How to Get Free Tickets to Live TV Show Tapings in NYC
NYCTourism.com Staff
Want to join the live audience of TV shows taped in New York City? Use our guide to find free tickets.
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New York City Tourism + Conventions
Be Part of a Live Studio Audience

It’s fun—and free—to attend live tapings of popular TV shows shot in New York City. You get to see huge stars up close, and if you’re lucky, your friends at home might even see you on their own screens.

The wait for advance TV show tickets is often long, so it’s best to write in for them or reserve online far before your desired date. Still, many shows have standby options if you’re willing to wait in line. See below for info, addresses, schedules and other important info for the following NYC-based TV shows.

The Daily Show (Comedy Central)

The Daily Show airs Monday through Thursday at 11pm on Comedy Central. It parodies politics, pop culture, entertainment and news. Since longtime host Trevor Noah left in late 2022, the show has been led by a revolving cast of guest hosts (usually comedians), including Wanda Sykes, Sarah Silverman and Damon Wayans. In February 2024, former host Jon Stewart returned to helm Monday night shows through the end of the fall 2024 elections.

Ticket Info: Sign up here for tickets; reservations for shows are released a few weeks out on a gradual basis, so it pays to keep visiting the website.

Show Requirements: You must be 18 or older to attend; every guest must bring a valid ID. Also, as ticket distribution may be in excess of studio capacity, admission is not guaranteed; guests are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. No cameras or recording devices are allowed.

Location: 733 Eleventh Ave. (bet. W. 51st and W. 52nd Sts.)

Schedule: Check-in begins at 4pm and ends at 5pm. Ticketed guests should arrive 30-45 minutes before time listed on ticket to allow extra time for parking and traffic. Tapings are Mondays through Thursdays at 6pm and last until 7:30–8:00pm.

The Kelly Clarkson Show (NBC)

On The Kelly Clarkson Show, the Grammy-winning singer (and arguably American Idol’s most famous alumna) entertains her audience with celebrity interviews, musical performances and feel-good segments. The show airs weekdays; check your local listings for air time.

Ticket Info: Reserve tickets for The Kelly Clarkson Show here. The show tapes twice a day, at 11:15am and 3pm, and dates are released via the 1iota calendar as soon as they become available. Standby cards are released at 8am the day of each taping, at the Shop at NBC Studios (30 Rockefeller Plaza, Sixth Ave. entrance bet. W. 49th and 50th Sts.). Reservations don’t guarantee admission, so show up right at the check-in time listed on your ticket.

Show Requirements: Guests must be 18 or older, with a valid form of ID. Cell phone and video use in the studio is strictly prohibited.

Location: 30 Rockefeller Plaza (using the 50 W. 50th St. entrance)

Schedule: The morning taping lasts from around 11am to about 1pm; the afternoon taping is from approximately 3pm to 5pm. See your ticket for check-in time.

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

British comedian and firebrand John Oliver amassed a sizable fan base as a Daily Show correspondent, but he’s rocketed to fame as the host of the satirical news show Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, on which he recaps the previous week’s events with his whip-smart sense of humor.

Ticket Info: Last Week Tonight are available via a lottery on Tuesdays at 3pm. There’s a standby option this season; guests are asked to line up outside the studio any time after 3:15pm on the Saturday of the show taping.

Show Requirements: You must be at least 18 years old to attend.

Location: The CBS Broadcast Center, 530 W. 57th St. (bet. Tenth and Eleventh Aves.)

Schedule: Last Week Tonight tapes most Saturdays at 5pm. Arrive at least 90 minutes prior to the start time.

Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC)

Seth Meyers, best known as a former "Weekend Update" co-anchor on Saturday Night Live, hostsLate Night in NBC’s 12:35am slot. The show airs Monday through Friday.

Ticket Info: Reserve your free tickets here; they’re generally released at the start of each month, one month prior to when the tapings will be. Standby cards (one per person) are handed out on a first-come first-served basis from 8am to 1:30pm on the mornings of tapings in front of the Shop at NBC Studios, located at the Sixth Avenue entrance between West 49th and West 50th Streets.

Show Requirements: Late Night audience members must be 16 or older, with a valid form of ID. Individuals may not attend more than one show taping every four months. No groups larger than four people allowed. See ticketing website for limits on personal items allowed. All shows are overbooked, and reservations do not guarantee admission.

Location: Studio 8G, 30 Rockefeller Plaza (bet. Fifth and Sixth Aves. and W. 49th and W. 50th Sts.)

Schedule: Late Night with Seth Meyers usually tapes Monday through Thursday at 4pm, with check-in from 2 to 2:45pm. Taping lasts about an hour and fifteen minutes, and most shows end by 5:15pm.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS)

The Late Show is hosted by Stephen Colbert and has a strong current events bent, but celebrities and musical acts share the stage too. The show airs weeknights on CBS at 11:35pm.

Ticket Info: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert are available online. However, it can be hard to score them, so check back frequently and plan well ahead.

Show Requirements: You must be 18 or older to attend (16 or older with a parent or guardian), with a valid form of ID. Use of cell phones, pagers, cameras or recording devices is not allowed; food and drink are prohibited as well.

Location: 1697 Broadway (bet. W. 53rd and W. 54th Sts.)

Schedule: The Late Show generally tapes Monday through Thursday at 4:30pm, and the taping lasts 75–120 minutes.

Live with Kelly and Mark (ABC)

Live with Kelly and Mark, hosted by Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, is a popular syndicated morning talk show. It airs live on weekdays from 9am to 10am.

Ticket Info: To obtain Live with Kelly and Mark in advance, find an open day and click through to fill out the request form. If the wait for advance tickets is too long, it is still possible to get in on the day of the show. For same-day tickets, arrive at the studio for a standby number as early as 7am. After ticket holders are seated, standbys are seated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Show Requirements: Children between 10 and 17 years old must be accompanied by an adult; those under 10 are not allowed in the studio. No food or drink is permitted in the studio.

Location: The studio is at 7 Lincoln Square, at the southeast corner of Columbus Ave. and West 67th St.

Schedule: Live with Kelly and Mark broadcasts live from 9am to 10am on weekdays. Be sure to check your ticket for arrival time confirmation, but ticket holders should generally plan to arrive at the studio by 7:45am.

Saturday Night Live (NBC)

NYC institution Saturday Night Live is a live comedy and entertainment show airing at 11:30pm on Saturdays. It features celebrity guest hosts and musical performances. The show is a hot ticket for both visitors and New Yorkers. You’ll find the basics below.

Ticket Info: Saturday Night Live are given out once a year through a lottery; to enter, send just one email per person to snltickets@nbcuni.com during the month of August only. In the email, include your first and last name and explain why you’re a fan of the show and want to be in the studio audience. Do not request a specific date. Winners will each receive a set number of tickets for a specific show date and performance (dress rehearsal or live show). You will be notified only if you are selected. There is a virtual standby reservation option as well. Book your reservation at this link, which opens at 10am on the Thursday prior to a show. You may request no more than four standby reservations, for either the 8pm dress rehearsal or 11:30pm live show. Once you receive an emailed reservation number, arrive with your full party at the standby line (at 49 W. 49th St. bet. Fifth and Sixth Aves.) between 6pm and 7pm the Friday before the show. Once you’re checked in, you must keep your place in line until standby cards are handed out at 12:01am. A standby card doesn’t guarantee that you’ll be admitted to the show. See this website for more standby details.

Show Requirements: You must be 16 or older to attend, with a form of valid ID.

Location: 30 Rockefeller Plaza (bet. Fifth and Sixth Aves. and W. 49th and W. 50th Sts.)

Schedule: Check your tickets for arrival time for dress rehearsals and live tapings.

Today (NBC)

Today, also known as The Today Show, is NBC’s morning news and lifestyle program. The show stars Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Al Roker, Craig Melvin, Carson Daly, Jenna Bush Hager, Dylan Dreyer and Sheinelle Jones. On weekdays, during the first two hours of the show (7–9am), Today’s hosts and guests shoot a portion of the broadcast outside in Rockefeller Plaza near fans. During the show’s second half (9–11am), fans can still watch—and wave to friends and family at home—through the window of Studio 1A. On weekends, the hosts may periodically visit the plaza during the show.

Ticket Info: No tickets are necessary, but fans are encouraged to pick a date and RSVP in advance. To fill out a reservation form and find more info, visit this page.

Location: 35 W. 48th St. (bet. Fifth and Sixth Aves.; enter at W. 48th St.)

Schedule: The show broadcasts live Monday through Friday from 7 to 11am and Saturday from 7 to 9am; try to arrive 45 minutes before the show starts to get a good spot on the plaza.

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (NBC)

NBC’s longest-running late-night franchise returned to its ancestral (and rightful) home in New York City in 2014, and host Jimmy Fallon has made it a hot ticket and social media darling. The show airs Monday through Friday at 11:35pm.

Ticket Info: Submit a request for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon here; you’ll need to sign up for 1iota before applying. Show dates are released sporadically, so keep an eye on the 1iota calendar listings. Standby cards are available on the day of taping from 8am to 3pm at the Shop at NBC Studios (30 Rockefeller Plaza, Sixth Ave. entrance bet. W. 49th and 50th Sts.).

Show Requirements: Tonight Show audience members must be 16 or older with a valid form of ID. Audience members may not use cell phones, cameras or other electronic devices in the studio.

Location: 30 Rockefeller Plaza (using the 50 W. 50th St. entrance)

Schedule: The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon tapes Monday through Friday at 5pm; see your ticket for check-in time. Tapings generally last an hour and half.

The View (ABC)