Decision point: planning stand design, approval and shipping according to Messe Stuttgart's rules

Messe Stuttgart Exhibition Grounds: Exhibitor and Visitor Guide

At the Messe Stuttgart exhibition grounds, under the rules of the operator Landesmesse Stuttgart GmbH & Co. KG (LMS), a single-storey stand that is no taller than 3.5 m and no larger than 30 m² needs no drawings submitted for approval. Stand construction approval is mandatory in Hall 1 under the gallery, on the gallery, and at Entrance East. Each suspension point in the hall ceiling carries at most 100 kg, and the ground floor of Hall 1 and the floors of Halls 3–10 are rated at 33 kN/m². On the grounds, transport inside the stand, the auxiliary equipment needed for it, and customs clearance for temporary import are held by the forwarding companies; only the official forwarder may operate cranes and forklifts (Technical Guidelines, sections 3.1, 4.2 and 4.7.5, and the forwarding section).

The rules in this article follow the 09/2026 edition of Landesmesse Stuttgart's Technical Guidelines; the document's footer reads "As of: 09/2026". Conditions that belong to a single fair, such as set-up and dismantling times, are written in that fair's conditions of participation and in the circular letters sent to exhibitors. Check these documents at the official source before stand design begins.

LMS is the operator of the grounds, at Messepiazza 1, 70629 Stuttgart (access by car). In this article, "organiser" means the body that runs the fair in question, which can be a body separate from LMS when LMS does not run the fair itself.

Article date: 14 October 2026.

How are the grounds and halls laid out?

According to Landesmesse Stuttgart, the grounds offer 120,000 m² of exhibition space, 10 exhibition halls, and 33 flexible rooms in the ICS International Congress Center Stuttgart (halls and areas). Each of Halls 3–9 measures 150 × 70 m with 10,500 m² of hall space, two loading areas, VIP parking spaces and four meeting rooms (Halls 3–9). During fairs, trucks pass under the grounds from north to south and supply all halls. The official page names Hall 1 (L-Bank Forum) as the largest hall; it sits directly at Entrance East (Hall 1).

The Technical Guidelines give hall data in section 3.1 (Technical Guidelines):

Hall height (building height, not stand height): Hall 1 approx. 3.00–24.00 m; Hall C2 approx. 4.50–9.50 m; Halls 3–9 5.30–9.50 m; Hall 10 approx. 8.50–16.00 m.
Floor load: 33 kN/m² in Hall 1 and Halls 3–10; 10 kN/m² on the Hall 1 gallery; 16 kN/m² in Hall C2.
Gate dimensions (width × height): Hall 1 5.00–5.40 × 4.20 m; Halls 3–9 4.50–5.10 × 4.90–5.00 m; Hall 10 approx. 6.00 × 5.00 m. The gates to the loading areas have a clearance of approx. 4.40 m, and the East and West logistics passageways 4.50 m.

How do you get to the grounds?

The airport is right next to the grounds (air access page). Suburban lines S2 and S3 run from Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof to the fair without a change in about 27 minutes; the stop is about 200 m from the entrance. The U6 Stadtbahn line stops at Messepiazza, 6 minutes on foot from Entrance East, and there is an additional fair stop at Entrance West (public transport page).

By car, the A8 motorway (east-west) runs right alongside the grounds, with a link to the north-south A81. Drivers enter "Flughafenstraße / Flughafen, 70629 Stuttgart" in the navigation system; older systems use 70629 Leinfelden-Echterdingen. An environmental sticker is not needed to visit the fair, but it is needed for the city and for accommodation (access by car).

Where do you stay?

The official accommodation page lists three hotels: Wyndham Stuttgart Airport Messe, Mövenpick Hotel Stuttgart Airport and Mövenpick Hotel Stuttgart Messe & Congress. The last is right next to the congress centre and the grounds. For reservations, the official page points to the Stuttgart Convention Bureau (accommodation page).

Where do you park?

The grounds have 6,700 parking spaces directly on site, and the adjoining airport car parks can also be used (parking page). The entrances are P26 in the West; P20 and P21 (Bosch Parkhaus) in the East; P22 and P23 in the ICS underground car park; and P30–P32 for deliveries to halls and the outdoor area. Exhibitor parking permits (permanent, VIP, loading zone) are obtained in advance through the online application system, the Service Portal, that the parking page points to. There are more than 200 P+R facilities in the VVS area; for parking charges, see the tariff on the parking page.

What are the build-up, dismantling and vehicle access rules?

General build-up and dismantling hours are 07:00 to 20:00; unless other times specific to the fair are announced by circular letter, the halls and grounds stay closed outside them. During a fair, the halls open to exhibitors, their stand builders and service companies two hours before the official opening and stay open for one hour after official closing, unless other times are published in the conditions of participation (Technical Guidelines).

Speed and parking: the limit is 30 km/h on the grounds and 6 km/h inside the halls. Parking time for loading and unloading is limited, and overnight stays in vehicles are not allowed (section 2.1).
Vehicles in halls: electric or hybrid vehicles may not be charged inside the halls, and refuelling in the halls is prohibited.
Entry permits: an exhibitor bringing goods in its own vehicles requests entry permits for the grounds in good time; the Guidelines give no number of days. The permit rule also applies when another forwarding company makes the delivery. Driving onto the grounds and moving goods into the stand are separate matters, and moving goods into the stand is for the forwarding companies described in the shipping section.

According to the organiser's logistics access regulation page, vehicles can enter via Gate 1 and Gate 2. Entering a loading zone for build-up and dismantling needs a pre-booked time slot, booked for a fee with the online tool VisiFair; the entry ticket (or reservation ticket) received after confirmation is shown on the access roads. Access for build-up and dismantling is possible only within the booked slot.

At the end of dismantling, the area goes back to LMS in its original condition, with driven piles, pipelines and all other installations removed. Materials left behind are disposed of at the exhibitor's expense without a check of their value, at a higher charge. Waste is the exhibitor's responsibility; hazardous waste such as batteries, lacquers, solvents, lubricants and paints is reported to LMS (section 6.1).

What are the stand approval and technical rules?

The rules below come from the Technical Guidelines; section numbers appear in brackets where given.

Which stands need approval?

Single-storey stand structures need no drawings submitted for approval as long as they are no taller than 3.5 m and have no more than 30 m² of floor space (section 4.2). Stand construction approval is mandatory for stands in Hall 1 under the gallery, in Hall 1 on the gallery, and at Entrance East. Stands with enclosed roofs, special structures and special designs are also subject to approval.

For approval, dimensioned plans and elevations go to the organiser in digital form (one copy) or on paper (three copies) by the stipulated date; the organiser grants the approval, and it is valid only for the fair in question. On request, LMS checks these plans, but it does not carry out a static check. According to the conditions of participation, the deadline is usually 8 weeks before the start of set-up. A processing fee is charged on applications that reach LMS after the deadline, and from the start of set-up no stand construction approval is checked or granted. (section 4.2)

What is the stand height limit?

The document gives no single general stand height value; it depends on the hall and is given in the table in section 4.3. The table lists 2.80–6.00 m for Entrance East, 10.00 m for the atrium, 3.00–6.00 m for the Hall 1 gallery and 3.00–6.00 m for Hall C2; the values for the other halls, and the note that all measurements must be checked on site, are in the same table. In the open-air areas, the permitted construction and utilisation height is set case by case in LMS's written instructions, based on the sketches the exhibitor submits. (section 4.3)

Exceeding the limit in the table requires LMS's prior written approval, and the exhibitor must in every case ensure that the sprinkler installations in the hall roof are not impaired. Even if a higher structure is approved, the additional surfaces facing the neighbouring stand must be neutral; advertising text or logos there need the written approval of both the organiser and the neighbour. A general rule, independent of height, also applies: back walls adjoining neighbouring stands are kept neutrally light-coloured, opaque and fully closed.

What rules apply to ceilings and sprinklers?

In sprinklered halls the top of a stand must in principle be open; a top counts as open if no more than 50 % of the surface is closed, per square metre. Stands with enclosed roofs are subject to approval (section 4.2). Ceilings suitable for sprinklers, with a mesh size of at least 2 × 4 mm or 3 × 3 mm, are permitted as long as the panel area is no more than 30 m²; separate panels are added together if the gap between them is less than 50 % of the projected area. Such ceilings are fitted in the bottom third of the distance from the hall sprinklers to the floor, at least 1 m inside the stand borders; reducing that distance towards the aisles needs LMS's approval. Structures, installations and ceiling suspensions in the hall may not impair how the sprinklers work. (section 4.4.2)

For coverings with an area greater than 30 m², the sprinkler installation can be omitted if one of two conditions is met: a metal grid ceiling with an opening dimension of at least 1 × 1 cm and a horizontal opening area of at least 50 %, or a VdS-approved textile stretch ceiling classed B1 or C-s2, d0. With the textile ceiling, stand area decides: where a sprinkler system is technically impossible on a stand up to 100 m², a mobile fire detector system and a small extinguisher compensate; on stands of 100 to 150 m² a sprinkler system is added where needed; on stands over 150 m² a sprinkler system is required in addition to the detector system and the extinguisher. LMS decides case by case. (section 4.4.2)

How do suspended loads and suspension points work?

Suspension from the ceiling is possible in all halls, with a maximum load of 100 kg per point (sections 3.1 and 4.7.5). Only LMS's responsible service partner provides fastening points or changes them. A load plan is submitted for complex systems. The hall fabric and equipment may not carry any load from stand superstructures or exhibits. (section 4.7.5)

The maximum height for suspension points is 12.00 m in Hall 1 outside the gallery area and 8.90 m in Halls 3–10; in Hall 10 the limit under the side aisle is 8.00 m. Other heights are available on request. Suspending objects connected to the floor is not normally permitted, and suspended structures keep at least 50 cm from stand constructions standing on the floor. (section 4.7.5)

What is required for a multi-storey stand?

For multi-storey structures, cinemas and viewing rooms, structures in the open-air areas and special structures, LMS needs a building specification and dimensioned stand drawings (plans, elevations, sections, detail drawings) in German at least 8 weeks before the start of set-up. Multi-storey construction is permitted only with the organiser's approval, and the enquiry, with the necessary supply connections, goes in along with the registration. Approval also depends on the planned position in the hall and the floor space. The limits: (section 4.9)

Structural proof: required; a test engineer recognised in Baden-Württemberg accepts the structure on site and issues an acceptance certificate.
Regulation: the currently valid Baden-Württemberg Regulations on Places of Assembly (Versammlungsstättenverordnung) apply.
Clear height: at least 2.30 m on the ground floor and the upper floor. (section 4.9)
Escape: the walking distance from any accessible point on the upper floor to the hall entrance is at most 20 m. (section 4.9)
Materials: in two-storey stands, load-bearing materials, the ground-floor ceiling and the upper-floor flooring are at least DIN 4102 B1 or EN 13501-1 class C-s2, d0.

Which materials and fire classes apply?

Decoration materials must be at least class B1 under DIN 4102-1 (flame-retardant, non-dripping, limited smoke) or at least class C (C-s2, d0) under EN 13501-1. A test certificate confirming the class must be kept on hand, and only EU-approved testing institutes may issue it (section 4.4.1.1). Floor coverings must meet DIN 4102 B1 or EN 13501-1 class Cfl-s2 and may not be used as wall coverings; the fixing rule for floors is in the floor section below.

Prohibited: materials that are highly inflammable, drip when burning, produce a lot of smoke or form toxic gases, such as rigid polystyrene foam; plastic fasteners (cable ties, plastic fabric belts) on statically loaded parts; DIN EN 312-1 P1, P2 or P3 particle boards in primary stand structures; and spray guns and paints containing solvents. Welding, cutting and soldering work is notified in writing to LMS's Fire Safety Officer beforehand. Empty packaging may not be stored in stands or around the halls, and smoking is banned in the halls.

What rules apply to electricity, water, compressed air and gas?

The grounds supply 230 V (+6 %/−10 %) 50 Hz single-phase and 3 × 400 V (+6 %/−10 %) 50 Hz three-phase current. Only LMS's service partner routes supply lines from existing connection points to stands. Electrical work within a stand is either carried out by LMS to order or by the exhibitor's own qualified electricians or approved firms in line with VDE regulations. Supplying the stand, or part of its electrical consumers, from energy storage or generation systems the exhibitor brings in, such as batteries, power banks and standby power units, is not permitted; exhibiting such systems must be notified to the company fire brigade at least 4 weeks before the event. (section 3.1.2 and 5.3)

Only LMS's authorised firms install water points. Compressed air comes only from the compressors of LMS's authorised service partner; exhibitors' own compressors, even small ones, are not permitted. Liquid gas systems are prohibited unless the exhibitor has obtained special written permission from LMS beforehand, applied for at least 6 weeks before the start of stand set-up. (section 5.4 and 5.5)

What limits apply to the hall floor and to carpets?

Carpets and floor coverings may not extend beyond the stand boundaries, must meet class Cfl-s2, and are secured by taping them down at the edges; everything used is removed without trace afterwards (section 4.7.4). The hall floor may not be painted, glued or drilled, except for edges secured with residue-free tape.

How do shipping, delivery and customs work on the grounds?

Under the Technical Guidelines, all forwarding rights on the grounds are held by the forwarding companies. These cover moving exhibits and stand construction into the stand, providing the auxiliary equipment required, and customs clearance for temporary import. For safety and liability reasons, only the official trade fair forwarder may operate cranes, ground conveyors with a driver's seat, forklift trucks and further technical equipment. Mobile work platforms of any kind require proof of qualification in the form of a personalised operator card; whoever shows it may use the platform (Technical Guidelines).

LMS cannot accept consignments of any kind and accepts no duty of care for equipment, objects or exhibits sent or brought in. The official forwarder's liability ends within the official set-up period once the goods are placed on the designated stand, even if the exhibitor or its representative is not present.

According to the organiser's delivery document, goods can arrive in two ways. The address for a consignment sent straight to the stand is written in this order: company name, c/o Landesmesse Stuttgart GmbH & Co. KG, fair name, hall and stand number; the entry is Gate 1. If nobody is at the stand, nobody can take that consignment and it goes back to the sender. If goods are sent to the forwarding company, it handles acceptance, storage and delivery to the stand and invoices additional costs for them. LMS, the operator, accepts consignments by neither route.

Which tasks does Inside Exhibition carry out on the exhibitor's behalf at fairs abroad?

Inside Exhibition is an Istanbul-based company focused on the design, technical documentation and build of custom-designed exhibition stands. For unplanned developments there are subcontractors abroad.

Who handles the approval drawing, technical application and correspondence?

For stands that need approval, Inside generally handles the drawings and technical applications, together with the correspondence on stand infrastructure, on the exhibitor's behalf. Messe Stuttgart's approval rules and application documents are in the section above.

Which fairs take place in Stuttgart?

Some of the fairs held at the Landesmesse Stuttgart grounds are listed below; the list does not show the full range of fairs at the grounds:

AMB: metalworking.
Motek: production automation.
R+T: roller shutters, doors and sun protection systems.
CMT: holidays and leisure.
INTERGASTRA: hotel and catering.
LogiMAT: intralogistics.

For dates, tickets and conditions of participation, see Messe Stuttgart's events page and each fair's own website.

What does a visitor need?

Tickets and registration are handled on each fair's own website; visitor hours vary from fair to fair. For travel, accommodation and parking, see Messe Stuttgart's pages on public transport, access by car, accommodation and parking.

Frequently asked questions

How do you get to Messe Stuttgart, and what is the address?

From Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof, suburban lines S2 and S3 reach the fair without a change in about 27 minutes; the stop is about 200 m from the entrance. By car, the A8 motorway runs alongside the grounds. The operator of the grounds, Landesmesse Stuttgart GmbH & Co. KG (LMS), is at Messepiazza 1, 70629 Stuttgart; for navigation, enter "Flughafenstraße / Flughafen, 70629 Stuttgart".

Where do you find a hotel for Messe Stuttgart?

The official accommodation page lists three hotels: Wyndham Stuttgart Airport Messe, Mövenpick Hotel Stuttgart Airport and Mövenpick Hotel Stuttgart Messe & Congress. For reservations, the official page points to the Stuttgart Convention Bureau.

Where do you park at Messe Stuttgart?

The grounds have 6,700 parking spaces directly on site, and the adjoining airport car parks can also be used. The entrances are P26 in the West, P20 and P21 in the East, and P22 and P23 under the ICS. Exhibitor parking permits are obtained in advance through the online application system, the Service Portal, that the parking page points to; charges are in the tariff on the official parking page.

Which stands need approval at Messe Stuttgart?

Single-storey stands up to 3.5 m and 30 m² need no drawings submitted, but stand construction approval is mandatory in Hall 1 under the gallery and on the gallery, and at Entrance East. Stands with enclosed roofs and special structures are subject to approval. According to the conditions of participation, the deadline for drawings is usually 8 weeks before set-up, and after set-up begins no approval is checked.

Can a multi-storey stand be built at Messe Stuttgart, and how many kilograms can a suspension point carry?

Multi-storey construction is permitted only with the organiser's approval; German documents go to LMS at least 8 weeks before set-up, and structural proof is required. A suspension point carries at most 100 kg, and only LMS's service partner provides the points.

Who handles shipping, cranes and forklifts at Messe Stuttgart?

Forwarding rights on the grounds are held by the forwarding companies, and only the official forwarder operates cranes and forklifts, and mobile work platforms need a personalised operator card. LMS cannot accept consignments; goods sent straight to a stand are sent back if nobody is at the stand.

For other grounds in Germany see the Messe Köln guide, the Messe Düsseldorf guide, the Messe Frankfurt guide, the Messe Nürnberg guide, the Messe München guide and the Hannover Messe guide.