Presale Sign Up: How to Register and Get Access

To sign up for a concert presale, create an account with the ticket seller, then register on the artist’s presale page, join the venue’s mailing list, or connect the card or membership that unlocks the sale. Which one you need depends on who runs the presale. Ticket News Hub covers all of these routes in plain steps, so you know what to do before the window closes. Signing up gets you into the sale. It does not get you tickets.

TL;DR

• Presales come in several types: artist, venue, fan club, promoter and card or membership presales. Each has its own sign-up path.
• For an artist presale that needs registration, you sign in, pick your shows and click Sign Up before the window closes. No code is needed afterward.
• Set up your ticketing account, payment details and phone number days ahead, not minutes ahead.
• Signing up only lets you take part in the sale. Ticketmaster states that it does not guarantee tickets.
• If a code or link never arrives, check the email address on your account and your spam folder first.

Table of Contents

• What a presale is and who can get into one
• How to sign up for an artist presale
• Signing up with a ticketing platform account
• Venue and fan club presales
• Card, carrier and membership presales
• What to prepare before the presale starts
• What signing up does not do
• If your code or link doesn’t arrive
• Promo: stay ready for the next on-sale
• Our view: preparation beats insider tricks
• FAQ
• Sources

What a presale is and who can get into one

A presale lets fans buy tickets before the general sale. According to Ticketmaster’s help center, you may need to sign up to join, or get a code to enter, depending on the type of presale.

So “can anyone get presale?” has a practical answer: most fans can get into at least one. Many presales are open to anyone who registers in time. Others are tied to something you already have, such as a fan club membership or a certain card. The artist and their team decide how many tickets each presale gets, what they cost and when each sale starts, as Ticketmaster explains. That is why two presales for the same tour can feel so different.

The main types you will run into:

The rest of this guide goes through each row.

How to sign up for an artist presale

Artist presales are the most common sign-up flow, and they are the ones that most often catch fans out, because the registration window closes before the sale starts. Here is the routine, based on Ticketmaster’s instructions for artist presale sign-up:

1. Find the sign-up page. The artist’s website or official social accounts usually link to it when a tour is announced.
2. Sign in to your ticketing account. If you don’t have one, create it first (see the next section).
3. Select your shows. Pick every city you could realistically attend. You are choosing which presales to join.
4. Check the dates, time zones and locations. A presale listed for 10 a.m. may be 10 a.m. in the venue’s time zone, not yours.
5. Click Sign Up before the window closes. The sign-up deadline comes before the sale itself.
6. Watch for a security check. Ticketmaster notes this can occasionally be a selfie, and rarely an ID check, so provide what is asked if it appears.

If you sign up in advance, your account is recognized when you join the queue, so you don’t need a presale code for that flow, per Ticketmaster. You will also get a reminder email the day before the sale starts.

One common mistake is signing up for one city and assuming it covers the tour. It doesn’t. Each show you want needs to be selected. For a longer walkthrough, including what to do on sale day, see our guide to artist presale tickets.

Signing up with a ticketing platform account

The simplest long-term habit is to build your account into an alert system. Ticketmaster describes the flow this way: create an account, favorite the artists, teams and venues you care about, and turn on email notifications. When a presale comes up, you receive an email, and in some cases a code or password for that specific sale.

This takes five minutes and covers a lot of ground. A few tips for making it work:

• Use one email address everywhere. Codes and access are tied to the address on your account. If you favorite artists on one address and buy on another, the link may never reach the right inbox.
• Favorite broadly. Include the venues you go to, not just artists. Venues run their own presales.
• Check spam and promotions tabs. Presale emails often land there, and the access window can be short.

If you want the full picture of every way in, including options that skip codes entirely, our guide to how to get presale tickets lays them out side by side.

Venue and fan club presales

Some venues hold their own presales for people on their mailing list. Ticketmaster says they will email you a direct link to the sale if you subscribe, and local venues typically announce presales through email newsletters or social media. If there is a room near you where you see shows regularly, subscribing is one of the lowest-effort things you can do. Our page on venue presale codes explains how to find and use them.

Fan clubs work differently. If an artist has one, they may invite members to presales, or offer a chance to buy tickets and a membership together during the presale. In that case a presale code may not be needed, Ticketmaster says. Before paying for a membership, check the artist’s official page for what the membership actually includes for the tour you want. Memberships vary, and some come with a presale for every show while others cover a limited set.

Card, carrier and membership presales

Some presales are for customers only. Ticketmaster lists examples including credit card company offers, carrier offers and a prepaid card presale, where you may need to sign in or connect an account. Live Nation presales on Ticketmaster.com are automatically unlocked for Live Nation All Access members, as long as you are signed in with the same email address you used to join.

Two practical points apply here:

• Check the requirement before the sale. If a presale needs a physical card, a connected account or the first digits of a card number, find that out days ahead. A card still in the mail won’t help on sale day.
• Know the cost of the access. The Seattle Times reported that credit cards that grant presale access can carry barriers such as annual fees or credit requirements. If you already hold an eligible card, the perk is free to use. If you are choosing a card for it, read the terms first.

If you hold an American Express card, our page on Amex presale tickets shows how to find and use those presales. For the AXS platform, see our guide to the AXS presale code.

What to prepare before the presale starts

Signing up is the first half. The second half is being ready when the sale opens. Ticketmaster’s ticket sale tips give a useful checklist, and here is how it translates into a routine you can run the week before:

Several days before

• Sign in and confirm your account details: email, phone number, password or passkey.
• Update your payment card, including the expiration date. If you are buying for an event abroad, tell your card company in advance.
• Verify your email and phone if prompted. You may need a one-time code, and you need a valid phone number to purchase.

The day before

• Look for the reminder email and confirm the start time in your own time zone.
• Decide your budget and your fallback. Know the most you will pay per ticket and how many you need.

Sale day

• Use a secure home or mobile connection rather than public Wi-Fi, and turn off any VPN or IP-masking tool.
• Use one browser on one device, with one tab per show.
• Join the waiting room before the sale begins.

On that last point, the queue is a virtual line. It uses security measures to detect bots and monitor traffic, and when it is your turn you can see the seat map and choose seats. Ticketmaster says you can join before the sale starts, and that once the sale begins you are given a place in line. Joining early matters: if you arrive late, you end up behind people who were already waiting. A regional Ticketmaster page recommends joining up to 15 minutes before the on-sale time.

For a detailed look at how the line behaves and what to do while you wait, read our guide to the Ticketmaster waiting room.

What signing up does not do

This is the part many fans learn the hard way. Signing up for an artist presale does not guarantee tickets. It only allows you to take part in the presales you selected. The queue is first come, first served, and a spot in it is not a ticket.

That changes how you should plan:

• Sign up for more than one show if you can travel. A second city is a second chance.
• Register for every presale you qualify for. An artist presale, a venue presale and a card presale can each be a separate way in.
• Know your plan B before the sale. Decide in advance whether you will try the general sale if the presale doesn’t work out.

If your code or link doesn’t arrive

This is one of the most common frustrations with presales. Work through these checks in order:

1. Check spam, promotions and other folders for the sender’s name.
2. Confirm the email address on your account. The sign-up and the account must match, or the email goes elsewhere.
3. Confirm you actually completed the sign-up. Go back to the registration page and see whether your shows show as selected.
4. Look at the timing. Codes and links often arrive shortly before the sale, not when you register.
5. Contact the seller or the artist’s support team if the sale has started and nothing has arrived.

For presales with codes sent through other channels, the rules differ by artist. Read the official FAQ for that tour. It tells you when to expect the link and which address it goes to.

Promo: stay ready for the next on-sale

Presale windows are short, and the best preparation happens long before they open. Ticket News Hub publishes step-by-step guides on presale methods, including code-free access, artist presale sign-ups, card and venue perks, plus tour and on-sale date coverage and promo code updates. Start with how to get presale tickets, or browse the full site at Ticket News Hub for the tour you are chasing.

Our view: preparation beats insider tricks

Fans tend to think presales are a secret club that needs a magic code. In our experience of writing about them, that is rarely the picture the official pages paint. Most presales run on ordinary steps: an account, a sign-up, a fan club or a card you may already own.

That is why we focus on preparation. A fan who has registered for the right shows, checked their payment details and joined the queue early is in a much better position than one hunting for codes at the last minute.

We are independent of ticket vendors, and we write for fans who want clear steps without hype. We also say plainly that a presale gives early access, not a guarantee. Our guides are built around that honest starting point: show you every legitimate way in, and get you ready to use it.

Capital

FAQ

Can anyone get presale tickets?

Many presales are open to anyone who registers in time, such as artist presales that ask you to sign up on a page. Others are limited to fan club members or customers of a certain card or program. Check which type applies to your show and sign up for every one you qualify for.

How far in advance should I sign up for a presale?

Sign up as soon as the registration page opens, because the sign-up window closes before the sale. The sale itself usually starts days after the announcement. Check the dates and time zones listed on the sign-up page for your show.

Do I need a presale code if I signed up?

For an artist presale that requires sign-up, no. Ticketmaster explains that your account is recognized when you join the queue. Other presales, such as some fan club or venue sales, do send a code or direct link by email.

Does signing up guarantee I will get tickets?

No. Signing up lets you take part in the presale you chose. Tickets are sold first come, first served, so prepare your account and join the waiting room before the sale starts.

What should I do if I never got the presale email?

Check spam folders and make sure the email on your account matches the one you used to sign up. Confirm that your shows are listed as selected on the sign-up page, then contact the seller’s support if the sale has started and nothing has arrived.

Sources

• How do presales work? – Ticketmaster Help
• How do I sign up and access tickets through an artist’s presale? – Ticketmaster Help
• What is the queue and how do I join? – Ticketmaster Help
• What is the queue and how do I join? – Ticketmaster Sweden
• How Ticket Presales Work – Ticketmaster Blog
• Ticket Sale Tips: How to Prepare – Ticketmaster Blog
• Cash App wades into the exclusive world of presale concert tickets – The Seattle Times

Recommended

• Artist Presale Tickets: How to Sign Up and Get In
• How to Get Presale Tickets: Every Way In, With or Without a Code
• Amex Presale Tickets: How to Get Them and Use Them
• Venue Presale Codes: How to Access Them