The new year always brings new laws. You may want to know about these North Carolina laws taking effect January 1, 2025.
Ticket Transparency Act: This one will be popular. In the past, consumers could not be informed shoppers for live event tickets. Some sellers would lure customers with an initial low ticket price, only to have the consumer face a much larger price at checkout. Sellers who were voluntarily transparent about their fees were at a competitive disadvantage, losing customers attracted to a lower initial price advertised by the bait-and-switch companies.
Beginning January 1, 2025, any business issuing, selling, or providing a market for reselling live event tickets – for concerts, sports events, theater, or other live events – in North Carolina must display all mandatory fees and the maximum order processing fee, if any, assessed along with the ticket price, from the beginning of the ticket shopping session. The descriptions cannot be misleading, and they must be clear and conspicuous. The total cost of the ticket cannot increase from what is displayed at the start of the shopping session, except for specific things, like the cost of delivering physical tickets to the purchaser, and government taxes/fees.
Violating the Act is an unfair and deceptive trade practice. That means that the NC Attorney General has the right to take enforcement action against violators.
North Carolina is a bit ahead of the curve on ticket transparency. There is a similar Federal Trade Commission rule, but it does not take effect until May, 2025. However, the federal rule is broader, as it will apply the same rules to booking hotel and short-term vacation rental reservations.
Higher Vehicle Insurance Minimum Limits: For many years, NC law has required all drivers to carry liability insurance of at least $30,000 per person injured and $60,000 per accident. With the high cost of medical care, $30,000 doesn’t go very far, let alone being able to compensate the injured person for lost income, disability, or pain and suffering. That reality left some people who were seriously injured by a driver with minimum limits unable to receive meaningful compensation. As of January 1, 2025, NC drivers must have liability coverage of at least $50,000 per person injured and $100,000 per accident. If you have minimum limits coverage, expect to pay a higher premium because of the increased coverage. Remember that if you cause a wreck where the injured person’s damages are higher than the amount of your insurance coverage, the injured person can get a court judgment against you. That means they can come after your assets like your home, your vehicle, and your bank account to pay the judgment. For that reason, if you have assets you want to protect, it is important to consider buying more coverage than the minimum limits. Also remember, to protect yourself from compensation falling short if you are injured by a driver without adequate insurance, it is inexpensive to purchase uninsured/underinsured (“UM/UIM”) coverage on your own policy. UM/UIM helps make up the shortfall.
Kim K. Steffan is an attorney with Steffan & Associates, P.C. in Hillsborough. She can be reached at (919) 732-7300 or at kim.steffan@steffanlaw.com.