SYSUTCDATETIME (Transact-SQL)

Applies to: 👁 Image
SQL Server 👁 Image
Azure SQL Database 👁 Image
Azure SQL Managed Instance 👁 Image
Azure Synapse Analytics 👁 Image
Analytics Platform System (PDW) 👁 Image
SQL analytics endpoint in Microsoft Fabric 👁 Image
Warehouse in Microsoft Fabric 👁 Image
SQL database in Microsoft Fabric

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 is 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.

Consider:

• SYSDATETIME and SYSUTCDATETIME have more fractional seconds precision than GETDATE and GETUTCDATE.

• SYSDATETIMEOFFSET includes the system time zone offset.

• SYSDATETIME, SYSUTCDATETIME, and SYSDATETIMEOFFSET can be assigned to a variable of any one of the date and time types.

For an overview of all Transact-SQL date and time data types and functions, see Date and time data types and functions.

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Transact-SQL syntax conventions

Syntax

SYSUTCDATETIME ( )

Return types

datetime2

Remarks

Transact-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 can't be indexed.

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. Show the formats that are returned by the date and time functions

The following example shows the different formats that are returned by the date and time functions.

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

Here's the result set.

SYSDATETIME() 2025-10-20 13:10:02.0474381
SYSDATETIMEOFFSET() 2025-10-20 13:10:02.0474381 -07:00
SYSUTCDATETIME() 2025-10-20 20:10:02.0474381
CURRENT_TIMESTAMP 2025-10-20 13:10:02.047
GETDATE() 2025-10-20 13:10:02.047
GETUTCDATE() 2025-10-20 20:10:02.047

B. Convert date and time to date

The following example shows you how to convert date and time values to the date data type.

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

Here's the result set.

2025-10-20
2025-10-20
2025-10-20
2025-10-20
2025-10-20
2025-10-20

C. Convert date and time values to time

The following example shows you how to convert date and time values to the time data type.

DECLARE @DATETIME AS DATETIME = GetDate();
DECLARE @TIME AS TIME;
SELECT @TIME = CONVERT (TIME, @DATETIME);
SELECT @TIME AS 'Time',
 @DATETIME AS 'Date Time';

Here's the result set.

Time Date Time
13:49:33.6330000 2025-10-20 13:49:33.633

Related content

• CAST and CONVERT (Transact-SQL)
• Date and time data types and functions (Transact-SQL)
• AT TIME ZONE (Transact-SQL)