| Scandal | |
|---|---|
| Season 3 | |
 DVD cover | |
| Starring | |
| No. of episodes | 18 |
| Release | |
| Original network | ABC |
| Original release | October 3, 2013 – April 17, 2014 |
| Season chronology | |
The third season of the American television drama series Scandal, created by Shonda Rhimes, began on October 3, 2013, in the United States, on ABC, and consisted of 18 episodes. The season was produced by ABC Studios, in association with ShondaLand Production Company; the showrunner being Shonda Rhimes.
The season continues the story of Olivia Pope's crisis management firm, Olivia Pope & Associates, and its staff, as well as staff at the White House in Washington, D.C. Season three had ten series regulars, all returning from the previous season, of whom seven are part of the original cast of eight regulars from the first season. The season aired in the Thursday 10:00 pm timeslot, the same as the previous seasons.
For her performance, Kerry Washington won the Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series and was nominated for Outstanding Performance in a Drama Series at the Screen Actors Guild Award, Best Actress in a Television Series at the Golden Globe Awards, and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series at the Primetime Emmy Awards.