Example Exhibitor Badge Allocation by Booth Size
Exhibitor badges look like a small detail until the pickup desk has a line of 200 booth staff and half of them aren't registered. A clear allocation tells exhibitors what their booth includes, controls how many non-buying people are on the floor, and turns extra badges into a small revenue line. Start from booth size: a bigger booth needs more people to staff it.
| Booth | Area | Included exhibitor badges | Extra badges allowed | Installer passes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tabletop or kiosk | About 6x8 ft or a table | 2 | Up to 1 | Not needed |
| 10x10 inline | 100 sq ft | 3 | Up to 3 | 2 |
| 10x10 corner | 100 sq ft | 3 | Up to 3 | 2 |
| 10x20 inline | 200 sq ft | 5 | Up to 5 | 4 |
| 10x30 inline | 300 sq ft | 7 | Up to 6 | 4 |
| 20x20 island | 400 sq ft | 10 | Up to 8 | 6 |
| 20x30 or 30x30 island | 600-900 sq ft | 14-18 | Up to 10 | As needed |
| Sponsor package | Any | As in the package | As in the package | As needed |
The example above works out to roughly one included badge per 35 to 50 square feet, with a minimum for small booths. Adjust it for your show: a sales-heavy B2B show with long demo lines needs more staff per booth than a consumer market, and a show with a crowded hall may want fewer.
Exhibitor Badge Types
| Badge | Who it's for | Access | Common approach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exhibitor | Booth staff working during show hours | Show floor, move-in on the last day, often sessions or receptions as you decide | Included by booth size, extras sold |
| Booth staff or temporary | Hired demo staff, models or interpreters | Show floor during show hours | Counts toward the booth's allocation |
| Installer and dismantle | Contractors and crew who build or pack the booth | Hall during move-in and move-out only | Free, issued against a contractor list |
| Hospitality or guest pass | Customers the exhibitor invites | Show floor as attendees | A set number per booth, or sold in packs |
| Exhibitor plus conference | Booth staff who also attend sessions | Floor and sessions | Upgrade sold per badge |
Color code each badge type, or print the type in large letters as a badge label, so security and session doors can tell them apart at a glance. The name badge template guide covers sizes, layout and color coding.
Pricing Extra Exhibitor Badges
Extra badges cover your costs for printing, catering counts and floor capacity, and stop booths from inviting half their sales team. Pick one model and publish the price in the exhibitor manual.
| Model | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Flat price per badge | Every extra badge costs the same amount | Most trade shows; easy to explain |
| Price rises after a deadline | Lower price before the badge deadline, higher on site | Shows that want names early |
| Free up to a cap | Extras free up to a set number per booth size | Small or new shows building goodwill |
| Bundled upgrades | Extra badges included in sponsor or premium booth packages | Shows that sell sponsorship tiers |
| Conference upgrade | Exhibitor badge plus session access for an added fee | Shows with a paid education program |
Substitutions, Name Changes and Lost Badges
| Situation | Before the badge deadline | After the deadline or on site |
|---|---|---|
| Name change, same company | Free; exhibitor updates the registration | At the exhibitor service desk with a business card or ID |
| Typo in name or company | Free | Free; corrected at the desk |
| Swap a person for one day | Register both people within the allocation | One badge per person; buy an extra if over the allocation |
| Badge for another company | Not allowed, unless approved as a co-exhibitor | Not allowed |
| Lost badge | Not applicable | Reprint at the desk, with ID; the old badge is cancelled if you can |
| Unused badges | No refund for included badges | Purchased extras refunded only as your policy says |
Copy-Ready Exhibitor Badge Policy
Copy this section into your exhibitor manual and fill in the brackets. The exhibitor manual template shows where it fits alongside move-in, services and booth rules.
Badge Deadlines and Onsite Pickup
| When | Task |
|---|---|
| Booth sales open | Publish the allocation and extra badge price in the prospectus and exhibitor agreement |
| Exhibitor manual launch | Open badge registration and send the link with the manual |
| 4 weeks before the show | Reminder to exhibitors who haven't registered any staff |
| 2 weeks before | Badge registration deadline; extra badge price rises after it |
| 1 week before | Final reminder, pickup details and a list of each booth's registered names |
| Move-in | Installer passes issued; exhibitor desk opens for pickup |
| Show days | Desk handles name changes, lost badges and late extras |
- 1
Place the desk where exhibitors arrive
Put the exhibitor badge desk away from attendee registration, close to the exhibitor entrance or service desk, and open it during move-in so staff collect badges before the doors open.
- 2
Pre-print and keep a printer for changes
Pre-print badges for registered staff, sorted by company. Keep at least one printer for name changes, late extras and lost badges.
- 3
Check the allocation at the desk
Search by company or booth number, check photo ID or a business card, and show how many badges the booth has used against its allocation.
- 4
Sell extras on the spot
If a booth is over its allocation, sell the extra badge at the desk price. Have a card reader and a printed price list ready.
Exhibitors usually manage staff names in their exhibitor portal, so send the badge link and deadline there and in your emails. For printing at the desk, event badge printing software that prints from registration data saves retyping every name.