
- Read your score out of 7. The progress bar and the “X of 7 done” count update as you tick boxes, so you can see at a glance how far along you are.
- Work through your “Still to do” list. Every unchecked step is listed back to you with a one-line fix, so you know exactly what to do next. Then follow the exact next step for your platform.
The scoring, in plain words: 7/7 = “Ready to transfer”. 5–6 = “Almost ready — fix the items below”. 3–4 = “Not ready yet”. 0–2 = “Start now — several steps missing”. There is no partial credit: a step counts only when it is fully done.
Reference table: transfer rules by platform
How each platform handles transfers, at a glance. The checker above gives you the same answer with the exact next step for your platform.
| Platform | How the transfer works | What the recipient needs | When transfer opens | Can it be cancelled? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ticketmaster | Send from My Tickets in the app or on the website. The recipient gets a new barcode, and your old ticket stops working. | A Ticketmaster account, and they must accept the transfer. Sending the invite alone does not complete it. | When the organizer enables it. Some events never allow transfer. | Yes, while it is still unaccepted. Once accepted, it is final. |
| AXS | Send from Your Tickets in the AXS app or on the website. Transfer is free, with no limit on the number of transfers. | An AXS account. If they already have one, the tickets land in their account automatically. If not, they must create one with the same email to claim them. | Varies by show. Some shows only open transfer 48 hours before showtime, and some do not allow transfer at all. | Only while unclaimed. If the recipient already has an AXS account, the transfer is instant and cannot be cancelled. |
| SeatGeek | Transfer from your SeatGeek account to the recipient’s email. For some tickets, delivery is automatic; for others, you must complete the transfer yourself. | A SeatGeek account, or an account on the original ticketing platform if the ticket was issued there. | Once the tickets are in your possession. Some tickets only become available close to the event. | Depends on the ticket and the event. Check your order page. |
| Vivid Seats | Vivid Seats is a resale marketplace, so the transfer itself happens on the platform that issued the original ticket — often Ticketmaster. Follow the delivery instructions in your order email. | An account on the platform that holds the original ticket, created or signed in to with the same email used for the Vivid Seats order. | When the seller has the tickets and the delivery date in your order arrives. Some orders only become available a day or a week before the event. | Contact Vivid Seats support. The transfer platform controls acceptance; Vivid Seats controls the order. |
| StubHub | Delivery depends on the listing: mobile transfer, mobile ticket, PDF, or physical delivery. A mobile transfer is completed on the original ticketing platform to the buyer’s email. | An account on the original ticketing platform, using the same email as the StubHub order, for mobile transfers. | When the seller delivers. Check the delivery method and estimated delivery date on your order. | Contact StubHub support. A completed mobile transfer cannot be undone by the seller alone. |
Outcomes are the usual rules for each platform, not a promise for your tickets. The organizer’s rules for your event, and the terms you accepted at checkout, can change the answer. If your event page tells you something different from this table, follow your event page.
The most common transfer mistakes
Most failed transfers fail for one of these four reasons — all of them avoidable.
- Sending to the wrong email. A typo in the recipient’s email sends the tickets to a stranger, or to an account nobody checks. Ask the recipient to spell out their email, and type it yourself.
- Thinking the invite is the transfer. On Ticketmaster, sending the transfer only invites the recipient. Until they accept it in their own account, the tickets are still yours — and the recipient cannot get in.
- Sending a screenshot instead of a transfer. A photo or screenshot of a barcode will not scan at the door. Mobile tickets use a live barcode that only exists inside the official app.
- Trying to transfer tickets you do not have yet. If your tickets still say “pending” or have not been delivered to your account, there is nothing to transfer. Wait for delivery first, then send them.
Frequently asked questions
Does the recipient need an account before I send the tickets?
On Ticketmaster and AXS, yes — the recipient needs an account on the same platform to accept the tickets. If they do not have one, they can create it with the email you will send the tickets to. On AXS, if the recipient already has an account, the tickets land in it automatically. On resale marketplaces like Vivid Seats and StubHub, the recipient needs an account on the platform that issued the original ticket, using the same email as the order.
What if the Transfer button is missing or greyed out?
That means transfer is disabled for your event. The organizer decides whether transfer is allowed, and support cannot switch it on for you. It can also mean the tickets have not been delivered to your account yet, or that an active resale listing is blocking the transfer. Check the event page, check that the tickets show as delivered, and take down any resale listing.
Can I cancel a transfer after I send it?
On Ticketmaster, yes — while the transfer is still unaccepted, you can cancel or recall it. Once the recipient accepts, it is final. On AXS, you can only cancel while the transfer is unclaimed; if the recipient already has an AXS account, the transfer is instant and cannot be cancelled. On resale marketplaces, contact the marketplace support — a completed mobile transfer cannot be undone by the seller alone.
Why does my transfer say “pending” or “waiting to accept”?
Because the recipient has not accepted it yet. On Ticketmaster, a transfer shows as “Waiting to accept” or “Sent” until the recipient clicks the link and accepts in their account. On AXS, a transfer stays pending until the recipient creates an AXS account with the email it was sent to. Ask the recipient to check their email — including the spam folder — and accept it now. Do not send a second transfer to a different email while the first one is still pending.
Can I transfer tickets with a screenshot of the barcode?
No. A screenshot or photo of a barcode will not scan at the door, and venues will not accept it. Mobile tickets use a live barcode inside the official app. The only way to give someone a ticket is a proper transfer inside the platform, so the recipient gets their own live ticket in their own account.
What if my tickets have not been delivered to me yet?
Wait. You cannot transfer tickets that are not in your account yet, and some tickets only appear days before the event — on Vivid Seats, some orders only become available a day or a week before the show. Check the delivery date on your order. Once the tickets show as delivered and available in your account, run this checker again and send the transfer.
Related guides
These guides from TheTicketLover explain ticket transfers on each platform in more detail.
TheTicketLover is an independent ticket guide. It does not sell tickets. Platform names are used only to explain how transfers work.