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Returns the current database system timestamp as a datetime value. The database time zone offset is not included. This value represents the current UTC time (Coordinated Universal Time). This value is derived from the operating system of the computer on which the instance of SQL Server is running.

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 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 (Transact-SQL) .

Syntax

GETUTCDATE()
To view Transact-SQL syntax for SQL Server 2014 (12.x) and earlier versions, see Previous versions documentation.
Return Types
datetime
Remarks
Transact-SQL statements can refer to GETUTCDATE anywhere they can refer to a datetime expression.
GETUTCDATE is a nondeterministic function. Views and expressions that reference this function in a column cannot 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. Get the current system date and time
SELECT 'SYSDATETIME()      ', SYSDATETIME();  
SELECT 'SYSDATETIMEOFFSET()', SYSDATETIMEOFFSET();  
SELECT 'SYSUTCDATETIME()   ', SYSUTCDATETIME();  
SELECT 'CURRENT_TIMESTAMP  ', CURRENT_TIMESTAMP;  
SELECT 'GETDATE()          ', GETDATE();  
SELECT 'GETUTCDATE()       ', GETUTCDATE();  
Result set:
 SYSDATETIME()         2007-05-03 18:34:11.9351421   
 SYSDATETIMEOFFSET()   2007-05-03 18:34:11.9351421 -07:00   
 SYSUTCDATETIME()      2007-05-04 01:34:11.9351421   
 CURRENT_TIMESTAMP     2007-05-03 18:34:11.933   
 GETDATE()             2007-05-03 18:34:11.933   
 GETUTCDATE()          2007-05-04 01:34:11.933  
B. Get the current system date
SELECT 'SYSDATETIME()      ', CONVERT (date, SYSDATETIME());  
SELECT 'SYSDATETIMEOFFSET()', CONVERT (date, SYSDATETIMEOFFSET());  
SELECT 'SYSUTCDATETIME()   ', CONVERT (date, SYSUTCDATETIME());  
SELECT 'CURRENT_TIMESTAMP  ', CONVERT (date, CURRENT_TIMESTAMP);  
SELECT 'GETDATE()          ', CONVERT (date, GETDATE());  
SELECT 'GETUTCDATE()       ', CONVERT (date, GETUTCDATE());  
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. Get the current system time
SELECT 'SYSDATETIME()      ', CONVERT (time, SYSDATETIME());  
SELECT 'SYSDATETIMEOFFSET()', CONVERT (time, SYSDATETIMEOFFSET());  
SELECT 'SYSUTCDATETIME()   ', CONVERT (time, SYSUTCDATETIME());  
SELECT 'CURRENT_TIMESTAMP  ', CONVERT (time, CURRENT_TIMESTAMP);  
SELECT 'GETDATE()          ', CONVERT (time, GETDATE());  
SELECT 'GETUTCDATE()       ', CONVERT (time, GETUTCDATE());  
Result set:
 SYSDATETIME()        18:25:01.6958841
 SYSDATETIMEOFFSET()  18:25:01.6958841
 SYSUTCDATETIME()     01:25:01.6958841
 CURRENT_TIMESTAMP    18:25:01.6930000
 GETDATE()            18:25:01.6930000
 GETUTCDATE()         01:25:01.6930000
Related content
CAST and CONVERT (Transact-SQL)
AT TIME ZONE (Transact-SQL)
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