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What are the eligibility rules for entering the D&AD Impact Awards 2026?

Eligibility requirements, submission deadlines, and what types of work qualify.

Summary: Learn the full eligibility requirements for Impact, Future Impact and Sustained Impact, including rules for older work, collaborations, self-promo, charity projects and competition entries.

Eligibility Periods

Impact Category
Your work must have been commercially released between 1 January 2023 – 15 April 2025. Work may be resubmitted year-on-year if it has been developed or significantly changed.

Future Impact Category
Your work must have been developed or significantly changed between 1 January 2025 – 15 April 2026. This category is for prototypes, MVPs and early-stage designs.


Sustained Impact Category
Work must satisfy both:

  1. Commercial release/updates between 1 January 2021 – 31 December 2024, and
  2. Evident increased impact between 1 January 2025 – 15 April 2026.

If the work was released for the first time before 1 January 2025 it is eligible only under one of these two conditions:

  • The majority of the work was launched between 1 January 2025 and 15 April 2026 (only applies to campaign entries) .
  • The work was changed/updated then re-launched between 1 January 2025 and 15 April 2026, having undergone a significant creative development.

Can Two Companies Enter the Same Work?

Two different entrants cannot enter the same work within the same sub-category. If your project is a collaboration with other companies/individuals, check they haven’t entered it first. The first paid entry takes priority.

Can Clients Enter Work?

Yes, clients can enter work produced for them either internally or by an external agency (as long as it has not been entered by the external agency in the same category) – see previous question.

Can I Enter Work Done for Free for a Charity?

Yes, however, to be eligible there must be a contractual relationship between the charity and entrant agency. If the media/ airtime was provided pro-bono we reserve the right to ask for confirmation from the media owner.

Can I Enter Work That Features The D&Ad; Brand?

We do not accept entries where D&AD; is the primary and/or secondary client, or where D&AD; is associated with the work. This includes work that features and/or promotes the D&AD; brand.

Can I Enter Self-Initiated Or Self-Promotional Projects?

Self-promotional work is a piece of work created by a freelancer or company with the purpose of showcasing and promoting their practice. This usually includes, but is not limited to, booklets, magazines, guides or websites. 

Self-promotional work is eligible only if it was commercially released and made available to existing and potential customers. It must not include any third-party names, trade marks, logos and/or any other third-party intellectual property, and must not falsely claim, suggest or imply any association with a third party. 

Self-initiated work refers to a piece of work that wasn't commissioned, and was deliberately created by a freelancer or a company about a general topic, unrelated to their own practice. 

This is generally not accepted. If you’re unsure about your work being eligible, please contact us.

Do You Accept Work Created For The Purpose Of Entering Competitions?

Work produced in response to a competition is only eligible if it was commercially released, and if it was signed off by the client it represents.

Are Entries Accepted Globally?

We are here to support the global community of creative practitioners, and we allow entrants from all backgrounds and localities to submit their work into the D&AD; Awards, except where there are legal impediments in place that prevent us from doing so. D&AD; continuously monitors global legal impediments to remain compliant.