The 1986 Laurence Olivier Awards were presented by the Society of London Theatre on 7 December 1986 at the Royalty Theatre in London, celebrating excellence in West End theatre. It was broadcast by BBC Television, though the broadcast date and specific BBC station is not availablethe 2003 Oliviers, for example, aired on BBC Two the evening after the live event.
Details of winners (in bold) and nominees, in each award category, per the Society of London Theatre.
The following 15 productions, including two operas, received multiple nominations:
The following four productions received multiple awards: