The New York City Marathon Ballot Is Open For 2025!

The ballot for the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon is open! 

Runners can apply to enter via several pathways up until the deadline of 11:59pm ET on Tuesday 25 February. 

The 2025 New York City Marathon takes place on Sunday 2 November. 

WHY ENTER THE NEW YORK CITY MARATHON

It’s the last of the year’s seven Marathon Majors and for many it’s the race with the greatest atmosphere and support in the world. 

Organised by the New York Road Runners (NYRR), the New York City Marathon is the largest marathon in the world, setting a new world record in 2024 when over 55,000 people completed the race. 

Among the finishers in 2024, 17,859 were international runners from 137 different countries.

The NYC Marathon was first run in 1970. Since 1976 it’s taken its now-iconic route which connects the five boroughs of the city: Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx, with a finish line in Central Park. 

Want to see what it’s like? Here’s Anna taking on the New York City Marathon!

HOW TO ENTER THE NEW YORK CITY MARATHON

Most runners will apply for non-guaranteed general entry. This is the main ballot. Sign up, reserve your place with a valid payment card, and if your name is drawn the entry fee is automatically withdrawn and you get your starter’s bib. In 2024, there was a 5% success rate in the ballot for non-guaranteed general entry. The ballot is drawn on 5 March 2025. 

There are three ballot drawings, with a bias towards local runners: NYC metro area residents; US residents; international applicants.

The NYC Marathon reserves some places for time qualifiers (see below for details). Runners who qualify at an eligible NYRR race can claim their guaranteed non-complimentary entry from 5–25 February 2025. If applications exceed available race bibs then it’s fastest-first and everyone who isn’t selected via this route goes into the non-guaranteed general entry drawing. More details here. 

Other ways to enter include taking part in the NYRR 9+1 Program, meaning running nine NYRR races and volunteering at one. If you do this then you get guaranteed entry into the NYC Marathon. Also, if you’ve run 15+ previous NYC Marathons then you can also apply for a guaranteed bib, and if you complete the virtual NYC Marathon you get a guaranteed entry. Information on all the ways to enter the NYC Marathon is here. 

The cost to enter the 2025 New York City Marathon is $315. 

WHAT IF YOU DON’T GET A BALLOT PLACE?

You can still run the New York City Marathon if you don’t get a ballot place. 

The best chances you have for the 2025 race is to find a charity place or non-US citizens can work with a tour operator like Sports Tours International. 

Or now is the time to plan ahead for 2026. That could mean working towards the 9+1 Program or faster runners could take part in a NYRR race to achieve a qualifying time.

You can also apply to run the virtual 2025 New York City Marathon. If you complete the virtual race then you get guaranteed non-complementary entry for the 2026 New York City Marathon. Applying for the virtual race typically happens during the spring or summer. 

RUNNING QUALIFYING TIME FOR NEW YORK CITY MARATHON

NYC Marathon offers non-complementary guaranteed entry to athletes who meet the time qualifying standards at an in-person NYRR marathon or half marathon within the qualifying window.

There are also limited entries for those who run a time qualifying standard at non-NYRR events, where only marathon times count (not half marathons). If oversubscribed, it’s a fastest-first system within each category.

The times are based on your age on the date of the race, not the age you were when you ran your time. In previous years, times have been gun time, not net time (but check this year’s rules for full details).

Applicable NYRR races for time qualifiers include: Fred Lebow Manhattan Half, NYC Half, Women’s Half-Marathon, Brooklyn Half, Staten Island Half and 2024 New York City Marathon.

For New York City Marathon 2025, the qualifying window was 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024. The times in brackets below are half marathon times – these are only applicable to NYRR races.

Are you going to enter the ballot for the 2025 New York City Marathon?

Lead image from NYRR