SEMA Show 2026: The Complete Guide to Dates, Registration, Halls & What to Expect

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Quick Answer: When is the SEMA Show 2026, and how do you get in?

The SEMA Show 2026 runs Tuesday 3 to Friday 6 November 2026 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, 3150 Paradise Road. The halls are open 09:00-17:00 Tuesday to Thursday and 09:00-16:00 on Friday, Pacific Time. It is one of the automotive aftermarket's biggest trade events: the 2025 edition drew more than 153,000 attendees from 140 countries and regions and 2,300 exhibiting brands.

It is a trade-only show. You register as an industry professional, prove you work in the automotive business, and pay $75 until 25 September 2026, then $100 through the show. Register by 25 September and, if you are in the US or Canada, your badge is mailed to you. The international mailing deadline has already passed, so overseas attendees collect their badges in Las Vegas.

Three things catch people out. Your SEMA badge also gets you into AAPEX, the replacement-parts show running 3-5 November at The Venetian Expo, so you can plan both shows around a single registration. No one under 16 is admitted, including infants. And Friday combines the final trade day with separately ticketed public access, so the audience and atmosphere will differ from Tuesday to Thursday. If a meeting needs a quiet booth conversation, book it earlier in the week.

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1. What the SEMA Show Is, and Who It's For

SEMA stands for the Specialty Equipment Market Association, the trade body for companies that make, sell and install parts and accessories that change how a vehicle looks, performs or works. The SEMA Show is its annual trade event and one of the aftermarket industry's major marketplaces: manufacturers launch products, distributors and retailers place orders and find new lines, and builders use custom vehicles to show what the parts can do.

The floor is much broader than "hot rods and horsepower." It covers racing and performance, trucks, SUVs and off-road, powersports, wheels and tires, restyling and car care, mobile electronics, tools and equipment, and collision repair and refinishing. For practical planning, that means a performance parts buyer, a collision shop owner and a car-audio retailer can spend four days at the same show without visiting the same hall.

It is trade only. SEMA's qualification rules name distributors, wholesalers, retailers, e-commerce sellers, installers and service shops, fleet operators, vehicle builders and fabricators, and tire, wheel, suspension and brake businesses, among others. They explicitly exclude consumers and enthusiasts, non-automotive companies, and service firms such as accountants, law firms, software companies and printers (section 4 covers how to qualify).

How big it is

Two things to read from that table. First, the 2025 show was somewhat smaller than 2024 on both headline numbers, and SEMA's own "160,000" figure, which you will still see quoted in a lot of places, is the 2024 number. Second, the 2026 figures are pre-show commitments, not final results, so they cannot be compared directly with the 2024 and 2025 actuals.

SEMA also says the show draws more than 70,000 buyers and decision-makers, and its exhibitor material puts the buyer split at about 80 percent domestic and 20 percent international. If you are coming from outside North America, you will not be the only one.

For the structured event listing, see our SEMA Show 2026 show page. If you want the global aftermarket context before Las Vegas, our Automechanika Frankfurt 2026 recap covers what Europe's biggest aftermarket show said about the market in September.

2. SEMA and AAPEX: One Badge, Two Venues

The first week of November is Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week in Las Vegas, and it has two anchor shows:

The detail that matters most: SEMA's attendee FAQ states that "one badge allows you entrance into both the SEMA and AAPEX Shows." You do not need to register twice if you want to see both.

The complication is logistics: AAPEX is at The Venetian Expo and AAPEX Forum rather than the convention center, and it closes on Thursday while SEMA runs through Friday. A few practical points:

• Shuttles connect the two shows. AAPEX says an AAPEX-to-SEMA shuttle will run throughout the day, and SEMA normally provides transport between the venues as well. The 2026 timetables had not been published when this guide was updated (section 10).
• If you are doing both, schedule AAPEX by Thursday. It closes a day earlier, while SEMA continues through Friday.
• AAPEX's 2026 floor includes iFLEX at AAPEX, an expanded oil and lube section run with the Preventative Automotive Maintenance Association (PAMA). If service-bay products are your business, that is a reason to budget real time at the Venetian.

For the AAPEX listing, see our AAPEX 2026 show page. Our H2 2026 trade show outlook also covers why the aftermarket's November week matters.

3. Dates, Hours and When to Collect Your Badge

Registration opens two days before the show. If your badge is not being mailed to you, arriving on Sunday or Monday and collecting it then is the simplest way to avoid the Tuesday-morning line. Friday registration closes at 14:00, two hours before the halls do.

The show floor is open 31 hours across four days, and Friday is the short day. Tuesday also starts early for anyone attending the SEMA Show Kickoff Breakfast at 07:00 (section 8).

4. Registration, Qualification and What It Costs

Prices

Register by 25 September. That date does two things: it saves $25 per badge, and it is the deadline for having your badge mailed to you in the US or Canada. Miss it and you pay $100 and collect your badge on site.

International attendees: the international badge-mailing deadline was 10 September 2026, so anyone registering from outside the US and Canada now will pick up their badge in Las Vegas. The $75 rate still applies until 25 September.

Note the non-exhibiting company (NEC) rate of $399. It exists so that companies that sell to the industry cannot walk the floor for the price of a buyer badge without exhibiting. If you are a supplier planning to "just walk the show," expect to fall into that category.

How to qualify

SEMA's qualification page sets out two groups of documents:

• Group A (proves your employment): an active email address on your company's own domain, a photo of your current physical employee badge, or your two most recent pay stubs showing your name, the company name and the pay dates.
• Group B (proves the business): the company's active website showing its aftermarket business, a business license or permit valid through 6 November 2026 with the registrant listed as owner, or a current tax or business registration certificate. SEMA may also ask for two recent invoices showing automotive purchases in volume.

Employees need one Group A document plus one Group B document. Business owners need one Group B document. Generic consumer email addresses are not accepted as business email - SEMA names Gmail, Yahoo and Hotmail - and neither are digital badge images, screenshots or business cards. If your employer does not issue badges or company email, the pay-stub route is the one to use.

Bring a government-issued photo ID as well - a passport or driver's license. SEMA notes that a school ID does not prove age unless it shows a date of birth.

The rules that trip people up

• No one under 16, including infants. SEMA's FAQ says there are "no exceptions." This applies to the trade days and to the public Friday.
• No guest passes. The only exception is a legal spouse, who registers at the same price. Everyone else has to register and qualify in their own right.
• Lost badges cost $100 to replace ($399 for NEC badges, with one reprint only).
• One badge covers AAPEX too (section 2).

Registering also gives you access to SEMA's Registration Resource Center, which is where you book hotels through the official housing provider, add a spouse, reserve education sessions and buy tickets for the ticketed events.

5. Friday Is Different: SEMA Show Friday and SEMA Fest

For a trade-only show, Friday is unusual. SEMA sells SEMA Show Friday - Open to the Public tickets, which let enthusiasts walk the show floor on Friday 6 November only. The option returned from 2025.

Public ticket holders must be 16 or older, must collect their own ticket in person with a government-issued photo ID that matches the booking, and can pick it up only on Friday between 07:30 and 14:00 at the South Hall and West Hall registration areas. There are no day-of ticket sales.

What it means for trade attendees: Friday is still a trade day, but it closes an hour earlier and public ticket holders share the floor, so the audience and atmosphere will differ from Tuesday to Thursday. If a meeting with a buyer or supplier needs a quiet booth conversation, book it earlier in the week, and use Friday for walking the floor and seeing the builds.

SEMA Fest

SEMA Fest is the closing festival of SEMA week, held on Friday 6 November in the Bronze Lot of the convention center campus. The 2026 concert lineup is The Offspring, Jimmy Eat World, 311 and The Alive, and SEMA also lists OPTIMA drifting demonstrations, the Globe of Death and the SEMA Cruise among the afternoon and evening features.

Two points to know:

• A SEMA Show trade badge does not include the concert. SEMA Fest's own FAQ is explicit: the badge gets you into the halls, not SEMA Fest. Concert-only GA and VIP tickets are sold separately.
• The concert itself is open to all ages, unlike the show floor.

6. How the Floor Is Laid Out: Four Halls and Two Outdoor Lots

The 2026 show is the first on the fully completed Las Vegas Convention Center campus. SEMA highlights a rebuilt Central Hall Grand Lobby with a glass curtain wall, a climate-controlled concourse connecting the North and South Halls, and an extended ribbon roof tying West Hall into the rest of the campus.

SEMA's attendee page names the product sections in each hall, but not how big each hall is or which booth numbers belong where, so we mapped the official exhibitor directory against it. Every booth in the directory carries a hall code, and the booth numbers run in clean blocks by hall. As of 14 September 2026, the directory lists 2,168 companies across 2,463 booth listings - 121 companies hold more than one booth, often an indoor stand plus an outdoor display. The directory's split lines up with SEMA's section map hall for hall.

Where the anchors are, with booth numbers from the directory:

• Central Hall: Toyota Motor North America (22200), Nissan North America (21521), Honda Racing Corporation USA (24789), Holley Performance Brands (22463), the Edelbrock, COMP Cams, TCI, FAST, Russell and Lunati group (22443), Borla (22963), MagnaFlow (23143), BILSTEIN (20021), AMSOIL (23529), Meguiar's (22357), Mothers Polish (22843), Toyo Tire U.S.A. (24599) and Hemmings (22393). SEMA Battle of the Builders (24743), SEMA FutureTech Studio (24401) and the SEMA Live studio (20341) are here too. SEMA itself describes Central Hall as home to the Racing & Performance section.
• West Hall: Ford Motor Company (55033), Mopar / Stellantis (59119), Mitsubishi Motors North America (52249), WeatherTech (55087), ARB 4x4 Accessories (55063), Warn Industries (59041), FOX (57075), Harley-Davidson (60217), Kawasaki Motors (55237 and 71000), RealTruck (W140), Baja Designs (W249 and W250), Griot's Garage (52141) and the PRO Cup Challenge (50237).
• South Hall Upper: Snap-on Total Shop Solutions (32017), 3M Automotive Aftermarket Division (30129), Milwaukee Tool (36007), Celette (31107), the SEMA ADAS Showcase (31200) and the SEMA Collision Repair Stage (32145).
• South Hall Lower: the New Products Showcase (41271), the Tire Industry Association (40067 and 41067) and main SEMA registration (49000).
• North Hall: Alpine Electronics of America (10373), Rockford Fosgate (10509), Uniden America (10309), Thinkware (10829) and eBay Motors (11625).
• Silver Lot: Mickey Thompson Tires and Wheels (80001 and several V spaces, with a Central Hall booth at 22453), KW Automotive North America (V121), RAYS (84000), Summit Racing Equipment (80042), HELLA (80003), OPTIMA Batteries (85001) and PPG Industries (81000).

Three practical reads:

1. The OEM displays are split across two halls. Toyota, Nissan and Honda Racing Corporation are in Central Hall; Ford, Mopar/Stellantis and Mitsubishi are in West Hall. If factory builds are on your list, plan a Central-to-West crossing - that is exactly the trip the free LVCC Loop is for (section 10).
2. North Hall is the biggest hall by booth count and the easiest to underrate. It is dominated by smaller stands, electronics and overseas suppliers. If you are sourcing rather than looking at feature vehicles, it is likely to be a productive hall for you.
3. Many brands show twice. Tire, wheel and off-road companies in particular pair an indoor booth with an outdoor display in the Silver Lot or Diamond Lot. Check the directory for both before you assume you have seen a company.

Treat this as orientation, not the official map. The booth counts and number blocks are our reading of SEMA's published directory, which is still being updated, and SEMA's section map names the sections in each hall without giving their booth ranges. Use the official SEMA Show floor plan to confirm exact section boundaries.

7. What's New in 2026, and What to See

New for 2026

• Powersports/SxS/Lifestyle section. SEMA is regrouping the floor to put trucks, off-road and powersports together. The new section is anchored in West Hall with access to the adjacent parking lots for outdoor activations and vehicle demonstrations, and it brings motorcycles, dirt bikes, side-by-sides, trailers, tow vehicles and adventure lifestyle gear into one area. Harley-Davidson and Kawasaki both appear in West Hall in the directory.
• Battle of the Builders adds motorcycles. Now in its 13th year, SEMA Battle of the Builders Presented by Mothers Polish adds a Bike Builder Shootout, with awards for the top three bike builders and an overall motorcycle champion. The four automotive classes return: Hot Rod & Hot Rod Truck; 4 Wheel Drive & Off-Road; Sport Compact, Import Performance, Luxury & Exotic; and BFGoodrich Young Guns.
• A photographer as Featured SEMA Show Artist. Automotive photographer Larry Chen is the first photographer chosen for the role, and his work runs through the show's signage and installations.
• The completed LVCC campus (section 6).

Returning features worth your time

The OEMs

SEMA's announced OEM lineup is Ford Motor Company, Honda Racing Corporation (Honda and Acura), Mitsubishi, Nissan, Stellantis (Dodge, Jeep and Mopar) and Toyota North America. All six appear in the directory, at the booths listed in section 6.

General Motors is not on that list, and neither Chevrolet, GM nor Cadillac appears in the directory as of 14 September. It was also absent from the OEM highlights in SEMA's 2025 results release. The directory can still change, and some brands show vehicles through partners rather than their own booth, so if a specific manufacturer is your reason for going, search the directory for it before you book.

8. Education and Ticketed Events

Education

SEMA's education program is organized into eight tracks. Its 10 September education roundup gave the following session counts:

That is 42 sessions. SEMA's homepage separately advertises "99+ free education sessions," and the two figures do not reconcile in anything SEMA has published, so check the live schedule rather than planning around either number.

On cost, SEMA says most sessions are included with SEMA Show registration, while "some partner sessions require separate registration or fees, which are noted on the schedule." Partner programs come from I-CAR, SCRS and the Tire Industry Association, and the leadership track includes sessions presented by Dale Carnegie. You can add sessions during registration or later through the Registration Resource Center.

Ticketed events

• SEMA Show Kickoff Breakfast - Tuesday 3 November, 07:00, Westgate Las Vegas. Breakfast starts at 07:00 and the program at 07:20, when SEMA announces the Manufacturer of the Year and Channel Partner of the Year and the results of the New Product Award competition. Breakfast is complimentary and served first-come, first-served, but attendees should obtain a ticket through registration, and SEMA notes that seating is limited.
• SEMA Industry Honors - Thursday 5 November, BleauLive Theater at Fontainebleau Las Vegas. The evening awards event, including SEMA Person of the Year and SEMA Content Creator of the Year. Tickets cost $50 and include hors d'oeuvres and an open bar; no dinner is served. The cocktail reception begins at 18:00. SEMA's attendee page lists the awards ceremony at 19:00 and its Industry Honors page at 19:30, so check your ticket for the ceremony time.

Tickets for both events can be added when you register, or later through the Registration Resource Center. Neither event is at the convention center, so if you are going to Industry Honors, allow time to get to the Fontainebleau after the halls close at 17:00.

9. Exhibiting at SEMA

Unlike many shows of its size, SEMA publishes its 2026 space rates:

At those rates, a 10 x 10 costs $2,495 for members and $3,995 for non-members in floor space alone. The $1,500 gap on even the smallest booth is why so many exhibitors join SEMA or TIA first. Check current membership dues against the space you plan to book before assuming non-member pricing is simpler. The space rate covers space only; booth construction, furnishings, electrics, material handling, labor and lead retrieval are ordered and paid for separately.

SEMA offered three payment routes for 2026 - full payment, a 50 percent deposit with the balance due 3 August, or a 25 percent card deposit plus scheduled payments - and required 100 percent payment on applications received after 13 July. Any company booking late space now should expect to pay in full up front.

Deadlines still open for 2026 exhibitors

• 1 October: order show services by this date to get SEMA's material discounts.
• 2 October: New Products Showcase entries cost $95 through 2 October and $175 after. If you have a launch to put in front of buyers at booth 41271, enter at the lower price.

What SEMA says you get

SEMA's exhibitor pitch cites 153,000+ attendees, including more than 70,000 buyers and decision-makers, from 140-plus countries, with buyers split about 80 percent domestic and 20 percent international. Those are organizer-reported figures. If you want a framework for judging whether the booth paid for itself, our guide to measuring trade show ROI covers what to track before you go.

Looking further ahead, SEMA has published future dates: 2-5 November 2027, 31 October-3 November 2028 and 30 October-2 November 2029.

10. Getting to and Around the Las Vegas Convention Center

The Las Vegas Convention Center is at 3150 Paradise Road, just east of the Strip. If you have been to FABTECH or CES on the same campus, the layout will be familiar; our FABTECH 2026 guide covers the venue from the metalworking side. SEMA is bigger and uses every hall, so the distances matter more.

Hotels

onPeak is SEMA's only official housing provider. SEMA warns attendees to be wary of any other company claiming to be official and asks them to report suspicious housing offers to show management.

Shuttles

SEMA normally provides free shuttle service between participating official hotels and the convention center, along with transport between the SEMA and AAPEX venues, and AAPEX says an AAPEX-to-SEMA shuttle will run throughout the day in 2026. The detailed 2026 routes and operating times had not been published when this guide was updated. SEMA's transportation page still carries the previous year's timetable, labelled for general planning only, so check it again shortly before you travel rather than relying on last year's times.

Getting between halls: the LVCC Loop

The Vegas Loop runs Teslas through tunnels between five stations on the convention center campus - South, Central Underground, Central Plaza, West and Riviera - and travel between campus stations is free. The Central-to-West crossing is the one SEMA attendees will use most, given the OEM split in section 6. Rides to off-campus Loop stations, including Harry Reid International Airport, are ticketed.

Everything else

• Las Vegas Monorail: has a Convention Center station on its Strip route. SEMA's transportation page advertises attendee fare discounts and extended show-week hours, but that page has not yet been updated for 2026, so confirm the current offer before you buy.
• Rideshare and taxis: SEMA designates three hubs for rideshare, taxis and limousines, at the Blue, Platinum and Majestic Lots.
• Parking: limited around the campus. Check SEMA's transportation page for current parking options before you drive.

Flights and airline discounts

SEMA lists airline discounts valid for travel around show week (27 October-9 November, with Southwest's window running 31 October-9 November):

International visitors

SEMA's attendee FAQ says visa invitation letters are sent by email as soon as you register, made out to the name and company on your registration record, and that emailed or printed copies are acceptable. You must register first. SEMA is also clear about the limits: visa requirements are the attendee's sole responsibility, SEMA will not contact embassies on your behalf, and failing to obtain a visa is not grounds for a refund. With seven weeks to go, anyone who needs a US visa interview should check the current appointment wait at their embassy or consulate before booking anything non-refundable. Travelers from Visa Waiver Program countries need an approved ESTA before boarding.

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FAQs

When and where is the SEMA Show 2026? The SEMA Show 2026 runs Tuesday 3 to Friday 6 November 2026 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, 3150 Paradise Road, Las Vegas, Nevada. Show hours are 09:00-17:00 Tuesday to Thursday and 09:00-16:00 on Friday, Pacific Time.

How much does SEMA Show 2026 registration cost? Attendee badges cost $75 through 25 September 2026 and $100 from 26 September until the show closes. The earlier $50 rate ended on 26 June. Legal spouses register at the same price, and non-exhibiting companies pay $399.

Is the SEMA Show open to the public? The SEMA Show is a trade-only event for automotive industry professionals, who must qualify with proof of employment and a business document. On Friday 6 November only, SEMA sells public tickets through semafest.com: $130 for show floor access, $170 with SEMA Fest general admission and $210 with SEMA Fest VIP. Public ticket holders must be 16 or older, and there are no day-of sales.

What do I need to qualify for a SEMA Show badge? Employees need one document proving employment - an email address on the company's own domain, a photo of a current physical employee badge, or their two most recent pay stubs - plus one document proving the business, such as the company website, a business license valid through 6 November 2026 or a tax registration certificate. Business owners need one business document. Generic Gmail, Yahoo and Hotmail addresses and digital badge images are not accepted. Everyone should bring a government-issued photo ID.

Can children attend the SEMA Show? No. No one under 16, including infants, is allowed into the exhibits, and SEMA says there are no exceptions. The same 16-and-over rule applies to public SEMA Show Friday tickets. The SEMA Fest concert itself is open to all ages.

Does a SEMA Show badge get me into AAPEX? Yes. SEMA's attendee FAQ states that one badge allows entrance into both the SEMA Show and AAPEX. AAPEX runs 3-5 November 2026 at The Venetian Expo and AAPEX Forum, and shuttles run between the two shows.

How big is the SEMA Show? The 2025 SEMA Show drew more than 153,000 attendees from 140 countries and regions, 2,300 exhibiting brands including 500 first-time exhibitors, and more than 2,500 members of the media. The 2024 edition reported more than 160,000 attendees and more than 2,400 exhibitors. For 2026, SEMA reports more than 1 million net square feet and 2,000-plus brands committed, and the official directory listed 2,168 companies as of 14 September 2026.

What is new at the SEMA Show 2026? The 2026 show adds a Powersports/SxS/Lifestyle section in West Hall with outdoor space, a motorcycle Bike Builder Shootout category in SEMA Battle of the Builders, and photographer Larry Chen as the first photographer named Featured SEMA Show Artist. It is also the first SEMA Show on the fully completed Las Vegas Convention Center campus.

How much does it cost to exhibit at the SEMA Show? SEMA's 2026 space rates are $24.95 per net square foot for SEMA or TIA members and $39.95 for non-members, with a 100 square foot minimum. Island booths add $4,500 and peninsula booths add $1,500. A 10 x 10 booth therefore costs $2,495 for members and $3,995 for non-members in space alone, before booth construction, services and labor.

How do I get around the SEMA Show? SEMA normally runs free shuttles between participating official hotels and the convention center, plus transport between the SEMA and AAPEX venues, but the 2026 routes and times had not been published when this guide was updated, so check SEMA's transportation page before you travel. The Vegas Loop is free between the five convention center stations, which is the quickest way between Central and West Halls. The Las Vegas Monorail has a Convention Center station, and SEMA designates rideshare and taxi hubs at the Blue, Platinum and Majestic Lots.