How Car Show Expert handles registration
Registration is where most shows lose time before show day even starts. Here's how Car Show Expert removes every common failure point.
Public registration form in minutes
Build your registration form, set your entry fee, configure your classes, and publish a shareable link — all without writing a line of code. The form is mobile-first and works on any device.
Online card payments via Stripe
Accept entry fees by credit or debit card at registration. Funds go directly to your connected Stripe account. No cash envelopes, no Venmo follow-ups. Free shows are also supported — just set the fee to zero.
Automatic confirmation emails
Every entrant gets a confirmation the moment they register — including their car number, class, show date and address, and a link to their digital dash card. Pre-show reminder emails go out automatically in the days before your event.
Capacity limits and waitlists
Set a hard cap on entries. When your show fills, the form automatically closes and new registrants are added to a waitlist. When a spot opens, the next person on the waitlist is notified automatically.
CSV import for existing entries
Already collected entries through a paper form or spreadsheet? Bulk import up to 500 rows at once. Paste your data into the import template, upload, review, and confirm. Car numbers are assigned automatically.
Digital dash cards included
Every confirmed registration generates a digital dash card with the entrant's car number, class, and a QR code for People's Choice voting. Entrants access it from their confirmation email — no app to download.
What the entrant experience looks like
- 1Entrant opens the registration link on their phone
- 2Fills in their name, vehicle details, and selects a class — takes under 2 minutes
- 3Pays online by card (or chooses 'pay at gate' if you've enabled it)
- 4Gets an automatic confirmation email with their car number and a link to their digital dash card
- 5Receives a reminder email in the days before the show
- 6Shows up at the gate — staff scan their QR code and they're checked in
The bottom line
Every problem you solve in registration is one you won't be solving at 7am in a parking lot. Online registration with automatic confirmations is the single highest-leverage change most shows can make.
Common questions
- What information does the registration form collect?
- You control the fields. By default: first and last name, email, mobile number, vehicle year/make/model, and class selection. You can add custom fields (radio buttons, dropdowns, free text) for anything specific to your show — T-shirt size, special parking needs, club affiliation.
- How does online payment work?
- Car Show Expert uses Stripe Connect. You connect your own Stripe account (free to set up) and entry fees are deposited directly to you — typically within two business days. Car Show Expert charges a small platform fee on card transactions, shown clearly at checkout to the entrant.
- Can I have different entry fees for different classes?
- Yes. You can set a per-class fee or a single fee for all classes. You can also offer a free 'display' or 'walk-in' class alongside paid judged classes.
- What happens if someone needs to cancel or change their class?
- Organisers can update any registration manually from the registrations table — change the class, update vehicle details, mark as cancelled, or issue a refund through Stripe. Entrants can contact you directly; there is no self-serve cancellation by default.
- Can entrants register without paying online?
- Yes. You can set up 'pay at gate' options, create registrations manually for walk-ins, or mark payment as waived for complimentary entries. The payment status is tracked per registration.