The TCS New York City Marathon is one of the largest and most popular marathons in the world and getting into it can be almost as hard as running it. The 2025 New York City Marathon will be held on Sunday, November 2, 2025, but you need to plan way ahead of that (even before you have to start your training!) to secure your entry.
There are several ways to get into the New York City Marathon: through their lottery drawing, through guaranteed entry, or through their charity program.
How to Apply for the New York City Marathon Lottery
The New York Road Runners (who organize the marathon) will hold a lottery drawing for the 2025 New York City Marathon and potential participants can apply for a spot in the marathon.
Runners who do not have guaranteed entry to the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon can apply to the non-guaranteed general entry drawing during the application period from February 11-25, 2025 and the drawing for these entries will take place following the application period.
The drawing is free to enter and limited to one entry per person. Entry fees are charged upon acceptance.
Once an entrant is accepted, the entry fee is nontransferable under any and all circumstances, and is also nonrefundable under any and all circumstances except in the event of cancellation of the marathon.
How to Get Guaranteed Entry for the New York City Marathon
The following groups are eligible for guaranteed non-complimentary entry to the 2025 New York City Marathon. Runners who qualify can claim their guaranteed entry during the claim period from from February 5–25, 2025.
- Those who have registered for and completed at least nine NYRR-scored, qualifying races, and who have volunteered for one event, during the prior calendar year. More about the 9+1 guaranteed entry option.
- Entrants in the prior year’s New York City Marathon who canceled prior to the race.
- Those who have completed 15 or more New York City Marathons.
- Runners who meet time standards during 2024 in NYRR races. The time-standard qualifying window for the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon is January 1 to December 31, 2024. A limited number of time-qualifier spots will be available to runners who met the time standards in a non-NYRR race. These spots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Runners must claim their guaranteed entry during the application window for the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon.
How to Get into the New York City Marathon Through the Charity Program
The New York City Marathon’s charity program offers runners guaranteed entry and a chance to give back to the community.
You just commit to raising money for any of the charities listed on the marathon website and you’ll be guaranteed a race entry. Some of the charities also offer marathon training and other perks in exchange for your fundraising efforts.
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Running coach, avid runner, and fitness writer Christine Luff is an RRCA-certified running coach and ACE-certified personal trainer. Author of the book Run for Good: How to Create a Lifelong Running Habit, she coaches runners, from beginners to advanced, who are training for races, from 5Ks to marathons.
