What Is the Boston Marathon Cutoff Time?
The cutoff is how many minutes and seconds faster than the qualifying standard you had to run to be accepted into the Boston Marathon in a given year. It is announced after registration closes, once the BAA knows how many qualifiers applied.
How it is set
The BAA fixes a field size, opens registration to everyone who met the standard, then accepts the fastest applicants in each age and gender group until the field is full. The time of the slowest accepted applicant, measured under the standard, becomes the cutoff. The same buffer applies to every age group on top of its own standard.
Recent cutoffs
2026: 4:34. 2025: 6:51. 2024: 5:29. 2022 and 2023: none, every qualifier was accepted. 2021: 7:47, when the field was cut to 20,000 for COVID-19. The number moves every year with how many fast runners apply.
See the full history and what each cutoff meant in finish times on the blog, or check your own buffer with the predictor.
Frequently asked questions
Is the cutoff the same as the qualifying standard?
No. The standard is the time that lets you apply. The cutoff is the extra margin under the standard you needed to be accepted that year.
When is the cutoff announced?
After registration closes, usually in September for the following April race, once the BAA has counted applications.