13 Rules the Contestants onThe Bachelor&BacheloretteMust Follow (Including What Happens to the Engagement Ring If the Couple Splits!)

Mar. 15, 2025

Joey Graziadei and Kelsey Anderson after she accepted his proposal on ‘The Bachelor’ season 28.Photo:John Fleenor/Disney

John Fleenor/Disney

Love knows no bounds — but when you’re searching for your match onThe Bachelor, rules apply.

As it turns out, some of the guidelines may stem from Palmer himself, who recalled to formerThe BacheloretteleadJenn Tranthat he might be the reason food is no longer eaten during one-on-one dates.

“On my season, I was scarfing the food down on every single date. I’d try to have this serious heartfelt conversation and I’m just literally talking through the food … and I think after that they had to stop doing it,” hetoldTran during season 21 of the show. “I essentially ruined it for everybody.”

Contestants must meet certain requirements to be cast

‘The Bachelor’ season 26 cast.John Fleenor/ABC via Getty

John Fleenor/ABC via Getty

Interested in applying to be onThe Bachelor? Several requirements must be met for casting eligibility, according to the show’sofficial casting website.

Applicants must be at least 21 years of age at the time of application. Additionally, hopefuls must be legal residents of the United States or Canada (excluding Quebec) — and have a valid passport for one year following application submission.

Further, all applicants must be single (and divorces need to be finalized!), including any involvement in a “committed intimate relationship,” the website reads. Plus, if you’re there for the wrong reasons, you might betold to leave on night one!

Contestants can’t disclose they’ve been cast

‘The Bachelor’ season 21 cast starring Nick Viall.Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

Attending a casting session must be kept confidential. Applicants who are selected to participate must keep information about the process private, especially if chosen to be on the show, per the casting website.

Chelsea Roy, who appeared on season 22 ofThe BachelorwithArie Luyendyk Jr.as the lead, toldVoxin January 2019 that the confidentiality surrounding the show made it challenging to secure brand sponsorships, which she had hoped to arrange in advance to borrow outfits for filming.

“We sign a big NDA [nondisclosure] agreement where we’re not allowed to tell anyone that we’ve been cast and we’re going to start filming the show,” she told the outlet. “I was able to reach out to a couple of people, local people, and say, ‘I would like to support your store in exchange for some exposure in the next few months. Just trust me.’ ”

They might be asked to take a physical and psychological test

Contestants on season 24 of ‘The Bachelor’ during a group date.Craig Sjodin via Getty

Craig Sjodin via Getty

Prior to tapingThe Bachelor, contestants might be asked to complete a few evaluations first. All contestants selected to travel to Los Angeles “may be required to undergo physical, medical and psychological examinations,” the eligibility site states.

Contestants must agree to be filmed up to 24 hours a day

Zach Shallcross and contestants during a group date on season 27 of ‘The Bachelor.'.Craig Sjodin/ABC via Getty

Craig Sjodin/ABC via Getty

If applying to be onThe Bachelor, hopefuls must agree to be recorded at all times. According to the requirements on the show’s official casting website, participants must agree to being filmed and audiotaped up to 24 hours.

However, former hostChris Harrisonrevealed that they don’t have hidden mics — and there are times when contestants are allowed to get some privacy.

“It’s not a gotcha show. It’s not a hidden camera show,” he toldEntertainment Tonightin January 2020. “And we tell people, if you are in the bathroom or whatever, you’re off-mic. There are a lot of times when they’re not even on mic … We do give you a lot of alone time if you need that personal space.”

Contestants have to bring their own clothes — and follow a dress code

Season 16’s Jaclyn Swartz toldThe Fashionistain January 2017 that one of her dresses — which had orange, blue and white zigzags — had to be tested on camera, but was approved.

“The only time they’ll come and tap you on the shoulder is if they’re noticing that it’s not working on camera,” she said. “They would never be like, ‘Oh, that’s ugly. Take it off.’ They would say, ‘It’s just not translating well on camera. You should change, but that’s to benefit you.’ "

Producers are even more involved when it comes to night one dresses.

“The [show’s] stylistCary Fetmanand a producer will come around to [your] room and they’ll approve the dress for the first night,” Swartz said. “That’s usually to make sure no two girls are wearing the same dress.”

Limo entrances are strategic

Matt James and Alana during The Bachelor Season 25.Craig Sjodin via Getty

Harrison toldEntertainment Tonightthat he and the show’s producers work with the women onThe Bachelorto plan their night one limo entrances.

“They get to L.A., we start talking to them about their hobbies: Do you ride horses? Do you fly planes? Is there something funny that you would like to talk about?” he said. “Because you can’t just have 30 people getting out going, ‘Hi, my name’s Lauren.’ We do try to mix it up.”

Harrison shared that he even sometimes helped write “one-liners” for contestants.

“When people are showing up in windmills and suitcases and all that, yeah, I’ll throw some lines out every now and then,” he added. “You know, I got the dad jokes. I like to share.”

Contestants are not allowed to eat the food on one-on-one dates

Zach Shallcross and Aly Jacobs on a date during ‘The Bachelor’ season 27.Craig Sjodin/ABC via Getty

Wondering why you don’t often see anyone chowing down on the beautiful plated meals on group dates or one-on-ones? That’s because contestants reportedly eat before taping.

“Before we went on the date, the producers sent food to our hotel rooms,” season 17 leadSean Lowerevealed in his book,For the Right Reasons: America’s Favorite Bachelor on Faith, Love, Marriage, and Why Nice Guys Finish First, per Bustle.

“We ate in our rooms and then went out for dinner, where we would be given beautiful food arranged nicely on the plate,” he continued. “This was just for show. No one looks good eating and microphones pick up all kinds of chomping.”

They can’t access their phones or internet

Zach Shallcross, Kaity, Ariel and Gabi during the rose ceremony on The Bachelor Season 27.Craig Sjodin/ABC via Getty

Who needs outside contact when the love of your life is in the same mansion as you, right? Contestants are stripped of their phones when filming begins. (According toThe Verge, contestants with children are provided with a phone to use every few days, but cannot hold onto their own personal devices.)

Former contestant Ashleigh Hunt, who was on season 14 withJake Pavelkaas the lead, toldThe Ashley’s Reality Roundupin July 2011 that computers were also “taken away” on day one.

There’s a good reason for this rule: “The producers’ obligation was to keep us from being distracted from life itself and focus on what we were there for, to meet our future husband,” season 17’s Tierra LiCausi told The Verge in June 2017.

Contestants can’t bring books or listen to music — but they can sometimes watch movies

The cast of The Bachelor Season 24, starring Peter Weber.Eric McCandless via Getty

Eric McCandless via Getty

Similar to the limited phone access, the way the contestants spend their downtime on the show is controlled.

“No phone and no books. They were all taken,” season 17’sAshLee Fraziertold The Verge. “Music wasn’t allowed, but some sneak it in and hope to not get caught. The only book[s] allowed are Bibles.”

This specific rule may have changed over time, as season 21’sWhitney Fransway— who vied forNick Viall’s final rose — shared that contestants could bring “printed content” such as books and journals and could listen to music during car rides once done filming.

Frazier and LiCausi also noted occasional “blackout days,” when the cast got a break from filming and were allowed to watch movies.

They must say “journey” instead of “process”

Zach Shallcross gives Kaity Biggar a rose on ‘The Bachelor’ season 27.Craig Sjodin/ABC via Getty

Have you ever wondered why contestants onThe BachelorandThe Bachelorettesay “journey” so often?

Lowe opened up about the reasoning behind this toGlamourin January 2015, saying, “Any time you call it a process,they will make you re-tape it and say journey.”

Contestants have to do their own laundry and cooking during their time on the show

Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell on a one-on-one date during ‘The Bachelor’ season 25.Craig Sjodin via Getty

Although the Bachelor Mansion seems like a glamorous vacation to viewers, Hughes revealed to The Daily Beast that they do still have to do some of their own chores.

“We have to do our own cooking, our own laundry,” she said. “We do everything you would do when you’re at home, except be able to go outside of your home.”

However, Spivey said the women did get a break from cooking at times.

“For rose ceremonies, they have catered food available for the girls, but a lot of it isn’t the healthiest — think California Pizza Kitchen and fried chicken tenders,” she said.

Contestants can’t disclose spoilers when filming wraps

Sean Lowe proposes to Catherine Giudici during the season 17 finale of ‘The Bachelor.'.Dave Hagerman/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

Dave Hagerman/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

Contestant David Ravitz, who appeared onThe Bacheloretteseason 14, toldRefinery29in September 2018that ABC goes to great lengths to prevent content leaks from happening when filming wraps.

“You sign all kinds of paperwork, confidentiality and whatnot,” he told the outlet. “You know it all has to be secretive and you’re not supposed to talk about behind the scenes, you’re not supposed to talk about relationships that form.”

“We get to experience really cool things, potentially meet a life partner, and in return, we know that we need to give the studio full confidentiality and give the show the respect they deserve,” Ravitz continued. “That’s kind of the give and take that goes along with the whole experience that we get to partake in.”

If contestants end their engagement within two years, they have to give their ring back

Peter Weber and Hannah Ann Sluss during ‘The Bachelor’ season 24 finale part 2.John Fleenor via Getty

John Fleenor via Getty

There’s nothing quite like that final episode when the rose is swapped for a shinyNeil Laneengagement ring. But as it turns out, there’s a clause in the contract that imposes a time limit on how long couples must stay together to keep the ring.

Jesse Csincsak— who receivedDeAnna Pappas’ final rose onThe Bacheloretteseason 4 — revealed toBustlein March 2014 that “if you are not together for two years after the final day of the show airing, you have to give them the ring back.”

It’s likely the time limit applies toThe Bachelorcontestants as well, given that Harrison echoed there being “some rule” in Bachelor Nation about the ring toEntertainment Weeklyin March 2016.

Where the ring goes after it’s returned remains a mystery, though Lane joked toStyleCasterin 2016 that they go to “ring heaven.”

source: people.com