AIA26 event policies & waivers

AIA will refund Attendee registration fees (less a $75.00 service fee) and fees for tours and events when we receive your cancellation request in writing on or before May 11, 2026. No refunds will be made for cancellations received after May 11, 2026, or for no-shows. To cancel your registration, email your request to customer service.

Registration for an Expo Pass is not refundable.

Donations and AIA Awards Gala tickets are not refundable.

To cancel your registration, email your request to customer service. Cancellations and substitutions will not be accepted by phone. Credit card refunds will be processed within five (5) business days and issued to the credit card number on file.

Attendee substitutions may be made at any time prior to the start of the Event and may be made without penalty.

To make a substitution, email your request to customer service.

By attending this Event, you acknowledge and agree to abide by the AIA’s Event Code of Conduct.  

Prohibited conduct at the Event includes, but is not limited to, disorderly, disruptive, threatening, abusive, or unsafe behavior; failure to comply with instructions from AIA Management or venue personnel; interference with Event operations or programming; or conduct that unreasonably interferes with the experience, safety, or enjoyment of other Attendees.

By registering for or attending the Event, you acknowledge and agree that AIA may collect, use, process, store, share, and disclose information provided by you in connection with your registration for, attendance at, or participation in the Event, including personal information, professional information, contact details, demographic information, attendance and participation data, and other information collected through your interactions with the Event.

AIA may use Attendee data for purposes including, but not limited to, Event administration, communications, programming, education, credentialing, analytics, reporting, marketing, research, security, compliance, and the development and improvement of AIA programs, products, services, and future events.

AIA may share Attendee data with third parties, including but not limited to Event partners, exhibitors, sponsors, vendors, service providers, contractors, and affiliates, in connection with the planning, operation, promotion, analysis, and evaluation of the Event and related AIA activities, subject to applicable law and AIA policies.

Attendees acknowledge and agree that when an Attendee’s badge is scanned by an exhibitor, sponsor, or partner, the Attendee’s contact information and related registration data may be shared with that exhibitor, sponsor, or partner. Such information will be used by the exhibitor, sponsor, or partner to contact the Attendee regarding products, services, promotions, or networking opportunities and will be subject to the exhibitor’s, sponsor’s, or partner’s own privacy practices. AIA is not responsible for the use of Attendee data by exhibitors, sponsors, or partners once shared through a badge scan.

For Attendees located outside of the United States, including residents of the European Economic Area, United Kingdom, and other jurisdictions with data protection laws, Attendee personal information will be processed by AIA in accordance with applicable law. Such processing may be based on one or more lawful grounds, including the performance of a contract, AIA’s legitimate interests in operating and improving the Event and related programs, compliance with legal obligations, and, where required, Attendee consent. Attendee data may be transferred to and processed in the United States or other countries where AIA or its service providers operate, which may not provide the same level of data protection as the Attendee’s home jurisdiction.

Attendees may receive communications from AIA related to the Event and other AIA programs, products, services, and opportunities. Where required by applicable law, Attendees will be provided with choices regarding certain communications, including the ability to opt out of receiving promotional emails. Opt-out preferences apply to future communications and do not affect transactional or administrative messages related to Event registration or participation.

AIA reserves the right to use, reproduce, distribute, publicly display, and license to third parties any photograph or video taken at the Event, without the express written permission of those included within the photograph or video. AIA may use or authorize the use of such photographs or videos in any format or media, whether now known or hereafter devised, including but not limited to publications, brochures, invitations, books, newspapers, magazines, television, websites, and other digital or print media.

By attending the Event, you waive and release any and all claims you may have against AIA or any third-party licensees or partners of AIA related to the use of recorded media of you at the Event. This includes, without limitation, any right to inspect or approve the use of your image or likeness, and any claims for invasion of privacy, violation of the right of publicity, defamation, copyright infringement, or for any royalties or fees arising from such use.

Attendees acknowledge that the Event in a variety of spaces and that there is no expectation of privacy with respect to photography, videography, recordings, or security monitoring conducted by AIA, the venue, or their authorized representatives.

Minors under the age of 18 must be registered as an Attendee, wear a badge, and be accompanied by an adult at all times. All children, except infants carried in backpacks or slings, must be registered for any tours or events they plan to attend. Children are not permitted in the Expo without adult supervision. Strollers are permitted in the Expo. However, the Expo is a temporary built environment with installations, large displays, and products and materials that may present hazards to children. Attendees assume all risks associated with the attendance of minors in their care and the use of strollers on the Expo floor, including but not limited to personal injury or property damage.

Attendees may use personal cameras and recording devices for non-commercial purposes, provided such use is not disruptive and complies with all AIA event policies, terms, code of conduct, rules, and instructions, whether included in these registration terms or communicated separately by AIA staff or authorized representatives, including onsite or during the Event.

Photography, videography, or recording during keynote sessions is permitted unless otherwise announced prior to the commencement of a keynote session. If an announcement is made, attendees must immediately comply with all verbal and/or written instructions prohibiting or restricting photography or recording.

Commercial photography, videography, or recording for any commercial, promotional, organizational, or distribution purposes is not permitted at the Event, including but not limited to the Expo, education sessions and/or keynote sessions, unless approved in advance in writing by AIA. Email your request to event@conferenceonarchitecture.com. This restriction applies regardless of whether the individual is engaged by a chapter, exhibitor, sponsor, partner, or Attendee.

AIA reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to restrict, prohibit, or discontinue any photography or recording at any time if such activity is disruptive, interferes with Event operations, impedes the experience of other Attendees, or fails to comply with applicable AIA policies or staff instructions.

Any individual who fails to comply with this policy or with instructions from AIA staff or an AIA authorized representative may be removed immediately from the Event and from any and all AIA-hosted or AIA-affiliated events held in connection with the Event, without warning and without refund.

Attendees are required to wear badges at all times while at the Event. 

AIA has a no-solicitation policy. Unauthorized solicitation in the Expo or other supplemental Event areas is strictly prohibited. This includes the distribution of samples, souvenirs, publications, etc., or other sales promotion activities. These activities may be conducted by paid exhibitors and sponsors only from within their respective booths. Anyone found violating this policy will be asked to leave immediately. No refunds for registration fees will be given if you are found to have violated this policy. Egregious and/or multiple violations of this policy may result in disqualification from future events at the discretion of AIA Management.

I hereby release, waive and forever discharge any and all liability, claims, and demands of whatever kind or nature against the AIA 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, which I, my heirs, assignees, next of kin and/or legally appointed or designated representatives, may have or which may hereinafter accrue on my behalf, which arise or may hereafter arise from my participation in the Event. I hereby knowingly assume the risk of injury, harm and loss associated with my participation in the Event, including any injury, harm and loss caused by the negligence, fault or conduct of any kind on the part of the Released Parties.

The Event may have activities, including, but not limited to tours and Expo floor activations, such as wellness sessions (collectively, the “Activity”).

I acknowledge the health risks associated with the Activity, including but not limited to transient dizziness, lightheaded, fainting, nausea, muscle cramping, musculoskeletal injury, joint pains, sprains and strains, heart attack, stroke, or sudden death. I agree that if I experience any of these or any other symptoms during the Activity, I will discontinue my participation immediately and seek appropriate medical attention. I DO HEREBY RELEASE AND FOREVER DISCHARGE THE RELEASED PARTIES FROM ANY CLAIM WHATSOEVER WHICH ARISES OR MAY HEREAFTER ARISE ON ACCOUNT OF ANY FIRST AID, TREATMENT, OR SERVICE RENDERED IN CONNECTION WITH MY PARTICIPATION IN THE ACTIVITY.

As a participant, volunteer, or Attendee, you recognize that your participation, involvement and/or attendance at any AIA Event or activity is voluntary and may result in personal injury (including death) and/or property damage. By attending, observing or participating in the Activity, You acknowledge and assume all risks and dangers associated with your participation and/or attendance at the Activity, and You agree that: (a) The American Institute of Architects, (b) the property or site owner of the Activity, and (c) all past, present and future affiliates, successors, assigns, employees, volunteers, vendors, partners, directors, and officers, of such entities (subsections (a) through (c), collectively, the “Released

Parties”), will not be responsible for any personal injury (including death), property damage, or other loss suffered as a result of your participation in, attendance at, and/or observation of the Activity, regardless if any such injuries or losses are caused by the negligence of any of the Released Parties (collectively, the “Released Claims”). BY ATTENDING AND/OR PARTICIPATING IN THE ACTIVITY, YOU ARE DEEMED TO HAVE GIVEN A FULL RELEASE OF LIABILITY TO THE RELEASED PARTIES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

Attendee acknowledges that their registration, tickets, and admission to any of the Event or related activities are subject to all government (including, but not limited to, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the jurisdiction in which the Event occurs, and the localities Health Department regulations), the venue and AIA safety and health policies, which includes the information set forth below. Attendee acknowledges that situations can arise that may dictate a change in these policies, therefore, the AIA may continue to develop and update these policies in the intervening time between Attendee’s registration or receipt of a ticket and the date of the Event. By registering for and/or attending or participating in any of the activities, Attendee acknowledges and agrees, on behalf of themselves and anyone accompanying them (including any minor(s)) (1) that Attendee will comply with such policies and regularly check for any updates to such policies available via the Event website; (2) that Attendee’s and their attendance at the Event is conditioned on such compliance; and (3) that if Attendee’s or their admission to any of the activities is denied or revoked because they have failed or refused to comply with any such safety and health policies of the venue or the AIA, they will not be eligible for any remedy, credit or refund.

AIA Management reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to deny entry to or remove any individual from the Event whose conduct, condition, or behavior AIA Management or the venue determines may be unsafe, disruptive, or inconsistent with the orderly operation, safety, or purpose of the Event. Removal under this policy may occur without warning and without refund.

For the safety and security of all participants, weapons of any kind are strictly prohibited at the Event. Prohibited items include, but are not limited to, firearms, ammunition, knives, explosives, incendiary devices, chemical agents, stun guns, replicas of weapons, or any other item that AIA Management, AIA authorized representatives, or the Event venues determine may pose a safety risk.

This prohibition applies regardless of whether an individual is licensed to carry a weapon or is otherwise permitted to possess such items under applicable law.

AIA Management, AIA authorized representatives, and the venue reserve the right, in their sole discretion, to inspect bags and personal items, deny entry to, or remove any individual in possession of a prohibited item. Any individual removed for violation of this policy will not be entitled to a refund.

In the event of any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to the Event or these Event Policies and Waivers, the parties agree to first attempt to resolve the matter through good faith, non-binding mediation before initiating litigation, except where injunctive or equitable relief is sought.

If any provision of these Event Policies and Waivers is determined to be unlawful, void, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be severed, and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

These Event Policies and Waivers shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the District of Columbia, without regard to its conflict of laws principles. Any legal action arising out of or relating to the Event or these Event Policies and Waivers shall be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located within the District of Columbia.

AIA reserves the right to modify, limit, suspend, or cancel any aspect of the Event, including programming, sessions, access, activities, or amenities, as necessary for safety, security, operational, or other reasons. Any such modification, limitation, suspension, or cancellation may occur without liability to AIA and does not entitle Attendees to any refund, credit, or other compensation, except as expressly provided in the Cancellation Policy.

AIA reserves the right to amend these policies, terms and conditions from time to time. However, you will be subject to the policies, terms and conditions in force at the time you submit your registration.