Terms and Conditions

By purchasing, obtaining, or using a Comic-Con badge you agree to the following:

By attending Comic-Con or any part of Comic-Con, you agree to allow San Diego Comic Convention (SDCC), organizers of the Comic-Con convention, its agents, licensees, or assignees, the right to use your image and/or likeness in media now known or hereafter devised for advertising and/or other promotional purposes. You also agree not to take pictures or videos where posted or announced as prohibited and that any permitted photos or videos will not be used for any commercial purposes and/or made publicly available or generally displayed without prior written consent of SDCC.

By registering for a paid or complimentary Comic-Con badge you agree not to sell, trade, transfer, or share your complimentary code, badge confirmation, and/or badge. In the event that SDCC determines that you have violated any of these badge policies, SDCC has the right to cancel your entire badge order and keep any money paid by you. 

Confirmations and/or badges that have been sold or provided by anyone other than SDCC will not be honored by SDCC. You must wear and display your badge at all times while on-site and at any official SDCC event. All badges are the property of SDCC and must be relinquished to SDCC upon request. SDCC reserves the right to refuse admission, to refuse service, and/or to cancel/revoke your Comic-Con Member ID and/or badge at SDCC’s sole discretion.

SDCC may perform any of the following validation of badges on entry to any area of the convention. These measures are an effort to prevent illegal badge duplication and unauthorized reselling. SDCC may scan a barcode, require a photo ID that matches the name on the badge, scan an RFID tag embedded in the badge, and/or examine the badge with any other technological and/or physical methods to verify the authenticity of the badge and holder. Before leaving any registration area, please make sure that the name on the badge matches your identification.

You understand that you must register an individual name for each badge and that each name must match a legal photo ID. If SDCC determines that you have purchased or registered more than one badge in your name for any day, SDCC has the right to cancel your duplicate badge(s) and issue you a refund less the 10% processing fee and the handling fee, at SDCC’s sole discretion.

You must register for a Comic-Con Member ID in order to be entitled to purchase and register a badge. Children (ages 12 and under) may not register for a Comic-Con Member ID. Everyone who intends to purchase, apply, or register for a Comic-Con badge must have a valid and confirmed Comic-Con Member ID. This includes attendees, volunteers, professionals, guests of professionals, retailers, panel key contacts, exhibitor key contacts, staff, and members of the press. You must also have a valid and confirmed Comic-Con Member ID to redeem a complimentary pass or purchase code. If SDCC determines that you purchased or registered for a badge, but did not register for a Comic-Con Member ID, SDCC has the right to cancel your badge and refund any amounts paid, less the 10% processing fee and the handling fee, at SDCC’s sole discretion. All individuals may register for one Comic-Con Member ID only. Multiple Member IDs per individual are not allowed. If it is determined that you have more than one Member ID, SDCC reserves the right to automatically cancel, without notice, all Member IDs associated with the individual as well as any badges, passes, or purchase codes issued to such Member IDs. 

The Exhibit Hall, Program rooms, and all on-site and off-site events have limited capacity as set by the fire marshal. Even though your badge is required to get into all Comic-Con events, it does not guarantee you access to any event if the venue has reached capacity. Badges and/or wristbands do not guarantee entry to any event. Program room, exclusives, and autograph wristbands are provided as an estimate of allowed entry/participation and do not guarantee entry and/or participation. SDCC reserves the right to limit or restrict access to any event, Program room, exclusives, wristband, and wristband events, at SDCC’s sole discretion.

Although SDCC makes efforts to ensure the purchase of badges is easy, efficient, and equitable, SDCC makes no guarantee, warranty, or representation that, by logging onto the SDCC website with a Comic-Con Member ID, you are entitled to or will be able to purchase a badge. Due to the limited number of badges and the large volume of Comic-Con Member ID holders, badges are sold as long as they are available. Please be advised that SDCC badges sell out very quickly. Not all persons eligible to purchase a badge will be able to purchase a badge. Additionally, SDCC makes no guarantee, warranty, or representation that the SDCC website will function properly throughout the badge sales process. In the event that the SDCC website malfunctions, SDCC will try to rectify the problem in a timely fashion. Notwithstanding, by using the SDCC website you agree that IN NO EVENT SHALL SDCC, ITS PRINCIPALS, AGENTS, REPRESENTATIVES OR AFFILIATES BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF ANY KIND WHATSOEVER, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO DAMAGES RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THE WEBSITE OR THE BADGE SALE AND REGISTRATION PROCESS. 

If you use your Member ID to purchase or register a badge for a day for which you previously purchased or registered a badge, the badge you purchased will automatically be canceled and the amount paid will be refunded, less the 10% processing fee and the handling fee, without contacting you.

For example, if you purchased a Friday and Saturday badge during Open Registration and you use your Member ID to register as a professional and/or press at a later date, the Friday and Saturday badge you purchased during Open Registration will be canceled and refunded, less the 10% processing fee and the handling fee. 

This policy does not apply to purchasing different single-day badges or upgrades. For example, if you purchased a Thursday and Sunday badge during Returning Registration and you later use your Member ID to purchase a Friday, Saturday, and Preview Night badge during Open Registration, your original Thursday and Sunday badge purchase will not be canceled. Only purchases of badges with overlapping dates will be subject to automatic cancellation and refund.

Not all attendees who purchased a badge during Comic-Con Returning Registration will be eligible to purchase a badge during Open Registration. SDCC reserves the right to limit and define eligibility for Comic-Con Returning Registration and Open Registration, at SDCC’s sole discretion.

SDCC RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE THESE TERMS & CONDITIONS AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE.

The above terms & conditions apply to all SDCC badge purchases and registrations. Registrations for exhibitors, professionals, guests of professionals, press, vendors, retailers, program participants, volunteers, and staff may be subject to additional restrictions outlined during the online badge registration process. 

HEALTH PRECAUTIONS

While SDCC cannot guarantee that its participants will not become infected with diseases such as COVID-19, SDCC will, at a minimum, comply with all state and local requirements. While there is no current masking mandate, attendees are welcome to wear a mask if they would prefer to do so.

By registering to attend these events you agree to abide by entry requirements in effect at the time of the event. Check the SDCC website leading up to the event for the latest protocols.

RELEASE AND WAIVER OF CLAIMS.

BY PARTICIPATING IN ANY ACTIVITY, SUCH PARTICIPANT AGREES TO AND DOES HEREBY RELEASE, WAIVE AND FOREVER DISCHARGE ANY AND ALL LIABILITY, CLAIMS, AND DEMANDS OF WHATEVER KIND OR NATURE AGAINST SAN DIEGO COMIC CONVENTION AND ITS AFFILIATED PARTNERS AND SPONSORS, INCLUDING IN EACH CASE, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THEIR DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, VOLUNTEERS, AND AGENTS (THE “RELEASED PARTIES”), EITHER IN LAW OR IN EQUITY, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMISSIBLE BY LAW, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO DAMAGES OR LOSSES CAUSED BY THE NEGLIGENCE, FAULT OR CONDUCT OF ANY KIND ON THE PART OF THE RELEASED PARTIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO DEATH, BODILY INJURY, ILLNESS, ECONOMIC LOSS OR OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES, OR LOSS OR DAMAGE TO PROPERTY, SUCH WHICH PARTICIPANT, THEIR HEIRS, ASSIGNEES, NEXT OF KIN AND/OR LEGALLY APPOINTED OR DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVES, MAY HAVE OR WHICH MAY HEREINAFTER ACCRUE ON SUCH PARTICIPANT’S BEHALF, WHICH ARISE OR MAY HEREAFTER ARISE FROM SUCH PARTICIPANT’S PARTICIPATION WITH ANY ACTIVITY.

ASSUMPTION OF THE RISK.

Participant acknowledges and understands that participation in an Activity includes health risks including possible exposure to and illness from infectious diseases. While particular rules and personal discipline may reduce these risks, the risk of serious illness and death does exist. Participant knowingly and freely assumes all health risks associated with participation in an Activity, even if such risk is caused by the negligence or fault of the Released Parties.


BADGE SHIPPING

If eligible for advance shipping, badges for attendees, professionals, paid retailers, and press will be mailed to the individual badge holder. If an attendee or press badge is registered for another member, their badge will be sent to the designated badge shipping address on file in their personal Comic-Con Member ID account. Professional guest badges will be sent to the professional only. Exhibitor badges are shipped to the key contact’s designated address in their GoExpo Exhibitor Profile. Badges not delivered for any reason must be picked up on-site.

We are unable to ship badges to an international address. International badge holders who wish to have their badge shipped to a US address can do so by updating the “Primary Shipping Address” on their Member ID account to a domestic shipping address. International exhibitors who would wish to have their company’s badges shipped to a US address can do so by updating the address in their GoExpo Exhibitor Profile. International attendees without a US shipping address may pick up their badges when they arrive on-site.


BADGE PRIVACY NOTICE

Your event badge is encoded with a number that allows exhibitors to obtain your full name, company name, address, phone/fax, and email address. If you allow an exhibitor to scan your badge using RFID or the barcode, they can get this information. If you do not want exhibitors to have your contact information, do not allow your badge to be scanned and do not give your badge to anyone else.

Only allow your badge to be scanned by exhibitors whom you want to have your contact information. If an exhibitor scans your badge and obtains your contact information, they may contact you, send you information, or share your information with others.

SDCC does not rent, sell, lend, or give its mailing list to anyone other than parties that need the information to assist in producing our events (e.g., the registration and housing companies).


TRANSFER/RESALE POLICY

Reselling, sharing, or transferring a Comic-Con badge or complimentary pass (or attempting to do any of the foregoing) is strictly prohibited. Upon determination by SDCC that a holder of a badge or pass is in violation of this policy, the badge or pass will be canceled without notice and without any refund.

THE COMIC-CON 2025 REFUND DEADLINE IS MAY 8, 2025. AFTER MAY 8, 2025, YOUR COMIC-CON BADGE IS NON-REFUNDABLE. IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND COMIC-CON 2025 YOU MUST APPLY FOR A REFUND BY MAY 8, 2025, FOLLOWING THE REFUND POLICY. All refunds will be subject to a 10% processing fee.

SDCC RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE ITS CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE.


Badge Markup Policy

  • Small decorations on badges and/or lanyards that do not impede visual credential checks by security are allowed.  
  • Please ensure these decorations do not cover the badge in a way that prevents security from visually inspecting your credential. Security should be able to quickly identify the badge as the current year’s credential and determine the days you are registered for.
  • If your decorations prevent this visual inspection, you will be asked to remove them from your badge before you proceed. 
  • If the decorations are not removable, you will be escorted to Badge Solutions in the Sails Pavilion or one of the RFID Help desks (located in lobbies A,D,G) to receive a reprint of your badge. Note there is a cost for a reprint. This could potentially cause you to lose your spot in a line, so it’s best to avoid the situation.

This policy applies to the entire paper badge and the plastic badge holder. The RFID sticker is an integral part of your badge and must not be removed.