• 1977 – Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
• 1980 – Country Music Hall of Fame
• 1992 – Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 

Country Music Association

• 1968 – Album of the Year, At Folsom Prison
• 1969 – Vocal Group of the Year, with June Carter
• 1969 – Male Vocalist of the Year
• 1969 – Single of the Year, "A Boy Named Sue"
• 1969 – Album of the Year, At San Quentin
• 1969 – Entertainer of the Year
• 2003 – Music Video of the Year, "Hurt"
• 2003 – Single of the Year, "Hurt"
• 2003 – Album of the Year, American IV: The Man Comes Around 

 Grammy Awards

• 1968 – Best Country & Western Performance, Duet, Trio Or Group, "Jackson" (with June Carter Cash)
• 1969 – Best Male Country Vocal, "Folsom Prison Blues"
• 1969 – Best Album Notes, At Folsom Prison
• 1970 – Best Male Country Vocal, "A Boy Named Sue"
• 1970 – Best Country Song, "A Boy Named Sue" by Shel Silverstein
• 1970 – Best Album Notes (written by Cash) for Bob Dylan's Nashville Skyline
• 1971 – Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, "If I Were A Carpenter", with June Carter Cash
• 1987 – Best Spoken Word or Non-musical Album, Interviews From the Class of '55 Recording Sessions, with Carl Perkins, Chips Moman, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Ricky Nelson, Roy Orbison and Sam Phillips
• 1995 – Best Contemporary Folk Album, American Recordings
• 1998 – Best Country Album, Unchained
• 1999 – Lifetime Achievement
• 2001 – Best Country Male Vocal, "Solitary Man"
• 2002 – Best Country Album, Timeless: Hank Williams Tribute (Cash contributed a cover of "I Dreamed About Mama Last Night")
• 2003 – Best Country Male Vocal, "Give My Love To Rose"
• 2004 – Best Short Form Video, "Hurt", directed by Mark Romanek
• 2006 – Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package, "The Legend"
• 2008 – Best Short Form Video, "God's Gonna Cut You Down"

Miscellaneous awards

• 1985 – Single of the Year, "Highwayman" (with The Highwaymen) – Academy Of Country Music
• 1989 – Living Legend – Music City News
• 1991 – The Spoken Word – Angel Award (Cash's reading of the New Testament)
• 2002 – Spirit of Americana Free Speech Award – Americana Awards
• 2004 – Recorded Event Of The Year – International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA)

Tribute albums