TV Academy Reveals Emmy Calendar for 2026 — Including Eligibility, Submission, Voting and Nomination Dates
The Television Academy has unveiled its 2026 Emmy Awards Calendar — which includes a new tweak to how some category nominations will be announced in the coming year. The bulk of nominations for the 78th Emmys will still be revealed on Wednesday, July 8. But there are 14 artisans categories that rely on peer group screening panels — and in 2026, those nominations won’t be announced until the following week, on Wednesday, July 15.
Meanwhile, the TV Academy also said that it will announce several Emmy rules changes for the coming contest next week. (The full 78th Emmy Rules and Procedures will be posted at the end of January.)
As previously announced, the 78th Emmy Awards will air live on NBC (and streamed live on Peacock) from the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles on Monday, Sept. 14, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. This reps the final year of the four-network Emmy “wheel deal.”
Meanwhile, the 2026 Creative Arts Emmy Awards will take place on Saturday, Sept. 5, and Sunday, Sept. 6. Those ceremonies will also be held at the Peacock Theater.
Here’s the 78th Emmy Awards schedule:
June 1, 2025 – May 31, 2026: Eligibility period.
Thursday, Feb. 19: Open for submissions.
Tuesday, Apr. 7: Deadline to apply for membership to guarantee voting eligibility for both rounds of the 78th Emmy competition and to secure member entry-fee discount. Application(s) must be completed and paid for by this date.
Tuesday, Apr. 7: Deadline for current voting members to apply for hyphenate voting status.
Wednesday, May 6: Deadline for lapsed members to apply to reinstate their membership to guarantee voting eligibility for both rounds of the 78th Emmy competition and secure member entry-fee discount. Application(s) must be completed and paid for by this date.
Thursday, May 7: Entry deadline for programs that identify as Primetime programming by virtue of genre and were originally presented on a national platform June 1, 2025 – May 31, 2026.
Thursday, May 7: Upload deadline for all entry materials.
Thursday, June 11: Nomination-round voting begins.
Monday, June 22, 10 p.m.: Nomination-round voting ends.
June 26 – July 7: Voting begins for peer group specific top 10 round panels.
Wednesday, July 8: Nominations announced.
Wednesday, July 15: Nominations announced for peer group specific top 10 round panels.
Wednesday, July 22: Deadline for errors and omissions to the nominations.
Week of Aug. 10: Final-round videos available for viewing.
Friday, Aug. 14 – Sunday, Aug. 16: Televerse at the JW Marriott at L.A. Live
Monday, Aug. 17: Final-round voting begins.
Wednesday, Aug. 26, 10 p.m.: Final-round voting ends.
Saturday, Sept. 5, and Sunday, Sept. 6: Creative Arts Awards and Governors Gala.
Monday, Sept. 14: NBC Telecast and Governors Gala.
Here are the categories that rely on peer group screening panels for nominations:
Outstanding Cinematography For A Series (Half-Hour)Outstanding Cinematography For A Series (One Hour)Outstanding Cinematography For A Limited Or Anthology Series Or MovieOutstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction For A SeriesOutstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction For A SpecialOutstanding Music Composition For A Series (Original Dramatic Score)Outstanding Music Composition For A Limited Or Anthology Series, Movie Or Special (Original Dramatic Score)Outstanding Music Composition For A Documentary Series Or Special (Original Dramatic Score)Outstanding Sound Editing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (One Hour)Outstanding Sound Editing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (Half-Hour)Outstanding Sound Editing For An Animated ProgramOutstanding Sound Editing For A Limited Or Anthology Series, Movie Or SpecialOutstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork For A SeriesOutstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork For A Special
And here’s how it works: Nominations are determined first by voting of all submissions by the Peer Group. The top 10 to 15 highest vote-getters are sent to the Peer Group Screening Panel, which consists of eligible members who have volunteered to serve on the panel. Then, the Screening Panel will view and vote on all submissions to determine the nominations.
Meanwhile, the TV Academy also said that it will announce several Emmy rules changes for the coming contest next week. (The full 78th Emmy Rules and Procedures will be posted at the end of January.)
As previously announced, the 78th Emmy Awards will air live on NBC (and streamed live on Peacock) from the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles on Monday, Sept. 14, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. This reps the final year of the four-network Emmy “wheel deal.”
Meanwhile, the 2026 Creative Arts Emmy Awards will take place on Saturday, Sept. 5, and Sunday, Sept. 6. Those ceremonies will also be held at the Peacock Theater.
Here’s the 78th Emmy Awards schedule:
June 1, 2025 – May 31, 2026: Eligibility period.
Thursday, Feb. 19: Open for submissions.
Tuesday, Apr. 7: Deadline to apply for membership to guarantee voting eligibility for both rounds of the 78th Emmy competition and to secure member entry-fee discount. Application(s) must be completed and paid for by this date.
Tuesday, Apr. 7: Deadline for current voting members to apply for hyphenate voting status.
Wednesday, May 6: Deadline for lapsed members to apply to reinstate their membership to guarantee voting eligibility for both rounds of the 78th Emmy competition and secure member entry-fee discount. Application(s) must be completed and paid for by this date.
Thursday, May 7: Entry deadline for programs that identify as Primetime programming by virtue of genre and were originally presented on a national platform June 1, 2025 – May 31, 2026.
Thursday, May 7: Upload deadline for all entry materials.
Thursday, June 11: Nomination-round voting begins.
Monday, June 22, 10 p.m.: Nomination-round voting ends.
June 26 – July 7: Voting begins for peer group specific top 10 round panels.
Wednesday, July 8: Nominations announced.
Wednesday, July 15: Nominations announced for peer group specific top 10 round panels.
Wednesday, July 22: Deadline for errors and omissions to the nominations.
Week of Aug. 10: Final-round videos available for viewing.
Friday, Aug. 14 – Sunday, Aug. 16: Televerse at the JW Marriott at L.A. Live
Monday, Aug. 17: Final-round voting begins.
Wednesday, Aug. 26, 10 p.m.: Final-round voting ends.
Saturday, Sept. 5, and Sunday, Sept. 6: Creative Arts Awards and Governors Gala.
Monday, Sept. 14: NBC Telecast and Governors Gala.
Here are the categories that rely on peer group screening panels for nominations:
Outstanding Cinematography For A Series (Half-Hour)Outstanding Cinematography For A Series (One Hour)Outstanding Cinematography For A Limited Or Anthology Series Or MovieOutstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction For A SeriesOutstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction For A SpecialOutstanding Music Composition For A Series (Original Dramatic Score)Outstanding Music Composition For A Limited Or Anthology Series, Movie Or Special (Original Dramatic Score)Outstanding Music Composition For A Documentary Series Or Special (Original Dramatic Score)Outstanding Sound Editing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (One Hour)Outstanding Sound Editing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (Half-Hour)Outstanding Sound Editing For An Animated ProgramOutstanding Sound Editing For A Limited Or Anthology Series, Movie Or SpecialOutstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork For A SeriesOutstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork For A Special
And here’s how it works: Nominations are determined first by voting of all submissions by the Peer Group. The top 10 to 15 highest vote-getters are sent to the Peer Group Screening Panel, which consists of eligible members who have volunteered to serve on the panel. Then, the Screening Panel will view and vote on all submissions to determine the nominations.