We highly recommend confirming as many attendee names as possible prior to purchasing your registrations, to avoid transfer fees and forms later on.
However, because of our low early-registration rates and high demand for hotel rooms, registering with placeholder names can be a helpful solution if you don’t know who in your organization will be attending. Purchasing a registration at the lowest rate in August and paying the transfer fee later can still be more cost-efficient than purchasing your registration(s) after a rate increase.
Using placeholder names:
- This FAQ provides instructions on how to register with placeholder names. This FAQ provides instructions on how to transfer a registration.
- A transfer fee is charged each time a Registrant’s name is changed. The fee is $125 USD. After the final rate deadline in early February, the fee increases to $175 USD.
- If you’ve booked a hotel for the original registration, and you wish to transfer the reservation to the new attendee, you must transfer the badge AND hotel reservation into the new attendee’s name as soon as possible before they arrive in Austin, to avoid complications when checking into their hotel or picking up their badge.
- When transferring a registration, be sure to also select the option to TRANSFER the hotel reservation. This ensures the hotel reservation is transferred from the placeholder name into the new attendee’s name.
- If the new person does not need a reservation, select the option to CANCEL the hotel reservation.
- If the new attendee plans to shorten or cancel the hotel reservation after it has been transferred to them, please be sure they are aware of our Change and Cancellation policies.
- The original credit card details may remain on a reservation until the new attendee updates it. As soon as the reservation has been transferred, the new attendee should update their credit card details, so the old attendee does not get charged for the hotel deposit.
- Reservations can be shortened or canceled with no penalty until 28 days before arrival. If the new reservation is transferred to the new attendee within 28 days of arrival and they need to shorten/cancel the reservation at that time, they will incur SXSW Housing’s $50 change fee. This is why we recommend transferring as soon as possible.
- If a room is canceled within the hotel’s cancellation window (usually 7 to 14 days before arrival), the new attendee will be charged the $50 SXSW fee and the hotel's cancellation penalty.
Helpful Resources