Guide
Pageant paperwork checklist
What a local pageant typically collects from each contestant. Your national and state organizations decide what’s required for your pageant, so check their rules first; this list helps you plan.
By Nate Fetzer, a local pageant board member and the founder of SashBoard · Updated October 16, 2026
The application
Name, contact details, age or grade, hometown and school or work, and why she wants to compete. For contestants under 18, a parent or guardian’s name and contact details.
Agreements
- Contestant contract or agreement
- Parent or guardian consent for contestants under 18
- Photo and media release
- Code of conduct acknowledgement
About her
- A recent headshot, high resolution
- Platform or community service statement
- Résumé or bio for the program book and emcee
- Interview sheet or questionnaire
For show night
- Talent music and an introduction for the emcee
- Talent description and running time
- On-stage question or introduction details, if your format uses them
Fees and eligibility
- Entry fee or sponsorship
- Proof of eligibility your rules call for, such as age, residency or school
Keep sensitive details out of email and apps
Some forms ask for numbers like a Social Security number or a full date of birth. Collect those in person or by phone, not by email, text or an app, and black them out on any copies that need to be shared.
Make it easy to finish
Give each item a due date, show contestants what’s still missing, review uploads as they arrive, and send back anything incomplete with a note. SashBoard does this for you: see how.
Example: one contestant’s checklist
| Item | Due | Who signs |
|---|---|---|
| Application | Week 1 | Contestant |
| Contestant agreement | Week 2 | Contestant, and a parent for anyone under 18 |
| Headshot and bio | Week 3 | — |
| Community service statement | Week 4 | — |
| Talent music and introduction | 4 weeks before | — |
| Entry fee | Week 2 | — |
Each item shows as missing, sent or approved, so the board can remind only the people who still owe something.
See SashBoard live, built around your pageant.