QUALIFY FOR THE BOSTON MARATHON
Qualifying for the 2026 Boston Marathon
- Qualifier Registration for the 2026 Boston Marathon will take place September 8-12, 2025 within the B.A.A.'s online platform, Athletes' Village. Anyone who has achieved a currently valid Boston Marathon qualifying time for their respective age and gender can apply during this time within the B.A.A.’s online platform Athletes’ Village. Registration is not on a first-come, first-served basis, and applications will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. ET on Friday, September 12.
- 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 September 12, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. ET. The qualifying window for the 2027 Boston Marathon will open September 13, 2025.
- Qualifying standards for Para Athletics Divisions, Adaptive Programs, and Wheelchair Division can be found here.
- 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 |
Para Athletics, Adaptive Program, and Wheelchair Division qualifying standards are available here.
New Net-Downhill Course Procedures for Boston Marathon Qualifying Races
The B.A.A. annually reviews Boston Marathon qualifying rules and procedures to ensure that athletes are competing and applying for Boston Marathon entry without substantial advantages over fellow athletes.
Starting with registration for the 2027 Boston Marathon, qualifying results from any course with a net-downhill of 1,500-feet (457.2 meters) or more will incur a time adjustment to results, (known as an ‘index’) upon being submitted for Boston Marathon registration.
The below adjustment in rules will go into effect starting with the 2027 Boston Marathon qualifying window, which will open September 13, 2025.
“As the sport of marathoning has increased in popularity and the demand for a place in the Boston Marathon has reached record levels, the B.A.A. has continued to analyze race results from events across the world,” said Jack Fleming, B.A.A. President and Chief Executive Officer. “The new downhill course adjustments are the next step in our evolving Boston Marathon registration process. We wanted to give athletes and events ample time to prepare in advance of the 2027 Boston Marathon registration period. We know athletes plan their qualifying marathons well in advance.”
Net-Downhill Definition: The B.A.A. defines net-downhill as the difference in elevation between the start and finish points of an event. 1,500 feet is equal to 457.2 meters.
Downhill Results Indexing:
Starting with registration for the 2027 Boston Marathon, verified qualifying times from any course with a net-downhill of 1,500 or more feet will incur a time adjustment to results (known as an ‘index’) after being submitted for Boston Marathon registration. The below time indexes will be added after an official qualifying time is submitted for review to the B.A.A.
- Verified qualifying times from any course with a net-downhill of between 1,500 and 2,999 feet (457.2 meters and 914.1 meters) will incur a five-minute (+5:00 minutes) time adjustment to results once submitted to the B.A.A. for review.
- Verified qualifying times from any course with a net-downhill of between 3,000 and 5,999 feet (914.2 meters and 1,828.5 meters) will incur a ten-minute (+10:00 minutes) time adjustment to results once submitted to the B.A.A. for review.
- Any course with a net-downhill of 6,000 feet (1,828.6 meters) or greater will not be allowed for Boston Marathon qualifying purposes.
The above time indexes will be in place for at least the next two years, and the B.A.A. reserves the right to make additional adjustments in the future if deemed necessary.
Athletes are encouraged to visit World Athletics and USATF or their respective qualifying event’s website for information on course elevation and current certification to ensure events meet the above Boston Marathon qualifying criteria.
Examples of Downhill Time Indexes
Runner A is an 18-years-old man (qualifying standard of 2:55:00). Runner A times 2:45:30 at a marathon which features a net-downhill of 2,000 feet (609.6 meters) from start to finish. When applying to participate in the 2027 Boston Marathon, their result will incur a five-minute index and will be considered as 2:50:30 during the registration review process. Therefore, their result will be considered 4 minutes, 30 seconds under their 2:55:00 qualifying standard.
Runner B is a 40-year-old woman (qualifying standard of 3:35:00). Runner B times 3:20:30 at a marathon which features a net-downhill of 5,000 feet (1,524 meters) from start to finish. When applying to participate in the 2027 Boston Marathon, their result will incur a ten-minute index and will be considered as 3:30:30 during the registration review process. Therefore, their result will be considered 4 minutes, 30 seconds under their 3:35:00 qualifying standard.
Runner C is a 35-year-old man (qualifying standard of 3:00:00). Runner C times 2:58:00 at a marathon which features a net-downhill of 2,500 feet (762 meters) from start to finish. Their result will incur a five-minute index and will be considered as 3:03:00. Therefore, their result will be considered 3 minutes over their 3:00:00 qualifying standard and Runner C will not be allowed to submit a qualifier application for entry.
ADDITIONAL QUALIFYING INFORMATION
- 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: