QUALIFY FOR THE BOSTON MARATHON
Qualifying for the 2026 Boston Marathon
- Qualifier Registration for the 2026 Boston Marathon will take place this fall within the B.A.A.'s online platform, Athletes' Village. Exact registration dates will be announced over the summer.
- The qualifying times below are based upon each athlete's age on the date of the 2026 Boston Marathon (April 20, 2026).
- Qualifying times are based on official submitted net time (also known as chip time).
- Due to field size limitations, achieving one's qualifying standard does not guarantee entry into the event, but simply the opportunity to submit a registration application.
- In recent years, not all qualifiers who submit an entry have been accepted due to field size restrictions.
- If the total amount of submissions surpasses the allotted field size for qualified athletes, then those who are the fastest among the pool of applicants in their age and gender group will be accepted.
- Current qualifying standards for 2026 can be found below.
- The qualifying window for the 2026 Boston Marathon opened on September 1, 2024 and will run through the end of registration next fall (dates to be announced).
- Qualifying times may be used for multiple race registrations so long as the achieved qualifying time was run within the race's specified qualifying window.
- Participants will have the opportunity to purchase registration protection at the point of registration.
2026 Boston Marathon Qualifying Times
| Age Group | MEN | WOMEN | NON-BINARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-34 | 2hrs 55min 00sec | 3hrs 25min 00sec | 3hrs 25min 00sec |
| 35-39 | 3hrs 00min 00sec | 3hrs 30min 00sec | 3hrs 30min 00sec |
| 40-44 | 3hrs 05min 00sec | 3hrs 35min 00sec | 3hrs 35min 00sec |
| 45-49 | 3hrs 15min 00sec | 3hrs 45min 00sec | 3hrs 45min 00sec |
| 50-54 | 3hrs 20min 00sec | 3hrs 50min 00sec | 3hrs 50min 00sec |
| 55-59 | 3hrs 30min 00sec | 4hrs 00min 00sec | 4hrs 00min 00sec |
| 60-64 | 3hrs 50min 00sec | 4hrs 20min 00sec | 4hrs 20min 00sec |
| 65-69 | 4hrs 05min 00sec | 4hrs 35min 00sec | 4hrs 35min 00sec |
| 70-74 | 4hrs 20min 00sec | 4hrs 50min 00sec | 4hrs 50min 00sec |
| 75-79 | 4hrs 35min 00sec | 5hrs 05min 00sec | 5hrs 05min 00sec |
| 80 and over | 4hrs 50min 00sec | 5hrs 20min 00sec | 5hrs 20min 00sec |
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- The qualifying window will remain open until the conclusion of registration for the Boston Marathon (once the maximum field size has been reached).
- Only a certified full marathon distance will be accepted for qualifying.
- Distances shorter than a full marathon will not be accepted.
- Times from indoor marathons or virtual marathons are not accepted for qualifying purposes.
- We accept qualifying times from USATF, World Athletics/AIMS, or foreign equivalent certified courses.
- The Boston Marathon does not designate which races meet qualifying standards.
- You must directly contact the race you wish to qualify at to see if they have a current certification.
- Extensive calendars of upcoming marathons in your area can be found at:
- All qualifying times are subject to review and verification.
- Minimum age requirement for the Boston Marathon is 18 years of age on race day.
- Though the B.A.A. will email registrants upon the completion of their form, runners are not officially entered into the race until their qualifying time is verified. The amount of time it takes to verify qualifying times may vary and can be as long as several days, depending on the qualifying marathon.
Qualifying History
Historically, runners who beat their qualifying standard by a larger amount of time are more likely to be accepted into the Boston Marathon. Due to field size limitations, as well as a heightened interest in participation, a varying "cut-off" time (a time below the minimum qualifying standard for age and gender) has been established. Below is a list of when entrants needed to obtain a faster time than their minimum standard in order to be accepted into the race:
| YEAR | FIELD SIZE | "CUT-OFF TIME"* | QUALIFIERS NOT ACCEPTED |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 27,000 | 1:14 | 3,228 |
| 2014 | 36,000 | 1:38 | 2,976 |
| 2015 | 30,000 | 1:02 | 1,947 |
| 2016 | 30,000 | 2:28 | 4,562 |
| 2017 | 30,000 | 2:09 | 2,957 |
| 2018 | 30,000 | 3:23 | 5,062 |
| 2019 | 30,000 | 4:52 | 7,384 |
| 2020 | 31,500 | 1:39 | 3,161 |
| 2021 | 20,000 | 7:47 | 9,215 |
| 2022 | 30,000 | 0:00 | 0 |
| 2023 | 30,000 | 0:00 | 0 |
| 2024 | 30,000 | 5:29 | 11,039 |
| 2025 | 30,000 | 6:51 | 12,324 |
*Any athlete who submitted an invalid time, a finish result for a distance other than a qualifying marathon, or a time not within the designated qualifying window will not be accepted.
To see more history about Boston Marathon qualifying standards, click below:
Non-Binary Athletes
The Boston Athletic Association is actively working on expanding opportunities for non-binary athletes at our events, including the Boston Marathon.
With 2025 being our second year featuring non-binary entrants, we do not yet have enough data to establish non-binary qualifying times. Therefore, we will use the times listed below, as they are inclusive of the qualifying times for the two existing divisions. As we prepare for future races, participants can expect non-binary times to be updated accordingly.
| Age Group | Non-Binary Time |
|---|---|
| 18-34 | 3hrs 25min 00sec |
| 35-39 | 3hrs 30min 00sec |
| 40-44 | 3hrs 35min 00sec |
| 45-49 | 3hrs 45min 00sec |
| 50-54 | 3hrs 50min 00sec |
| 55-59 | 4hrs 00min 00sec |
| 60-64 | 4hrs 20min 00sec |
| 65-69 | 4hrs 35min 00sec |
| 70-74 | 4hrs 50min 00sec |
| 75-79 | 5hrs 05min 00sec |
| 80 and over | 5hrs 20min 00sec |