The 2026 Oscars ceremony starts at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT on Sunday, March 15, 2026.

When Do the Oscars Start? (Quick Scoop)

📺 Exact Start Time

  • Main ceremony: 7 p.m. Eastern / 4 p.m. Pacific on Sunday, March 15, 2026.
  • Location: Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
  • This is the 98th Academy Awards.

If you're planning a watch party, that’s your go-time for when the actual show begins.

⏰ What About the Red Carpet?

  • Official red carpet coverage typically starts about 30 minutes earlier, around 6:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. PT on ABC and related coverage.
  • Some outlets (like E!) start even earlier in the afternoon with extended arrivals and fashion coverage.

So if you’re into outfits and interviews, tune in before the main 7 p.m. ET start.

🔌 Where It’s Being Shown

  • Airs live on ABC in the U.S.
  • Also available via ABC app/website and streaming on Hulu and other live TV services that carry ABC (like YouTube TV, Fubo, etc.).

“When do the Oscars start?”
Answer for 2026: Sunday, March 15 — 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT. Set your reminders accordingly.

TL;DR: The 2026 Oscars start at 7 p.m. Eastern / 4 p.m. Pacific on Sunday, March 15, 2026, with red carpet coverage kicking off a bit earlier.

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