| Year | Award | Category | Film | Result |
| 1991 | Sundance Film Festival | Grand Jury Prize - Dramatic | Slacker | Nominated |
| 1992 | Independent Spirit Award | Best First Feature | Nominated |
| Best Director | Nominated |
| 1993 | Locarno International Film Festival | Golden Leopard | Dazed and Confused | Nominated |
| 1995 | Berlin International Film Festival | Golden Bear | Before Sunrise | Nominated |
| Silver Bear | Won |
| 1996 | Chicago Film Critics Association | Best Screenplay | Nominated |
| 2001 | Venice Film Festival | Golden Lion | Waking Life | Nominated |
| 'CinemAvvenire Award for Best Film | Won |
| 2002 | Independent Spirit Award | Best Director | Nominated |
| Best Screenplay | Nominated |
| Ottawa International Animation Festival | Best Animated Feature Film | Won |
| Jeonju International Film Festival | Daring Digital Award | Nominated |
| 2004 | Berlin International Film Festival | Golden Bear | Before Sunset | Nominated |
| Gotham Awards | Best Film | Nominated |
| Utah Film Critics Association | Best Screenplayshared with Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy | Nominated |
| 2005 | Academy Award | Best Adapted Screenplayshared with Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy | Nominated |
| Bodil Awards | Best American Film | Nominated |
| International Cinephile Society Awards | Best Screenplayshared with Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy | 2nd Place |
| Independent Spirit Award | Best Screenplayshared with Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy | Nominated |
| National Society of Film Critics | Best Screenplayshared with Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy | 3rd Place |
| Online Film Critics Society | Best Adapted Screenplayshared with Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy | Nominated |
| Argentine Film Critics Association | Silver Condor Award for Best Adapted Screenplayshared with Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy | Nominated |
| Writers Guild of America Award | Best Adapted Screenplayshared with Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy | Nominated |
| 2006 | Cannes Film Festival | Palme d'Or | Fast Food Nation | Nominated |
| 2007 | Austin Film Critics Association | Austin Film Award | A Scanner Darkly | Won |
| Hugo Award | Best Dramatic Presentation - Long Form | Nominated |
| 2009 | Austin Film Critics Association | Austin Film Award | Me and Orson Welles | Won |
| 2012 | Austin Film Critics Association | Austin Film Award | Bernie | Won |
| Gotham Awards | Best Film | Nominated |
| 2013 | Independent Spirit Awards | Best Film | Nominated |
| Austin Film Critics Association | Austin Film Award | Before Midnight | Won |
| Boston Online Film Critics Association Awards | Best Screenplayshared with Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy | Won |
| Chicago Film Critics Association | Best Adapted Screenplayshared with Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy | Nominated |
| Dublin Film Critics' Circle | Best Director | Nominated |
| Best Screenplayshared with Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy | Won |
| Denver Film Critics Society | Best Adapted Screenplayshared with Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy | Nominated |
| Detroit Film Critics Society | Best Screenplayshared with Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy | Nominated |
| Gotham Awards | Best Film | Nominated |
| Houston Film Critics Society | Best Screenplayshared with Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy | Nominated |
| Hollywood Film Awards | Best Screenwritershared with Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy | Won |
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association | Best Screenplayshared with Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy | Won |
| New York Film Critics Circle | Best Screenplayshared with Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy | 2nd Place |
| Online Film Critics Society | Best Adapted Screenplayshared with Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy | Nominated |
| San Diego Film Critics Society | Best Adapted Screenplayshared with Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy | Won |
| San Francisco Film Critics Circle | Best Adapted Screenplayshared with Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy | Nominated |
| St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association | Best Adapted Screenplayshared with Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy | Nominated |
| Satellite Award | Best Adapted Screenplayshared with Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy | Nominated |
| Utah Film Critics Association | Best Adapted Screenplayshared with Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy | Won |
| Village Voice Film Poll | Best Screenplayshared with Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy | Won |
| Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association | Best Adapted Screenplay | Nominated |
| 2014 |
Academy Award | Best Adapted Screenplayshared with Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy | Nominated |
| Bodil Awards | Best American Film | Nominated |
| Critics' Choice Movie Award | Best Adapted Screenplayshared with Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy | Nominated |
| Independent Spirit Award | Best Screenplayshared with Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy | Nominated |
| National Society of Film Critics | Best Screenplayshared with Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy | Won |
| Argentine Film Critics Association | Silver Condor Award for Best Foreign Film | Nominated |
| Toronto Film Critics Association | Best Screenplayshared with Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy | 2nd Place |
| Writers Guild of America Award | Best Adapted Screenplayshared with Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy | Nominated |
| AACTA International Awards | Best Film | Boyhood | Nominated |
| Best Direction | Nominated |
| Best Screenplay | Nominated |
| Alliance of Women Film Journalists | Best Film | Won |
| Best Director | Won |
| Best Original Screenplay | Nominated |
| Austin Film Critics Association | Best Film | Won |
| Best Director | Won |
| Best Austin Film | Won |
| Boston Society of Film Critics | Best Film | Won |
| Best Director | Won |
| Best Screenplay | Won |
| Chicago Film Critics Association | Best Film | Won |
| Best Director | Won |
| Best Original Screenplay | Nominated |
| Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association | Best Director | 2nd Place |
| Best Screenplay | 2nd Place |
| Detroit Film Critics Society | Best Film | Won |
| Best Director | Won |
| Best Screenplay | Won |
| Denver Film Critics Society | Best Picture | Nominated |
| Best Director | Won |
| Best Original Screenplay | Nominated |
| Dublin Film Critics' Circle | Best Director | Won |
| Florida Film Critics Circle | Best Director | Won |
| Gotham Independent Film Awards | Audience Award | Won |
| Guldbagge Awards | Best Foreign Film | Nominated |
| Houston Film Critics Society Awards | Best Director | Won |
| Best Screenplay | Won |
| Iowa Film Critics | Best Director | Won |
| Kansas City Film Critics Circle | Robert Altman Award for Best Director | Won |
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association | Best Director | Won |
| New York Film Critics Circle | Best Director | Won |
| New York Film Critics Online | Best Director | Won |
| North Texas Film Critics Association | Best Director | Won |
| Norwegian International Film Festival | Norwegian Film Critics Award | Won |
| Online Film Critics Society Awards | Best Director | Won |
| Best Original Screenplay | Nominated |
| Phoenix Film Critics Society | Best Director | Won |
| Best Original Screenplay | Nominated |
| San Diego Film Critics Society Awards | Best Director | Nominated |
| Best Original Screenplay | Nominated |
| San Francisco Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Director | Won |
| Best Original Screenplay | Nominated |
| San Francisco International Film Festival | Founder’s Directing Award | Won |
| Seattle International Film Festival | Best Film | Won |
| Best Director | Won |
| Southeastern Film Critics Association | Best Director | Won |
| St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Awards | Best Director | Nominated |
| Best Original Screenplay | Nominated |
| Sydney Film Festival | Sydney Film Prize | Nominated |
| Toronto Film Critics Association | Best Director | Won |
| Best Screenplay | Runner-up |
| Vancouver Film Critics Circle | Best Director | Nominated |
| Best Screenplay | Nominated |
| Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards | Best Director | Won |
| Best Original Screenplay | Nominated |
| 2015 | Academy Award | Best Picture | Nominated |
| Best Director | Nominated |
| Best Original Screenplay | Nominated |
| British Academy Film Awards | Best Film | Won |
| Best Direction | Won |
| Best Original Screenplay | Nominated |
| Critics' Choice Movie Award | Best Picture | Won |
| Best Director | Won |
| Directors Guild of America Award | Outstanding Directing – Feature Film | Nominated |
| Golden Globe Award | Best Director | Won |
| Best Screenplay | Nominated |
| Producers Guild of America Awards | Best Theatrical Motion Picture | Nominated |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | Best Original Screenplay | Nominated |
|