Return System Date and Time Values

1. Overview

SQL derives all system date and time values from the operating system of the computer on which the instance of SQL Server runs.

SQL Server 2019 (15.x) derives the date and time values through use of the GetSystemTimeAsFileTime() Windows API. The accuracy depends on the computer hardware and version of Windows on which the instance of SQL Server running. This API has a precision fixed at 100 nanoseconds. Use the GetSystemTimeAdjustment() Windows API to determine the accuracy.The return system date and time value functions covered in this section are:

• ​SYSDATETIME​

• ​SYSDATETIMEOFFSET​

• ​SYSUTCDATETIME​

SYSDATETIME

SYSDATETIME returns a datetime2(7) value that contains the date and time of the computer on which the instance of SQL Server is running.

Syntax

SYSDATETIME ( )

Return Types

datetime2(7)

Remarks

SQL statements can refer to SYSDATETIME anywhere they can refer to a datetime2(7) expression.

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

Example 1: Getting the Current System Date and Time

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

/*
Returned:
SYSDATETIME()        2020-04-30 13:10:02.0474381
SYSDATETIMEOFFSET()  2020-04-30 13:10:02.0474381 -07:00
SYSUTCDATETIME()     2020-04-30 20:10:02.0474381
GETDATE()            2020-04-30 13:10:02.047
GETUTCDATE()         2020-04-30 20:10:02.047  
*/

Example 2: Getting the Current System Date

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

/* All returned 2020-04-30 */

Example 3: Getting the Current System Time

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

/*
Returned:
SYSDATETIME()        13:18:45.3490361
SYSDATETIMEOFFSET()  13:18:45.3490361
SYSUTCDATETIME()     20:18:45.3490361
GETDATE()            13:18:45.3470000
GETUTCDATE()         20:18:45.3470000  
*/

SYSDATETIMEOFFSET

SYSDATETIMEOFFSET returns a datetimeoffset(7) value that contains the date and time of the computer on which the instance of SQL Server is running. The time zone offset is included.

Syntax

SYSDATETIMEOFFSET()

Return Types

datetimeoffset(7)

Remarks

SQL statements can refer to SYSDATETIMEOFFSET anywhere they can refer to a datetimeoffset expression.

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

Example 1: Showing Formats Returned by the Date and Time Functions

SELECT
    SYSDATETIME() AS [SYSDATETIME()],
    SYSDATETIMEOFFSET() AS [SYSDATETIMEOFFSET()],
    SYSUTCDATETIME() AS [SYSUTCDATETIME()],
    GETDATE() AS [GETDATE()],
    GETUTCDATE() AS [GETUTCDATE()]

Example 2: Converting Date and Time to Date

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

Example 3: Converting Date and Time to Times

SELECT
    CONVERT(time, SYSDATETIME()) AS [SYSDATETIME()],
    CONVERT(time, SYSDATETIMEOFFSET()) AS [SYSDATETIMEOFFSET()],
    CONVERT(time, SYSUTCDATETIME()) AS [SYSUTCDATETIME()],
    CONVERT(time, GETDATE()) AS [GETDATE()],
    CONVERT(time, GETUTCDATE()) AS [GETUTCDATE()]

SYSUTCDATETIME

SYSUTCDATETIME returns a datetime2 value that contains the date and time of the computer on which the instance of SQL Server is running. The date and time are returned as UTC time (Coordinated Universal Time). The fractional second precision specification has a range from 1 to 7 digits. The default precision is 7 digits.

Syntax

SYSUTCDATETIME()

Return Types

datetime2

Remarks

SQL statements can refer to SYSUTCDATETIME anywhere they can refer to a datetime2 expression.

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

Example 1: Showing Formats Returned by Date and Time functions

SELECT
    SYSDATETIME() AS [SYSDATETIME()],
    SYSDATETIMEOFFSET() AS [SYSDATETIMEOFFSET()],
    SYSUTCDATETIME() AS [SYSUTCDATETIME()],
    GETDATE() AS [GETDATE()],
    GETUTCDATE() AS [GETUTCDATE()]

Example 2: Converting Date and Time to Date

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

Example 3: Converting Date and Time to Time

DECLARE @DateTime DATETIME = GETDATE()
DECLARE @Time TIME

SELECT
    @Time = CONVERT(time, @DateTime)

SELECT
    @Time AS 'Time',
    @DateTime AS 'Date Time'