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(Note: This page has been updated for the 2025 season.)
(Note: This page has been updated for the 2026 season.)

Like 2024, our registration will be a lottery system, with an option to apply for a reservation for builders who can only make a limited number of events.

NHRL is growing, and we need to update our registration system to help make our events the best they can be. We know there were some pain points with registration in 2024, and we’ve spent a lot of time over the past few months reviewing data and trends, and consulting with members of the community across experience levels, team sizes, and weight classes, to try to improve the system for 2025. We have modified the registration system to address some of the key pain points and complaints we received, and will continue to modify it during the 2025 season.

We want to put on the best event we can possibly run. One of the key trends/points of feedback we received was regarding an increased number of dropouts and qualifying-round forfeits under the lottery system. The best event is one where as many builders as possible get to participate in all the fights they’re scheduled for. High rates of dropouts and forfeits mean fewer fights overall and fewer opportunities for competitors to get real match experience with their bots. Dropouts also significantly increase the workload on our team, and they reduce our ability to hype up bots and builders leading up to the event. Qualifying-round forfeits are unfair to builders on the waitlist who could have made it, but weren’t selected.

As a result, we are increasing penalties for dropping out for an event to try to deter people from registering without finished bots or travel arrangements.


'''Please only register if you are 100% sure you can compete at the event.'''
'''Please only register if you are 100% sure you can compete at the event.'''


You can register for events at the [[NHRL Registration Hub]].
There are two ways to register:
* Entering the selection lottery. This is for most competitors. Some competitors will be randomly selected to compete, while others will be waitlisted, and fill in whenever there's a dropout.
* Applying for a reservation to bypass the lottery. This is for long-distance competitors, or competitors who can only make one or two events.


Note that this system may change and evolve throughout the 2026 season.
[[2025_Registration_calendar|Here are some important dates for registration.]]


==Registration==
==Selection lottery==
We offer 2 events for public registration: the '''NHRL Open''' for 3lb, 12lb, and 30lb, and '''NHRL XP''', for less experienced and more casual competitors. NHRL XP is for the 3lb weight class only, for the time being. Both events happen on the same day at the NHRL House of Havoc.
The selection lottery is the most common way to register for an event. It typically opens about 8 weeks before an event, and stays open for one week. Lottery entry typically opens on a Monday and close on the following Sunday. We will, on occasion, open the lottery closer to or further out from an event due to extenuating circumstances, so please ensure you have email and Discord notifications set up if you’re hoping to register for a specific event.


Because of overwhelming demand, we have registration caps at our NHRL events.
When the lottery entry closes, we will select Main Drivers randomly, weighting for drivers that have not had a chance to fight with us this season.


* 3lb Open: 80 bots
If you do not get selected for a spot, you will be placed on the waitlist.
* 3lb XP: 16 bots
* 12lb Open: 32 bots
* 30lb Open: 32 bots (up from 20 last year)


This way, it doesn't matter if you sign up immediately when the lottery entry opens, just before it closes, or any time in between. You will have the same chances to be selected for the event.
Registration opens about 8 weeks before the event (sooner for the January and February events). It closes about 7 weeks before the event, and selections are announced about 6.5 weeks before the event.


Registration requires a $75 deposit. You will get it back as long as you are able to make it to your first-round prelim fight.
We announce the drivers that were selected about 6 and a half weeks before the event. This gives long-distance builders over six weeks to make travel arrangements.

Our deposit is now $75 per Main Driver per weight class. This deposit will not be refunded immediately if you are not selected; instead, you will be put on the waitlist.

You will get your deposit back if:
* You are selected for the event, pass bot inspection before your first fight, and compete in your first fight without a forfeit.
* You are on the waitlist and drop out before you are called to come off the waitlist.
* You are still on the waitlist on the day of the event.
* (Rare) You are selected, but drop out for reasons outside your control.
** Sickness, weather, or family emergencies count for this. Repeated illness or emergencies affecting your entry may impact future chances.
** Not having parts delivered in time, or blowing up a motor during testing, do not count for this. If you have a hard-to-replace part, like a custom hubmotor, please have a plan for what to do if that part breaks just before the event.

You will not get your deposit back if:
* You are selected for the event, but drop out.
* You are selected for the event, but forfeit your first fight.
* You are called off the waitlist, but cannot make the event.


==Selection==
==Selection==
Selections are generally announced 6 weeks before the event (it will be a shorter turnaround for the February and March events). Selection is by driver, not bot, although the bot registered is a factor.
Our registration caps will be:

* For 3lb: 96 bots (unchanged from 2024)
* For 12lb: 32 bots (8 more than 2024)
* For 30lb: 16 bots (unchanged from 2024)

In the unlikely event that we get 24 or fewer entries in 12lb, we may choose to increase the the 30lb field by 8 bots. If we get 8 or fewer entries in 30lb, we may choose to increase the 12lb field by 8 bots.

When the lottery closes, Main Drivers in each weight class will be separated into the following buckets:

* Bucket 0: Approved reservations. These are all drivers whose reservations have been approved. This will generally be about 25% of the bots selected, but that percentage may change depending on the number of reservations we get.
* Bucket 1: Debuts. These will be 15% of the field. It will be held for Main Drivers who have not competed at NHRL in the past 12 months in the weight class being selected. A Main Driver whose selection chances have been reduced (see below) will not be selected here.
* Bucket 2: Not participated in last 2 events in the weight class being selected. This will be 40% of the field. This will be for Main Drivers who did not compete, either through being selected or called from the waitlist, in the last 2 NHRL Open events (not including World Championships). A Main Driver whose selection chances have been reduced (see below) will not be selected here.
* Bucket 3: All other drivers. This will be about 20% of the field, but will vary depending on the number of drivers in Bucket 0, and if any bucket runs out of drivers. This will be all Main Drivers not selected in any of the above buckets.

During selection, if a Main Driver in a bucket is not selected, they will drop to the next bucket and still be eligible to be selected. If we run out of Main Drivers to select from a given bucket, we will go to the next bucket, with the extra picks going into Bucket 3.

Selected and waitlisted drivers will be announced on the Wednesday after the lottery entry closes.

We may update the order, criteria, or distribution of these slots throughout the year.

If we see a driver, captain, or team member is trying to get around the selection process by bad-faith means, that person may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including being banned from events as a main driver or team member.

==Waitlist==
All unselected Main Drivers will be placed into the waitlist in a random order.

Main Drivers may withdraw from the waitlist at any time without penalty and get their refund deposited, so long as they have not been called from the waitlist. Note that it’s common for several drivers to be called from the waitlist at once, so please don’t wait until you’re at top of the waitlist to withdraw!

==Reduced selection chances==

Certain actions may cause a driver to have their selection chances reduced. These actions are:

* The Main Driver has withdrawn from 2 Open events between the event's minor dropout deadline (usually 3 weeks before the event) and the event's major dropout deadline (2 weeks before the event).
* The Main Driver has withdrawn from an event after that event's major dropout deadline.
* In one event, the Main Driver has forfeited both their first-round and second-round qualifier fights.
* (3lb only) In two consecutive events, the Main Driver forfeited their first-round and/or second-round qualifier fight.
** In the above two cases, we reserve the right to take action retrospectively if we deem it that a competitor has not forfeited, but has clearly tried to take other means to avoid fighting.
* The Main Driver has accumulated a certain threshold of demerit points (TBD), or has engaged in disciplinary or unsportsmanlike behavior at an NHRL event, or in one of our public online spaces (like the NHRL Discord or our YouTube chat).

These reduced selection chances will apply per Main Driver per weight class, and will last for 2 Open events.

A Main Driver who does not show up at an event and does not tell us beforehand will be banned from competing at NHRL Open events in all weight classes for 6 months.

A Main Driver banned from our Discord for rules violations will be banned from our events for the length of their Discord ban.

If a builder does not think they can bring enough spares to make it past their first fight, then we recommend they cut their teeth elsewhere before registering to compete at an NHRL Open.

==Event Reservation==


Selection is no longer a weighted lottery, as it was in 2025. Instead, we will select the most experienced competitors first.
As in 2024, we are offering event reservation to competitors for whom travel and logistics limit the possible dates they can attend (long distance flights, visa letters, etc.). If you can potentially attend most events on the schedule and travel doesn’t require extensive planning on your end, we ask that you use the open lottery system instead.


Selections are made in the following order.
Any Main Driver may only be included in one reservation per weight class for the entire year.


* All drivers who have competed with a ranked bot, bringing a ranked bot, who are in good standing, and who are able to compete at 2026 World Championships, ordered by rank (starting with the best rank).
If your reservation is approved, you will receive a code to enter into the open lottery form, which will let you bypass the lottery. Your reservation is not complete until you fill out the lottery form.
* All drivers who have competed with a ranked bot, bringing an unranked bot, who are in good standing, and who are able to compete at 2026 World Championships, selected randomly.
* Any drivers who have completed the XP requirement at the NHRL XP tournament (3lb only), are in good standing, and who are able to compete at 2026 World Championships, selected randomly.


“Able to compete at 2026 World Championships” means able and willing to compete at the 2026 World Championships with their entered bot, barring an unexpected emergency or life event.
You will still need to pay the $75 deposit for each approved reservation. Like any other selected competitor, you will get the deposit back if you pass bot inspection and compete in your first-round qualifier fight.


If there is still room in 3lb, we may allow randomly-selected drivers who are close to reaching 10,000 XP. If there is still room in 12lb and/or 30lb, we may allow randomly-selected inexperienced drivers.
If your reservation is approved and you drop out before the event, you will lose your reservation for the rest of the season, unless you dropped out for especially extenuating circumstances.


We may also allow drivers who won’t be able or willing to compete at the 2026 World Championships, and/or not in good standing if there is still room after that.
All other penalties for dropping out and forfeiting apply.


==Good standing==
There may be situations where we cannot honor your request (e.g. other reservations met the cap for that weight class), but in most cases, we should be able to reserve a spot for you.
A competitor is in good standing if they meet all of the following criteria:


* They have not forfeited either of their first 2 fights at the last 2 NHRL events.
Note that we may close reservations several weeks or months before the event if we have a lot of reservations.
* They have not dropped out after registering in the last 2 NHRL events.
* They have not forfeited either of their first 2 fights or dropped out after registering at multiple events in the last 12 months.
* They have not been disqualified from NHRL events in the past 6 months due to demerits, or forfeited multiple fights due to excessive TKO points.
* They have not acted improperly with a timeout, or ban in the NHRL Discord in the past 6 months.


==NHRL XP==
[https://form.typeform.com/to/ItEOzTR6 Go here to apply for an event reservation.]
NHRL XP is a separate 3lb tournament we run on the same day we run NHRL Open. It is open to any competitor, regardless of experience. We encourage inexperienced competitors to cut their teeth here.


After each event, competitors gain XP for the following.
==More detail about these changes==
We know this is a big change from how we operated in the past, but as NHRL grows and the competitiveness of not only participating in, but getting into each event increases, we are having to learn as we go on nailing the right balance to ensure we can be open to as many builders as possible.


{| class="wikitable"
In addition to our already scheduled Open events, we are planning to run some events aimed toward newer builders. These will be perfect for newer builders and returning builders looking to test out a new design or design change in a lower-risk environment. We will make additional announcements about these events soon.
! Achievement !! XP
|-
| Made first fight || 500
|-
| Made it to bracket || 1500
|-
| Made semifinals || 2000
|-
| Made final || 2500
|-
| Won event || 3500
|-
| Forfeit in prelims first round || -2000
|-
| Forfeit in prelims second or third round || -1000
|-
| Forfeit in bracket || -500
|}


A competitor who reaches 10,000 XP becomes eligible to be selected for Open.
Second, NHRL is rolling out initiatives that will support robot fighting programs in local communities around the country. Especially if you’re looking to fight with a 3lb bot for the first time, we suggest checking out your local leagues. Many of them run 3lb events, and they’re a great place to make sure your bot is event-ready before you sign up for an NHRL Open. https://www.robotcombatevents.com and https://buildersdb.com are great resources for this.


==2026 reservations==
Third, if you’re close to Norwalk, you can email hello@nhrl.io and arrange a date when you can come by during business hours and test your bot out in one of our cages. Please do not show up without getting approval from us first, as our cages and workshop are not always available every day.
Information about 2026 reservations is coming soon.


[[Category:Information]]
[[Category:Information]]

Revision as of 16:46, 12 January 2026

(Note: This page has been updated for the 2026 season.)

Please only register if you are 100% sure you can compete at the event.

You can register for events at the NHRL Registration Hub.

Note that this system may change and evolve throughout the 2026 season.

Registration

We offer 2 events for public registration: the NHRL Open for 3lb, 12lb, and 30lb, and NHRL XP, for less experienced and more casual competitors. NHRL XP is for the 3lb weight class only, for the time being. Both events happen on the same day at the NHRL House of Havoc.

Because of overwhelming demand, we have registration caps at our NHRL events.

  • 3lb Open: 80 bots
  • 3lb XP: 16 bots
  • 12lb Open: 32 bots
  • 30lb Open: 32 bots (up from 20 last year)

Registration opens about 8 weeks before the event (sooner for the January and February events). It closes about 7 weeks before the event, and selections are announced about 6.5 weeks before the event.

Registration requires a $75 deposit. You will get it back as long as you are able to make it to your first-round prelim fight.

Selection

Selections are generally announced 6 weeks before the event (it will be a shorter turnaround for the February and March events). Selection is by driver, not bot, although the bot registered is a factor.

Selection is no longer a weighted lottery, as it was in 2025. Instead, we will select the most experienced competitors first.

Selections are made in the following order.

  • All drivers who have competed with a ranked bot, bringing a ranked bot, who are in good standing, and who are able to compete at 2026 World Championships, ordered by rank (starting with the best rank).
  • All drivers who have competed with a ranked bot, bringing an unranked bot, who are in good standing, and who are able to compete at 2026 World Championships, selected randomly.
  • Any drivers who have completed the XP requirement at the NHRL XP tournament (3lb only), are in good standing, and who are able to compete at 2026 World Championships, selected randomly.

“Able to compete at 2026 World Championships” means able and willing to compete at the 2026 World Championships with their entered bot, barring an unexpected emergency or life event.

If there is still room in 3lb, we may allow randomly-selected drivers who are close to reaching 10,000 XP. If there is still room in 12lb and/or 30lb, we may allow randomly-selected inexperienced drivers.

We may also allow drivers who won’t be able or willing to compete at the 2026 World Championships, and/or not in good standing if there is still room after that.

Good standing

A competitor is in good standing if they meet all of the following criteria:

  • They have not forfeited either of their first 2 fights at the last 2 NHRL events.
  • They have not dropped out after registering in the last 2 NHRL events.
  • They have not forfeited either of their first 2 fights or dropped out after registering at multiple events in the last 12 months.
  • They have not been disqualified from NHRL events in the past 6 months due to demerits, or forfeited multiple fights due to excessive TKO points.
  • They have not acted improperly with a timeout, or ban in the NHRL Discord in the past 6 months.

NHRL XP

NHRL XP is a separate 3lb tournament we run on the same day we run NHRL Open. It is open to any competitor, regardless of experience. We encourage inexperienced competitors to cut their teeth here.

After each event, competitors gain XP for the following.

Achievement XP
Made first fight 500
Made it to bracket 1500
Made semifinals 2000
Made final 2500
Won event 3500
Forfeit in prelims first round -2000
Forfeit in prelims second or third round -1000
Forfeit in bracket -500

A competitor who reaches 10,000 XP becomes eligible to be selected for Open.

2026 reservations

Information about 2026 reservations is coming soon.

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