The main Oscars awards ceremony starts at 7 p.m. Eastern / 4 p.m. Pacific on Sunday, March 15, 2026.

When do the Oscars awards start?

Quick Scoop

If you’re wondering “when do the awards start for the Oscars?” this year (the 98th Academy Awards), here’s the key timing:

  • Ceremony start time: 7:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. PT on Sunday, March 15, 2026.
  • Location: Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
  • Red carpet coverage: Typically starts about 30 minutes before the ceremony on major broadcasts (around 6:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. PT), with some channels starting even earlier for extended arrivals.

So, if you just want to catch the awards themselves , aim to tune in right at 7 p.m. Eastern / 4 p.m. Pacific.

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