CES is open to industry professionals, rather than the general public. You must be at least 18 and show a connection to the consumer technology industry. Start with the official registration requirements: your role determines which credentials to submit, while your planned meetings and sessions determine which pass to buy.
For the upcoming CES 2027, the exhibit schedule runs January 6–9 in Las Vegas. Media events and some conference programming begin earlier. Match your travel dates to the activities you can actually attend, especially if you are visiting primarily to see exhibits.
Registration and pass information checked October 16, 2026.
Your role determines the registration route
An industry attendee visits to explore exhibits, meet people or attend sessions. Working media register to cover the event. Someone staffing an exhibitor’s booth uses the exhibitor-personnel route, arranged through that company’s registration coordinator.
Choose the route that describes what you will do at CES. A job at a media company is different from an editorial assignment to cover the show; CES lists separate accreditation requirements for journalists, analysts, creators and production crews. If you are working at a booth, start with your coordinator’s invitation rather than buying an attendee pass independently.
Student status alone does not settle eligibility. A student who also has a relevant industry role should check the credentials for that role. The public registration guidance establishes the age and industry-affiliation requirements; it does not provide a general student admission route.
For industry attendees, prepare evidence in two categories: one item showing the business’s industry affiliation and one showing your employment or connection to that business. Check the accepted-document list before beginning the form. The company’s name and your own details need to line up across the application and evidence, so resolve an old job title or an outdated company page before submitting.
Choose the sessions before choosing the pass
The current CES conference page describes Standard and Premium passes. Standard covers exhibits, keynotes, Great Minds sessions and selected conference sessions. Premium adds the broader conference program and all conference tracks. You can also start with Standard and add specific tracks, with prices varying by selection.
| Your main reason for attending | Pass choice to examine first | What to check before paying |
|---|---|---|
| Booth visits, supplier meetings and keynotes | Standard | Whether each session on your shortlist is among the included sessions |
| Exhibits plus a particular paid conference track | Standard with the relevant addition | The track’s price and whether its sessions fit around your meetings |
| Conference sessions across several tracks | Premium | The actual session schedule, including overlaps and time needed between venues |
As displayed for CES 2027 on the checked date, Standard costs $149 through November 30, 2026, then $349 from December 1 through January 9. Premium costs $1,450, then $1,750 over those same periods. Use the current pass cards and your selected options when registering; the cost of a customized Standard pass depends on the tracks you add.
For example, a visitor with two days of supplier appointments should first list the sessions that remain feasible between those meetings. A more expensive pass has little practical value if the desired talks clash with appointments. Conversely, someone attending several conference tracks should compare their combined selections with Premium before completing registration. This comparison starts with an agenda, not just a ticket price.
The names above describe the current attendee pass cards. Booth staff should use their coordinator’s instructions: some exhibitor-personnel paragraphs on the registration page still use older pass names, so those paragraphs are not a reliable way to match today’s attendee options.
Submit credentials before committing to the rest of the trip
Each registrant needs an individual CTA/CES account and email address, current credentials and a recent headshot. Have those ready before opening the registration form. Submit personal documents through the organizer’s registration process.
Then check the registration dashboard for the review result and any request for further information. If credentials are declined, follow the dashboard’s credential-update instructions to submit different evidence. Keep the confirmation email once registration is approved. If the trip depends on attendance, use that approval state when deciding when to commit to nonrefundable travel arrangements.
After selecting a pass, build a short visit plan: the organizations you want to meet, the questions you need answered and the sessions worth protecting time for. For robot demonstrations, distinguish a product’s announced capabilities from what you want to inspect at a booth. Our CES 2026 analysis of LG CLOiD’s availability illustrates that distinction; it is background on the earlier event, not a CES 2027 exhibitor list.
Pick up your own badge before entering
Follow the current CES badge-pickup guide for a desk that operates when you arrive. Bring government-issued photo ID and your registration confirmation with its QR code. Each person collects their own badge before entering the show facilities.
Save the confirmation where you can retrieve it easily, and check your chosen desk’s location and hours shortly before departure. A registration email and a physical badge are separate stages of the visit: plan the pickup before your first meeting, rather than assuming you can go straight from arrival to a booth.