GETDATE (Transact-SQL)

Applies to: SQL Server Azure SQL Database Azure SQL Managed Instance Azure Synapse Analytics Analytics Platform System (PDW)

Returns the current database system timestamp as a datetime value without the database time zone offset. This value is derived from the operating system of the computer on which the instance of SQL Server is running.

Azure SQL Database (with the exception of Azure SQL Managed Instance) and Azure Synapse Analytics follow UTC. Use AT TIME ZONE in Azure SQL Database or Azure Synapse Analytics if you need to interpret date and time information in a non-UTC time zone.

For an overview of all Transact-SQL date and time data types and functions, see Date and Time Data Types and Functions (Transact-SQL).

Transact-SQL syntax conventions

Syntax

GETDATE()

Return Type

datetime

Remarks

Transact-SQL statements can refer to GETDATE anywhere they can refer to a datetime expression.

GETDATE is a nondeterministic function. Views and expressions that reference this function in a column cannot be indexed.

Using SWITCHOFFSET with the function GETDATE() can cause the query to run slowly because the query optimizer is unable to obtain accurate cardinality estimates for the GETDATE value. We recommend that you precompute the GETDATE value and then specify that value in the query as shown in the following example. In addition, use the OPTION (RECOMPILE) query hint to force the query optimizer to recompile a query plan the next time the same query is executed. The optimizer will then have accurate cardinality estimates for GETDATE() and will produce a more efficient query plan.

DECLARE @dt datetimeoffset = switchoffset (CONVERT(datetimeoffset, GETDATE()), '-04:00');
SELECT * FROM t
WHERE c1 > @dt OPTION (RECOMPILE);

Examples

The following examples use the six SQL Server system functions that return current date and time to return the date, time, or both. The values are returned in series; therefore, their fractional seconds might be different.

A. Getting the current system date and time

SELECT SYSDATETIME()
    ,SYSDATETIMEOFFSET()
    ,SYSUTCDATETIME()
    ,CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
    ,GETDATE()
    ,GETUTCDATE();

Here is the result set.

SYSDATETIME()      2007-04-30 13:10:02.0474381
SYSDATETIMEOFFSET()2007-04-30 13:10:02.0474381 -07:00
SYSUTCDATETIME()   2007-04-30 20:10:02.0474381
CURRENT_TIMESTAMP  2007-04-30 13:10:02.047
GETDATE()          2007-04-30 13:10:02.047
GETUTCDATE()       2007-04-30 20:10:02.047

B. Getting the current system date

SELECT CONVERT (date, SYSDATETIME())
    ,CONVERT (date, SYSDATETIMEOFFSET())
    ,CONVERT (date, SYSUTCDATETIME())
    ,CONVERT (date, CURRENT_TIMESTAMP)
    ,CONVERT (date, GETDATE())
    ,CONVERT (date, GETUTCDATE());

Here is the result set.

SYSDATETIME()          2007-05-03
SYSDATETIMEOFFSET()    2007-05-03
SYSUTCDATETIME()       2007-05-04
CURRENT_TIMESTAMP      2007-05-03
GETDATE()              2007-05-03
GETUTCDATE()           2007-05-04

C. Getting the current system time

SELECT CONVERT (time, SYSDATETIME())
    ,CONVERT (time, SYSDATETIMEOFFSET())
    ,CONVERT (time, SYSUTCDATETIME())
    ,CONVERT (time, CURRENT_TIMESTAMP)
    ,CONVERT (time, GETDATE())
    ,CONVERT (time, GETUTCDATE());

Here is the result set.

SYSDATETIME()       13:18:45.3490361
SYSDATETIMEOFFSET() 13:18:45.3490361
SYSUTCDATETIME()    20:18:45.3490361
CURRENT_TIMESTAMP   13:18:45.3470000
GETDATE()           13:18:45.3470000
GETUTCDATE()        20:18:45.3470000

Examples: Azure Synapse Analytics and Analytics Platform System (PDW)

The following examples use the three SQL Server system functions that return current date and time to return the date, time, or both. The values are returned in series; therefore, their fractional seconds might be different.

D. Getting the current system date and time

SELECT SYSDATETIME()
    ,CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
    ,GETDATE();

E. Getting the current system date

SELECT CONVERT (date, SYSDATETIME())
    ,CONVERT (date, CURRENT_TIMESTAMP)
    ,CONVERT (date, GETDATE());

F. Getting the current system time

SELECT CONVERT (time, SYSDATETIME())
    ,CONVERT (time, CURRENT_TIMESTAMP)
    ,CONVERT (time, GETDATE());

See Also

CAST and CONVERT (Transact-SQL)