Emcee: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What emcee is

An emcee hosts your event, introducing speakers, guiding the schedule, engaging the audience and keeping the program moving. People hire one for conferences, galas, award nights, corporate events, weddings and community functions where someone needs to keep the event on track.

Signs you need it

  • Your event has several speakers or presenters who need introductions and handoffs
  • You need someone to keep the schedule on time and move guests between sessions
  • The audience needs warming up, and you want a host to build energy
  • You do not want the host of the event to also run the program
  • You want someone who can handle surprises, such as a delayed speaker or a technical problem
  • You want a polished, professional voice on the microphone for the whole event

What the pro does

  • Reviews the program, speaker list, names and pronunciations with you before the event
  • Writes or adapts introductions and the run sheet for the event
  • Meets the speakers or the host team before the program starts
  • Opens the event, introduces each speaker and keeps the schedule moving
  • Manages transitions, such as breaks, awards, music cues and the closing remarks
  • Closes the event and thanks the sponsors, guests and team

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • Length of the event and the number of sessions the emcee hosts
  • Number of speakers and introductions to prepare
  • Whether the emcee runs a scripted program or improvises with the audience
  • Venue size, sound needs and any microphones the emcee must use
  • Travel distance and whether the emcee must stay for rehearsal
  • Whether the emcee writes the script or only reads what you provide
  • Whether the emcee also manages games, awards or a live auction

What a written quote should spell out

  • Start and end time, and the sessions the emcee will host
  • Rehearsal time and whether a run-through is included
  • Who writes the introductions and the script, and how many revisions are included
  • Microphone and sound needs and who provides them
  • How the emcee will handle schedule changes and speaker delays
  • What happens if the emcee cannot attend

Questions to ask before you hire

  • Will you write the introductions, or do you read what I give you?
  • How do you handle a speaker who runs over their time?
  • Can I hear or see a recording of you hosting an event like mine?
  • Will you do a rehearsal with the speakers or the host team?
  • How do you adjust the program if the schedule changes on the day?
  • Do you bring a microphone, and what is your plan if the sound fails?
  • Can you supply a certificate of insurance if the venue or sponsor asks for one?

Red flags

  • They cannot show a sample introduction or a clip of a past event
  • They offer to do the event with no run sheet or rehearsal
  • They promise to fix any content on the day with no plan for speaker changes
  • They do not ask about the audience, the sponsors or the event goals
  • They will not confirm who is on the microphone and when in writing

What you can do yourself

You can build the run sheet, list the speakers with pronunciations and bios, and write the key messages you want shared. You can also check the venue microphone, the stage and the cues for music or slides. Hire an emcee for the live hosting, since keeping an audience engaged and handling delays while you are also a guest or organizer is hard to do well.

Licenses and permits

No state license is usually required for an emcee, so ask for proof of liability insurance and references from similar events instead. If the event includes raffles, auctions or prize games, check the rules with your state or local licensing agency, since those activities can need their own permits.

Emcee questions

Does an emcee need a license?

Usually not a state license. Ask for insurance and references, and check whether any raffle, auction or prize element needs a separate permit.

What should I give the emcee before the event?

The run sheet, the speaker names and pronunciations, short bios, the sponsor list and the contact who will manage the stage.

Will the emcee meet the speakers?

Ask for a quick call or meeting before the event. Good emcees check names, timing and cues with each speaker so the handoffs go smoothly.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

Edit history

How it works

  1. 1. Describe the job

    Pick the service, add your ZIP and a sentence about what is going on.

  2. 2. Pick the pros you want

    See screened pros who serve your ZIP and choose who you want to hear from.

  3. 3. They reach out

    They contact you the way you chose: phone, email or in-app messages.

More music and entertainment guides

Find a pro near you

Find a pro

About this guide

Request emcee