The 2026 SEMA Show opens Tuesday, November 3 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the first SEMA held there since a $600 million renovation of the North, Central and South halls. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority started that work in 2023, and CES became the first show in the finished building in January.
SEMA says exhibitors have committed to more than 1 million net square feet of indoor space and that more than 2,000 brands are booked. Its online directory listed 2,228 exhibiting companies on October 6. Six automakers are among them: Ford, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Stellantis.
Tuesday through Thursday are restricted to people who work in the automotive aftermarket. Anyone 16 or older can buy a ticket for Friday, November 6, which costs $130 and has to be bought before that morning. I am registered as media for this one, which will be at least my sixth SEMA.
Key Takeaways
- Dates: Tuesday, November 3 through Friday, November 6, 2026, at the Las Vegas Convention Center, 3150 Paradise Road.
- Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday.
- The public gets in on Friday only. A SEMA Show Friday ticket is $130, or $170 with general admission to the SEMA Fest concert. Buyers must be 16 or older, and SEMA sells nothing at the door.
- Trade badges cost $100 and require proof of employment in the automotive aftermarket. The same badge admits its holder to AAPEX.
- Six automakers are exhibiting: Ford, Toyota, Honda Racing Corporation, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Stellantis through Mopar, with their show vehicles still to be announced as of October 6.
- The $600 million renovation added a glass-walled Grand Lobby to Central Hall and an indoor concourse linking the North and South halls.
- Powersports has been expanded into a Powersports, SxS and Lifestyle section in West Hall, next to trucks and off-road, and Harley-Davidson has signed on.
- Battle of the Builders adds motorcycles in its 13th year with a separately judged Bike Builder Shootout.
Dates, Hours and Who Gets In
| Day | Show floor | Who is admitted |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday, November 3 | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Trade and media |
| Wednesday, November 4 | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Trade and media |
| Thursday, November 5 | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Trade and media |
| Friday, November 6 | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Trade, media and ticketed public |
The SEMA Show is produced by the Specialty Equipment Market Association, a trade group founded in 1963 that held its first show in 1967. It exists so that companies making aftermarket parts can sell to the distributors, retailers and shops that stock and install them, which is why three of its four days are closed to consumers.
A trade badge costs $100. The price was $50 through June 26 and $75 through late September. To qualify, a company has to be in the automotive aftermarket and the applicant has to be its owner or an employee. Employees submit a business email address on the company domain or a photo of their company badge, plus one document showing the business is active in the aftermarket, such as a company website or two recent pay stubs. Owners need only the second document. SEMA’s qualification page lists accounting firms, law firms, software companies and enthusiasts as ineligible.
Registration desks at the convention center open Sunday, November 1 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., then at 7:30 a.m. each day from Monday through Friday.
Friday Is the Public Day
SEMA calls the program “SEMA Show Friday, Open to the Public.” Ticket holders get the same floor the trade walked all week from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and SEMA’s ticket page lists no halls as closed to them.
| Ticket | Price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| SEMA Show Friday | $130 | Show floor, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| SEMA Show Friday + Concert GA | $170 | Show floor and SEMA Fest general admission |
| SEMA Show Friday + Concert VIP | $210 | Show floor and SEMA Fest VIP; listed as sold out |
| SEMA Fest GA | $80 | Concert only |
| SEMA Fest VIP | $120 | Concert only; listed as sold out |
Those were the prices on SEMA’s public ticket page on October 6, two days after a scheduled increase. Tickets are sold through Tixr and semafest.com. Both VIP tickets were marked sold out that day.
SEMA sells no Friday tickets at the door. Its ticket page states “No day-of purchases” and “All sales are final, no refunds.” Every ticket holder has to collect their own ticket in person with government photo ID, at SEMA Show Registration in South Hall or West Hall, between 7:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Friday. The name on the ID has to match the confirmation.
The show floor is limited to ages 16 and up, while SEMA Fest admits all ages.
SEMA Fest prohibits weapons and outside food and drink, and hoverboards, Segways, skateboards and scooters are barred from the convention center grounds.
SEMA Fest
SEMA Fest is the Friday night concert in the convention center’s Bronze Lot, with gates at 3 p.m. The Offspring headline, with Jimmy Eat World, 311 and The Alive also on the bill. SEMA lists four outdoor attractions around the music: the SEMA Cruise, in which show vehicles parade out of the convention center when the floor closes, drifting demonstrations sponsored by Optima, a Globe of Death motorcycle act, and exotics from Supercar Saturdays Florida, which first appeared at the 2025 SEMA Show.
The Convention Center Renovation Is Finished
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority announced completion on January 5, 2026. Its release describes a $600 million project covering what it calls the legacy campus, meaning the North, Central and South halls, and puts the full campus at 4.6 million square feet. West Hall, the $1 billion building that opened in 2021, was already done.
- A Grand Lobby at Central Hall with a glass curtain wall and a digital screen measuring 75 feet by 42 feet. SEMA puts the lobby at 100,000 square feet and is using it for SEMA Central, with an Art Walk on the second level.
- A climate-controlled interior concourse connecting North Hall to South Hall, so crossing between them no longer means going outside.
- A new east entrance at South Hall.
- The West Hall ribbon roof extended across the older buildings.
SEMA describes the renovated area as 3.2 million square feet; that figure and the lobby size come from SEMA and do not appear in the authority’s release. SEMA’s transportation page also warns that “parking will be impacted by construction at the Las Vegas Convention Center” during the show.
What Is in Each Hall
SEMA groups exhibitors by product category, and each category has a fixed home.
| Hall | Sections | Automakers and features |
|---|---|---|
| West Hall | Trucks, SUVs and Off-Road; Powersports, SxS and Lifestyle; Restyling and Car Care Accessories | Ford, Mopar, Mitsubishi, Harley-Davidson |
| Central Hall | Racing and Performance; Hot Rod Alley; Restoration Marketplace | Ford, Toyota, Nissan, Honda Racing; Battle of the Builders; FutureTech Studio |
| North Hall | Mobile Electronics and Technology; Business Services; Restyling, Trucks and New Exhibitors | Auto Film Mastery Conference on November 2 |
| South Hall Upper | Collision Repair and Refinish; Tools and Equipment | ADAS Showcase; Collision Repair Stage |
| South Hall Lower | Global Tire Expo; Wheels and Accessories | New Products Showcase |
| Outdoor lots | Feature vehicles in the Silver, Diamond and Blue lots | SEMA Fest in the Bronze Lot |
West Hall: Trucks, Off-Road and the Expanded Powersports Section
Pickup owners spent $15.0 billion on parts and accessories in 2025, 30% of all specialty-equipment spending, according to the 2026 SEMA Market Report. Suspension parts accounted for $3.15 billion and off-road and oversize tires for $2.23 billion. ARB, Fox, Lippert, RealTruck, Westin and Yakima are the returning names SEMA lists for the truck section.
The section beside it was called Powersports and Utility Vehicles in 2025 and has been renamed Powersports, SxS and Lifestyle and enlarged. SEMA’s reasoning is that off-road buyers tend to own a tow vehicle, a trailer and several two- or four-wheeled machines. Harley-Davidson joined in September, and the directory lists it in the West Hall powersports section with Kawasaki.
Central Hall: Performance, Hot Rods and Most of the Automakers
Racing and Performance, Hot Rod Alley and the Restoration Marketplace share Central Hall with four of the six automaker stands. Battle of the Builders is at booth 24743 and FutureTech Studio at booth 24401. SEMA describes this year’s studio as covering electric vehicles, future propulsion, automation and smart manufacturing, with its own education stage. The 2025 FutureTech Studio had hydrogen race cars, flying cars and AI repair tools.
North Hall: Mobile Electronics
More than 100 brands are booked in Mobile Electronics, a $3.36 billion market in which buyers under 40 account for 55% to 67% of spending in most product segments. Dash cameras and radar detectors sit here alongside car audio; BlackVue, Kicker and Rockford Fosgate are among the exhibitors.
South Hall: Tires and Wheels Below, Tools and Collision Above
The lower level holds the Global Tire Expo and Wheels and Accessories, which together represent a $6.8 billion aftermarket, plus the New Products Showcase at booth 41271. Upstairs, the Tools and Equipment section includes Milwaukee, Gearwrench, Knipex and Harbor Freight, and the ADAS Showcase at booth 31200 deals with recalibrating driver-assistance sensors after a repair or a modification such as a lift kit.
Six Automakers Are Exhibiting
| Automaker | Booth | Hall | What the directory lists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford | 20000 and 55033 | Central and West | Ford Racing Parts and Ford Custom Garage |
| Toyota | 22200 | Central | Concept, off-road and track vehicles; Genuine Toyota Parts and Accessories |
| Honda Racing Corporation USA | 24789 | Central | Honda and Acura racing programs and performance parts |
| Nissan | 21521 | Central | Motorsports builds, showcase vehicles and Nismo parts |
| Mitsubishi | 52249 | West | Company profile only |
| Mopar / Stellantis | 59119 | West | Mopar parts for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram and Fiat |
Ford is the only one of the six with two exhibit booths. “We are thrilled this year to increase our investment and presence at SEMA,” said Matt Simpson, executive director of Ford Customization, in SEMA’s May announcement, which named Ford Custom Garage, Ford Racing Parts and heritage crate engines as the focus.
Mitsubishi was not on the list of automakers SEMA published ahead of the 2025 show. That list had five names: Ford, Honda Racing Corporation, Mopar, Nissan and Toyota. General Motors, Hyundai, Kia, Volkswagen and Subaru are absent from SEMA’s 2026 list.
The six had yet to publish their show vehicles as of October 6, and the SEMA 2026 builds list tracks each one as it is announced. Toyota’s first 2025 show vehicles were reported on October 24 of last year, 11 days before that show opened.
Battle of the Builders Adds a Motorcycle Class
Battle of the Builders, sponsored by Mothers, is in its 13th year and is open to builders with a vehicle on the show floor. It has four automotive classes:
- Hot Rod and Hot Rod Truck
- 4 Wheel Drive and Off-Road
- Sport Compact, Import Performance, Luxury and Exotic
- BFGoodrich Young Guns, for builders 29 and younger
Judges cut each class to a top 10 and then a top three. Those 12 finalists then vote among themselves for the class winners and the overall champion. Troy Trepanier of Rad Rides by Troy won in 2025 with a 1936 Ford Roadster.
The Bike Builder Shootout is new for 2026 and judged separately, with its own top 10, top three and overall winner. Zach Ness of Arlen Ness Motorcycles, Jeff Holt of V-Twin Visionary and Pat Patterson of Led Sled Customs are the judges, and Bob Kay chairs the panel.
The Rest of the Schedule
| Event | When | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Auto Film Mastery Conference (first year) | Monday, November 2 | North Hall |
| Kickoff Breakfast and New Product Awards | Tuesday, November 3, 7 a.m. | Westgate Ballrooms, Westgate Las Vegas |
| Education sessions (more than 90) | Tuesday through Thursday | Throughout the halls |
| NHRA Breakfast | Wednesday, November 4, 7:30 to 9 a.m. | Westgate Ballrooms A and B |
| PRO Cup Challenge winners | Wednesday, November 4, 4 to 5 p.m. | West Hall, booth 50237 |
| Visionary 8 and Best Engineered Vehicle | Thursday, November 5 | SEMA Central, Grand Lobby |
| SEMA Industry Honors | Thursday, November 5, 6 p.m. reception | BleauLive Theater, Fontainebleau Las Vegas |
| SEMA Fest | Friday, November 6, gates at 3 p.m. | Bronze Lot |
In the PRO Cup Challenge, six restyling shops each build an accessory package a new-car dealer could sell, capped at $14,500 and 50 hours of installation. Automotive Concepts of New Hope, Minnesota, won in 2025 with a Ford F-150 SuperCrew marking 50 years of the model, and is one of this year’s finalists.
Most education sessions are free and seated first come, first served. Industry Honors tickets are $50. Photographer Larry Chen, named Featured SEMA Show Artist in 2025 for a three-year term, is the first photographer to hold the title.
AAPEX Runs the Same Week
AAPEX, the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo, covers replacement parts and repair where SEMA covers accessories and performance. Its exhibit halls are open Tuesday, November 3 through Thursday, November 5 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Venetian Expo and Caesars Forum.
The two shows share a registration system. AAPEX’s FAQ says a badge “provides Exhibit Hall floor access to both AAPEX and the SEMA show.” AAPEX has no public day and admits nobody under 16. A shuttle between the venues runs every 15 to 20 minutes from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on those three days.
Getting to the Convention Center
| Option | Details | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas Monorail | Seven stations from MGM Grand to Sahara, with a Convention Center stop. Opens at 7 a.m.; runs to 2 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 3 a.m. Friday. | 24-hour pass $13.45; 4-day pass $33.30 at SEMA’s rate |
| Vegas Loop | Five stations on the convention center campus | Free between campus stations; rides to Encore, Resorts World and Westgate are ticketed |
| SEMA hotel shuttle | More than 45 hotels. 7 to 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.; Friday afternoon service runs 2 to 5 p.m. No midday service. | Free |
| RTC Strip and Downtown Express | About every 15 minutes, from 7 a.m. on show days | RTC fare |
| Rideshare and taxi | Blue Lot, Platinum Lot and Majestic Lot | Varies |
| Parking | Eight off-property lots listed by SEMA, including Westgate and Fontainebleau | Daily fee may apply |
SEMA’s discounted monorail passes are sold at tix.lvmonorail.com/SEMA2026. A 2-day pass is $23.75 and a 3-day pass $26.96.
The Loop is the Boring Company’s tunnel system, and its campus stations are South, Central Underground, Central Plaza, West and Riviera.
How to Plan a Friday Visit
If you are there for trucks and off-road
Pick up your ticket at West Hall and start there. Trucks, SUVs and Off-Road, the powersports section, Ford’s West Hall stand, Mopar and Mitsubishi are all in that building. North Hall has a second group of truck and restyling exhibitors.
If you want hot rods, race cars and the factory displays
Go to Central Hall. Toyota, Nissan, Honda Racing and Ford’s Central Hall stand are there with Hot Rod Alley and the Battle of the Builders finalists.
If you are shopping wheels or tires
Collect your ticket at South Hall and start on the lower level, where the Global Tire Expo and the New Products Showcase are.
If you are staying for the concert
Buy the $170 combined ticket. The SEMA Fest gates open at 3 p.m. in the Bronze Lot and The Alive start at 4 p.m., the minute the floor closes. 311 play at 5:10 p.m., Jimmy Eat World at 6:50 p.m. and The Offspring at 8:40 p.m.
The Policy News SEMA Brings to Las Vegas
The Environmental Protection Agency issued an advisory opinion on July 1 saying a SEMA Certified-Emissions certification gives a parts maker a “reasonable basis” under the agency’s tampering policy. That opens a route to selling emissions-related performance parts in 49 states without a California Air Resources Board executive order. California still requires one.
In California, Governor Gavin Newsom signed two SEMA-backed bills in September. Senate Bill 1392, known as Leno’s Law after sponsor Jay Leno, creates a smog check exemption for collector vehicles from model years 1976 through 1985. According to SEMA’s summary of the bill, it starts on January 1, 2028 with vehicles older than model year 1981 and adds a model year annually until 2033. Senate Bill 1069 lets makers of emissions-related parts sell in California under conditional approval while an executive order application is pending. The law takes effect January 1, 2027, and the Air Resources Board has until July 1, 2028 to set up the program.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is SEMA 2026?
The 2026 SEMA Show runs Tuesday, November 3 through Friday, November 6, 2026. The show floor is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday.
Where is the SEMA Show held?
At the Las Vegas Convention Center, 3150 Paradise Road, Las Vegas, Nevada. The show uses the West, North, Central and South halls plus several outdoor lots. SEMA has been held in Las Vegas since 1977.
Is the SEMA Show open to the public?
Only on Friday, November 6. Tuesday through Thursday are limited to qualified members of the automotive aftermarket trade and credentialed media. Friday tickets are sold in advance to anyone 16 or older.
How much are SEMA tickets in 2026?
A SEMA Show Friday ticket is $130. Adding SEMA Fest concert general admission makes it $170. The $210 ticket with concert VIP was listed as sold out on October 6. Trade badges for the full four days cost $100 and require proof of aftermarket employment.
Can you buy SEMA tickets at the door?
No. SEMA’s ticket page says there are no day-of purchases, and all sales are final. Tickets are sold through Tixr and must be picked up in person with government photo ID at South Hall or West Hall between 7:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Friday.
What does SEMA stand for?
Specialty Equipment Market Association. It is a nonprofit trade association founded in 1963 that represents more than 7,000 companies making and selling automotive aftermarket parts. Its first show was in 1967.
What is SEMA Fest?
SEMA Fest is the concert that closes the show on Friday night in the convention center’s Bronze Lot. The 2026 lineup is The Offspring, Jimmy Eat World, 311 and The Alive, with gates at 3 p.m. Concert-only general admission is $80, and the concert is open to all ages.
Which automakers will be at SEMA 2026?
Ford, Toyota, Honda Racing Corporation, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Stellantis through Mopar. Ford has stands in both Central Hall and West Hall. General Motors, Hyundai, Kia, Volkswagen and Subaru are not on SEMA’s 2026 list.
What is new at SEMA for 2026?
The renovated Las Vegas Convention Center, an expanded Powersports, SxS and Lifestyle section in West Hall, a motorcycle class in Battle of the Builders called the Bike Builder Shootout, and a one-day Auto Film Mastery Conference on November 2. Harley-Davidson and Mitsubishi are also on the 2026 exhibitor list.
Does a SEMA badge get you into AAPEX?
Yes. The two shows share registration, and AAPEX states that a badge gives exhibit floor access to both. AAPEX runs November 3 through 5 at the Venetian Expo and Caesars Forum and has no public day.
How do you get to the SEMA Show without a car?
The Las Vegas Monorail stops at the convention center and costs $13.45 for a 24-hour pass at SEMA’s discounted rate. SEMA also runs free shuttles from more than 45 hotels in the morning and afternoon. Inside the campus, the Vegas Loop is free between its five stations.
Friday at SEMA 2026
Anyone outside the trade can attend on Friday only, for $130, and has to buy the ticket before November 6. The floor is open seven hours that day, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., across four halls and more than 2,000 brands, so choose one building before you arrive. West Hall holds trucks, off-road and powersports. Central Hall holds four of the six automakers and the Battle of the Builders finalists.
The $170 ticket adds The Offspring, Jimmy Eat World, 311 and The Alive for $40 more than the floor alone.
Source: SEMA Show
Michael Kahn
Michael Kahn is the writer, photographer, and publisher behind The Weekly Driver. He cares about how cars drive and what they're like to own. He covers automobile industry news, car shows and events, and new car reviews. The reviews come from behind the wheel: day trips that favor back routes, treating a good meal as half the reason to go. He directs and produces the visual media, matching each car to a setting and mood that fit it. When he's not reviewing new cars, Michael races paddleboards, camels, and ostriches, along with the occasional exotic car on the racetrack, and has driven in every state and country visited.
https://theweeklydriver.com