> This page location: Date Functions > NOW > Full Neon documentation index: https://neon.com/docs/llms.txt # PostgreSQL NOW() Function **Summary**: in this tutorial, you will learn how to use the PostgreSQL `NOW()` function to get the current date and time with the time zone. ## Introduction to PostgreSQL NOW() function The `NOW()` function returns the current date and time with the time zone of the database server. Here's the basic syntax of the `NOW()` function: ```sql NOW() ``` The `NOW()` function doesn't require any argument. Its return type is the [timestamp with time zone](../postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-timestamp). For example: ```sql SELECT NOW(); ``` Output: ``` now ------------------------------- 2024-01-26 18:14:09.101641-08 (1 row) ``` Note that the `NOW()` function returns the current date and time based on the database server's time zone setting. For example, if you change the timezone to 'Africa/Cairo' and get the current date and time: ```sql SET TIMEZONE='Africa/Cairo'; SELECT NOW(); ``` Output: ```text now ------------------------------- 2024-01-27 04:15:20.112974+02 (1 row) ``` The output indicates that the value returned by the `NOW()` function is adjusted to the new timezone. Note that to get a complete list of time zones, you can query from the `pg_timezone_names`: ```sql SELECT * FROM pg_timezone_names; ``` Partial output: ``` name | abbrev | utc_offset | is_dst ----------------------------------+--------+------------+-------- Africa/Abidjan | GMT | 00:00:00 | f Africa/Accra | GMT | 00:00:00 | f Africa/Addis_Ababa | EAT | 03:00:00 | f ... ``` If you want to get the current date and time without a timezone, you can cast it explicitly as follows: ```sql SELECT NOW()::timestamp; ``` Output: ``` now ---------------------------- 2017-03-17 18:37:29.229991 (1 row) ``` You can use the common date and time operators for the `NOW()` function. For example, to get 1 hour from now: ```text an_hour_later ------------------------------ 2024-01-27 05:16:17.15237+02 (1 row) ``` To get this time tomorrow, you add 1 day to the current time: ```sql SELECT (NOW() + interval '1 day') AS this_time_tomorrow; ``` Output: ``` this_time_tomorrow ------------------------------- 2024-01-28 04:16:28.308575+02 (1 row) ``` To get 2 hours 30 minutes ago, you use the minus (-) operator as follows: ```sql SELECT now() - interval '2 hours 30 minutes' AS two_hour_30_min_go; ``` Output: ``` two_hour_30_min_go ------------------------------- 2024-01-27 01:47:18.246763+02 (1 row) ``` ## PostgreSQL NOW() related functions Besides the `NOW()` function, you can use the `CURRENT_TIME` or `CURRENT_TIMESTAMP` to get the current date and time with the timezone: ```sql SELECT CURRENT_TIME, CURRENT_TIMESTAMP; ``` Output: ``` current_time | current_timestamp --------------------+------------------------------- 04:17:46.412062+02 | 2024-01-27 04:17:46.412062+02 (1 row) ``` To get the current date and time without a timezone, you use the `LOCALTIME` and `LOCALTIMESTAMP` functions. ```sql SELECT LOCALTIME, LOCALTIMESTAMP; ``` Output: ``` time | timestamp -----------------+---------------------------- 19:13:41.423371 | 2017-03-17 19:13:41.423371 (1 row) ``` Notice that `NOW()` and its related functions return the start time of the current transaction. In other words, the return values of the function calls are the same within a transaction. The following example illustrates the concept: ```sql postgres=# BEGIN; BEGIN postgres=# SELECT now(); now ------------------------------- 2017-03-17 19:21:43.049715-07 (1 row) postgres=# SELECT pg_sleep(3); pg_sleep ---------- (1 row) postgres=# SELECT now(); now ------------------------------- 2017-03-17 19:21:43.049715-07 (1 row) postgres=# COMMIT; COMMIT ``` In this example, we called the `NOW()` function within a transaction and its return values do not change through the transaction. Note that the `pg_sleep()` function pauses the current session's process sleep for a specified of seconds. If you want to get the current date and time that does advance during the transaction, you can use the `TIMEOFDAY()` function. Consider the following example: ```sql SELECT TIMEOFDAY(), pg_sleep(5), TIMEOFDAY(); ``` Output: ``` timeofday | pg_sleep | timeofday -------------------------------------+----------+------------------------------------- Sat Jan 27 04:19:08.650831 2024 EET | | Sat Jan 27 04:19:13.655833 2024 EET (1 row) ``` After pausing 5 seconds, the current date and time increased. ## PostgreSQL NOW() function as default values You can use the `NOW()` function as the default value for a column of a table. For example: First, [create a new table](../postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-create-table) named posts with the `created_at` column that has a default value provided by the `NOW()` function: ```sql CREATE TABLE posts ( id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY, title VARCHAR NOT NULL, created_at TIMESTAMPTZ DEFAULT Now() ); ``` Second, [insert a new row](../postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-insert) into the `posts` table: ```sql INSERT INTO posts (title) VALUES ('PostgreSQL NOW function'); ``` Third, [query data](../postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-select) from the `posts` table: ```sql SELECT * FROM posts; ``` Output: ``` id | title | created_at ----+-------------------------+------------------------------- 1 | PostgreSQL NOW function | 2024-01-27 04:20:11.286958+02 (1 row) ``` Even though we did not provide the value for the `created_at` column, the statement used the value returned by the `NOW()` function for that column. ## Summary - Use the PostgreSQL `NOW()` function to get the current date and time with the timezone. --- ## Related docs (Date Functions) - [AGE](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-date-functions/postgresql-age) - [AT TIME ZONE Operator](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-date-functions/postgresql-at-time-zone) - [CLOCK_TIMESTAMP](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-date-functions/postgresql-clock_timestamp) - [CURRENT_DATE](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-date-functions/postgresql-current_date) - [CURRENT_TIME](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-date-functions/postgresql-current_time) - [CURRENT_TIMESTAMP](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-date-functions/postgresql-current_timestamp) - [DATE_PART](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-date-functions/postgresql-date_part) - [DATE_TRUNC](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-date-functions/postgresql-date_trunc) - [EXTRACT](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-date-functions/postgresql-extract) - [ISFINITE](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-date-functions/postgresql-isfinite) - [JUSTIFY_DAYS](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-date-functions/postgresql-justify_days) - [JUSTIFY_HOURS](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-date-functions/postgresql-justify_hours) - [JUSTIFY_INTERVAL](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-date-functions/postgresql-justify_interval) - [LOCALTIME](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-date-functions/postgresql-localtime) - [LOCALTIMESTAMP](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-date-functions/postgresql-localtimestamp) - [MAKE_DATE](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-date-functions/postgresql-make_date) - [MAKE_INTERVAL](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-date-functions/postgresql-make_interval) - [MAKE_TIME](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-date-functions/postgresql-make_time) - [PG_SLEEP](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-date-functions/postgresql-pg_sleep) - [STATEMENT_TIMESTAMP](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-date-functions/postgresql-statement_timestamp) - [TIMEOFDAY](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-date-functions/postgresql-timeofday) - [TO_DATE](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-date-functions/postgresql-to_date) - [TO_TIMESTAMP](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-date-functions/postgresql-to_timestamp)