40 Rules 'American Idol' Contestants Have to Follow That You've Probably Never Heard About

Unlike other talent shows, American Idol has a strict age window. All contestants must be at least 15 years old and no more than 29 at the time of their audition.

Because you could potentially have to sign a legal document to be on live television, any contestant under the age of 18 has to bring a parent or legal guardian with them to the audition.

American is literally in the name of the show, so it makes sense that all contestants must be legal U.S. residents, and also legally allowed to work in the country.

For more recent seasons, contestants had to submit an online audition tape, which consisted of answering a few personal questions and singing a song of your choice.

After submitting an online audition, there's almost a six-month lag between when you'll be contacted for a callback.

If you do get a callback, your second round audition is for producers and they're the ones who ultimately decide if you get a judges panel audition or not.

Walk-ins can register at 9 a.m. the morning of auditions. If you registered online beforehand, it's as easy as checking in and taking your seat — just be prepared to wait.

After checking in, you'll be issued a ticket. If you make it to the next stage of the competition, you'll be given a yellow ticket to (wait for it) Hollywood! Just please don't lose your ticket.

Starting in 2022, judges get to reward nine singers with platinum tickets. "They get to basically observe from the box seats at the theater – one day, they get to rest their voice, strategize, check out the competition and select who they want to duet with," Katy Perry explained at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour panel.

Contestant are allowed to submit only one online audition per season. Don't worry, there's always next year!

Anyone who's made it to the top 10 in a previous season is deemed ineligible and can't reenter the competition.

It's free to audition for American Idol, but you have to cover your travel and accommodations. The show will not compensate or arrange travel for people auditioning, even callbacks.

Whether it's an original song or a greatest hit, it's your choice what you sing for the judges. If your time is limited, you can even pick out a part of the song to highlight.

There are no group acts on American Idol, so only the potential contestant is allowed in the audition room. FYI: No instrumental support or backup singers are allowed either.

The show recommends contestants sing a cappella, but contestants are allowed to bring a musical instrument into the audition room if they can play it themselves.

Most American Idol seasons have had three judges, but some have had four. To avoid a split 50/50 vote, the show has implemented a majority rule. That means if a contestant faces a four-judge panel, they must receive at least three yeses to move forward.

The show asks that all auditioning contestants avoid wearing clothing that has corporate logos, sports names, or brands on it to their audition.

Even though the judges don't watch the preliminary rounds, those moments are still all captured on film.

As harsh as it sounds, producers on American Idol sometimes purposefully move bad singers through the audition process, since viewers enjoy watching a mix of good and bad singers. Unfortunately, this takes away spots for qualified singers.

If you accept the invitation to join American Idol, you must sign a contract that says you don't have any contractual obligations or agreements with your music.