| NAB Show 2027 at a glance | |
|---|---|
| Show | NAB Show 2027 |
| Start date | Saturday, April 3, 2027 |
| End date | Wednesday, April 7, 2027 |
| Exhibit hall | April 4-7, 2027 |
| Venue | Las Vegas Convention Center (West, Central, and North Halls) |
| City | Las Vegas, NV |
| Official website | nabshow.com |
| Organizer | National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) |
The exhibit floor in the LVCC South Hall during NAB Show 2024.
Photo: TaurusEmerald, CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/), via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NAB_Show_2024.jpg)
NAB Show 2027 key facts
| 2026 edition | Held April 18-22, 2026 (exhibits April 19-22) at the LVCC |
| 2026 deadlines and move-in | Booth review forms for booths of 800 sq ft and up were due January 15; Freeman discount deadline March 16; advance warehouse opened March 19, and April 7 was the last day without a surcharge; EAC registration closed April 10; targeted move-in began April 13; crates labeled by 10 p.m. April 17 |
| 2027 schedule | 50 percent space deposit due July 1, 2026; full space payment due December 1, 2026; exhibits April 4-7, 2027; dismantling begins at the official close on April 7, 2027 |
| Held | Annually |
| Show size | NAB Show 2026: more than 58,000 registered attendees and more than 1,100 exhibitors (NAB, April 2026) |
| General service contractor (GSC) | Freeman (2026 show; exclusive for material handling, electrical, and rigging) |
| Island height limit (islands of 400 sq ft and up) | West Hall 30 ft; Central Hall 25 ft; North Hall 30 ft (2026 show rules; same limit for structure and hanging sign) |
| Hanging signs and truss (2026 show rules) | Set back from adjacent booths 10 ft if double-sided and 5 ft if single-sided; Freeman does all rigging |
| Renderings and multi-level booths (2026 show rules) | Design and technical renderings required for booths of 800 sq ft and up and for every multi-level or covered booth; Nevada engineer stamp for multi-level booths; fire sprinklers for multi-level or covered areas over 1,000 sq ft if the event runs 7 or more days or the exhibit has display vehicles, open flame, or hot work; no spiral stairs |
| Hall ceiling height | West Hall 42 ft; North Hall 33-35 ft; Central Hall 25-35 ft |
| EAC policy | Allowed with registration through NAB’s EAC Registration Portal (2026 rules); LVCC annual EAC permit required |
The height limits come from the NAB Show 2026 rules. Ceiling heights are building measurements, not build limits. Confirm the rules in the NAB Show exhibitor manual before you design.
Last checked: October 2026
NAB Show 2027 runs April 3 to 7 in Las Vegas, with exhibits April 4 to 7 in the West, Central, and North Halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC). Before you size an NAB trade show booth, look at your hall assignment, because the 2026 show rules set the island limit 5 feet lower in Central Hall than in West and North Halls.
NAB trade show display height limits by hall
Under those rules, an island of 20×20 (400 square feet) or larger can reach 30 feet in West and North Halls and 25 feet in Central Hall. The limit is measured from the floor to the top of the structure or hanging sign. A hanging sign or truss must be set back from adjacent booths 10 feet if it’s double-sided and 5 feet if it’s single-sided, and Freeman does all rigging.
West Hall’s ceiling is 42 feet and North Hall’s is 33 to 35 feet, both above the 30-foot limit. Central Halls 1 and 2 have a 25-foot ceiling, the same as the island limit. A 30-foot West Hall island would need to lose 5 feet for Central Hall.
Under the same rules, any booth of 800 square feet or more must submit design and technical renderings to show management and LVCVA Fire and Safety, and every multi-level or covered booth must submit its renderings to LVCVA Fire and Safety regardless of size. Multi-level booths need a plan stamped by a Nevada engineer, multi-level or covered areas over 1,000 square feet need fire sprinklers under the whole area and every level if the event runs seven calendar days or longer or the exhibit contains display vehicles, open flame, or hot work, and spiral stairs aren’t allowed.
Space payment and material handling
Full payment for 2027 exhibit space is due December 1, 2026.
NAB Show 2027 uses a mandatory unlimited material handling program based on booth size rather than shipment weight. Additional charges may apply for advance warehouse storage, off-target deliveries, and certain third-party shipments. For 2027, NAB lists material handling at $4.10 per square foot for booths up to 399 net square feet, $4.17 for 400 to 900, and $4.21 for over 900.
Freeman was the 2026 general service contractor (GSC) and exclusive provider of material handling, electrical, and rigging. Under the 2027 space contract, freight should not arrive before its scheduled date, and target move-in dates will appear in the 2027 NAB Show Exhibit Manual. In 2026, targeted move-in began April 13.
Installation labor rules
NAB’s 2025 labor rules let your full-time employees do installation and dismantle (I&D), though without ladders. An exhibitor-appointed contractor (EAC) may bring its own ladders but can’t do electrical work. The LVCC requires a $250 annual permit for every EAC, and under the 2027 space contract you accept responsibility for the use of your EAC’s insurance.
For a custom NAB exhibit, see our 30×30 island designs and large-format exhibits.
With your space confirmed, get a free booth quote for NAB Show, or ask about booth rentals in Las Vegas.
A booth built by Methodex for Espen Technology at ACT Expo 2025.
Photo: Methodex