Site Access

Registration of Experiment Participants

To receive access to SLAC, all members of the experiment team need to be registered in the User Portal and with SLAC. The Spokesperson or Lead Contact of a proposal is responsible for ensuring that all members of the experiment team that are listed on the Support Request (see Accept Time and Identify Experiment Team) and are registered in the User Portal and with SLAC.

1. Register in the User Portal
Include your proposal spokesperson, proposal number, instrument, and scheduled beam time.

2. Register for SLAC site access - New process as of June 2026
SLAC now uses a new site access management system. Guests must be sponsored by a SLAC employee and approved before access is granted. Members of the experiment team listed on the Support Request will receive an invitation to register through the SLAC Guest Gateway.

Note to foreign nationals:

The registration process will require submission of identification and visa documents to the Visitor, User, and Employee (VUE) Center at SLAC. For new users, you will be able to upload the documents during the registration process. For returning users, you will receive requests for these documents via SECURE email from SLAC VUE Coordinator, Azeb Amii. Please respond to these promptly. 

More information is available through the Visitor, User, and Employee (VUE) Center.

 

Site Access Information for Experiment Participants

To gain access to SLAC, all users are required to complete their designated training (see Safety Guidelines Website) and to check in at the Visitor, User, and Employee (VUE) Center.

 

Arrival at the Gate

Upon arrival at SLAC, have your photo ID ready and inform SLAC Security at the Main Gate that you are a user here for a scheduled experiment. They will confirm that your name is on the SLAC Site Access list.

To appear on the Site Access list, users need to have completed their registration (see Step 1 on this page) and must have been added to the list of collaborators on the Support Request for XRAY/VUV beam lines or on the Beam Time Request for Macromolecular Crystallography beam lines. If you are a Collaborator, please verify with your Spokesperson that you have been added to the required request. (See Spokesperson & Collaborator checklists)

 

Annual Check-in with the VUE Center and Badging

Annually on your first visit for the current run year (October-September), visit the SLAC VUE Center to obtain or renew your SLAC Badge.

  • Check-in Times:
    • SLAC Badge office New Hours
      Open: Monday – Friday, 6am to 5pm (except lunch period, see below) (closed on Holidays)
      Closed: M-F 12:30pm to 1pm
    • After Hours for Temporary or Visitor Badging only, see the Main Gate (entrance to SLAC)
    • For any unexpected closures or changes to the regular schedule, please check the Badge Office Website or call them at 650-926-5345.
  • Check-in Requirements:
    • Real ID for US citizens
    • Identification/travel/immigration documents for foreign nationals
    • The VUE Center will verify: your training, user agreement and documents, then they will issue you a SLAC Badge valid for a year.
  • Directions to the VUE Center:
    • Parking should be available in the visitor parking area in front of the Science and User Support Building (SUSB) 53, which is directly adjacent to the SLAC main gate.
    • Just inside Building 53, turn left to the VUE Center/Badging Office where SLAC

Wear your SLAC badge so it is visible at all times during your visit. If you do not plan to return to SLAC for another experiment within the next run year, return your badge to SLAC Security before you depart.