The world's largest automotive aftermarket trade event, November 3 to 6, 2026 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Press accreditation: Attendee, buyer and media registration is open on official SEMA channels. Tuesday to Thursday is trade-only with industry credential verification; Friday, November 6 opens to the public via SEMA Show Friday passes. SEMA News reports qualified professional attendee badges at $100 (badge includes SEMA Show and AAPEX access), but the live registration price list was not displayed on the organizer's registration pages at review time; use only official SEMA registration.
DatesNov 3–6, 2026VenueLas Vegas Convention Center, 3150 Paradise Road, Las VegasAccessRegistration · Trade · Media
WEG trip verdict
Verdict
For the automotive aftermarket traveler: November 3 to 6 is the industry's biggest week, but Tuesday to Thursday is trade-only, so Friday's SEMA Show Friday pass is the public path in.
Book by
Registration is open now; qualified professional badges were reported at $100. Book LVCC-area hotels early, since SEMA week is one of Las Vegas's tightest convention weeks.
Watch
Show hours end at 4:00 PM on Friday. Friday public passes are separate from trade badges and were not price-listed on organizer pages at review time.
November 3 to 6, 2026 (Tue to Thu trade-only; Fri public)
Venue
Las Vegas Convention Center, 3150 Paradise Road
2026 scale
160,000+ attendees, 70,000+ buyers, 2,500+ media expected
Registration
Attendee, buyer and media registration open
Public day
SEMA Show Friday, November 6; SEMA Fest concert Friday night
Tickets, accreditation and entry
Press accreditation
Attendee, buyer and media registration is open on official SEMA channels. Tuesday to Thursday is trade-only with industry credential verification; Friday, November 6 opens to the public via SEMA Show Friday passes. SEMA News reports qualified professional attendee badges at $100 (badge includes SEMA Show and AAPEX access), but the live registration price list was not displayed on the organizer's registration pages at review time; use only official SEMA registration.
Attendee, buyer and media registration is open on official SEMA channels; SEMA News reports qualified professional attendee badges at $100, but the live registration price list and SEMA Show Friday public pass pricing were not displayed on the organizer's registration pages at review time; use only official SEMA registration.
West, Central, North and South Halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center plus outdoor lots, with press conferences concentrated on opening day, November 3, across the halls and the Media Center in Room S219.
Is it worth the journey?
SEMA Show remains the definitive B2B marketplace for the automotive aftermarket: 160,000+ attendees expected, 70,000+ buyers and decision-makers, and a press corps of 2,500+ that makes November 3 the industry's key product-launch day. The honest planning constraints are that Tuesday to Thursday is trade-only with credential verification, Friday's public access needs a SEMA Show Friday pass bought in advance, and badge pricing detail was thin on the organizer's registration pages at review time. Book refundable travel until your credential is confirmed.
Best for
Automotive aftermarket manufacturers, buyers, distributors and retailers planning 2027 product and partnership moves.
Journalists and content creators covering automotive product launches, custom builds and industry trends.
Think twice if
You need confirmed pass prices before committing, because the registration price list was not displayed on the organizer's pages at review time.
You are a general car enthusiast without industry credentials, because only Friday, November 6 is open to the public via SEMA Show Friday passes.
SEMA Show 2026 overview
SEMA Show 2026 runs November 3 to 6, 2026 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, with show hours 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Tuesday through Thursday and 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Friday. Produced by the Specialty Equipment Market Association, it is the world's largest automotive aftermarket trade event and the industry's principal venue for product launches, buyer meetings and press announcements.
The official 2026 exhibitor brochure projects 160,000+ attendees, 70,000+ buyers and decision-makers, and 2,500+ media and content creators across 4.5M+ square feet of exhibit space, with buyers from 140+ countries and territories. The 2026 press conference schedule (as of October 12, 2026) features Ford, Mitsubishi Motors (returning to SEMA for the first time since 2012) and Toyota among the opening-day announcements, plus the 13th SEMA Battle of the Builders, the New Products Showcase and SEMA Fest on Friday, November 6.
Why it earns the journey
The world's largest automotive aftermarket trade event: 160,000+ attendees, 70,000+ buyers and decision-makers and 2,500+ media and content creators expected in 2026.
The industry's principal product-launch venue, with the 2026 press conference schedule featuring Ford, Mitsubishi Motors (returning for the first time since 2012) and Toyota among the opening-day announcements.
Four days of deal-making across 4.5M+ square feet of exhibit space, with the New Products Showcase, 13th SEMA Battle of the Builders and SEMA Education sessions layered on top.
The moments worth planning around
Opening-day press conferences
Ford, Mitsubishi Motors and Toyota headline the November 3 press schedule, setting the industry's product-launch agenda for the year.
Battle of the Builders
The 13th edition of the aftermarket's premier custom-build competition, with the Top 40 announced Tuesday and the overall winner crowned Friday.
New Products Showcase
The world's largest display of new automotive aftermarket products, returning to the Lower South Hall near main registration.
SEMA Fest
Friday, November 6 closes SEMA Week with motorsports, car culture and a concert headlined by The Offspring with Jimmy Eat World, 311 and The Alive.
Planning your visit
Reserve
Book hotels early near the LVCC or along the Monorail corridor; SEMA week is one of Las Vegas's tightest convention weeks. Keep bookings refundable until your badge credential is confirmed.
Fly into Harry Reid International Airport (LAS), about 4 miles from the LVCC corridor. Use the Las Vegas Monorail (Convention Center station), the free LVCC Loop, hotel shuttles, or the fee-based Vegas Loop extensions to Westgate, Encore and Resorts World; allow extra time on the Tuesday opening morning.
SEMA News reports qualified professional attendee badges at $100, including both SEMA Show and AAPEX access; Friday public passes are sold separately and pricing was not published on the organizer's pages at review time. Budget for Las Vegas convention-week hotel premiums, paid parking at most nearby hotels and meals away from peak show dining hours.
Handle the crowds
Expect 160,000+ attendees across the halls; the exhibit floor is busiest on opening day, November 3, when the press conferences run. Schedule key vendor meetings in advance and use education sessions for quieter networking.
Bring the family
SEMA Show is a B2B trade event, not a family attraction; Tuesday to Thursday are trade-only with credential verification. SEMA Fest on Friday night, with motorsports, music and car culture, is the family-friendlier option.
The Las Vegas Convention Center is a modern facility with accessible entrances and the free LVCC Loop connecting the halls. Contact SEMA Show management in advance for specific accommodation needs during the 2026 edition.
Site rulesStandard Las Vegas Convention Center security applies; expect bag checks at hall entrances. The 2026-specific bag policy had not been published at review time; check the official SEMA Show site before traveling.Check the official safety guidance
Where to stay
Stay near the Las Vegas Convention Center or along the Monorail corridor to avoid Strip traffic during show days. Renaissance is on Paradise Road minutes from the halls; SAHARA has direct Monorail access; Fontainebleau is the newest luxury option near the West Hall.
Convention Center corridor (Paradise Road)
Best for: Shortest commute to the halls; Renaissance is minutes away on Paradise Road.
Tradeoff: Fewer dining and entertainment options than the central Strip.
North Strip / Monorail corridor
Best for: Direct monorail access to the LVCC plus full Strip amenities; SAHARA and Fontainebleau sit here.
Tradeoff: Higher show-week rates and longer evening transfers than Paradise Road options.
Las Vegas Strip, near LVCC
The Venetian Resort Las Vegas
luxury
All-suite luxury resort on the Strip with some of the largest standard rooms in Las Vegas, a short ride from the Las Vegas Convention Center, and dozens of restaurants suited to client dinners during SEMA week.
Know before booking: A daily resort fee lifts the real nightly cost, rates surge during major convention weeks, and the enormous property means long walks between the suite towers, casino floor, and meeting spaces.
Flagship CityCenter luxury resort on the Strip with tech-forward rooms and a deep restaurant lineup, about ten minutes from the Las Vegas Convention Center by car or monorail, well suited to SEMA networking dinners.
Know before booking: Nightly resort fee and paid parking push the true cost well above the room rate, the sprawling casino complex means long walks between areas, and service reviews are mixed during peak convention weeks.
Las Vegas's newest luxury resort (opened 2023) with a MICHELIN Key in 2025 and 2026, near the West Hall, and host of the SEMA Industry Honors at the BleauLive Theater on November 5.
Know before booking: Luxury pricing with a nightly resort fee guests found poorly disclosed; recent Tripadvisor reviews flag long check-in lines, no in-room coffee maker and inconsistent housekeeping.
Hotel ratings move over time. We check at least two independent sources and include a drawback, but you should still read recent reviews before paying.
How to use Las Vegas beyond the event
The Las Vegas Convention Center sits on Paradise Road, east of the central Strip and north of Harry Reid International Airport. The Las Vegas Monorail runs along the east side of the Strip with a Convention Center station; the free LVCC Loop connects the halls internally, and fee-based Vegas Loop extensions reach Westgate, Encore and Resorts World.
A pre-show Monday evening
Arrive November 2 and use the evening to collect credentials, map your hall route and confirm shuttle times before the Tuesday opening.
One off-Strip dinner
Book one dinner away from the convention corridor mid-week to reset; the Arts District and downtown offer shorter waits than Strip venues during show week.
Where to eat
The LVCC corridor has convention-focused dining; the north and central Strip reward reservations made weeks ahead during SEMA week.
Las Vegas Strip corridor · American fast food
In-N-Out Burger
value
A reliable low-cost meal near the convention corridor when show schedules compress lunch windows.
Know before booking: Lines are long at peak hours and the menu is deliberately limited; not a venue for a business dinner.
Caesars Palace, central Strip · International buffet
Bacchanal Buffet
upper mid range
A high-capacity buffet that absorbs large groups; the official page lists 10 kitchens, nine chef-attended stations and 250+ dishes.
Know before booking: Early-bird dinner runs $69.99 with reservations required, and waits can exceed an hour during major shows; go at off-peak times or expect a queue.
Restaurant details and hours can change. Reconfirm the operating day and reserve directly before relying on a recommendation.
Questions first-time visitors ask
When is SEMA Show 2026?
November 3 to 6, 2026 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Show hours are 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Tuesday through Thursday and 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Friday.
Is SEMA Show open to the public?
Only on Friday, November 6, via SEMA Show Friday passes bought in advance. Tuesday to Thursday are trade-only with industry credential verification.
How do I get press credentials?
Apply for media credentials at semashow.com/register. The official press conference page cites more than 2,500 credentialed media; exhibitors can post releases free to the SEMA Show Online Media Center, and physical press kits go in the Media Center in Room S219.
Where should I stay?
Near the Las Vegas Convention Center: SAHARA Las Vegas on the Monorail line, Renaissance Las Vegas Hotel on Paradise Road, or Fontainebleau Las Vegas near the West Hall.
Dates, venue, show hours, registration status and press access verified against official SEMA pages (semashow.com, sema.org) on 2026-10-23; LVCC address and coordinates from the venue's Wikipedia reference; scale figures from the official 2026 SEMA Show Exhibitor Brochure. Hotel scores checked against Tripadvisor review pages and a Booking.com-attributed aggregator the same day. Pass-price detail beyond the reported $100 professional badge was not published on the organizer's registration pages.
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