How to get into the NYC Half
- 2027 guaranteed entryOct 21 to Oct 28, 2026
- 2027 lotteryOct 21 to Nov 11, 2026
- ResultsNov 18, 2026
- Race dayMar 21, 2027
- 2028 lotteryOct to Nov 2027, expected
- ResultsNov 2027, expected
Every way into the NYC Half
| Route | Who it's for | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drawing | Anyone 16 or older on race day without guaranteed entry, in three pools: NYC metro, rest of US, international | Applications Oct 21 to Nov 11, 2026. Drawing Nov 18, 2026. Next: late October 2027 | Free to apply. $142.76 for NYRR members, $169.20 for non-members, charged only if selected |
| Member second-chance drawing | NYRR members not picked in the main drawing, with membership active from Oct 20, 2026 through drawing day | Same day as the drawing, Nov 18, 2026. Entered automatically | Membership $63.45 a year, then $142.76 charged if selected |
| 4 out of 6 | NYRR members who finished four of the designated 2026 NYRR races, membership active by Oct 11, 2026 | Claimed Oct 21 to 28, 2026. Unclaimed places forfeited | $142.76 |
| Time qualifier | Half marathon chip time under the NYRR age standard, Oct 21, 2025 to Oct 20, 2026 (men 18 to 34: 1:21:00, women: 1:32:00) | Claimed or applied Oct 21 to 28, 2026 | $142.76 or $169.20 |
| Deferral from 2026 | 2026 entrants who cancelled by Mar 14, 2026, unless they had already deferred from 2025 | Claimed Oct 21 to 28, 2026 | 2027 entry fee again |
| Virtual guaranteed entry | Finishers of the Virtual NYC Half at the Guaranteed Entry Tier | 2027 virtual race runs Mar 13 to 21, 2027 | $89.88 for members, $111.03 for non-members, plus the entry fee later |
| Charity | Anyone who pledges to raise money for an official charity partner, such as Team for Kids or Team Fox | Each charity sets its own dates. Team for Kids pledge due Feb 24, 2027 | At least $1,000 raised, plus the entry fee. Team for Kids: $1,310 plus a $60 sign-up fee |
| Tour operator | Runners who live outside the US, through an NYRR International Tour Operator. Marathon Tours & Travel's US office sells to Seven Continents Club members | On sale now through the operator | Package only. From US$995 with 2 hotel nights and the entry (Destiny2Sport, 2027) |
| Philanthropic membership | NYRR 5K and 10K Philanthropic Members | Any year of membership | $5,287.50 (pay the entry fee) or $10,575 (entry included) |
NYC Half lottery results
Applications for the 2027 drawing ran October 21 to November 11, 2026. NYRR fills the non-guaranteed places through three drawings held on November 18, 2026, one per pool: residents within 60 miles of New York City, other US residents including Puerto Rico and US territories, and non-US residents.
It is free to apply. If you are selected, NYRR charges the full entry fee to your card right away: $142.76 for NYRR members and $169.20 for non-members for 2027. NYRR members who are not picked go straight into the member-only second-chance drawing the same day and are told by email before the end of the day.
To be in the second-chance drawing, your membership must have been active the day before applications opened, October 20, 2026, and stay active through drawing day. Non-NYRR time qualifiers who missed the cut for their age group were moved into the main drawing.
NYC Half lottery odds
NYRR has not published applicant numbers for the drawing since the 2020 race. For 2020, 47,793 people applied and 15,325 were drawn, about 32%. For 2018, NYRR received over 42,000 applications and planned to draw about 15,000, nearly 36%.
The field has grown since then. The race had a reported 28,709 finishers in 2025 and 30,229 in 2026, the largest half marathon NYRR has held. NYRR does not say how places split between the three pools or how many go to guaranteed entrants.
The 2028 NYC Half drawing
NYRR has not announced it. The drawings for the 2026 and 2027 races both opened about October 21 and closed about November 11, with the drawing in mid to late November (November 20, 2025 and November 18, 2026). Expect the same window in 2027.
To have the second-chance drawing as a backup, join NYRR before the 2028 application opens and keep the membership active through drawing day. Individual membership is $63.45 a year, and it cuts the 2027 entry fee by $26.44.
NYC Half guaranteed entry: 4 out of 6, time qualifiers and more
4 out of 6: NYRR members who finished four designated 2026 races, with membership active by the NYRR Staten Island Half on October 11, 2026, earned a 2027 place. The 2026 list was the Manhattan 10K, the NYC Half, the Brooklyn Half, the Queens 10K, the Bronx 10 Mile, the Staten Island Half, and the virtual NYC Half and Brooklyn Half medal races. NYRR has not posted the 2027 list for the 2028 race.
Time qualifiers: a qualifying time at the 2025 NYC Marathon or the 2026 NYC Half, Maybelline Women's Half, Brooklyn Half or Staten Island Half is guaranteed. A time from another certified half marathon, run October 21, 2025 to October 20, 2026, got one of a limited number of places, given to the fastest in each age and gender group if oversubscribed. Times are by age on race day, and nonbinary standards match the women's.
Also guaranteed: 2026 entrants who deferred by March 14, 2026, finishers of the 2026 Virtual NYC Half at the Run for Guaranteed Entry tier, and Philanthropic Members ($5,287.50 at the 5K level, where you still pay the entry fee, or $10,575 at the 10K level, where entry is included). All guaranteed places were claimed October 21 to 28, 2026, and unclaimed ones were forfeited. The 2027 Virtual NYC Half, March 13 to 21, 2027, again has a Guaranteed Entry Tier at $89.88 for members and $111.03 for non-members.
| Age | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 18 to 34 | 1:21:00 | 1:32:00 |
| 35 to 39 | 1:23:00 | 1:34:00 |
| 40 to 44 | 1:25:00 | 1:37:00 |
| 45 to 49 | 1:28:00 | 1:42:00 |
| 50 to 54 | 1:32:00 | 1:49:00 |
| 55 to 59 | 1:36:00 | 1:54:00 |
| 60 to 64 | 1:41:00 | 2:02:00 |
| 65 to 69 | 1:46:00 | 2:12:00 |
| 70 to 74 | 1:57:00 | 2:27:00 |
| 75 to 79 | 2:07:00 | 2:40:00 |
| 80+ | 2:15:00 | 2:50:00 |
NYC Half charity entry
Charity places skip the drawing. NYRR sells blocks of entries to official charity partners for $250 each, and every charity runner must pledge at least $1,000. Charities can set a higher minimum, and you pay the race entry fee on top. You apply to the charity, not to NYRR. NYRR publishes the full 2027 partner list on drawing day.
NYRR's own Team for Kids asks for $1,310, due by 11:59 p.m. ET on February 24, 2027, plus a $60 sign-up fee and the entry fee. Any shortfall is charged to your card on February 25. Team Fox (Michael J. Fox Foundation) asks for $2,000 or $3,000, with 30% raised by December 21, 2026 to be registered and the rest by March 14, 2027, plus a $5 fee and the entry fee. Children's Aid also has 2027 places and does not publish its minimum.
Charity runners who want to defer must follow their charity's rules.
| Charity | Minimum to raise | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| NYRR program floor | $1,000 | Set by each charity |
| Team for Kids (NYRR) | $1,310, plus $60 sign-up | Feb 24, 2027 |
| Team Fox | $2,000 or $3,000, plus $5 | 30% by Dec 21, 2026, rest by Mar 14, 2027 |
| Children's Aid | Not published | Not published |
NYC Half tour operators
NYRR sells guaranteed entries to International Tour Operators (ITOs) for runners who live outside the US. NYRR charged operators $225 an entry for 2026. You buy from the official ITO in your country, or from any participating ITO if your country has none. Every operator must include a New York hotel or a round-trip flight, so there is no bib-only option. NYRR lists 60 operators for 2027, mostly in Europe and Latin America. Other names include TUI Sports (Netherlands, Belgium), DERTOUR and interair (Germany), Plaza Maratones and German Silva Tours (Mexico), Sports Tours International (Ireland, France) and Springtime Travel (Norway, Sweden).
Marathon Tours & Travel sells 3-night packages at the Hyatt Centric Times Square. Its UK and Australian offices cannot sell entry to US residents, and its US office sells guaranteed entries only to Seven Continents Club members. Dream Travel Canada's 2027 package has 3 nights at the Four Points by Sheraton Times Square, breakfast, start-area transport and a VIP tent. Destiny2Sport offers 2 or 3 nights at the Westin Times Square and a group bus to the start, and its packages are not sold to US residents.
Book early: in November 2026, Dream Travel Canada had 2 places left. Dream Travel takes a CA$500 deposit plus fees, with the balance due January 8, 2027. It cannot defer or refund, and if it resells your place, it keeps 15% to 100% of what you paid and holds the rest as a credit for 24 months. Marathon Tours & Travel's US office takes $300 and the balance by January 15, 2027, all non-refundable. Destiny2Sport takes a non-refundable $200 and monthly payments to January 15, 2027. If you withdraw, NYRR gives you no guaranteed place in a later year.
| Operator | Country | Package from |
|---|---|---|
| Marathon Tours & Travel | US (Seven Continents Club members only) | $1,050 for 3 nights (2026 rate), entry extra |
| On Location | US | Not published |
| Dream Travel Canada | Canada | US$1,247 plus $152 fees for 3 nights, entry included (2027) |
| iRun the Globe | Canada | Not published |
| Marathon Tours & Travel | UK | £799 for 3 nights (2026 rate), entry £195 extra (2026) |
| Sports Tours International | UK | Not published, entry £269 extra (2027) |
| Sport Retreats | UK | Not published |
| Marathon Tours & Travel | Australia | A$2,139 per runner for 3 nights (2026 rate), entry A$345 extra |
| Destiny2Sport | US office, non-US residents only | US$995 for 2 nights, entry included (2027) |
NYC Half entry at a glance
NYC Half entry questions
When are the NYC Half lottery results?
The 2027 drawing is on November 18, 2026. Selected runners are charged and told by email. NYRR members not picked are entered in a second-chance drawing the same day.
What are the odds in the NYC Half lottery?
NYRR has not published them since the 2020 race, when 15,325 of 47,793 applicants were drawn, about 32%.
How much does the NYC Half cost?
For 2027, $142.76 for NYRR members and $169.20 for non-members, charged only if you get in. NYRR membership is $63.45 a year.
What are the NYC Half qualifying times?
Men 18 to 34 need 1:21:00 and women 1:32:00 in a certified half marathon, easing with age to 2:15:00 and 2:50:00 at 80+. Non-NYRR times get a limited number of places.
How do I get guaranteed entry to the NYC Half?
Through 4 out of 6 as an NYRR member, a time qualifier, a deferral, the virtual Guaranteed Entry Tier, a charity, a tour operator if you live outside the US, or a Philanthropic Membership.
Can I defer my NYC Half entry?
Yes. Cancel by March 20, 2027 and you can claim a 2028 place and pay again. Not if you already deferred from 2026, and not for tour operator entries.
Can I run the NYC Half for charity?
Yes. Every charity runner raises at least $1,000 plus the entry fee. Team for Kids asks $1,310 by February 24, 2027, and Team Fox $2,000 or $3,000.
When is the 2028 NYC Half drawing?
Not announced. The last two opened around October 21 and closed around November 11, so expect late October to mid November 2027.
More bucket list races
Dates come from the race's official site. An expected date follows last year's timing until the race announces it.