How to return an electronic theater ticket? How to return theater tickets? How to return theater tickets.

Having purchased a pass to a concert, play or performance, a person expects a pleasant pastime. But life situations they do not always stand on the side of the citizens of the Russian Federation and they lose both tickets and the money spent on them. To resolve emerging issues and controversial situations, the Law “On Consumer Rights” was issued.

If personal circumstances arise and a person is unable to attend a planned event, he has the opportunity to return his form. To return, you must have an application, an identity card and a purchased entry pass.

A ticket to a circus, theater or concert contains information about:

  • about the organizer of the event;
  • venue;
  • start time of the event;
  • price.

The entry pass is:

  • electronic;
  • paper.

The Theater Regulations state that the buyer has the right to purchase a pass document:

  • at the theater/concert hall box office;
  • on official websites on the Internet.

Buying passes in person does not guarantee the buyer a refund of the money spent.

Entrance pass - form strict reporting and upon sale is recorded in a special register. The buyer can book tickets from 5 to 30 days before the event. Booked forms are collected no later than 5 days before the start of the concert/performance.

The ticket form is approved in an organizational manner, in accordance with Order of the Ministry of Culture No. 257 “On approval of strict reporting forms.”

The Law “On the Protection of Consumer Rights” gives citizens the opportunity to return the money spent on a purchased ticket or exchange it for another.

According to the provisions of Federal Law-2300-1 non-food product Can be returned or exchanged within 14 days. The day of purchase is not taken into account.

If a citizen bought a ticket to a concert, but the event was canceled, or he was unable to attend due to personal circumstances, he has the right to return the money spent. To do this he needs:

  • statement;
  • purchased ticket.

A full refund is guaranteed to the buyer if the concert was canceled due to the fault of the organizers.

Step-by-step instructions for refunding money for purchased theater or concert tickets if the event was canceled due to the fault of the organizers:

  1. Contact the box office where the tickets were purchased and request a refund.
  2. If you receive a refusal, ask to call the director/administrator of the theater/concert.
  3. Write two identical statements, attach a ticket to one of them and give it to the person indicated above.
  4. On the second copy responsible person must sign and date it and indicate that he received the first copy.
  5. Within 30 days after receiving the documents, the responsible person is obliged to return the money to you.
  6. If the amount of money has not been returned within the provided period, the consumer may go to court.

Important! If the theater director/concert organizer refuses to take a citizen’s application, he can send it by registered mail by mail. And after receiving it, the responsible person is obliged to return it to the citizen within a month cash.

Data indicated in the application for a refund:

  • reason for return;
  • method of purchasing a ticket - online or at the box office;
  • amount spent;
  • ticket included.

The application is submitted in free form, but must comply with the requirements established by law.

How to return the amount spent on a ticket if you did not attend the event due to personal circumstances?

The algorithm for resolving the issue is the same as in the case of cancellation of an event by the organizers. Only before going to court, a person must write a complaint to the local cultural committee. In it, he describes the whole situation, based on the provisions of the law.

According to Article 32 of the Law “On the Protection of Consumer Rights,” a citizen has the right to refuse purchased services, but he must pay the expenses incurred by the organizer. But the provisions of the Tax Code stipulate that only those expenses that are documented are reimbursed.

Also, Article 33 of Federal Law No. 2300-1 describes the obligations of the contractor in relation to the consumer. He must inform his client in advance about the current circumstances in case he wants to cancel a concert or performance.

Last date to return concert tickets

Each organizer has its own rules for refunds. Tickets for the concert can be returned up to 3 days before the start of the event.

Terms and amount of refund for a given ticket:

  • if the entry document is submitted 14 days before organized concert or a performance, the viewer is refunded the entire amount that was spent on its purchase.
  • if you return the purchased pass document 8-13 days before the start of the event, the refund amount will be 70% of the original cost;
  • if you return the purchased entry document 4-7 days before the start of the performance/performance, the refund amount will be 50% of the original cost;
  • If the consumer returns the purchased pass document 3 days before the intended event, he will not receive any money.

If payment for the ticket was made from a bank card, the buyer’s money will be transferred back to his account.

If a concert or performance is postponed, the client is offered two options:

  • replacing the pass sheet for another day;
  • full refund.

If the entry ticket for the event was sold at a discount, then the amount of money for the returned ticket will also be at a discount.

Grounds for refusing a refund for a ticket

The procedure for refunding money for a concert ticket is described above in the article. But there are situations when the organizers refuse to refund the entire amount:

  • the ticket was returned an hour or two before the start of the performance/concert;
  • no supporting document was attached to the complaint;
  • the client demanded a refund after the end of the event;
  • the client requested a refund for courier services;
  • if the entry document is not genuine.

Important! Tickets are not refundable 1-2 hours before the start of a concert, performance or performance.

A visit to the theater is always a holiday, but sometimes it happens that for some reason you have to postpone the event. There is a need to return tickets and get back the money paid for them. In this article we will consider whether it is possible to return theater tickets and how to do it correctly.

Refund of theater tickets according to the law

Often, when theater tickets are returned, they refuse to accept them back, citing the internal regulations of the organization. This is fundamentally incorrect, since it contradicts the Federal Law (FL) of the Russian Federation “On the Protection of Consumer Rights”, Article 32 and Article 782 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation. These laws have higher legal force in comparison with internal regulations theater

Let's look at the problem: at its core, theatrical performance is a service provided to the consumer. By purchasing a ticket, the viewer becomes a participant in a two-way purchase and sale transaction for this service. One side of the transaction is the theater, the other is the viewer. The law, which protects consumer rights, gives a citizen the right to refuse to receive a service at any time, subject to compensation to the provider for all expenses incurred. Consequently, if a citizen refuses to watch a theatrical production before it starts, he has the right to expect a refund of the money spent on the ticket.

If the theater refuses to refund money for an unused ticket, then the citizen has the right to file a complaint with the territorial body of Rospotrebnadzor.

Return Policy

The main condition under which it is possible to return a ticket is that the return procedure must occur before the start of the theatrical performance. Indeed, in this case, the citizen has not yet received the paid service and, according to the law, owes the service provider only the amount that was spent on the reservation visual space

, ticket printing, service fee and other additional services.

The return of electronic tickets to the theater, i.e. purchased via the Internet on the theater website or intermediary sites, can be carried out in the same way as on paper - through the box office or on the seller’s website. The condition for the return is also that this procedure must be carried out in advance, before the start of the theatrical performance.

Documents for return of payment

A theater ticket is a document confirming the fact of payment. It is logical that in order to return a ticket you will need to submit certain documents, namely:

note When returning tickets for a concert that did not take place, difficulties may arise with indicating the refund amounts. Some may deduct the full ticket price service fees

  • . Read more in this
  • passport or other identification document of a citizen;
  • the original of the purchased ticket;
  • check or receipt of strict accountability;

application drawn up in 2 copies. One copy remains with the theater representative, the other, with the signature of the person who accepted the document, remains with the applicant. If, for some reason, it is not possible to personally visit the theater box office, then the documents can be sent to the theater address by Russian Post by registered mail with acknowledgment of receipt. IN in this case Also, do not forget about the return condition: the letter must be received by the addressee before the date of the performance.

Application Form

Before handing over tickets to the theater box office, you must write an application. The application is drawn up in any form, but must contain the following information:

  • to whom the document is addressed: position, surname and initials of the theater director, or simply the theater administration;
  • last name, first name and patronymic of the applicant;
  • passport details of the citizen;
  • a request to return money for an unused ticket, you can indicate the reason for its return, but this is not necessary;
  • ticket details (number and series);
  • indication of the payment amount;
  • contacts where you can contact the applicant;
  • personal signature with transcript;
  • date of application.

Amount to be refunded

Having considered the application for a refund, the theater administration must return the money no later than 30 days from the date of submission of the application. In practice, most often, money is returned immediately, if it is available at the box office. Refunds are made in cash if the purchase was made in the same way, and by transfer to bank card in case of non-cash payment.

As mentioned earlier, it is not the entire amount of the cost of a theater ticket that is subject to refund, but the money minus the expenses incurred by the theater. This is the situation if the initiator of the return of a ticket to a performance is a citizen. But there are situations in which the money paid is returned by the theater in full.

Let's list them:

  • cancellation of performance;
  • rescheduling the performance to another date;
  • replacing an announced performance with another;
  • violation by the supplier of its obligations to the viewer, for example:
    1. absence of an actor announced in the performance,
    2. the seat indicated on the ticket is already occupied by another viewer, and the administration cannot offer an equivalent or more comfortable viewing seat in return.

Ask questions in the comments below

Signs have contributed greatly to the spread of this opinion - many of them indicate that tickets cannot be returned or exchanged. It would be natural to believe that if such a warning is given, then the buyer, by purchasing a ticket, agrees to the conditions and takes the risks upon himself.

But in reality, determining whether they are subject to return and exchange or not is beyond the competence of the theaters. Here you should be guided primarily by the legislation, which states the opposite. If for some reason attending a performance or other mass event turned out to be impossible, then returning theater (or cinema) tickets and then getting the money paid for them back is normal practice.

But first you need to purchase a ticket, and there are two main ways to do this: at the box office or online.

Through the cash register

If you live nearby or the theater is located along the road, then nothing prevents you from purchasing a ticket directly through the box office. This can be done both in advance and on the day of the performance. Since in the second case there may not be enough seats, it is also possible to reserve a coupon in order to redeem it before the start of the performance - in this case, if unexpected circumstances arise, you will not have to deal with a refund.

Through the Internet

Nowadays, purchasing tickets through the website has become commonplace; they are mostly purchased via the Internet. This can be either the website of the cinema itself or a specialized service. For example, the Kassir.ru service is popular, and a movie ticket can be purchased on the Kinomax website.

Unlike the cinema, when going to the theater there are many nuances that may be unknown to neophytes. To have a meaningful theatrical evening, you can use the services of a specialized theater agency, which will select a performance with good directors and performers, as well as convenient seats. But for this, in addition to the regular price of visiting the production, you will have to pay a commission for the agency’s work, usually within 10-15% of it.

Return and its possible reasons

Sometimes an unforeseen situation may arise - tickets have already been purchased, but the free evening turned out to be busy with something, for example, there was an urgent call to work. In this case, purchased tickets can be returned. Sometimes the cashier will refuse - often this is motivated by clause 24 of the Rules for Cinema and Video Services, which states that the cost of tickets must be reimbursed to viewers in the following cases:

  • cancel viewing;
  • replacement of a film or theater production;
  • demonstration Low quality, the blame for which lies with the organizers;
  • the viewer was unable to attend the screening due to age restrictions, and information about them was not provided on the movie poster.

Based on these rules, cash desk employees may claim that since none of these points have been fulfilled in your case, then there can be no talk of a refund. Clients have had to deal with this kind of attitude more than once or twice. However, this paragraph of the Rules provides for the return of the ticket without conditions, and therefore is valid only if the organizers are at fault. But for cases in which the buyer returns the ticket due to reasons unrelated to the statement, Article 32 of another law is provided - “On the Protection of Consumer Rights”.

According to it, the client has the right to change his mind and refuse the service at any time, namely, these include film screenings, concerts, theatrical performances. But he will have to compensate for the expenses incurred by the contractor in fulfilling his obligations under the contract. At the same time, the reasons why the buyer decided to return tickets for the session remain his business - they can be anything.

In addition to attempts to refuse with reference to the Rules for Cinema and Video Services, other violations can sometimes occur: for example, at the box office they say that you can only leave tickets for sale, and if they are sold, then only then will you be compensated for their cost.

A common option is to compensate only a small part of the price, sometimes a third or a quarter. Yes, the law states that the seller must be compensated for expenses incurred, but not in the same amount! If this happens, you must request information about the expenses incurred. The seller is obliged to do this.

If one of the above violations occurs, the buyer can only defend his rights by contacting the Consumer Protection Society or Rospotrebnadzor, first warning the employees of the establishment violating his rights.

Return procedure

But usually they do without it, and they manage to get their money back. As for the expenses that the organizers will have to compensate, they include the following:

  • Hall rental;
  • booking a place;
  • ticket printing.

Typically, these costs represent a small portion of the amount paid by the client.

The procedure for returning a ticket will be as follows:

  • contact the cashier;
  • present your passport and ticket;
  • write a return request;
  • wait for your funds to be returned.

Sometimes the money is returned immediately after the application, but if it was not in the cash register at that moment, then it is ordered to be issued within a month.

We have reviewed the procedure for handling and returning tickets if tickets are purchased at a theater box office, but now they are increasingly being purchased with the help of ticket agencies. With this method of purchase, be sure to read the return conditions in advance, finding out what nuances there are when working with this agency. In general, there should not be any significant differences from the usual ones, because agencies are also obliged to focus on legislation.

If purchased e-ticket online, then the paid funds will, accordingly, be returned to a bank card or electronic account payment system– usually in such cases you have to wait longer than when paying cash through a cash register. For servicing transactions, you will have to pay a certain percentage of the transferred amount, usually no more than 6-8%.

If you do not have the opportunity to attend the event for only one day, but at the same time you have not lost the desire to go to it, then instead of returning the ticket back, you can exchange it. Usually the box office is much more willing to cooperate with such a request.

Application Form

When drawing up an application, you can rely on the sample attached to the article. The document must contain the following:

  • The series and number of the ticket, and the ticket itself is also attached to it.
  • Your contacts for communication.
  • Reasons why a refund was required - note that they are not required to be indicated.
  • The amount to be refunded and the name of the event, as well as the date and location of it.
  • Date of application.

Two copies are made, one is given to the organizer’s representatives, the second is kept by the buyer. It must be marked with receipt and date. If admission is refused, the application is sent by mail - registered mail with an inventory and acknowledgment of delivery.

How many days in advance can you return a ticket?

The period for which tickets can be returned usually varies depending on the event: in cinemas it is possible to return almost before the very start of the show, an hour or two in advance, in the theater it is usually customary to do it five days or more in advance, and the return of tickets for a concert is usually limited for a period of 10-15 days before it starts. However, these rules were established by the organizers themselves, and although it is advisable to follow them so that everything goes quickly and without problems, it is still not necessary.

The situation is similar with the amount: since every day the organizer’s chances of making a sale are falling, often in the refund conditions you can find a rule according to which the amount paid when returning a ticket decreases depending on how many days are left before the event.

For performances, for example, standard deductions from the ticket price are: up to 20% when deposited two weeks before the performance, up to 40% - 7-10 days, up to 70% - five days. But it should be noted that this is illegal and, if desired, such a rule can be protested. All that the organizer can keep is the amount of expenses incurred to ensure that the ticket buyer attends the event. Costs must be clearly justified, and usually do not reach 10% of the amount paid by the visitor.

Is it possible to return on the day of the show?

As stated in the law, returns are allowed at any time up to the start of the performance.

That is, an exception is not made even for the day of the show. Please note: if a ticket is returned on the same day as the event for which it grants access, it must be recorded exact time change.

But despite the fact that the law provides for the possibility of returning on the day of the show, it is better not to let things get to that point and return it in advance: it is difficult for the establishment to sell the ticket again, that is, you will cause them trouble. Therefore, theaters are reluctant to make such a return, and you may have to contact other authorities, wasting your nerves and time.

What to do if you receive a refusal

If the organizer of an event for which you tried to return a ticket refuses to return the money, you can ask for a book of complaints and suggestions and leave it in it negative review. A more effective method is to contact the city cultural committee. To do this, you will need to make one more copy of the application and cash receipt. Most often, the problem can be resolved at this stage, but the proceedings can drag on and last a week or two.

Rules for cinema and video services to the population, it has been established that in cases of cancellation of a film screening, or its replacement, or poor-quality demonstration, compensation is expected full ticket price for each viewer.

Wherein the federal law“On the Protection of Consumer Rights” allows citizens to refuse any service without giving reasons.

It turned out that the Rules infringe on the rights of the viewer, regulating only individual parties relations between film and video entertainment enterprises and their clients, without giving the latter the opportunity to refuse an unwanted service.

The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, in its decision in 2009, explained that the absence in paragraph 24 of the Rules of information about the viewer’s ability to refuse to fulfill the contract is not a reason for ignoring it.

Thus, every person has right to return previously purchased tickets to the box office and receive your money in full, with the exception of the deduction of expenses actually incurred by the enterprise.

We return a movie ticket

There are situations in life when movie tickets purchased in advance, but then it turns out that going to the session is not possible.


Somebody won't return tickets, having been frightened in advance by the resistance of the administration, presenting serious paperwork.

In fact, returning movie tickets is not that difficult.

For example, let's look at how issue a ticket refund to Kinomax cinemas.

Already on the website in the Conditions for purchasing tickets they have specified all possible circumstances under which the viewer will receive a refund. purchase price:

  • cancellation session;
  • film replacement;
  • poor quality demonstration;
  • failure to provide information about age restrictions;
  • refusal viewing.

In order to get cash funds for returned tickets, the viewer must go through a series of procedures:

  1. Write to the cinema administration.
  2. Provide the required information in the document.
  3. Submit the application to the administrator. The document must register And fix exact appointment time. This is especially important if the viewer came to find out on the day of the session. After all, a refund can only be made before the start of the show.
  4. The citizen must have a document confirming that his application has been accepted and is subject to consideration. Therefore, after registration, a copy must be made, which is stored until funds are received.


In paragraph 2. required data and actions - the following are indicated and carried out:

  1. FULL NAME. buyer, his address, contact phone number.
  2. Reason for refusal to attend the session.
  3. When and how tickets were purchased (through the box office, online, through intermediaries).
  4. Amount of funds spent.
  5. The text of the statement is justified by reference to the regulatory document on the basis of which the viewer demands a refund.
  6. Attach tickets.

The application is drawn up in any form, but for all office work requirements:

  1. In the upper corner there is a cap with the name of the institution and FULL NAME. the person the viewer is addressing, the applicant’s details.
  2. The word “Statement” is written in the middle.
  3. Text appeals. As clearly as possible and with facts.
  4. List of attached documents.
  5. Date of writing the application.
  6. Applicant's signature, his last name.

Usually the administration already has ready-made forms applications, where all you have to do is enter your details and attach tickets.


By analogy, tickets to cinemas are also returned. Karo film»

If you purchase tickets online, for example, at Afisha, the money is refunded to your bank card.

In this case, a claim is most often accepted only in in writing in the cinema administration.

In some networks it is possible to refuse an electronic ticket, the so-called automatic refund.

To the theatre

At the box office of many theaters there is an announcement that purchased tickets cannot be exchanged or returned.

The administration rarely makes contact, fiercely resisting those who want to return the ticket.

But the viewer has his right.

No matter what advertisements are posted, so that the theater administrator does not speak in his own defense, they required by law accept theater tickets issue a return in accordance with the rules and reimburse the money spent.

Considering that theaters for the most part government agencies And accountable The Ministry of Culture always has the opportunity to complain about the actions of management, which refuses to obey the laws.


The return procedure is similar with cinemas:

  1. A statement is being written.
  2. Tickets included.

If the administrator doesn't want to make contact then:

  1. A complaint is being made that the administrator refuses to accept the application. Signatures of witnesses will be needed, which should be taken care of in advance. The document is submitted to Rospotrebnadzor, a copy to the Ministry of Culture and the Consumer Protection Society.
  2. A similar record is left in Book of complaints and suggestions.

The claim is being considered in two weeks.

All laws are on the side of the consumer - his desire to return tickets must be satisfied.

A problem may arise in determining the actual costs incurred.

The viewer has the right to receive money taking into account this amount.

But how do you determine the amount of withholding?

Is it 50%, maybe 10%, or maybe 100%.

In the hands of the administrator there is local regulatory act, which explains the principle of determining the expenses actually incurred by the theater.

That is, the percentage is not taken out of thin air, but is confirmed by documents.

No provision - demand full refund.

To the concert


Good places in concert halls always sell out in advance: a month, or even two before the premiere.

Plans sometimes do not coincide with the realities of life and cultural recreation have to put it off.

Tickets are expensive and buyer desire It is quite understandable to return the money for them.

The problem of returning purchased concert tickets can be solved simply by contacting the box office administrator, who is required by law to accept it.

But what to do if the purchase was made not on site, but through the portal concert.ru?

Returning tickets to concert.ru is carried out as standard, but taking into account specifics of work:

  1. I'll have to contact to the head office LLC "Concert.Ru" Claims are not accepted on weekends, only on weekdays. But you can leave a request in advance through the call center or email. The application date is the calculation period for calculating the refund amount. How formerly man leaves a request more money in the end he will get the ticket.
  2. In addition to tickets and a passport, the office will require present a receipt about payment. FULL NAME. person in the receipt and in the passport must match. That is, only the person who directly bought it and no one else can count on a ticket being returned.
  3. If tickets were received via home delivery, courier services will not be refunded.
  4. Communication fees are also not refundable.
  5. If an event is rescheduled or replaced, the full cost will be refunded, taking into account the amount of delivery and booking.
  6. The amount of funds returned depends on how much time is left before the event starts.


Time and amount of funds from point 6 are divided into four categories:

  1. More than 14 days– full cost including actual expenses (no more than 20%).
  2. 8-13 – 70%.
  3. 4-7 – 50%.
  4. If there are only 3 days or less left before the event, then no money back.

Changing tickets and returning money to spectators is a common thing for the administration of theaters and concert halls.

But they don't strive to satisfy claims ordinary people , preventing returns if possible.

It is unlikely that the problem is ignorance of the laws.

Rather, the administration hopes that bureaucratic problems will cool the ardor of those who want.

But the viewer must know his rights.

Return your ticket Can any time.

They must return the money for it.

But how much the viewer will receive, what part of the money he will lose - it all depends on the timing of the return.