1986 (releases)

January

 * 9 January - Doctor Who - The Gunfighters was first published by Target Books.
 * 16 January - DWM 109 was published.

February

 * 13 February - Doctor Who - The Time Monster was first published.
 * 13 February - DWM 110 was published.

March

 * March - DWM 111 was published.
 * 13 March - Doctor Who - The Twin Dilemma was first published.
 * 27 March - Search for the Doctor and Crisis in Space, books one and two of the Make Your Own Adventure with Doctor Who line were published by Severn House.

April

 * 10 April - Doctor Who - Galaxy Four was first published.
 * 10 April - DWM 112 was published.

May

 * 6 May - The Doctor Who USA Tour officially launched in the UK, prior to shipment to the United States.
 * 8 May - DWM 113 was published.
 * 15 May - Doctor Who - Timelash was first published.
 * 15 May - Turlough and the Earthlink Dilemma was first published.
 * 15 May - REF: Doctor Who: The Early Years was first published.

June

 * 12 June - Doctor Who - The Mark of the Rani was first published.
 * 12 June - DWM 114 was published.
 * Summer - Doctor Who Magazine Summer Special 1986 was published.

July

 * July - DWM 115 was published.
 * 10 July - Doctor Who - The King's Demons was first published.
 * 17 July - REF: Travel Without the TARDIS was first published.

August

 * August - DWM 116 was published.
 * August - Marvel Comics in the United States published the 23rd and final issue of Doctor Who, a monthly series of reprints of comic strips and other material from Doctor Who Magazine.
 * 14 August - The novelisation of Slipback was first published by Target Books.
 * 25 August - Wogan 1986 was first broadcast on BBC One.
 * 28 August - Garden of Evil and Race Against Time, books three and four of the Make Your Own Adventure with Doctor Who line, were first published by Severn House.

September

 * 6 September - The Mysterious Planet Part One debuted on BBC1.
 * 11 September - Doctor Who - The Savages was first published.
 * 11 September - Harry Sullivan's War was first published.
 * 11 September - DWM 117 was published.
 * 13 September - The Mysterious Planet Part Two debuted on BBC1.
 * 18 September - REF: The Doctor Who File was first published.
 * 20 September - An untitled continuity announcement was first broadcast on BBC3.
 * 20 September - The Mysterious Planet Part Three debuted on BBC1.
 * 27 September - The Mysterious Planet Part Four debuted on BBC1.
 * 29 September - Doctor Who Collected Comics, a reprinting of several Doctor Who Magazine strips, was published by Marvel Comics.

October

 * October - Mission to Venus and Invasion of the Ormazoids, books five and six of the Make Your Own Adventure with Doctor Who line, were first published.
 * 4 October - Mindwarp Part One debuted on BBC1.
 * 9 October - DWM 118 was published.
 * 11 October - Mindwarp Part Two debuted on BBC1.
 * 16 October - Doctor Who - Fury from the Deep was first published.
 * 18 October - Mindwarp Part Three debuted on BBC1.
 * 25 October - Mindwarp Part Four debuted on BBC1.

November

 * Winter - Doctor Who Magazine Winter Special 1986 was published.
 * November - REF: The Companions was first published.
 * 1 November - Terror of the Vervoids Part One debuted on BBC1.
 * 8 November - Terror of the Vervoids Part Two debuted on BBC1.
 * 11 November - REF: The Doctor Who Cookbook was published in paperback.
 * 13 November - DWM 119 was published.
 * 15 November - Terror of the Vervoids Part Three debuted on BBC1.
 * 20 November - Doctor Who - The Celestial Toymaker was first published.
 * 22 November - Terror of the Vervoids Part Four debuted on BBC1.
 * 29 November - The Ultimate Foe Part One debuted on BBC1.

December

 * December - The US edition of REF: The Companions was first published.
 * December - DWM 120 was published.
 * 4 December - Doctor Who - The Seeds of Death was first published.
 * 6 December - The Ultimate Foe Part Two debuted on BBC1.

Unknown dates

 * Doctor Who and the Mines of Terror was published for the Commodore 64 and Amstrad CPC.