How to Get SNL Tickets: The Lottery, Standby Line and Next Dates
The SNL ticket lottery for the 2026-27 season is closed, so the way in right now is a standby reservation. NBC says the next lottery runs from 12:00 a.m. ET on Aug. 1, 2027, to 11:59 p.m. ET on Aug. 31, 2027, and that it takes an email to SNLTICKETS@NBCUNI.COM. Standby is separate and opens each week that has a new episode; the next new Saturday Night Live is on Saturday, Oct. 31.
We read NBC's ticket page and NBC Insider's standby guide on Saturday, Oct. 17, and what follows is only what those two say. Tickets are free, and NBC says any ticket that is sold or auctioned is invalid.
How does the SNL ticket lottery work?
You send one email during August. NBC asks for your first and last name and a note on why you want to be in the studio audience. Winners are drawn at random and are given a set number of tickets for a show date and time NBC picks; you can't ask for a particular date. NBC says entering doesn't guarantee tickets and that only people who are chosen are contacted.
NBC Insider's lottery guide adds that the lottery allows one request per household. The 2026-27 window closed at 11:59 p.m. EST on Aug. 31, 2026, and NBC says entries outside the window are not considered.
How do you get SNL standby tickets?
NBC Insider lays out four steps for standby, which is a waitlist spot for that week's audience, not a seat:
| Step | When | What NBC says |
|---|---|---|
| Request a reservation | Thursday of show week, 10 a.m. ET | Up to four spots, for either the 8 p.m. dress rehearsal or the 11:30 live show. Name, email and party size are required. |
| Wait for the confirmation email | After you submit | It carries your reservation number and can take a few hours. Reservations are first come, first served. |
| Check in in person | Friday before the show, 6 to 7 p.m. | Your whole party goes to the W. 49th Street NBC Studios marquee with photo ID. Reservations can't be transferred. |
| Collect a standby card | About 12:01 a.m. Saturday | Cards are handed out in line order, one per person. You stay in line until then. |
NBC Insider warns that a duplicate submission for the same show replaces your first one and gives you a new reservation number, so it advises against sending a second. It also says a standby card doesn't guarantee admission until you are seated.
When can you request standby next?
NBC Insider says standby is offered for each week with a new episode. Saturday, Oct. 17 and Saturday, Oct. 24 are reruns on NBC's schedule, and the next new episode is Saturday, Oct. 31, with host Inde Navarrette and musical guest Gracie Abrams. By NBC's Thursday rule, that puts the next request window at 10 a.m. ET on Thursday, Oct. 29. That date is our reading of NBC's rule, not a date NBC has published, so check NBC's page that morning.
What do you need to be admitted?
NBC's ticket page says you must be at least 16 on the day of the show, with or without a parent or guardian, and that everyone in your party needs valid photo ID showing a date of birth. It says names and government-issued IDs may be reviewed for security.
Short answers
Can you buy SNL tickets? No. NBC says tickets are complimentary and any ticket offered for sale is invalid.
Can you pick the episode? Not through the lottery. Standby is tied to one specific week's show, which is the only choice you make.
For the show itself, see whether SNL is new this week, who is hosting and what time it starts. The full season is on the Season 52 schedule, and if you can't be in the room, how to watch SNL live covers the broadcast. A detail goes on this page only when NBC's own pages state it, as set out on how we make this. Corrections go to the address on the about page.
Sources · NBC — Tickets and NBC Studio Tour (SNL lottery and rules), read Oct. 17 · NBC Insider — how to request SNL standby tickets for Season 52 (updated Sept. 10) · NBC Insider — SNL ticket lottery for Season 52, final week · The Futon Critic — NBC listings for Saturday Night Live