CES 2027: Tips for Exhibitors and Attendees

CES 2027 runs Wednesday through Saturday, Jan. 6-9, 2027, across 12 official venues in Las Vegas, grouped into the LVCC, Venetian and C Space campuses. It's a trade-only event for people 18 and older, produced by the Consumer Technology Association. Exhibits open at 10 a.m. on Jan. 6 and close at 4 p.m. on Jan. 9.

CES 2027 at a glance

CES isn't one building, and that's the first thing I'd plan around. Which campus your booth or meetings are in decides where you stay, which shuttle you ride and how much of your day disappears in transit. CTA's maps and locations page is the best place to start.

Who attends CES (and who exhibits)

CES is trade-only, and you have to be 18 or older to attend (CES registration). CTA describes its audience on its attendee overview page. I'm not quoting attendance figures here because I couldn't confirm 2027 numbers on the official site.

Startups exhibit in Eureka Park. CES says eligible companies are typically five years old or less, have Series B funding or less, and offer demo-ready technology. Startups are generally limited to two years in Eureka Park, and first-time exhibitors get priority (Eureka Park).

Exhibitor tips for CES 2027

Manuals, freight and what things cost

CES publishes a separate exhibitor manual for each venue: ARIA, the LVCC, Mandalay Bay, Venetian Exhibit Suites, Venetian Expo and Fontainebleau (CES exhibitor manuals). Open the one for your venue, because the rates aren't the same everywhere. CTA says Freeman rates rose 3% over CES 2026 and material handling stayed flat.

Here are some of the topline rates CES has published for 2027:

Rates as published in the CES exhibitor manuals, last verified Oct. 8, 2026.

The Venetian Expo halls (A-D and G) are listed at the same $0.71 a pound as the LVCC, while the Venetian meeting rooms and Exhibit Suites are at $1.16. In CTA's own example, 4,235 pounds of freight at the LVCC is billed at 4,235 pounds.

The gap between venues adds up. On 2,000 pounds of freight, $0.71 a pound is $1,420 and $1.16 a pound is $2,320 (my arithmetic). If you're comparing booth locations, put material handling in the comparison. My post on why trade shows cost what they do has more on where the rest of the money goes.

Target move-in and your EAC

CES posts target freight floor plans by venue and booth number range, from West Hall booths 3000-7999 to Venetian Expo Hall G booths 60000-63999 (CES exhibitor manuals). Freeman's schedules say your assigned move-in and move-out dates and times are on those target floor plans, so find your booth's range before you book a carrier. Freeman's Quick Facts for each venue give the overall windows, including these for the LVCC and the Venetian Expo. At the LVCC, move-in runs Sat., Dec. 26, 2026, through Tue., Jan. 5, 2027, 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. (closing at 2 p.m. on Dec. 31, with no move-in on Jan. 1), and move-out runs from 5 p.m. Sat., Jan. 9, through 1 p.m. Tue., Jan. 12 (Freeman LVCC Quick Facts). At the Venetian Expo, move-in runs Tue., Dec. 29, 2026, through Tue., Jan. 5, 2027, and move-out from 5 p.m. Sat., Jan. 9, through 5 p.m. Mon., Jan. 11 (Freeman Venetian Expo Quick Facts). The other venues have their own schedules, so check your venue manual. Freeman's advance-rate deadline for both is Dec. 1, 2026. At the LVCC, though, Freeman's discount rates for utilities, hanging-sign labor and truss and lighting packages need orders by Nov. 25, 2026 (Freeman LVCC Quick Facts).

If you're using your own exhibit house, CES says EAC registration "will open this fall." No deadline is posted yet, so check your venue manual for the EAC date as soon as it appears.

Exhibitor badges and registering your staff

Every booth worker registers as Exhibitor Personnel, and that registration has to start with your company's Registration Coordinator, who's assigned by the Primary Contact in the Exhibitor Dashboard (CES registration, Exhibitor Dashboard guide). Exhibitor Personnel badges include the floor during move-in and show hours.

Each person has to register with the exact email address the invite went to, and this is where people get caught. If they use a different one, CES registers them as an Industry Attendee, charges them the Exhibits Plus Pass fee, and they can't get on the floor during move-in or dismantle. The number of exhibitor badges per booth isn't on the public site, so I'm listing it as TBA.

Getting product and booth materials in

The attendee bag limit doesn't apply to exhibitor materials during set windows. CES says exhibitors can bring product and display material onto show premises beginning Jan. 5 and before 8 a.m. on show days, Jan. 6-9, and on move-in days between 7:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. (CES safety and security). Outside those windows, your staff is under the same two-bag rule as everyone else.

Filling your booth before the show

Your Registration Coordinator can pull Customer Invitation promo codes, which take $149 off registration for your guests (CES registration). With the Standard Pass going from $149 to $349 on Dec. 1, an invitation before Thanksgiving is a reason for a prospect to say yes now. CES says exhibitors can get free, professionally designed social media graphics through the Exhibitor Dashboard (Exhibitor Dashboard guide), and its Exhibitor Tool Kit has the official logo now, with social images and messaging "available in the fall." My pre-show email templates will help with the invite itself, and there's more in trade show marketing.

Expect at least one email offering to sell you the CES attendee list. CTA says these mass emails go out every year in the weeks before the show, that they're a scam, and that CTA doesn't sell the list.

Booth rules that catch people out

Every badge has to be picked up in person, with a government-issued photo ID and your registration confirmation. You can't pick up badges for other people (CES badge pickup). If your sales team plans to grab badges for a group of customers, that plan won't work.

All bags are searched at every venue, and attendees can carry two small bags, each smaller than 12 in x 17 in x 6 in. Rolling bags of any size aren't accepted, including laptop bags and rolling carts (CES safety and security). Tell your booth staff before they pack.

Booth tips for tech exhibitors

Attendee tips for CES 2027

Register before Dec. 1

The Standard Pass is $149 through Nov. 30 and $349 from Dec. 1. It covers the exhibit floor, keynotes, Great Minds sessions and select conference sessions. The Premium Pass ($1,450, then $1,750) adds all conference sessions and tracks. Maritz is CES's only official registration vendor. Cancellations must be in writing by Dec. 9, 2026, with a $50 fee, and substitutions aren't allowed for credentialed attendees (CES registration).

Pick up your badge early

You can't enter any CES venue without your badge. The airport is the easy option: there are pickup desks in baggage claim at Harry Reid International Airport, Terminal 1 and Terminal 3, open Sun., Jan. 3, from noon to midnight; Mon. through Wed., Jan. 4-6, from 7 a.m. to midnight; and Thu., Jan. 7, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. There are also pickup locations at the LVCC and at several hotels, including MGM Grand, ARIA, Cosmopolitan, Encore and Excalibur, each with its own hours (CES badge pickup). Bring a government-issued photo ID.

Plan your days by campus

The LVCC, the Venetian and C Space are far enough apart that crossing between them takes real time. Group your meetings by campus and use the official shuttles between them.

Travel, hotels and getting around

Hotels

onPeak is the only official housing agent for CES 2027. CES says rates will increase as January approaches and some official hotels sell out. You can reach onPeak at CEShotels@onpeaksupport.com, 800-247-0744 or +1-312-527-7300 (CES hotels). If a company you've never heard of calls offering CES rooms, it isn't onPeak. My Las Vegas convention center guide covers hotel strategy for the LVCC.

Shuttles, the Loop and the Monorail

All of this comes from CES's transportation page:

• Free shuttles run from select official CES hotels to the LVCC and Venetian Expo, Tue., Jan. 5, through Sat., Jan. 9.
• The Tech Express (Route 9) runs between the LVCC and Venetian Expo. At the LVCC it boards in Central Plaza near the Monorail walkway.
• The C Space Shuttle (Route 7) runs to ARIA from the LVCC and Venetian Expo, Wednesday through Friday.
• The LVCC Loop is free across the LVCC campus. The Vegas Loop to Encore, Fontainebleau, Resorts World, Sahara and Westgate charges a small fare.
• The Monorail connects the LVCC and Westgate with several Strip hotels but doesn't serve Venetian Expo. Discounted Monorail passes can be added to your registration.
• Rideshare pickup at the LVCC is outside South Hall, between the Bronze Lot and the Renaissance, or in the Diamond Lot next to West Hall.

Parking

CES says there is no public parking at the LVCC or Venetian Expo. Passenger drop-off at the LVCC is only at the S2, C5 and West Hall entrances, and drivers have to stay with their vehicles (CES transportation).

Wi-Fi

CES says free Wi-Fi is available in all common areas, lobbies and meeting rooms on the LVCC campus, with faster paid service throughout. On the Venetian campus, free Wi-Fi is in the lobby areas (CES maps and locations). If your demo or lead scanners need the internet, order a wired line through your venue manual.

Las Vegas labor rules and what you can do yourself

CES spreads across several buildings, and each one has its own rules, so your venue's manual is the final word. Nevada is a right-to-work state, but labor at every venue still follows that venue's and the official contractor's rules. The rest of this paragraph covers the LVCC only, not the Venetian Expo, Venetian Exhibit Suites, ARIA, Mandalay Bay or Fontainebleau. At the LVCC, full-time employees can hand-carry with proof of employment, but only what one person can carry without hand trucks, dollies or pallet jacks, and only from personally owned pickups and passenger vans in the lots. EACs at the LVCC need an annual LVCC EAC permit, insurance certificates and a Clark County business license. Cox Business is the LVCC's exclusive internet provider. All of that is from my Las Vegas convention center guide, which cites the LVCC Facility Guide. If you're in one of the other venues, go by that venue's manual.

More on shipping in trade show logistics.

CES 2027 FAQs

When is CES 2027?

CES 2027 runs Jan. 6-9, 2027, in Las Vegas. Media Days are Jan. 4 and 5 at Mandalay Bay.

Is CES open to the public?

No. CES is a trade-only event, and you must be 18 or older to attend.

How much is a CES 2027 badge?

The Standard Pass is $149 through Nov. 30, 2026, then $349. The Premium Pass is $1,450 through Nov. 30, then $1,750.

What are the CES 2027 show hours?

Exhibits are open Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where is CES held?

At 12 official venues across three Las Vegas campuses: the LVCC, the Venetian and C Space.

Where do I pick up my CES badge?

In person, with a government-issued photo ID, at an official pickup location. Options include baggage claim in Terminals 1 and 3 at Harry Reid International Airport, the LVCC and several official hotels.

Is there parking at the LVCC during CES?

CES says there's no public parking at the LVCC or Venetian Expo. Use the free shuttles, the Loop, the Monorail or rideshare.

Can I cancel my CES registration?

Yes, in writing by Dec. 9, 2026, for a refund minus a $50 processing fee. Substitutions aren't allowed for credentialed attendees.

Related guides

• Our Las Vegas convention center guide
• 2027 trade show pages, including the International Roofing Expo 2027
• Trade show logistics
• Trade show staffing
• Lead follow-up
• The 25 most common trade show mistakes
• Ask Michael: got a CES question I didn't answer? Send it over.

Written by Michael Flavin. Facts checked against the official CES site on Oct. 8, 2026.

Sources

All checked Oct. 8, 2026.

1. CES, About CES: https://www.ces.tech/about-ces/about-ces/
2. CES, Dates and Hours: https://www.ces.tech/plan-your-visit/dates-and-hours/
3. CES, Maps and Locations: https://www.ces.tech/explore-ces/maps-and-locations/
4. CES, Registration Information: https://www.ces.tech/attendee-guides/registration-information/
5. CES, Hotels: https://www.ces.tech/attendee-guides/hotels/
6. CES, Attendee Overview: https://www.ces.tech/attend/attendee-overview/
7. CES, Eureka Park: https://www.ces.tech/explore-ces/eureka-park/
8. CES, Exhibitor Manuals: https://www.ces.tech/exhibitor-guides/exhibitor-manuals/
9. CES, Exhibitor Dashboard Quick 3-Step Guide: https://www.ces.tech/exhibitor-guides/exhibitor-dashboard-quick-3-step-guide/
10. CES, Exhibitor Tool Kit: https://www.ces.tech/exhibitor-guides/exhibitor-tool-kit/
11. CES, Safety & Security: https://www.ces.tech/attendee-guides/safety-security/
12. CES, Badge Pickup: https://www.ces.tech/attendee-guides/badge-pickup/
13. CES, Transportation: https://www.ces.tech/attendee-guides/transportation/