11 Rules “America’s Got Talent” Contestants Must Follow (From the Dress Code to Song Choice)

America's Got Talent is back!

The NBC title reality show returned for its 20th play connected May 27, 2025. America's Got Talent, which first premiered successful June 2006, has had nary shortage of talented contestants grace its shape complete nan past 19 years. Celebrity judges Simon Cowell, Sofía Vergara, Howie Mandel and Mel B each play a captious domiciled successful determining who tin move connected successful nan competition.

However, each nan contestants person to travel a definite group of rules earlier they moreover measurement ft successful beforehand of nan judges. If group make it past nan first audition shape pinch nan judges, location are further rules they must travel successful bid to compete connected nan deed show.

For nan show's 20th season, viewers will get to spot moreover much of really AGT works successful a caller "behind-the-scenes" filming style.

"This season is special - I reckon we’re showing astir 40% much of nan process and everything that goes connected down nan scenes, which I find fascinating," Cowell told PEOPLE up of nan premiere. "This year, fans will get to spot what it’s for illustration to beryllium a contestant: nan highs, nan nerves, and nan emotions. Everything."

Here are 11 rules that each contestants connected America's Got Talent must follow.

There are eligibility requirements

Just for illustration galore different reality TV shows and title shows, each group wanting to effort retired for America's Got Talent must meet nan show's circumstantial eligibility requirements, per nan show's website.

While location is nary maximum age, hopeful contestants must beryllium 18 years aliases older aliases must person a genitor aliases guardian coming pinch them if they're younger than 18.

In addition, each contestants must beryllium a United States citizen, imperishable resident aliases person a valid visa earlier their audition. People are besides required to database immoderate connections they person to nan show anterior to their audition. Once they make it past nan unfastened call, contestants are taxable to a inheritance check. Finally, a hopeful contestant cannot beryllium actively moving for nationalist office.

Every contestant goes done nan aforesaid (short) virtual unfastened telephone audition earlier gathering nan judges

America's Got Talent producers constrictive down nan candidates who will audition for nan judges.

Over nan years, nan unfastened telephone auditions person taken different formats. For play 20, hopeful contestants could motion up for an in-person audition successful Pasadena, Calif., connected Jan. 12, 2025. However, nan producers besides let group to taxable an audition video aliases motion up for a virtual unfastened call. The website assures group that each of nan 3 methods are "equally considered."

Regardless of really personification chooses to audition, each acts are taxable to a clip maximum of 90 seconds.

"We bask each talent, whether you are an astonishing singer, aliases tin do thing really weird pinch your body. We want to beryllium shocked and amazed by what you tin do successful 90 seconds!" nan website reads.

The producers yet take a definite number of acts to execute successful beforehand of nan personage judges.

Singers should beryllium prepared to audition without instruments

Although singers are allowed to bring instruments to nan auditions, they should besides beryllium prepared to singing without one.

"Singers typically execute acapella to debar overpowering vocals pinch backing tracks," nan show's website explains. "Prepare a verse and chorus of your opus and person further songs fresh successful lawsuit requested. Playing an instrumentality while singing is ever allowed."

Contestants pinch props and animals successful their enactment request support earlier auditioning

As viewers know, location is nary shortage of adventurous and mystifying acts connected AGT.

While nan show allows a myriad of breathtaking and enticing props — for illustration swords, animals and occurrence — they each must beryllium approved by producers beforehand for information purposes.

Producers supply guidance connected costuming for early auditions, and later supply outfits

During nan early auditions, producers supply wardrobe guidance for contestants.

After participants make it to nan unrecorded shows, they activity pinch nan show's wardrobe squad to prime their capacity outfits.

Singers aren’t ever successful complaint of nan songs they execute

Singing contestants activity pinch producers to find which songs champion showcase their vocals and besides travel ineligible licensing rules.

When contestants execute successful beforehand of nan judges, they person to execute their full enactment – unless they get X’d retired by each of them

As galore fans know, nan first information of auditions successful beforehand of nan AGT judges aren't ever winners. However, each 4 judges person to property their reddish X fastener successful bid for personification to wholly extremity performing. Otherwise, nan contestant is required to complete their audition.

However, if a hopeful receives each 4 reddish X buttons, nan remainder of their audition is disqualified for judges to consider.

Contestants should besides beryllium prepared for follow-up questions, since judges tin inquire them to show further worldly during their audition.

America’s Got Talent covers contestants’ surviving expenses, but doesn’t salary them for appearing

Contestants are not provided immoderate "additional compensation, payments, residuals, reuse fees aliases different payments" from nan show.

While they aren't paid for their clip connected nan show, contestants are provided pinch various different services for their clip connected nan show — including surviving accommodations, food, equipment, travel, proscription and medical, psychological and first assistance services.

Contestants tin beryllium disqualified astatine immoderate clip

America's Got Talent and its producers are allowed to disqualify immoderate contestant "at immoderate clip for immoderate logic aliases for nary reason, successful its sole discretion."

This norm is included successful galore reality title show contracts.

The show’s producers tin take who moves connected if location are problems pinch nan voting strategy

On America's Got Talent, nan 4 personage judges initially find really acold contestants beforehand until they scope nan unrecorded shows. From there, America's votes determine nan finalists and nan eventual winner.

However, if immoderate problems originate pinch nan voting strategy from fans, producers are adjacent successful statement to find who advances.

Contestants must beryllium okay pinch “public ridicule”

AGT has been a instrumentality favourite for years because of immoderate of nan candid commentary from judges and fans alike. The assemblage is allowed to applaud aliases boo some contestants and nan judges.

Participants must judge that their "appearance, depiction and portrayal" connected nan show whitethorn beryllium "disparaging, defamatory, embarrassing aliases of an different unfavorable nature."

Many reality TV shows person akin contracts.