How it works
The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) sets a qualifying standard for every age group in the men’s, women’s and non-binary categories. Your group depends on your age on race day, not on the day you ran your qualifier. Run a marathon at or under your standard and you can apply.
A qualifying time does not guarantee a place. When more qualifiers apply than the field can take, the B.A.A. accepts runners by how far under their standard they are, fastest first, until the field is full. The margin of the last runner accepted is the cut-off. For the 2026 race it was 4:34, so a runner with a standard of 3:05:00 needed 3:00:26 or faster.
This calculator finds your standard, adds any downhill adjustment for your course, and shows your margin. It then checks that margin against the cut-offs of recent years and lists the finish times that would have cleared them.
The formula
counted time = your chip time + downhill adjustment
margin = your standard − counted time
accepted = margin is at least that year’s cut-off
downhill adjustment:
under 1,500 ft (457 m) nothing
1,500 to 2,999 ft + 5:00
3,000 to 5,999 ft + 10:00
6,000 ft (1,829 m) or more course not acceptedWorked example
A man who will be 42 on race day ran 3:00:00 on a flat course.
- His group is men 40-44, with a standard of 3:05:00.
- The course is under 1,500 ft of net drop, so nothing is added: 3:00:00 counts.
- Margin: 3:05:00 − 3:00:00 = 5:00 under his standard. He is a qualifier.
- Against recent cut-offs, 5:00 clears 2026 (4:34) but not 2024 (5:29) or 2025 (6:51).
- To have cleared all three, he needed 6:51 under his standard: 2:58:09 or faster.
Qualifying standards for 2027 and 2028
The B.A.A. uses the same standards for the 2027 race (19 April 2027) and the 2028 race (17 April 2028). The times are for your age on race day. Non-binary standards are the same as the women’s.
| Age on race day | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 18-34 | 2:55:00 | 3:25:00 |
| 35-39 | 3:00:00 | 3:30:00 |
| 40-44 | 3:05:00 | 3:35:00 |
| 45-49 | 3:15:00 | 3:45:00 |
| 50-54 | 3:20:00 | 3:50:00 |
| 55-59 | 3:30:00 | 4:00:00 |
| 60-64 | 3:50:00 | 4:20:00 |
| 65-69 | 4:05:00 | 4:35:00 |
| 70-74 | 4:20:00 | 4:50:00 |
| 75-79 | 4:35:00 | 5:05:00 |
| 80 and over | 4:50:00 | 5:20:00 |
For the 2026 race the B.A.A. made the standards faster. Men 18-34, for example, went from 3:00:00 to 2:55:00. Cut-offs from 2025 and earlier were measured against the older, slower standards.
Cut-off history
How far under their standard a qualifier had to be to get in. The cut-off was 0:00 in 2022 and 2023, when every qualifier who applied was accepted. The 2021 race had a smaller field of 20,000.
| Race | Cut-off | Not accepted |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 4:34 | 8,887 |
| 2025 | 6:51 | 12,324 |
| 2024 | 5:29 | 11,039 |
| 2023 | 0:00 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0:00 | 0 |
| 2021 | 7:47 | 9,215 |
| 2020 | 1:39 | 3,161 |
| 2019 | 4:52 | 7,248 |
| 2018 | 3:23 | 5,062 |
| 2017 | 2:09 | 2,957 |
| 2016 | 2:28 | 4,562 |
| 2015 | 1:02 | 1,947 |
| 2014 | 1:38 | 2,976 |
| 2012 | 1:14 | 3,228 |
Registration for the 2027 race closed on 18 September 2026 with 33,656 qualifier applications. For comparison, 36,393 applied for 2025, a record, and 33,249 for 2026. The B.A.A. said it would email decisions by early October and did not predict the cut-off.
Downhill courses
Since registration for the 2027 race, the B.A.A. adds time to results from courses with a large net drop, measured as the height of the start minus the height of the finish. The adjustment is added after you submit your time.
| Net drop | Added |
|---|---|
| Under 1,500 ft (457 m) | Nothing |
| 1,500 to 2,999 ft (457 to 914 m) | +5:00 |
| 3,000 to 5,999 ft (914 to 1,829 m) | +10:00 |
| 6,000 ft (1,829 m) or more | Not accepted |
The B.A.A. says these downhill adjustments may change before registration for 2028.
What counts as a qualifying marathon
- The course must be certified by USA Track & Field or a foreign equivalent, with at least three competitors and official chip timing.
- The B.A.A. uses your net time, also called chip time, not your gun time.
- Times for the 2028 race must be run from 19 September 2026 until registration week in September 2027.
Questions
What is my Boston qualifying time?
It depends on your category and your age on race day. For 2027 and 2028, men aged 18-34 need 2:55:00, and women and non-binary runners aged 18-34 need 3:25:00. Each older group gets more time. The full table is in the section on qualifying standards.
Which age counts: when I ran the qualifier or on race day?
Your age on race day. For the 2028 race that is 17 April 2028. If you run your qualifier at 44 and turn 45 before race day, the 45-49 standard applies to you.
Why is a qualifying time not enough to get in?
More qualifiers apply than there are places. For 2026, 33,249 qualifiers applied, 24,362 were accepted and 8,887 were not. The B.A.A. accepts the runners furthest under their standard first, so the cut-off depends on how fast everyone else was.
When will the 2027 cut-off be announced?
The B.A.A. said it would email applicants by early October 2026. It received 33,656 qualifier applications and did not predict the cut-off. The cut-offs for the last three races were announced between 23 and 28 September.
What is the Boston Qualifier Selection?
A random draw the B.A.A. added for 2027. About 1,000 qualifiers whose times were not fast enough for the cut-off are picked at random for entry. The B.A.A. has not said whether it continues for 2028.
Do downhill marathons still count?
Yes, up to a point. The B.A.A. adds 5 minutes to results from courses that drop 1,500 to 2,999 ft from start to finish, and 10 minutes for 3,000 to 5,999 ft. Courses that drop 6,000 ft or more cannot be used to qualify.
Does the B.A.A. use chip time or gun time?
Chip time, which the B.A.A. calls official net time. It runs from when you cross the start line to when you cross the finish.
How much faster than my standard should I aim?
The cut-offs for 2024 to 2026 were 5:29, 6:51 and 4:34. A margin of 6:51 or more would have got you in all three years. Enter your details above to see the finish time that means for you, and print a pace band for it.
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Sources
- Boston Athletic Association. Qualify for the Boston Marathon: qualifying standards, downhill time adjustments and cut-off history.
- Boston Athletic Association. Registration updates and information announced for 2027 Boston Marathon. 22 July 2026.
- Boston Athletic Association. 2027 Boston Marathon registration update. 21 September 2026.
- Boston Athletic Association. Field of qualifiers notified of acceptance into the 130th Boston Marathon. 23 September 2025.
- Boston Athletic Association. Field of qualifiers notified of acceptance into the 129th Boston Marathon. 24 September 2024.
- Boston Athletic Association. Global field of qualifiers notified of acceptance into the 128th Boston Marathon. 28 September 2023.
- Boston Marathon qualifying standards. Wikipedia (history of the standards).