aftermarket, collision and dealer · 2027 location not confirmed yet
AAPEX 2027The exhibitor guide: booth costs, dates and deadlines
Parts that keep cars running: AAPEX 2027 booths in Las Vegas
- Event dates
- November 2–4, 2027
- Exhibit hall
- Not confirmed yet
- Venue
- Not confirmed yetLast edition: Las Vegas, NV
4.9 client rating3,000+ exhibitorsIn business since 201510,000+ booths built
Quick answers
AAPEX 2027 in 30 seconds
AAPEX, the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo, is the trade-only show for the replacement-parts, tools and service side of the automotive aftermarket, owned by the Auto Care Association and MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers. AAPEX 2027 runs November 2–4, 2027 in SEMA week; AAPEX has not named a 2027 venue (not confirmed yet); the 2026 edition filled the Venetian Expo and the AAPEX Forum at Caesars Forum. AAPEX cites 2,500+ manufacturers and suppliers and 45,151 buyers. Space is sold per square foot, $34 for members and $59 otherwise, to makers of proprietary products. Purple builds AAPEX booths in Las Vegas.
- When is AAPEX 2027?
- November 2–4, 2027. The location is not confirmed yet; the last edition was in Las Vegas, NV.
- When is the AAPEX exhibit hall open?
- Not confirmed yet for 2027. In 2026 the exhibits opened November 3–5, 9 a.m.–5 p.m., at the Venetian Expo and the AAPEX Forum at Caesars Forum.
- How big is AAPEX?
- 2,500+ manufacturers and suppliers exhibitors (2026 edition).
- How much is booth space at AAPEX?
- $34 per sq ft for Auto Care, MEMA, NARSA or PAMA members, paid to the organizer.
- How much is a 10×20 booth at AAPEX, all-in?
- $7,500 – $15,000 for a Purple rental in the host city: design, graphics, lighting, install and dismantle. AAPEX bills space and show services separately.
Aftermarket & performance · Las Vegas · 2027
45,151
interested buyers counted by AAPEX, from 128 countries source
The lookLas Vegas, SEMA week 2027
Rotors, rims and the line review.
AAPEX 2027 runs November 2–4 for the replacement-parts trade: repair shops, warehouse distributors and program groups checking coverage, cutaways and pricing before they set the coming year of lines.
Everything about AAPEX 2027 in one place
AAPEX 2027 fact sheet
| Official name | AAPEX 2027 |
|---|---|
| Event dates | November 2–4, 2027 |
| Exhibit hall dates | Not confirmed yet In 2026 the exhibits opened November 3–5, 9 a.m.–5 p.m., at the Venetian Expo and the AAPEX Forum at Caesars Forum |
| Venue | Las Vegas, NV |
| Organizer | Auto Care Association and MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers |
| Size (2026) | 2,500+ manufacturers and suppliers exhibitors source |
| Who attends | Repair shop owners, service chains, retailers, warehouse distributors and program groups; trade only |
| Nearest airport | Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) About 4 miles from the Venetian Expo and Caesars Forum, per Purple's venue guides |
| Hotels | AAPEX's official hotel program on aapexshow.com |
| Official website | aapexshow.com |
Official AAPEX resources
01 Purple at AAPEX 2027
Parts that keep cars running: AAPEX 2027 booths in Las Vegas
AAPEX is where replacement parts, tools and shop products meet the distributors, program groups and repair shops that buy them. Buyers come with line reviews to finish, the 2026 floor split between two Strip venues, and a Level 1 island stops at 12 feet.
- Nov 2–4, 2027 · Las Vegas
- Trade only, 16 and over
- Islands start at 20×20
What makes AAPEX different, and how we build for it
AAPEX, the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo, is owned by the Auto Care Association and MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers and runs in SEMA week, but it is the replacement-parts side of the industry: undercar, underhood, diagnostics and telematics, paint and body, remanufacturing, tools and the oil and lube section that includes iFLEX at AAPEX by PAMA. Joe's Garage puts repair content on Level 2 of the Venetian Expo, and the AAPEX Forum holds Accessories/Lighting and Undercar. Exhibitors must sell their own proprietary products, and AAPEX turns away software, freight and promotional companies at registration. The booth works when a buyer can match part numbers to the line card on the spot.
Coverage, install time, warranty terms and training, shown on the part itself with a technician who can answer fitment questions.
Line reviews, catalog coverage, fill rates and pricing, at a table away from the aisle with the national account manager.
Packaging that sells on a shelf, planogram fit and a promotion plan for the year.
Your team in Las Vegas
How Purple runs AAPEX 2027 in Las Vegas
AAPEX booths are cut and printed in Purple's Las Vegas shop, close enough for an overnight reprint during show week. Freight goes to the Freeman advance warehouse on the labels for your venue and level, with crates sized to the freight elevators. A Purple project manager directs the union installers and venue-exclusive electricians AAPEX and the property require.
Inside AAPEX 2027
Rules that shape your AAPEX booth
AAPEX exhibitors are generally manufacturers selling exclusively proprietary products to the trade, with some exclusive importers allowed. We build the booth around your own lines and leave distributed brands off the graphics.
Products on display must meet federal safety standards, and AAPEX names HID and LED headlamp conversion kits as failing FMVSS No. 108. We review every lighting product on the booth with your compliance lead before graphics are printed.
In 2026 peninsula and island booths on Venetian Level 1 could not exceed 12 feet and double decks were not allowed there. We draw a low, lit version of any tall island in case your space lands on Level 1.
Sound may not exceed 85 dB peaks on the C-weighted scale in adjacent booths, and AAPEX can disconnect power to booths that break it. Air tools and engine sounds go behind a clear enclosure in our demo zones.
Programs worth planning for
AAPEX's display of new products; the 2026 showcase featured Accessories & Lighting and Undercar products, with entries listed on the AAPEX site.
Student teams compete on an engine build; for 2026 AAPEX expanded it and moved it onto the Level 2 show floor of the Venetian Expo.
AAPEX's service and repair area; in 2026 it moved to Level 2 with Tire Servicing and Diagnostics/Telematics to raise repair-buyer density.
AAPEX is the replacement-parts and service floor of SEMA week; choose it over the SEMA Show when your buyers are repair shops, warehouse distributors and program groups buying undercar, underhood, tools or shop supplies rather than accessories and performance parts. Every automotive and transportation show we build for, side by side →
automotive and transportation at AAPEX
The industry behind AAPEX, in pictures
02 Booths & pricing for AAPEX 2027
How much does an AAPEX 2027 booth cost?
AAPEX sells space by the square foot, and peninsulas and islands start at 20×20. Parts makers usually take a 10×20 or 10×30 inline with a line-card wall and a meeting table; brands with distributor programs take a 20×20 or larger island on Level 2 or in the Forum, since Level 1 islands stop at 12 feet.
A line-card wall at the 8-foot inline limit, one product board with cutaways and a counter for catalog lookups.
Pictured: Sedemac, a Purple inline booth
See 10×20 rental booths →
A coverage wall, a packaging shelf for retail buyers and a two-seat table for distributor line reviews, all under the 8-foot inline cap.
Pictured: Zaxe, a Purple inline booth
See 10×30 rental booths →
The smallest AAPEX island: parts tower, two demo counters and an enclosed meeting room for program groups.
Shown: a Purple island exhibit for LeadSquared
See 20×20 rental booths →
A training bench for technicians, a lounge for national accounts and, off Level 1, a hanging sign up to 24 feet.
Pictured: Eonmetall, a Purple island exhibit
See 20×30 rental booths →In Purple's AAPEX price
- A 3D rendering of your AAPEX booth, revised until you approve it
- Structure, printed graphics, counters and storage, as specified for AAPEX
- Lighting and in-booth power distribution for AAPEX
- Installation and dismantle at the venue, with our project manager on the floor
- Show-service orders and deadlines for AAPEX, tracked on your behalf
Paid to AAPEX and its contractor
- Your AAPEX booth space, paid to the organizer
- Material handling (drayage) at the venue, where the space rate does not include it
- Electrical service, internet and rigging at the venue
- Booth cleaning and any union labor the venue requires
Rates to plan with for AAPEX:
- Space, members $34 per sq ft for Auto Care, MEMA, NARSA or PAMA members source
- Space, non-members $59 per sq ft source
- Location premiums +$750 corner, +$2,800 peninsula, +$5,800 island source
- Non-exhibiting company badge $399 each, two registrants and two shows at most source
Before you sign, your proposal already estimates each of these show charges, so the AAPEX total is on paper.
All-in 2026 rental ranges: design, structure, graphics, installation and dismantle are included, and custom AAPEX builds are quoted per project. Want an exact number for the host city? Use the booth cost calculator or the 2026 booth cost guide.
Share the booth size you have at AAPEX and what you need the space to do. We reply within one business day and send a rendering and a fixed proposal, usually within a week. No charge.
The booth we would build for AAPEX 2027
The line-review booth for parts distributors
AAPEX buyers come to decide which lines go into their catalogs and stores next year. This booth is built around that decision: coverage they can read from the aisle, parts they can hold, and a table where a distributor and your national account manager finish the review without shouting over the aisle.
Coverage wall
Part families and application ranges printed large, so a program-group buyer sees in seconds whether you fill their gaps.
Cutaway bench
Lit cutaways and loose parts beside a competitor's, for shop owners who judge quality by hand.
Lookup counter
A counter with your catalog on a screen, where a rep runs part numbers against the buyer's own list.
Line-review table
A screened table for four with pricing and fill-rate sheets for distributors and retail buyers.
The demo
Let a technician fit the part on a mock-up and time it, then show the warranty and training that come with it. Repair buyers make up the largest group at AAPEX, and they buy what saves bay time.
The meetings
AAPEX offers meeting rooms through its own reservation form. Use them for national account reviews and keep the booth table for walk-up distributors and program groups.
Your coverage gaps, filled by Friday's order.
03 Built by Purple
AAPEX booths that win distributor line reviews
Case study · KLEEMANN
KLEEMANN at an industrial technology exhibition
KLEEMANN needed real product and a guided route through technical detail; an AAPEX parts maker has the same task when a distributor walks from the line-card wall to the cutaway and then to a meeting table.
Read the KLEEMANN case study All case studies →“If you’re looking for a trade show booth expert who shows up and gets the job done right, Purple Exhibits is the real deal.”
Magdalena Kulisz, Service Manager, Miss Immigrant USA · more Purple client reviews
Trusted by exhibitors including
04 Designing for replacement parts, tool, service and shop-supply manufacturers at AAPEX
Designing an AAPEX booth for parts buyers and repair shops
1Design to the level you draw
In 2026 the Venetian Level 1 ceiling was 12 feet, so islands there could not rise higher and double decks were out. We hold tower drawings until AAPEX assigns the booth number and keep a Level 1 version that wins with light rather than height.
2Make the line card the wall
Distributor and program-group buyers come to check coverage. We print the application ranges and part families large enough to read from the aisle and leave a counter where your rep can run a part-number lookup.
3Show the cutaway
Repair shop owners judge a brake, a pump or a sensor by what is inside it. A lit cutaway and a part they can hold beside a competitor's does more on this floor than a video loop.
4Only compliant product on display
AAPEX requires products on display to meet federal safety standards and calls out HID and LED headlamp conversion kits as non-compliant. We plan lighting displays with your compliance team so nothing on the booth gets pulled during the show.
Concept rendering
Every AAPEX proposal includes a rendering like this
You see your AAPEX booth in 3D before we cut a single panel: layout, graphics, lighting and product positions, revised until it is right. Pictured: a Purple concept for sensei.
Start my AAPEX conceptFloor at a glance
Where you could be at AAPEX 2027
AAPEX has not named its 2027 venues. In 2026 the show used three floors; this is what each meant for a booth.
Venetian Expo Level 2
Tools and equipment, underhood, paint and body, oil and lube with iFLEX, diagnostics and telematics, EV and alternative fuel, and Joe's Garage in 2026.
Our advice Upstairs means elevator freight: every crate is cut to the car dimensions printed in the AAPEX kit.
Venetian Expo Level 1
International pavilions and international sourcing in 2026, booths V19000 to V23000.
Our advice A 12-foot ceiling: islands stop at 12 feet and double decks are not allowed.
AAPEX Forum at Caesars Forum
Accessories and lighting and undercar in 2026, booths F9000 to F18000, joined to the Venetian Expo by a walking bridge.
Our advice Carpeted ballrooms with fixed rigging points and docks on Koval Lane; we plan a hanging sign to the point map.
05 Las Vegas, NV
AAPEX 2027 venues, freight elevators and Freeman labels
In 2026 AAPEX ran on two levels of the Venetian Expo, booths V100 to V8900 and V19000 to V23500, plus the AAPEX Forum at Caesars Forum, booths F9000 to F18000, each with its own exhibitor services guide, target move-in plan and Freeman advance warehouse labels. Both venues are union buildings with venue-exclusive electrical and rigging, Venetian Level 2 freight rides freight elevators, and the Forum is a carpeted ballroom with docks on Koval Lane. We ship to the advance warehouse, size crates to the elevator in the AAPEX kit, file the EAC forms with the show and the venue, and a Purple project manager directs the I&D labor the union rules require.
What Purple handles
- Booth drawn to the AAPEX level and venue you are assigned
- Freeman advance warehouse freight and crates sized to the elevator
- EAC forms filed with AAPEX and the venue
- Line-card walls and cutaway displays
- Fabrication and printing in Las Vegas; a Purple project manager leads the AAPEX install
AAPEX timeline, counted back from move-in
Design sign-off for AAPEX is due by About 10 weeks before move-in.
- When AAPEX opens 2027 spaceSend us the booth number, level and venue; design starts the same week.
- About 10 weeks before move-inDesign sign-off: line-card wall, demo counters, meeting room and graphics.
- 8 to 4 weeks before move-inBuild and print in our Las Vegas shop in 30 to 45 days, crates sized to the freight elevator.
- About 3 weeks before move-inFreight to the Freeman advance warehouse with the venue and booth on every label.
- November 2–4, 2027AAPEX 2027; your Purple project manager on call through the close.
- After AAPEXDismantle and back to our Las Vegas warehouse, ready for the next parts show.
Purple's planning timeline for AAPEX. The official AAPEX move-in, freight target and order dates come from your exhibitor kit and assigned schedule; when you book, we confirm them against your booth.
Print the AAPEX budget & deadline sheetBefore you book AAPEX 2027
AAPEX registration, corner and venue details exhibitors miss
AAPEX turns away software companies, freight and transportation firms, printers, promotional products companies and consumers at registration, so register only staff with real aftermarket roles and expect show management to screen every badge. source
Booth staff badges are registered with the Exhibitor Login sent in the space confirmation email, after the booth is assigned; keep that email, because it also opens your Buyer's Guide and online profile listing. source
Corner premiums are charged after booths are assigned and corners are not guaranteed, so budget the $750 corner fee only once AAPEX confirms your space. source
Each 2026 venue had its own exhibitor services guide, target move-in plan and Freeman advance warehouse labels; send freight with the guide that matches your booth prefix, V for the Venetian Expo or F for the Forum. source
AAPEX re-routed official shuttles to drop buyers at the AAPEX Forum in 2026 and held the Opening Reception there, so a Forum booth sat on the main arrival route rather than at the far end of the show. source
Who you meet on the floor
38% of AAPEX buyers per the prospectus; they look for parts, tools and training that cut bay time.
23% of buyers; they review lines, coverage and pricing for their catalogs.
A quarter of buyers; they choose packaging and programs for store shelves.
45% of AAPEX buyers hold C-level, president, owner or executive roles, per AAPEX, so decisions can be made at the booth.
Side by side
AAPEX vs SEMA Show vs NIADA Convention & Expo: 2027 at a glance
| AAPEX | SEMA Show | NIADA Convention & Expo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dates | November 2–4, 2027 | November 2–5, 2027 | June 20–23, 2027 |
| Where | Not confirmed yet | Las Vegas, NV · Las Vegas Convention Center | Nashville, TN · Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center |
| Size | 45,151 interested buyers counted by AAPEX, from 128 countries | 153,000+ attendees at the 2025 SEMA Show | 1,800+ attendees at NIADA 2026 |
| Main buyers | Repair shops, service chains and dealer service departments | Repair, service and installation shop owners | Independent dealer owners |
| Booth space | Space, members: $34 per sq ft for Auto Care, MEMA, NARSA or PAMA members | Space, members: $24.95 per sq ft for SEMA or TIA members, 2027 rules | Booth packages (2026): Booth Only $5,000; Select $7,500; Premier $12,000; Signature $29,000, per NIADA |
Figures carry the year and source shown on each show's own page.
Travel to AAPEX 2027
Getting to AAPEX 2027: airport and hotels
Fly in
Harry Reid International Airport (LAS)
About 4 miles from the Venetian Expo and Caesars Forum, per Purple's venue guides
Stay
AAPEX's official hotel program on aapexshow.com
Travel facts from aapexshow.com.
AAPEX by the numbers
AAPEX year by year
How AAPEX 2027 compares with other automotive and transportation shows
The automotive and transportation shows closest to AAPEX on the calendar, with the latest size each organizer has published. Each show name opens our automotive and transportation exhibitor guide for that show.
| Show | Dates | City | Latest published size |
|---|---|---|---|
| ATA MCEAmerican Trucking Associations (ATA) | October 16–19, 2027 | Tampa, FL | 3,000+ attendees · About 800 companies represented (2026) |
| Vehicle Tech Week North AmericaUKi Media & Events | October 26–28, 2027 | Novi, MI | First edition as Vehicle Tech Week, October 27–29 exhibitors (2026) |
| SEMA ShowSpecialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) | November 2–5, 2027 | Las Vegas, NV | 2,300 exhibiting brands (2025) |
| AAPEXAuto Care Association and MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers | November 2–4, 2027 | Las Vegas, NV | 2,500+ manufacturers and suppliers exhibitors (2026) |
| RVDA Convention/ExpoRV Dealers Association (RVDA) | November 8–12, 2027 | Las Vegas, NV | 1,715 attendees (2025) |
| IBEXNMMA and RAI Amsterdam | December 7–9, 2027 | Tampa, FL | 7,700+ attendees · 701 exhibitors (2026) |
| PRI ShowPerformance Racing Industry (PRI) | 2027 dates not confirmed yet | Indianapolis, IN | – |
| LA Auto ShowLA Auto Show | 2027 dates not confirmed yet | Los Angeles, CA | – |
| CoMotion LACoMotion | 2027 dates not confirmed yet | Los Angeles, CA | 1,200+ attendees (2026) |
| American Towman ExpositionAmerican Towman Media (A.T. Expo Corp.) | 2027 dates not confirmed yet | Baltimore, MD | 260+ exhibitors (2026) |
AAPEX exhibitor questions
AAPEX 2027 questions from parts and tool exhibitors
When is AAPEX 2027?
November 2–4, 2027, per the AAPEX FAQ, the same week as the SEMA Show. AAPEX lists its future dates without venues; in 2026 the show ran November 3–5 at the Venetian Expo and the AAPEX Forum.
Where is AAPEX 2027 held?
AAPEX has not named a 2027 venue, so it is not confirmed yet; last year it used the Venetian Expo, 201 Sands Ave., and Caesars Forum, 3911 S. Koval Lane, which AAPEX calls the AAPEX Forum, joined by a walking bridge.
How much does an AAPEX booth cost?
$34 per square foot for Auto Care Association, MEMA, NARSA or PAMA members and $59 for non-members on AAPEX's current Why Exhibit page. Corners add $750, peninsulas $2,800 and islands $5,800, and both start at 20×20.
Who can exhibit at AAPEX?
Manufacturers selling their own exclusively proprietary products to the trade, and in some cases exclusive importers, per AAPEX. Applications that arrive after the deadline go on a waiting list.
Who attends AAPEX?
Business representatives of the automotive aftermarket only. In AAPEX's prospectus, 38% of buyers are repair shops, service chains, dealer service departments or fleets, 25% retailers and 23% warehouse distributors or program groups; consumers and software, freight and promotional companies cannot register.
How tall can an AAPEX booth be?
8 feet for inline booths, and up to 20 feet for island signs, canopies and two-story exhibits, per the 2026 display rules. Peninsulas and islands on Venetian Level 1, booths V19000 to V23000, stopped at 12 feet with no double decks.
How many buyers come to AAPEX?
45,151 interested buyers from 128 countries, per the AAPEX exhibitor prospectus, and AAPEX reports exhibitors capture an average of 113 leads each. The 2026 site cites 2,500+ manufacturers and suppliers across 1,400+ product categories.
Can we play sound or run demos at AAPEX?
Within limits. Sound must stay at or under 85 dB peaks in neighboring booths, and AAPEX can cut power to booths that exceed it. Demonstrations belong inside the booth, away from the aisle line, so crowds do not block traffic.
Is AAPEX open to the public?
No. AAPEX admits automotive aftermarket business representatives only, subject to review, and no one under 16 may enter the exhibits. Companies qualified to exhibit but not exhibiting can register two staff as non-exhibiting companies at $399 each.
What is the difference between AAPEX and the SEMA Show?
AAPEX is the replacement-parts, tools and service show; SEMA is the specialty, performance and accessory show at the Las Vegas Convention Center. They run side by side, November 2–4 and November 2–5, 2027, and many buyers walk both.
Can we reserve a meeting room at AAPEX?
Yes, through AAPEX's meeting room form, which in 2026 was a separate PDF on the exhibitor pages. Distributor line reviews run better there than at a booth counter, so we leave the booth for walk-up buyers.
Can we photograph other booths at AAPEX?
Exhibitors may post signs restricting photos of their booth or products, and AAPEX management can confiscate media from anyone who ignores them. We add a discreet no-photo panel to booths with unreleased parts.
Before you sign for AAPEX
Five questions to ask any exhibit builder for AAPEX:
- Can you design one AAPEX booth that works on Venetian Level 2, in the Forum and under Level 1's 12-foot cap?
- How will you size our crates for the Venetian freight elevators listed in the AAPEX kit?
- Will you file our EAC forms with AAPEX and with the venue, including the certificate naming the property?
- Who orders venue-exclusive electrical and rigging, and what is the deadline for advance rates?
- Can the booth go on to Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week or our distributor shows with new graphics, and where is it kept?
What AAPEX exhibitors ask us
We do not know which venue or level we will get. How can we design? We design one booth with two heights: the full version for Venetian Level 2 or the Forum, and a 12-foot version for Level 1, where 2026 rules capped islands and banned decks. The graphics and counters are the same; only the tower changes.
Our buyers also walk SEMA. Do we need both shows? Only if you sell to both worlds. AAPEX buyers are repair shops, distributors and retailers of replacement parts; SEMA buyers want accessories and performance. If your lines are undercar, underhood or tools, AAPEX is where those buyers gather, and SEMA can be a walk-through for your reps.
Is a booth worth it compared with meeting distributors in a suite? AAPEX reports an average of 113 leads per exhibiting company, many from shops and buyers you would never book in advance. Keep the suite for national accounts and let the booth catch the rest.
Get a proposal
Tell us about your AAPEX booth
What happens next
- We reply within one business day with questions about your products, goals and AAPEX footprint.
- Your AAPEX concept rendering and fixed proposal usually arrive within a week. No fee left off: every AAPEX cost is listed upfront, on paper.
- We build in 30 to 45 days, ship to the advance warehouse and have the booth installed before AAPEX opens.