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sysutcdatetime-transact-sql.md

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title SYSUTCDATETIME (Transact-SQL)
description SYSUTCDATETIME returns a datetime2 value that contains the current date and time of the system.
author MikeRayMSFT
ms.author mikeray
ms.reviewer randolphwest
ms.date 10/20/2025
ms.service sql
ms.subservice t-sql
ms.topic reference
ms.custom
ignite-2025
f1_keywords
SYSUTCDATETIME
SYSUTCDATETIME_TSQL
helpviewer_keywords
dates [SQL Server], functions
system time [SQL Server]
functions [SQL Server], date and time
time [SQL Server], functions
date and time [SQL Server], SYSUTCDATETIME
SYSUTCDATETIME function [SQL Server]
time [SQL Server], system
dev_langs
TSQL
monikerRange >=aps-pdw-2016 || =azuresqldb-current || =azure-sqldw-latest || >=sql-server-2016 || >=sql-server-linux-2017 || =azuresqldb-mi-current || =fabric || =fabric-sqldb

SYSUTCDATETIME (Transact-SQL)

[!INCLUDE sql-asdb-asdbmi-asa-pdw-fabricse-fabricdw-fabricsqldb]

Returns a datetime2 value that contains the date and time of the computer on which the instance of [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] 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 [!INCLUDE tsql] date and time data types and functions, see Date and time data types and functions.

:::image type="icon" source="../../includes/media/topic-link-icon.svg" border="false"::: Transact-SQL syntax conventions

Syntax

SYSUTCDATETIME ( )

Return types

datetime2

Remarks

[!INCLUDE tsql] 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.

Note

[!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] obtains the date and time values by using the GetSystemTimeAsFileTime() Windows API. The accuracy depends on the computer hardware and version of Windows on which the instance of [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] is running. The precision of this API is fixed at 100 nanoseconds. The accuracy can be determined by using the GetSystemTimeAdjustment() Windows API.

Examples

The following examples use the six [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] 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()];

[!INCLUDE ssResult]

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());

[!INCLUDE ssResult]

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';

[!INCLUDE ssResult]

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

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