The following information can be downloaded as either a Word file or a PDF file.

The Orange County Science and Engineering Fair Board of Directors want all students to have the opportunity to compete fairly for all awards. The following regulations will keep projects uniform for judging and ensure that they abide by the laws of the State of California and the State of California Education Code. For these reasons, the following will be strictly enforced:
1. The Orange County Science & Engineering Fair Board of Directors and the Orange County Fair & Exposition Center, or their representatives, reserve the right to not display any materials which might be offensive to the general public, especially elementary school aged children who frequent the fair.

• Any exhibit or part of an exhibit which, in the judgment of the Fair Board, poses any safety threat to the public or to other exhibits will be removed and not judged for awards.

 2. All projects must present an experimentally-based research design exemplifying scientific   methodology.
 3. 6th-12th grade students attending an Orange County school (public or private) may enter exhibits in the Fair. All projects must be checked and approved by a sponsoring teacher or administrator from the school.

• If your school has a science fair, you must enter that fair in order to enter OCSEF. 
• Schools in districts having district-wide fairs participating in OCSEF may enter only through the district fair.

 4. Only one project is allowed per student and only one student may work on each project. (No group projects.)
 5. The student is responsible for selecting an appropriate category in which to enter the project.

• The Fair Board will review and may change category assignments, based on the reading of the submitted abstracts, to insure that projects with similar topics are placed in the same category.

 6. The maximum number of entries from a given school is 15 projects. District science fairs may enter up to 100 projects. 

• A school may exceed 15 projects if the projects are entered through its district fair.
• A school may submit written requests to OCSEF for more than 15 projects by the deadline for consideration by the Board. (See “Dates and Timelines” for due date.)

 7. All students must register online at www.ocsef.org prior to the registration deadline at 5 pm in order to enter the fair. (See “Dates and Timelines” for due date.)

8. Students who have prepared a project in conjunction with study or research in industry, a university, hospital or institution other than their school:

• Must provide a letter from the principal research director.  The letter should indicate the relationship of the student project to the research activities of the institution.     Project must clearly distinguish between the work of the student entrant and the work of others.
• Must show only student’s personal research in the display
• May mention the research of others only if student clearly specifies the assistance received and the contributions of others in research related to the project.
• Judges will evaluate only the work specifically done by the student.
• Research includes the use of laboratory equipment and/or space other than that normally available at the student’s home or school.

9. A project entered into the Fair must remain at the Fair from Registration / Set-Up to the conclusion of the final Sunday Awards Ceremony. 

• All projects must be set up and picked up only during designated hours. 
• Projects may not be picked up before 3 pm.
• Projects not picked up by 4:00 pm will be discarded.

 10. Any project that involves vertebrate animals must:

• Conform to the regulations listed within this packet and on the corresponding form.
• This includes California State Education Code Section 514540 and the International Science and Engineering Fair Regulations for Experiments with Animals. 
• The project must be planned and carried out under the direct supervision of a biomedical scientist.
• The Vertebrate Certification Form included in this packet must be signed by both a biomedical scientist and an animal care supervisor before the project is begun. 
• Copies of the completed form must be submitted with both the entry form and the exhibit.  Vertebrate animal studies without this certification will not be allowed in the Fair for exhibition or judging.

11. Any project that involves human subjects in a survey or study must:  

• Conform to the regulations listed within this packet and on the corresponding form. 
• The Human Certification Form included in this packet must be filled out and signed by the sponsoring teacher before the project is begun. 
• Copies of the completed form must be submitted with both the entry form and the exhibit. 
• Human studies without this certification will not be allowed in the Fair for exhibition or judging. 
• A Vertebrate Certification Form is not needed for human surveys or studies.
• No projects involving consumption of alcohol are permitted

12. Students may not be involved in the direct acquisition of recombinant DNA, tissue, organs, or other body parts (including blood and meat) from human or vertebrate animals.

• Must conform to the regulations listed within this packet and the corresponding form.
• The Tissue Sample Source Certification Form included in this packet must be filled out and signed by the company, agency or person providing or buying the samples. 
• Copies of the completed form must be submitted with both the entry form and the exhibit. 
• Tissue studies without this certification will not be allowed in the Fair for exhibition or judging.

13. Maximum exhibit size is 4 feet wide by 2-1/2 feet deep by 6-1/2 feet tall. Oversized exhibits will not be eligible to be judged for awards.

 14. Students must take full responsibility for the safety of all parts of their exhibits.

• Although the management of the Fair takes many precautions to protect the exhibits, we assume no responsibility for any items lost or damaged during the Fair.
• Valuable material and equipment should be simulated or pictured; they may be brought for demonstration during judging and then removed.
• All parts of the exhibit should be securely attached to the exhibit.

15. Logbook and/or notebook including the Official Project Abstract must accompany and be securely attached to the exhibit.

 16. Exhibit backboards:

• Must be constructed of rigid material or be reinforced with framing. 
• Foam-core and other light-weight exhibit boards must be framed or weighted at the base to prevent their being blown over. 

17. Exhibits requiring electricity:

• Must be designed for battery operation or 110 volts AC and are limited to 500 watts. 
• No equipment that creates or uses electrical voltages may be operated during the Fair except during the judging period. 
• Electrical cords must be UL-approved, 3-pronged electrical cords at least 6 feet long in order to use the provided electrical sources. 
• You must provide 10 amp fuses or circuit breakers in your circuit. 
• If wiring carries more than 20 volts, wiring must be of adequate size and well insulated. Connectors must be soldered or secured by UL-approved fasteners. Open knife switches or doorbell-type push buttons are not permitted above 20 volts.

18. All exhibits must adhere to all county, state and federal laws and regulations regarding wiring, toxicity, fire hazard, and general safety. 

• Lasers may be displayed but not operated at any time.
• Containers for high-pressure gases must be empty.  No open flames are allowed. 
• Dangerous, combustible, and cryogenic materials are prohibited. 
• Toxic and hazardous chemicals are prohibited. 
• No gas or water outlets are provided.

19. The display of bacterial cultures and live or dead vertebrates, invertebrates, or microorganisms, or their parts, is not permitted.

• e.g. teeth, hair, fur, feathers.
• Only illustrations or photographs of microorganisms and animals are permitted.

20. Exhibits may not display photographs of procedures detrimental to the health and well-being of vertebrate animals or humans. Performance of or results of surgical or medical procedures may not be shown.

21. Students must be present to speak with the Fair judges on Wednesday during Fair Week.  (See “Dates and Timelines” for date of project judging.)

• Sign-ups for interview times will be taken during registration.
• Only students being interviewed will be allowed in the judging area with the projects on the day of judging.
• Parents or teacher must remain in the waiting area.