Scoring a seat at late night's funniest show

Attending the taping of a late night talk show is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. When visiting New York City, a fun activity is to attend a taping of "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon." The show tapes daily Monday through Friday beginning at 5 p.m. at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. Here's everything you need to know about snagging tickets to the show.

Reserving tickets in advance

Tickets for the Jimmy Fallon show are available to reserve online one month in advance. NBC opens the reservations the first week of the month before, with the exact date available on the ticketing website each month. Sign up in advance for an account with 1iota by visiting the website and selecting "Tonight Show Member Sign-Up." Upon signup, you are automatically placed in a waiting list for tickets. If you are lucky enough to score the tickets, 1iota will notify you at least two weeks before the show. If you do not receive a notification, you do not have tickets.

All audience tickets to _"_The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" are free. You must be at least 16 years old at the time of the taping to attend. You will be required to present an ID with your birthdate upon entry. Check the ticketing calendar online to see if tickets are available on your preferred date.

Waiting for standby tickets

If you aren't able to reserve tickets ahead of time, it's still possible to attend a taping using the standby line. Standby tickets are available each day for the same-day show but do not necessarily guarantee entry. Join the standby line on 49th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues at the "Tonight Show" sign before 9 a.m. Tickets are given out at 9 a.m., but NBC recommends arriving several hours earlier. Once in line you cannot leave or ask someone to hold your spot.

Requesting monologue rehearsal tickets

Every day, Jimmy Fallon tests out his monologue for a small audience. It's possible to get tickets to one of these rehearsals, which are not full tapings. Sign up for an account on 1iota and apply for "Monologue Rehearsal" tickets. You will be automatically placed in a waiting list and notified if you've received them. Tickets are free.

Winning VIP tickets

Follow the @FallonTonight Twitter feed for the chance to win two VIP tickets to a taping of the show. Every Friday, the account will tweet the #FallonTicketFriday hashtag along with a trivia question about the show. The first Twitter user with a correct answer wins. The tickets are not able to be exchanged and may only be used on the date included in the tweet.

On Thursdays, fans have another chance to win by following @FallonTonight on Twitter or on Instagram. Shortly before noon, the account will share a location in NYC. The first person who gets to the spot scores the tickets.

Knowing the rules

Tickets to the Jimmy Fallon show may not be sold or purchased. Do not buy any tickets to the show, even if it seems like it's from a legitimate source. Any tickets that appear fraudulent or that NBC suspects may have been sold can be turned away at the door.

Fans can't exceed more than one show taping within a six-month period, although you may attend both a monologue rehearsal and a show taping within a six-month period as long as it's not on the same day. You can attend a monologue rehearsal once every three months.

The dress code for taping is smart casual, and costumes are not allowed. Backpacks, luggage and large shopping bags cannot be brought inside the studio, so be sure to leave any large items at home. Tapings last one hour and 15 minutes, and audience members should be prepared to show up by 3:15 p.m. for a 5 p.m. taping.

If you need further information on ticketing, call _"_The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" ticketing office, open from Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST.