The MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) ceremony itself is usually about three hours long, not counting the red carpet.

Quick Scoop

  • Recent VMAs have been scheduled from about 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern, which is a three‑hour main show.
  • There’s typically a pre‑show or red carpet that starts 1–2 hours earlier, often around 6:30–7 p.m. Eastern.
  • Like many live award shows, the VMAs can run a bit overtime, sometimes by 20–30 minutes, especially if there are big moments or surprise announcements.

So if you’re planning your night, expect roughly three hours for the ceremony , and up to four to five hours total if you include pre‑show coverage.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.