Fees
It's free right now
Organizer registration and show sanctions are free during our launch and pilot. No card on file. No surprise invoices.
You still need to meet every standard to be approved. Free doesn't mean automatic.
What happens after the pilot
We haven't set future pricing yet. When we do:
- We'll announce it in advance. You'll hear from us and see it on this page before any fee starts. Nobody gets charged without notice.
- We'll publish it here. Prices will be public and the same for everyone in the same situation.
- Fees pay for the work. That means reviewing applications and documents by hand, running the verify pages, and handling reports and appeals.
- Paying never guarantees approval. A fee covers the review. Whether you're approved depends only on meeting the published standards.
What the program includes
- Yearly organizer registration, reviewed by a person
- A sanction review for each show, including your venue agreement and insurance certificate
- A listing on our public list of sanctioned shows
- A verify page for each sanctioned show
- A seal download with a QR code that links to the show's verify page
Costs that aren't ours
Meeting the standards may involve costs you'd likely have anyway. These are paid to others, not to us:
- Liability insurance at the required $1M/$2M level
- Local permits your venue or city requires
- Security staff for larger shows
FAQ
Is it really free? Yes. During launch and the pilot, registration and show sanctions cost nothing.
When will fees start? We haven't picked a date. We'll give advance notice before any fee applies, and we'll post the details on this page.
Will I be charged automatically when the pilot ends? No. We're not collecting payment details during launch. Nobody will be charged without notice.
If I pay, am I approved? No. Paying never guarantees approval. Every organizer and every show is reviewed against the same published standards.
Will a show sanctioned for free stay sanctioned once fees start? A sanction covers one show on one date. If your show is approved during the free period, that approval stands for that show.
What will fees pay for? Review and administration: checking documents by hand, keeping the verify pages running, and handling reports and appeals fairly.
Will there be different prices for small and large shows? That's still being decided. Whatever we choose will be published here and applied the same way to everyone.
Do vendors or attendees pay anything? No. Anyone can check a sanctioned show on our verify pages for free.
Who do I contact with questions about fees? Email us at info@tradeshowassociation.com.
Ready to get started? Register as an organizer. Want to see what we check first? Read our standards.
Trade Show Association is a private, independent organization, not a government agency. The seal does not guarantee any card, grade, vendor, or transaction.