Frequently Asked Questions

The Acceptance Fee lets us know you are planning to compete. This will secure your spot in the state pageant and allows our team to begin to move forward preparing for your participation. The acceptance fee is non-refundable and non-transferable. Once paid, we will make necessary arrangements for you to attend the state pageant as a contestant.

Like taking dance lessons, joining a softball team, going to camp, or any other activity that you sign up to participate in, producing an event of this caliber does call for some financial expenses. The registration fee each contestant is required to pay covers event production expenses including, but not limited to: venue rental, postage, judge’s flights and accommodations, trip for the winners to the national pageants, sound and lighting technicians and rentals, etc. We feel that we have done a great job in the Sponsorship Information section of this packet in offering suggestions on the best way to go about finding sponsors if you and your parents do not want to pay the fee out of pocket.

The telecast of Miss USA changes dates/locations from year to year. Often, the date is not announced until after the state pageant season.

You may collect more than the required registration fee. If you do collect over the required amount of the registration fee, please send in the full amount to the state pageant offices, and we will reimburse back to you the difference during the check-in on the first day of the pageant (so long as the sponsorship is received at least 3 weeks prior to the state pageant to allow time for checks to clear). If the overage amount clears after the state pageant, a check will be mailed to you or you can choose to apply the amount towards competing in next year’s competition. You may then use the additional money for any additional expenses you may incur during the course of your preparation and competition in the pageant. The pageant will only refund amounts over $10.

No. We highly recommend wearing the same gown for both preliminaries and finals. Nearly all contestants at the state pageant wear the same gown for both.

At the beginning of the show for the pageant, each contestant will be introduced to the audience during an upbeat introduction (contestant will not sing or dance).

There is no talent portion to the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageant system. There are three scored categories, including interview, evening gown, and swimwear (or for Teens - interview, evening gown, and active wear).

Absolutely not! Each contestant in our pageant is an individual and the judges are looking for body proportion and personality, not a specific body measurement.

You may have as many sponsors as you wish. We do want to stress, however, that you are limited to 750 characters total (including spaces) of sponsors and thank you’s that can be listed in the state pageant program book and on the website next to your name.

Deadlines are very important to us in order to make timely program preparations. However, we realize that unexpected circumstances can arise, and that the collection of sponsorship may take longer than expected. Therefore, extensions on due dates are available when needed. If you need an extension, please call or email the state pageant offices and request a new due date.

The semi-finalists in the pageant will be named during the first portion of the pageant finals on the last day of the pageant weekend. No one will know who the semi-finalists are until that moment in the pageant finals show. All contestants will participate throughout the pageant finals show.

Absolutely. The pageant finals will start with every contestant being introduced and all contestants will participate in the gown review, special awards, naming of the semi-finalists, musical performances, and naming of the titleholders. You will be on stage many times during the pageant finals, even if you are not named as a semi-finalist.

Dressing rooms will be provided 30 minutes before and after showtime. You will be required to get ready outside of the production spaces, which is why it is encouraged that you get a sleeping room at the host hotel. You will be released from production rehearsal to go get ready and you will need to arrive to the dressing room with hair and makeup ready in your introduction outfit 30 minutes to showtime with whatever you would need for the competition. This list would include swimsuit or active wear, swimsuit or active wear shoes, evening gown, evening gown shoes, evening gown jewelry, anything needed for touch-ups. Contestants are responsible for their own hair and makeup and are allowed to have outside help if they so choose. You are able to meet outside helper(s) during specific times given by pageant organizers at a pre-arranged location of your choosing. Pageant organizers will not be providing a space for you to have hair or make-up services. If pageant organizers decide, at their discretion, to provide a group space at the venue for any outside hair & make-up provider(s) and you choose to use it, you will need leave the space in the condition it was upon your arrival and honor the timeframe that access to that space is permitted.

The state pageant judging panel consists of experienced judges from the modeling industry, entertainment industry, pageant industry, media, and the business community.

The state pageant is not televised, but videos of the state pageant will be available for sale during the state pageant weekend and the state pageant will be live streamed via a pay per view service.

Please make as many copies of the Sponsor Receipt as you need. If you are getting individual cash donations from family and friends who do not need or want a receipt, you do not need to provide a Sponsor Receipt. Additional copies of the Sponsor Receipt can be printed by clicking here.

In your registration materials, as well as on our website, you will find the hotels which the state pageant recommends for family and friends. Be sure to tell them to mention to hotel reservations that they are “Friends or Family of a Miss USA/Teen USA state contestant” so they get a discounted rate!

Unfortunately, video cameras and still cameras are not permitted at the pageant preliminaries and pageant finals. Photos and videos will be available for purchase. Additionally, use of cell phones to take photos and/or video of the live shows is strictly prohibited.

A couple weeks prior to the state pageant weekend, you will receive an order form for both photos and videos. If you would like to purchase either of these items, you can simply fill out the form and turn it in to the official pageant photographer and videographer at the state pageant check-in on the first day of pageant weekend. In addition, you can turn in that order form anytime throughout the state pageant weekend. Please note that no video and no photography will be allowed during the show by event attendees.

They can purchase them online with a credit card at the state pageant website, or they can purchase tickets with cash at the pageant (please keep in mind that the show can be sold out, so it is best to have them purchase the tickets in advance online). Please note that online tickets sales are not mailed. Tickets are emailed from a third-party ticketing company. The pageant / venue staff will scan the barcodes upon arrival to the shows.

For your convenience, we have many items available for sale on our online store here. In addition, our staff will have many items available for you to purchase onsite during the state pageant weekend.

Your program book photo should be a head and shoulders portrait photo. We recommend a photo with no hands or hats in the photo. This will be used in the state pageant program book and will in no way be judged. This does not need to be a professional photo.

If you receive cash contributions for your registration fee, please make the payment with your credit card and keep the cash. Please DO NOT send cash through the mail at any time. If your cash collected exceeds the registration fee for the state pageant, then you do not have to send in the additional amount.

We recommend anything from business casual to formalwear for the pageant preliminaries and pageant finals.

Because the new titleholder is unable to wear a cover-up or wrap at the national pageant, we cannot allow any type of sarong or wrap during the swimwear portion of the state pageant.

This year’s contestants’ photos will be posted on the state pageant website approximately one day prior to the state pageant.

No. If you would prefer to pay the registration fee or if your parents would like to just pay the registration fee, there is no need to seek assistance from businesses and individuals in your community.

Yes. Each contestant will have the opportunity to thank their sponsors on the website under her photo. The sponsor listing and thank yous are limited to 750 characters (including spaces).

We would encourage you to submit something like the following to appear on the website and in the program book, “Thank you to my family and friends for your support!”

Yes. Spotlight pages are available for sale online on the state pageant registration website.

This documentation is merely used as a proof of residency. The judges never see this. You will NOT be penalized for poor grades or rewarded for exceptional grades at the state pageant.

No. Each individual case is given consideration. We do ask, however, that you quickly provide the documentation requested by the state pageant offices in order to get the approval process started. Please note that this information is never shared with anyone outside of the state pageant offices.

Upon full payment of your registration fee, you will then be able to select a local title of your choosing. Title selections will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Once your title is issued, you will then have the option to purchase a sash and crown. Please note this is optional, but fun accessories for capturing photos and making memories pageant weekend.

Title selections take place on a first-come, first-served basis, after paying your registration fee in full. Should your first choice be taken, you will want to select another choice.

The local title is a great way to boost your social media & bring attention to your passions, as well as your community . The local title does not require local appearances. If you have an opportunity to make a local appearance, permission would need to first be granted by our office. The sash and crown (available for purchase) are fun souvenirs and a great way to showcase your achievement in qualifying to compete at the stage pageant. Upon your selection of a local title and ordering a sash and crown (optional), you will be required to click on a tab agreeing to adhere to rules and regulations surrounding the use of the local title, sash, and crown.

YES! While you will not wear your local sash and crown at any point during competition, you will have the opportunity to proudly represent throughout the weekend at rehearsals and for photo opps with your fellow contestants.

On the contrary! The majority of our contestants have no prior pageant experience. Our fully trained and dedicated staff will teach you everything you need to know upon arrival pageant weekend. In fact, many of our state winners who advance to the national competitions have never competed before.

Many contestants find great value in ordering the state pageant Interview Workbook, Pageant Prep Video, and a copy of last year’s pageant Videos, while preparing for the competition. These items can be found at our online store.

We make school and work the number one priority! Our program only encourages your success! Almost all of your appearances, celebrity events, and charity work will take place during the weekend and will be scheduled in advance. Upon crowning, you will work directly with your assigned booking agent who will help coordinate and ensure your availability prior to any appearance commitments & confirmations.

Every contestant that is on the state pageant stage has the opportunity to be scouted for modeling & entertainment industry jobs. On a regular basis we receive requests from modeling agencies and casting companies looking for young ladies for particular opportunities. We often recommend previous contestants to fill the requests.