Anime Expo: costume, prop and weapon rules

Last checked against the con's own rules on 2026-10-21.

A guide to Anime Expo's official costume, prop and weapon rules for cosplayers planning their build and convention visit.

Anime Expo requires every prop or replica weapon to pass through a Weapons Check booth before you enter the event floor. Staff inspect the item and attach a Peace Bond tag, which must stay visible and in place for the entire event. Props bought on the show floor must remain sealed in their original packaging unless you take them straight to a Weapons Check booth. Because these rules are reviewed and updated each year, always read the current policy on anime-expo.org before you travel — the authority is the official Prop and Replica Weapons Policy and Cosplay Guidelines on the legal page. To be eligible for a Peace Bond, a prop must meet every one of the following conditions: it cannot exceed seven feet in any direction, it cannot weigh more than fifteen pounds, and all edges and tips must be blunt. No metal components are permitted beyond insignificant fittings such as screws or springs; lightsabers with metal hilts are a named exception. If a non-metal blade has a sharp edge or pointed tip, it must be locked into a hard sheath and kept there throughout the event. Bows must be unstrung or fitted with a low-tension thread that has no draw weight and cannot shoot. Real weapons of any kind are not permitted. This includes firearms, live blades, knives, and blunt weapons such as bats, paddles, and whips. Prop firearms and gun-shaped props must be instantly recognisable as imitations; the policy lists acceptable methods as a transparent body, a non-removable blaze-orange muzzle marking, a non-removable blaze-orange solid plug in the barrel, or an all-over bright colour covering the entire surface. Any prop that could ever have fired a projectile must be permanently disabled, with the trigger and an empty magazine fixed in place and the barrel plugged. For costumes, the policy states that private areas must be covered with an opaque material that will not shift or leave gaps, and people in tight-fitting costumes must wear a dance belt underneath. Stilts, pogo sticks, and costumes with functioning wheels are not allowed on the show floor. Large or unwieldy costumes — those with wide wings, outward spikes, or a footprint bigger than a standard doorway — may require a dedicated handler or could be turned away. Realistic imitations of law-enforcement, military, or first-responder uniforms are also banned. Check the official legal page at anime-expo.org for the full and current text before finalising any build.

Full details at Anime Expo →