This article lists the winners and nominees for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series. It was known as the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series until 2000. Currently Anthony Anderson holds the record for most wins in this category with eight.
Winners and nominees
Winners are listed first and highlighted in bold.
1970s
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|- style="background:#bebebe;"
! style="width:11%;"| Year
! style="width:42%;"| Actor
! style="width:42%;"| Series
! style="width:5%;"| Ref
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center"| 1972
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Redd Foxx
| Sanford and Son
| align="center"|
|-
| align="center"| 1973 – 79
| colspan="3"
|}
1980s
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|- style="background:#bebebe;"
! style="width:11%;"| Year
! style="width:42%;"| Actor
! style="width:42%;"| Series
! style="width:5%;"| Ref
|-
| align="center"| 1980 – 81
| colspan="3"
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center"| 1982
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Sherman Hemsley
| The Jeffersons
| rowspan="2" align="center"|
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center"| 1983
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Sherman Hemsley
| The Jeffersons
| align="center"|
|-
| align="center"| 1984 – 87
| colspan="3"
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center"| 1988
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Roscoe Lee Browne
| The Cosby Show
| rowspan="2" align="center"|
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 1989
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Tim Reid
| Frank's Place
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Clifton Davis
| Amen
|-
| Kadeem Hardison
| A Different World
|-
| Lincoln Kilpatrick
| rowspan="2"| Frank's Place
|-
| William Thomas Jr.
|}
1990s
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|- style="background:#bebebe;"
! style="width:11%;"| Year
! style="width:42%;"| Actor
! style="width:42%;"| Series
! style="width:5%;"| Ref
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center"| 1990
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Bill Cosby
| The Cosby Show
| rowspan="2" align="center"|
|-
| align="center"| 1991
| colspan="3"
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 1992
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Kadeem Hardison
| A Different World
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Bill Cosby
| The Cosby Show
|-
| Will Smith
| The Fresh Prince of Bel Air
|-
| Damon Wayans
| In Living Color
|-
| Jaleel White
| Family Matters
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center"| 1993
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Bill Cosby
| The Cosby Show
| rowspan="2" align="center"|
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 1994
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Martin Lawrence
| Martin
| rowspan="5" align="center"|
|-
| Ossie Davis
| Evening Shade
|-
| Will Smith
| The Fresh Prince of Bel Air
|-
| Charles S. Dutton
| Roc
|-
| Kadeem Hardison
| A Different World
|-
| align="center"| 1995
| colspan="3"
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 1996
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Martin Lawrence
| Martin
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| John Henton
| Living Single
|-
| LL Cool J
| In the House
|-
| Will Smith
| The Fresh Prince of Bel Air
|-
| Jaleel White
| Family Matters
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 1997
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Jaleel White
| Family Matters
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Terrence C. Carson
| Living Single
|-
| Martin Lawrence
| Martin
|-
| LL Cool J
| In the House
|-
| Will Smith
| The Fresh Prince of Bel Air
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 1998
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Jamie Foxx
| The Jamie Foxx Show
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Terrence C. Carson
| Living Single
|-
| Steve Harvey
| The Steve Harvey Show
|-
| Gregory Hines
| The Gregory Hines Show
|-
| LL Cool J
| In the House
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 1999
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Steve Harvey
| The Steve Harvey Show
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Jamie Foxx
| The Jamie Foxx Show
|-
| Robert Guillaume
| Sports Night
|-
| Isaac Hayes
| South Park
|-
| D. L. Hughley
| The Hughleys
|}
2000s
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|- style="background:#bebebe;"
! style="width:11%;"| Year
! style="width:42%;"| Actor
! style="width:42%;"| Series
! style="width:5%;"| Ref
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2000
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Steve Harvey
| The Steve Harvey Show
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Jamie Foxx
| The Jamie Foxx Show
|-
| Eddie Griffin
| Malcolm & Eddie
|-
| D. L. Hughley
| The Hughleys
|-
| Steven Williams
| Linc's
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2001
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Steve Harvey
| The Steve Harvey Show
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Jamie Foxx
| The Jamie Foxx Show
|-
| Robert Guillaume
| Sports Night
|-
| D. L. Hughley
| The Hughleys
|-
| Malcolm Jamal Warner
| Malcolm & Eddie
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2002
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Steve Harvey
| The Steve Harvey Show
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Michael Boatman
| Arliss
|-
| D. L. Hughley
| The Hughleys
|-
| Bernie Mac
| The Bernie Mac Show
|-
| Damon Wayans
| My Wife and Kids
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2003
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Bernie Mac
| The Bernie Mac Show
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Flex Alexander
| One on One
|-
| Cedric the Entertainer
| Cedric the Entertainer Presents
|-
| D. L. Hughley
| The Hughleys
|-
| Damon Wayans
| My Wife and Kids
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2004
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Bernie Mac
| The Bernie Mac Show
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Flex Alexander
| One on One
|-
| Dave Chappelle
| The Chappelle Show
|-
| George Lopez
| The George Lopez Show
|-
| Damon Wayans
| My Wife and Kids
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2005
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Bernie Mac
| The Bernie Mac Show
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Flex Alexander
| One on One
|-
| Dave Chappelle
| The Chappelle Show
|-
| George Lopez
| The George Lopez Show
|-
| Damon Wayans
| My Wife and Kids
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2006
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Bernie Mac
| The Bernie Mac Show
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Donald Faison
| Scrubs
|-
| Omar Gooding
| Barbershop
|-
| George Lopez
| The George Lopez Show
|-
| Tyler James Williams
| Everybody Hates Chris
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2007
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Tyler James Williams
| Everybody Hates Chris
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Donald Faison
| Scrubs
|-
| George Lopez
| The George Lopez Show
|-
| Bernie Mac
| The Bernie Mac Show
|-
| Duane Martin
| All of Us
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2008
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| LaVan Davis
| Tyler Perry's House of Payne
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Donald Faison
| Scrubs
|-
| Reggie Hayes
| Girlfriends
|-
| Dulé Hill
| Psych
|-
| Tyler James Williams
| Everybody Hates Chris
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2009
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| LaVan Davis
| Tyler Perry's House of Payne
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Terry Crews
| Everybody Hates Chris
|-
| Donald Faison
| Scrubs
|-
| Paul James
| Greek
|-
| Tyler James Williams
| Everybody Hates Chris
|}
2010s
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|- style="background:#bebebe;"
! style="width:11%;"| Year
! style="width:42%;"| Actor
! style="width:42%;"| Series
! style="width:5%;"| Ref
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2010
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Daryl Mitchell
| Brothers
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| LaVan Davis
| Tyler Perry's House of Payne
|-
| Donald Faison
| Scrubs
|-
| Dulé Hill
| Psych
|-
| Tyler James Williams
| Everybody Hates Chris
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2011
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| David Mann
| Meet the Browns
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Terry Crews
| Are We There Yet?
|-
| LaVan Davis
| Tyler Perry's House of Payne
|-
| Dulé Hill
| Psych
|-
| Phil Morris
| Love That Girl!
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2012
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Malcolm-Jamal Warner
| Reed Between the Lines
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Terry Crews
| Are We There Yet?
|-
| Dulé Hill
| Psych
|-
| Pooch Hall
| The Game
|-
| Phil Morris
| Love That Girl!
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2013
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Don Cheadle
| House of Lies
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Anthony Anderson
| Guys with Kids
|-
| Hosea Chanchez
| The Game
|-
| Donald Faison
| The Exes
|-
| Damon Wayans Jr.
| Happy Endings
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2014
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Kevin Hart
| Real Husbands of Hollywood
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| André Braugher
| Brooklyn Nine-Nine
|-
| Cedric the Entertainer
| The Soul Man
|-
| Don Cheadle
| House of Lies
|-
| Dulé Hill
| Psych
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2015
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Anthony Anderson
| Black-ish
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| André Braugher
| Brooklyn Nine-Nine
|-
| Don Cheadle
| House of Lies
|-
| Kevin Hart
| Real Husbands of Hollywood
|-
| Keegan-Michael Key
| Key & Peele
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2016
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Anthony Anderson
| Black-ish
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| André Braugher
| Brooklyn Nine-Nine
|-
| Don Cheadle
| House of Lies
|-
| Dwayne Johnson
| Ballers
|-
| RonReaco Lee
| Survivor's Remorse
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2017
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Anthony Anderson
| Black-ish
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Don Cheadle
| House of Lies
|-
| Donald Glover
| Atlanta
|-
| Kevin Hart
| Real Husbands of Hollywood
|-
| Dwayne Johnson
| Ballers
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2018
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Anthony Anderson
| Black-ish
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Aziz Ansari
| Master of None
|-
| Dwayne Johnson
| Ballers
|-
| Keegan-Michael Key
| Friends from College
|-
| RonReaco Lee
| Survivor's Remorse
|-
|rowspan="6" align="center"| 2019
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Anthony Anderson
| Black-ish
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Donald Glover
| Atlanta
|-
| Cedric the Entertainer
| The Neighborhood
|-
| Dwayne Johnson
| Ballers
|-
| Tracy Morgan
| The Last O.G.
|}
2020s
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|- style="background:#bebebe;"
! style="width:11%;"| Year
! style="width:42%;"| Actor
! style="width:42%;"| Series
! style="width:5%;"| Ref
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2020
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Anthony Anderson
| Blackish
| rowspan="5" align="center"|
|-
| Cedric the Entertainer
| The Neighborhood
|-
| Don Cheadle
| Black Monday
|-
| Dwayne Johnson
| Ballers
|-
| Tracy Morgan
| The Last O.G.
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2021
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Anthony Anderson
| Blackish
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Cedric the Entertainer
| The Neighborhood
|-
| Don Cheadle
| Black Monday
|-
| Tracy Morgan
| The Last O.G.
|-
| Idris Elba
| In the Long Run
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2022
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Anthony Anderson
| Blackish
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Cedric the Entertainer
| The Neighborhood
|-
| Don Cheadle
| Black Monday
|-
| Jay Ellis
| Insecure
|-
| Elisha 'EJ' Williams
| The Wonder Years
|}
Multiple wins and nominations
Wins
; 8 wins
- Anthony Anderson
; 4 wins
- Steve Harvey
- Bernie Mac
; 2 wins
- Bill Cosby
- LaVan Davis
- Kadeem Hardison
- Martin Lawrence
Nominations
; 9 nominations
- Anthony Anderson
; 8 nominations
- Don Cheadle
; 6 nominations
- Cedric the Entertainer
- Don Cheadle
- Donald Faison
- Bernie Mac
; 5 nominations
- Steve Harvey
- Dulé Hill
- D. L. Hughley
- Dwayne Johnson
- Tyler James Williams
; 4 nominations
- Cedric the Entertainer
- LaVan Davis
- Jamie Foxx
- George Lopez
- Damon Wayans
; 3 nominations
- Flex Alexander
- André Braugher
- Terry Crews
- LL Cool J
- Kevin Hart
- Martin Lawrence
- Tracy Morgan
; 2 nominations
- Terrence C. Carson
- Dave Chappelle
- Bill Cosby
- Donald Glover
- Robert Guillaume
- Kadeem Hardison
- Keegan-Michael Key
- Phil Morris
- Will Smith
- Malcolm-Jamal Warner
- Jaleel White