Drafting general terms and conditions for events: this is what belongs in them

You draft general terms and conditions for events by establishing seven blocks: ticket sales and cancellation, force majeure and cancellation, visitor liability, house rules, payment, weather conditions, and the provision of the terms. Each block divides a specific risk between you as the organizer and the visitor or participant. If you do this carelessly—using a copied webshop template—the clauses can be voided at the moment you need them most. Below is what must be included in each block and where things go wrong.

The short answer

1. Ticket & cancellation: what a ticket entails, resale, no right of withdrawal for fixed dates.
2. Force majeure & cancellation: reschedule tiered arrangement before reimbursement.
3. Liability: limitation for you, visitor's liability for damages.
4. House rules: body search, prohibited items, removal without refund.
5. Payment: terms, service charges, consequences of non-payment.
6. Weather clause: proceed in case of rain, cancellation only in case of unsafety.
7. Presentation: offer terms and conditions before or at the time of ticket purchase.

Ticket sales and cancellation

Start with the ticket. Stipulate that a ticket is a right of access, not a marketable item, so that you can restrict or prohibit resale on the secondary market. Regulate personalization and name changes: can a ticket be issued in another name and at what cost?

For cancellation by the visitor, the core rule is: for an event with a specific date or period, no statutory right of withdrawal applies (Art. 6:230p BW, leisure activities). Therefore, include that date explicitly; otherwise, a consumer can still return their ticket within 14 days. For cancellation by you, refer to the force majeure section.

Force majeure and cancellation

This is the block that saves you during a storm or emergency decree. Build a tiered system:

• Definition of force majeure: align with Art. 6:75 of the Dutch Civil Code and provide concrete examples (extreme weather, government ban, terrorist threat, cancellation of the main artist).
• Reschedule first: in the event of cancellation, primarily offer a new date in advance; the ticket remains valid.
• Then refund: if rescheduling is not possible, a refund of the ticket value, possibly minus costs already incurred or service fees.
• Partial cancellation: regulate what happens if the event is stopped after it has started (in principle, no refund).

Avoid a clause that excludes all refunds in the event of force majeure — towards consumers, this is unreasonably burdensome and therefore voidable.

Visitor liability

Regulate both directions. Limit your liability to, for example, the ticket price or the insured amount and exclude consequential damages — but never for intent, conscious recklessness, or, in the case of consumers, injury and death (Articles 6:236-237 of the Dutch Civil Code). An exclusion that is too broad will be annulled in its entirety, so keep it proportionate.

On the other hand: stipulate that a visitor who causes damage to the grounds, facilities, or other visitors is liable for it, and that you can recover those damages. Without this clause, you are in a weak position if a visitor destroys a sound system.

House rules and payment

House rules are only enforceable if they are stated in the terms and conditions. Include:

• Right of search as a condition for entry.
• Prohibited items (glass, weapons, personal drinks, drugs, professional recording equipment).
• Rules of conduct and the right to refuse or remove without refund.
• Portrait and image rights: that recordings may be made and used on the premises.

For payment, define the payment dates (relevant for participants and exhibitors), the service fees, and the consequence of non-payment: no entry or no stand. Also specify when payment is final and whether deposits are refundable.

Weather conditions

A separate weather clause prevents disputes at outdoor events. The basic principle is: the event proceeds in normal bad weather, including rain — this does not entitle the holder to a refund. Only in the event of unsafe conditions (code orange or red, thunderstorms, dangerous wind gusts) may you interrupt, shorten, or cancel the event, after which the force majeure regulations apply. Make this distinction explicit so that a visitor does not request a refund for a sudden rain shower.

Handing over — otherwise nothing works

The content may be perfect, but without proper provision, the terms and conditions are voidable (Art. 6:233-234 BW). Ensure that the visitor can read and accept the terms and conditions before or at the latest upon ticket purchase — in the case of online sales, via an active checkbox with a direct link. A mere reference "our terms and conditions apply" at the bottom of the site is not sufficient.

Practical example

An organizer of a two-day music festival copied the terms and conditions from a webshop. When a storm made day two impossible, he invoked his “no refunds in case of force majeure” clause. Visitors took the matter to the Disputes Committee; the clause was deemed unreasonably burdensome, and he was ordered to refund a portion of the costs. With a tiered force majeure clause tailored to events, he could have first offered a rescheduling and settled the rest properly.

Honest recommendation

For a small event without ticket sales, participants, or significant weather or liability risks, you can draft a few clear house rules yourself—you don't need a lawyer for that. As soon as you start selling tickets and face force majeure, weather, or liability risks, a tailored approach pays off. The biggest pitfall is a copied consumer or webshop set: it contains clauses that are on the black or grey list and are invalidated precisely the moment you rely on them. Have the core clauses (force majeure, liability, weather) reviewed against consumer law.

Draft them yourself or have it done? View general terms and conditions for events, first read what general terms and conditions for events are , or compare the costs of having general terms and conditions for events drafted.

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