# List of awards and nominations received by David Letterman

David Letterman is an American comedian and talk show host known for Late Night with David Letterman (1982–1993), Late Show with David Letterman (1993–2015) and My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman (2018–present).

## Major associations
### Daytime Emmy Awards

| Year | Association | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
| 1981 | Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Host or Hostess in a Variety Series | The David Letterman Show | Won | |
| 1981 | Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Individual Achievement – Writers | The David Letterman Show | Won | |

### Primetime Emmy Awards

| Year | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| 1984 | Outstanding Writing in a Variety Or Music Program | Late Night with David Letterman | Won |
| 1984 | Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Program | Late Night with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 1985 | Outstanding Writing in a Variety Or Music Program | Late Night with David Letterman | Won |
| 1985 | Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Program | Late Night with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 1986 | Outstanding Writing in a Variety Or Music Program | Late Night with David Letterman | Won |
| 1986 | Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Program | Late Night with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 1987 | Outstanding Writing in a Variety Or Music Program | Late Night with David Letterman | Won |
| 1987 | Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Program | Late Night with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 1988 | Outstanding Writing in a Variety Or Music Program | Late Night with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 1988 | Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Program | Late Night with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 1990 | Outstanding Writing in a Variety Or Music Program | Late Night with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 1990 | Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series | Late Night with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 1991 | Outstanding Writing in a Variety Or Music Program | Late Night with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 1991 | Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Program | Late Night with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 1992 | Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Program | Late Night with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 1992 | Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing in a Variety Or Music Program | Late Night with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 1993 | Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series | Late Night with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 1993 | Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing in a Variety Or Music Program | Late Night with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 1994 | Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series | Late Show with David Letterman | Won |
| 1994 | Funniest Male Performer in a TV Series | Late Show with David Letterman | Won |
| 1994 | Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing in a Variety Or Music Program | Late Show with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 1995 | Outstanding Writing for a Variety Or Music Series | Late Show with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 1995 | Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing in a Variety Or Music Program | Late Show with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 1996 | Outstanding Writing in a Variety Or Music Program | Late Show with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 1996 | Outstanding Writing for a Variety Or Music Series | Late Show with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 1997 | Outstanding Writing in a Variety Or Music Program | Late Show with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 1998 | Outstanding Writing in a Variety Or Music Program | Late Show with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 1998 | Outstanding Performance in a Variety Or Music Program | Late Show with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 1999 | Outstanding Writing in a Variety Or Music Program | Late Show with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 2000 | Outstanding Writing in a Variety, Music or Comedy Program | Late Show with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 2000 | Outstanding Writing in a Variety Or Music Program | Late Show with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 2001 | Outstanding Writing in a Variety, Music or Comedy Program | Late Show with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 2001 | Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety Or Music Program | Late Show with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 2001 | Outstanding Writing in a Variety Or Music Program | Late Show with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 2002 | Outstanding Writing in a Variety, Music or Comedy Program | Late Show with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 2002 | Outstanding Writing in a Variety Or Music Program | Late Show with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 2003 | Outstanding Writing in a Variety, Music or Comedy Program | Late Show with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 2004 | Outstanding Writing in a Variety, Music or Comedy Program | Late Show with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 2005 | Outstanding Writing in a Variety, Music or Comedy Program | Late Show with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 2006 | Outstanding Writing in a Variety, Music or Comedy Program | Late Show with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 2006 | Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety Or Music Program | Late Show with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 2007 | Outstanding Writing in a Variety, Music or Comedy Program | Late Show with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 2007 | Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety Or Music Program | Late Show with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 2008 | Outstanding Writing in a Variety, Music or Comedy Program | Late Show with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 2008 | Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety Or Music Program | Late Show with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 2009 | Outstanding Writing in a Variety, Music or Comedy Program | Late Show with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 2009 | Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series | Late Show with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 2015 | Outstanding Variety Talk Series | Late Show with David Letterman | Nominated |

### American Comedy Awards

| Year | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| 1989 | Funniest Male Performer in a TV Special | Late Night with David Letterman | Won |
| 1989 | Outstanding Writing in a Variety Or Music Program | Late Night with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 1989 | Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Program | Late Night with David Letterman | Nominated |
| 1995 | Funniest Male Performer in a TV Special | Late Night with David Letterman | Won |
| 2001 | Funniest Male Performer in a TV Series | Late Night with David Letterman | Won |

### The Comedy Awards

| Year | Association | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
| 2011 | Late Show with David Letterman | The Comedy Awards | Johnny Carson Comedy Award | Won | |

## Honors
### Kennedy Center Honors

| Year | Association | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
| 2012 | Kennedy Center Honors | Recipient | David Letterman | Won | |

### Mark Twain Prize for American Humor

| Year | Association | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
| 2017 | Mark Twain Prize for American Humor | Recipient | David Letterman | Won | |

### Peabody Awards

| Year | Association | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
| 2015 | Peabody Award | Individual Award | David Letterman | Won | |