All builders with a vehicle displaying at the 2026 SEMA Show may enter the competition at www.semabotb.com before the deadline on October 16, 2026. Photos can be uploaded directly onto the online applications, which judges will use to select the finalists. Please refer to the "Submissions" section of the BOTB Terms and Conditions for all competition entry application requirements.

Yes. A vehicle must be approved by the Show committee to be on display at the SEMA Show and can be either a feature vehicle, or a booth vehicle. You may still enter the SEMA Battle of the Builders as you work to secure your vehicle spot at the Show. However, the BOTB operations team will review all applications for the 2026 SEMA Battle of the Builders and check their status for displaying at the 2026 SEMA Show. Those vehicles who are registered for the 2026 BOTB competition, but not confirmed to display at the 2026 SEMA Show will not be allowed to continue in the BOTB competition. You must have your feature vehicle space or booth space secured by October 16, 2026 to continue in the 2026 BOTB competition. To apply for a feature vehicle space at the 2026 SEMA Show, you must first have a SEMA Show exhibiting company sponsor the space. Once you have secured such sponsorship, you may apply for the feature vehicle space here. Please read the rules and regulations for feature vehicles here. If you have questions about applying for a feature vehicle space, you may also contact Maurice O'Connell at mauriceo@sema.org.

The BOTB operations team will be in contact with you via email to confirm receipt of your application and provide you with additional information regarding dates and deadlines. The email will also provide you with contact information for the BOTB team if you have any additional questions. If you have applied in the BFGoodrich Young Guns category, you will also receive information regarding the virtual regional Golden Ticket competition for your chance to win one of several BFGoodrich Young Guns SEMA Show prize packages.

Only an individual may enter. If you built the vehicle with the shop, you must have acted as a builder on the vehicle project. Please refer to the "Eligibility" section of the BOTB Terms and Conditions for all eligibility requirements.

Unfortunately, no. Only the individual who acted as a builder on the vehicle project may be listed. Please refer to the "Eligibility" section of the BOTB Terms and Conditions for all eligibility requirements.

Supporting and inspiring young builders is crucial to the future of the automotive specialty equipment market. The Young Guns category is designed to encourage young builders to pursue their passions and shines the light on the up-and-coming builders.

"Young Guns" is a designation within the overall BOTB competition to recognize builders who are under the age of 29 (as of Nov. 6, 2026). Those who meet the criteria and have selected the Young Guns category on the online application are eligible to participate. Please refer to the "Eligibility" section of the BOTB Terms and Conditions for all eligibility requirements. All competitors in the Young Guns category will be competing against the overall field of builders, regardless of how they entered the competition.

All eligible Young Guns applicants who have submitted their online application before August 14, 2026 may be selected to compete in one or more virtual regional Golden Ticket competitions for the chance to win a Golden Ticket SEMA Show prize package. Those Young Guns eligible applicants who have been selected for this will be contacted via email or phone separately by the BOTB operations team. Please refer to the "Young Guns" section of the BOTB Terms and Conditions for all rules and requirements of the virtual regional Golden Ticket competitions.

With more than 300 participants, industry experts will review all qualifying applications, including vehicle descriptions and photos. Prior to the official opening of the SEMA Show, the SEMA Battle of the Builders Judges will walk the show floor looking at dozens of Battle of the Builders entries up close and in person. Judges will then select the Top 50 finalists in the competition (10 from the hot-rod / hot-rod trucks category; 10 from the off-road / 4-wheel-drive category; 10 from the sport-compact / import performance / luxury & exotics category; 10 from the Young Guns category; and 10 from the Motorcycle category). After the Top 50 finalists are announced, the Top 10 from the Motorcycle category and the Top 10 from the Young Guns category will each compete in their own competitions to determine their Top 3 finalists. At the same time, the Judges will narrow down the Top 3 from the other three categories to round out the Overall Top 15 finalists (three from each category). The Overall Motorcycle category winner will be announced separately after the Top 10 Motorcycle competition. The rest of the finalists (the Top 12) will become the judges in a separate competition and select from amongst themselves who are the other Top 4 category winners, and who is named the Top Overall Builder of the SEMA BOTB. Please refer to the "Judging" section of the BOTB Terms and Conditions for all judging procedures and policies.

Only the Young Guns virtual regional Golden Ticket competitions leading up to the SEMA Show will be virtual. Once on site at the 2026 SEMA Show, all activities will be in-person.

The Top 50 winners, The Top 3 and Overall Motorcycle winner(s), the Top 12 winners, the Top 4 class champions and the Top Overall BOTB Builder will all be announced live throughout the week at the Battle of the Builders Stage at the 2026 SEMA Show. Once each live announcement is made, the winners will also be announced on SEMA Show's social media channels.

Each vehicle at the SEMA Show is a unique, one-of-a-kind creation. Personal tastes may vary and opinions will differ. Industry experts with years of experience serve as judges and narrow the entries down to finalists. However, it is the Top 10 Motorcycle category winners and the Top 12 category finalists themselves who will be judging, voting and selecting the ultimate winner.

As builders, the finalists know and understand the challenges and complexity involved with a vehicle build. They can assess and determine the creativity, craftsmanship and skill that went into each vehicle, before selecting the winner. Please refer to the "Judging" section of the BOTB Terms and Conditions for all judging policies.