SQL DATE Format

In this article, we will show you, How to perform DATE Format or formatting SQL Server Date and Time with an example.

Convert SQL DATE Format Example

Before we go toward the practical example, let me explain to you the available list of Convert date formats. We will write different SQL Server Date format Queries for this demonstration using CONVERT and FORMAT functions. The CONVERT function provides different styles to format date and time.

Without Century (yy)With Century (yyyy)Input/OutputStandard
–0 to 100mon dd yyyy hh:miAM (or PM)This is the Default for both datetime and smalldatetime
11011 = mm/dd/yy
101 = mm/dd/yyyy		U.S.
21022 = yy.mm.dd
102 = yyyy.mm.dd		ANSI
31033 = dd/mm/yy
103 = dd/mm/yyyy		British/French
41044 = dd.mm.yy
104 = dd.mm.yyyy		German
51055 = dd-mm-yy
105 = dd-mm-yyyy		Italian
61066 = dd mon yy
106 = dd mon yyyy		–
71077 = Mon dd, yy
107 = Mon dd, yyyy		–
8108hh:mi:ss–
–9 or 109mon dd yyyy hh:mi:ss:mmmmAM (or PM)Default + milliseconds
1011010 = mm-dd-yy
110 = mm-dd-yyyy		USA
1111111 = yy/mm/dd
111 = yyyy/mm/dd		JAPAN
1211212 = yymmdd
112 = yyyymmdd		ISO
–13 or 113dd mon yyyy hh:mi:ss:mmm(24h)Europe Default + millisecond
14114hh:mi:ss:mmm(24h)–
–20 or 120yyyy-mm-dd hh:mi:ss(24h)ODBC canonical
–21 or 121yyyy-mm-dd hh:mi:ss.mmm(24h)ODBC is canonical with milliseconds. This is the Default for time, date, datetime2, and datetimeoffset
–126yyyy-mm-ddThh:mi:ss.mmm (no Spaces)ISO8601
–127yyyy-mm-ddThh:mi:ss.mmmZ (no Spaces)ISO8601 with time zone Z
–130dd mon yyyy hh:mi:ss:mmmAMHijri
–131dd/mm/yyyy hh:mi:ss:mmmAMHijri

SQL Server DATE Format using CONVERT Function

In this SQL example, we are going to use the CONVERT function on GETDATE() to return the date in different formats.

SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(20), GETDATE()) AS 'Result 1';
SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(20), GETDATE(), 0) AS 'Result 2';
SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(20), GETDATE(), 100) AS 'Result 3';

SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(20), GETDATE(), 1) AS 'Result 4';
SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(20), GETDATE(), 101) AS 'Result 5';

SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(20), GETDATE(), 2) AS 'Result 6';
SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(20), GETDATE(), 102) AS 'Result 7';
SQL DATE Format 1

Convert DATE Format Example 2

This example query covers a few more of the Convert function

SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(20), GETDATE(), 3) AS 'Result 8';
SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(20), GETDATE(), 103) AS 'Result 9';

SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(20), GETDATE(), 4) AS 'Result 10';
SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(20), GETDATE(), 104) AS 'Result 11';

SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(20), GETDATE(), 5) AS 'Result 12';
SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(20), GETDATE(), 105) AS 'Result 13';

SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(20), GETDATE(), 6) AS 'Result 14';
SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(20), GETDATE(), 106) AS 'Result 15';
convert example 2

In this SQL Server example query, we are showing a few other date formats in the Convert function are

SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(20), GETDATE(), 7) AS 'Result 16';
SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(20), GETDATE(), 107) AS 'Result 17';

SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(20), GETDATE(), 8) AS 'Result 18';
SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(20), GETDATE(), 108) AS 'Result 19';

SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(20), GETDATE(), 9) AS 'Result 20';
SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(20), GETDATE(), 109) AS 'Result 21';

SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(20), GETDATE(), 10) AS 'Result 22';
SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(20), GETDATE(), 110) AS 'Result 23';
SQL DATE Format using Convert Function 3

Some other convert date formats.

SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(20), GETDATE(), 11) AS 'Result 24';
SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(20), GETDATE(), 111) AS 'Result 25';

SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(20), GETDATE(), 12) AS 'Result 26';
SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(20), GETDATE(), 112) AS 'Result 27';

SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(20), GETDATE(), 113) AS 'Result 28';

SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(20), GETDATE(), 14) AS 'Result 29';
SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(20), GETDATE(), 114) AS 'Result 30';

SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(20), GETDATE(), 20) AS 'Result 31';
Using Convert Function 4

The following is the list of remaining options available in the SQL Server convert function for date format.

SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(35), GETDATE(), 21) AS 'Result 32';

SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(35), GETDATE(), 126) AS 'Result 33';

SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(35), GETDATE(), 127) AS 'Result 34';

SELECT CONVERT(NVARCHAR(35), GETDATE(), 130) AS 'Result 35';

SELECT CONVERT(NVARCHAR(35), GETDATE(), 131) AS 'Result 36';
convert Function Example 5

SQL Date Format Function

In this example, we are going to use the FORMAT function on GETDATE() to return the date in different formats. I suggest you refer to the Standard Date and Time Strings to understand the string formats that we used in this example.

SELECT FORMAT(GETDATE(), 'd', 'en-US' ) AS 'Result 1'
SELECT FORMAT(GETDATE(), 'D', 'en-US' ) AS 'Result 2'
SELECT FORMAT(GETDATE(), 'f', 'en-US' ) AS 'Result 3'
SELECT FORMAT(GETDATE(), 'F', 'en-US' ) AS 'Result 4'
SELECT FORMAT(GETDATE(), 'g', 'en-US' ) AS 'Result 5'
SELECT FORMAT(GETDATE(), 'G', 'en-US' ) AS 'Result 6'
SELECT FORMAT(GETDATE(), 'm', 'en-US' ) AS 'Result 7'
SELECT FORMAT(GETDATE(), 'M', 'en-US' ) AS 'Result 8'
SQL DATE Format Function 6

The following is the list of remaining variations that are available in the format function for date format.

SELECT FORMAT(GETDATE(), 'O', 'en-US' ) AS 'Result 9'
SELECT FORMAT(GETDATE(), 'R', 'en-US' ) AS 'Result 10'
SELECT FORMAT(GETDATE(), 's', 'en-US' ) AS 'Result 11'
SELECT FORMAT(GETDATE(), 'S', 'en-US' ) AS 'Result 12'
SELECT FORMAT(GETDATE(), 't', 'en-US' ) AS 'Result 13'
SELECT FORMAT(GETDATE(), 'T', 'en-US' ) AS 'Result 14'
SELECT FORMAT(GETDATE(), 'u', 'en-US' ) AS 'Result 15'
SELECT FORMAT(GETDATE(), 'U', 'en-US' ) AS 'Result 16'
SELECT FORMAT(GETDATE(), 'Y', 'en-US' ) AS 'Result 17'
Example 7

format using Datetime Functions

Here, we will use the DATETIME functions that are available to format date and time in SQL Server to return the date in different formats.

SELECT DATEFROMPARTS(2017, 06, 14) AS 'Result 1';

SELECT DATETIMEFROMPARTS(2017, 06, 14, 11, 57, 53, 847) AS 'Result 3';

SELECT EOMONTH('20170614') AS 'Result 3';
Using DATETIME Functions datefromparts, eomonth 8

format using Conversion Functions

In this example, we are going to use the SQL Server Conversion Functions to format the Date and Time. And the Conversation functions are PARSE, TRY_PARSE, CONVERT, and TRY_CONVERT. We use these functions on different dates to return the same in different variations.

SELECT PARSE('Wednesday, June 14, 2017' AS DATETIME USING 'en-US') AS 'Result4'; 

SELECT TRY_PARSE('Wednesday, June 14, 2017' AS DATETIME USING 'en-US') AS 'Result5'; 

SELECT CONVERT(DATETIME2, SYSDATETIME()) AS 'Result6'; 

SELECT TRY_CONVERT(DATETIME2, '6/14/2017 11:57:53 AM') AS 'Result7';
Using Conversion Functions Parse, try_parse 9
Categories SQL