The 2026 SEMA Show opens Tuesday, Nov. 3, at the Las Vegas Convention Center, less than a week from now. It runs through Friday, Nov. 6. SEMA says exhibitor commitments have passed 1 million net square feet of indoor exhibit space, with more than 2,000 brands taking part. The show's public Friday ticket page cites a different figure, 2,400+ vendors. SEMA has not published a 2026 attendance estimate.
We have already covered the basics for tire dealers. This preview takes a different route: it walks through the week one day at a time, using SEMA's own schedule, so you can see where tires, wheels, shop equipment and business education line up with the show's headline events. All times are Pacific.
The basics before you go
Show hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday. The show is trade-only, and SEMA says it opens to the general public on Friday, Nov. 6, only (details below).
Online registration is open. SEMA lists the standard attendee and buyer badge at $100 for registrations made from Sept. 26 through Nov. 6. You can register on the SEMA Show site, or at Main Registration in the Lower South Hall. On-site registrants need qualification documents and a government-issued photo ID.
Badges are picked up at West Hall Express Registration or Lower South Hall Main Registration, on the east side of the building. Bring a photo ID that matches the name on the badge. Copies and digital versions are not accepted.
One badge also covers AAPEX, which runs Tuesday through Thursday at the Venetian Expo and Caesars Forum and is closed on Friday. SEMA also says parking at the convention center will be affected by construction, and it points attendees to free hotel shuttles, the Las Vegas Monorail and the Vegas Loop. Details are in the official transportation guide. The SEMA Show app has floor plans, exhibitor search and a scanner for the New Products Showcase.
Tuesday, Nov. 3: kickoff and opening day
The Kickoff Breakfast starts the week at the Westgate Las Vegas. Doors open at 7 a.m. and the program starts at 7:20 a.m. SEMA has announced a conversation between Jay Leno and Harley-Davidson President and CEO Artie Starrs. The breakfast is ticketed. We covered the lineup in our Kickoff Breakfast story.
The breakfast is also where SEMA presents its Best New Product Awards, across 15 categories drawn from the New Products Showcase. Two of those categories, Tire & Related and Wheel & Related, speak directly to dealers, and so does Tools & Equipment. SEMA will also name its Manufacturer of the Year and Channel Partner of the Year. Runner-up awards are presented in the Showcase on Tuesday afternoon.
The New Products Showcase, in the Lower South Hall, opens at 7:30 a.m., ahead of the show floor. The floor opens at 9 a.m.
Tuesday is also when most of SEMA's scheduled vehicle reveals happen. SEMA's reveal schedule, last updated Oct. 20, lists more than 20 for Tuesday, with a few more on Wednesday and Thursday.
The show opens on Election Day, and SEMA has asked attendees to plan to vote before they travel. Our report on SEMA's Drive the Vote campaign has the details.
For service and repair work, the ADAS Showcase in the Upper South Hall holds an open house at 9:30 a.m. SEMA says it has two calibration bays, late-model vehicles and daily live demonstrations. See our ADAS Showcase preview.
SEMA's professional education program runs Nov. 3 to 5 across 10 tracks, and many sessions are free with registration. On Tuesday at 11 a.m., one Inside the Shop session covers business practices in the truck and off-road segment.
Wednesday, Nov. 4: products and shop business
Wheel and Tire Council members and exhibitors are invited to a Coffee & Conversation at 8 a.m. at the Lower South Hall entrance.
Several tire-related companies have scheduled press events on SEMA's official calendar. ASA Automotive presents its OMNI platform for tire dealers and repair shops at 10 a.m. in Booth 43059. Landscape Durable Tires talks about its durability testing at 1:30 p.m. in Booth 48225. We previewed that one in our Landscape story.
On the education side, "Advanced Sales Strategies" at 9 a.m. is aimed at service advisors and shop leaders, and "ADAS Unlocked: Ensuring ADAS Performance on Modified Vehicles" runs from 1 to 2 p.m. Both are in the North Hall meeting rooms. SEMA's Battle of the Builders also narrows its field to the Top 13 on Wednesday.
Thursday, Nov. 5: wheels, tires and the honors night
At 11 a.m., the FutureTech Studio in the Central Hall hosts "Beyond the Powertrain: Rethinking Wheels, Tires, Brakes and Suspension," presented by SEMA's Wheels, Tires, Suspension & Brakes Council. SEMA describes it as a look at how changing powertrains affect wheel and tire testing and suspension design.
Business sessions include an inventory management class from 1 to 2 p.m. and a talent management workshop at 3 p.m. Battle of the Builders announces its Top 4 on Thursday.
In the evening, the SEMA Industry Honors take place at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas BleauLive Theater. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the ceremony starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are required.
Friday, Nov. 6: public day and SEMA Fest
Friday is the only day the show is open to the general public. SEMA's ticket page lists a $130 Show Friday ticket for visitors 16 and older. Each person must pick up their own ticket between 7:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. at SEMA Show Registration in the South Hall or West Hall, with a government-issued photo ID that matches the name on the order. There are no day-of purchases, and the ticket does not include SEMA Fest.
The show closes at 4 p.m. SEMA's schedule lists the Battle of the Builders overall winner at noon. The SEMA Cruise leaves the convention center campus at 4 p.m. SEMA Fest opens its gates at 3 p.m. in the Bronze Lot outside the South Hall, with The Offspring, Jimmy Eat World, 311 and The Alive. SEMA Fest tickets are sold separately from show registration.
Where tire and wheel people should spend time
The Lower South Hall is the center of gravity. It holds the New Products Showcase, and SEMA's attendee guide lists the Global Tire Expo and the Wheels & Accessories section there. Our truck and off-road tire preview covers tire makers heading to the show, and Toyo Tires has its Treadpass, which links the Central and South Halls.
Shop equipment makers are previewing products too. Read our stories on Hunter Engineering, Bartec's Sens-Rite programmable TPMS sensor and Branick's new tire carts.
Traction News at the show
Traction News is a judge of the SEMA Show Media's Choice Awards, which are drawn from the New Products Showcase. We will share our picks with readers. Our earlier note on our SEMA plans has more on our coverage.
Tireweb at SEMA
Disclosure: Tireweb owns Traction News.
Tireweb will be in Booth 41083 in the South Hall of the convention center at 3150 Paradise Road, with the line "Software that moves tires." It is promoting Tirelibrary, Tireweb AI, Tireweb Pay and Tireweb Marketing. The meeting request form on its SEMA page lists topics that include wholesale and retail, Tireweb AI, Tireweb Marketing, Tirelibrary and integrations, and wheels and the visualizer. You can book a meeting on Tireweb's SEMA 2026 page. For what the company plans to show, see our story on Tireweb's AI, data and payment products at SEMA.
Schedules can change, so check the official SEMA schedule of events and the show app before you commit to a time.
