Is SQL Server 2014 Still Supported? End-of-Life Dates (2026)
Short answer
SQL Server 2014 is in paid extended support only: standard support ended on 9 Jul 2024, and paid extended support ends on 12 Jul 2027 (in 8 months). CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog lists 2 vulnerabilities that affect SQL Server 2014, matched to its versions through NVD data.
SQL Server 2014 left standard support on 9 July 2024 and is covered only by paid Extended Security Updates, which Microsoft lists to 12 July 2027.
Legacy Technology Tracker · Status as of 16 Oct 2026. Data checked 7 Oct 2026; refreshed monthly, with quarterly snapshots kept unchanged.
Risk rating
High: paid extended support ends 12 Jul 2027; 2 vulnerabilities on CISA's KEV list. How ratings work
Key facts
Every value links to its source and shows when we last checked or retrieved it. Data checked 7 Oct 2026; status as of 16 Oct 2026.
| Fact | Value | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Support status | Paid extended support onlySQL Server 2014 (all service packs; SP3 is the serviced baseline). | ||
| End of mainstream support | |||
| End of standard support (security updates) | |||
| End of paid extended support | |||
| Extended support offer | Microsoft Extended Security Updates (ESU) for SQL Server 2014 (vendor), until 12 Jul 2027Pricing basis: Free when the instance is migrated as-is to SQL Server on Azure VMs or Azure VMware Solution; elsewhere a subscription billed hourly through Azure Arc (Software Assurance or pay-as-you-go); the page quotes no list price | ||
| Known exploited vulnerabilities (CISA KEV) | 2 CVEs all time; 1 added in the last 24 monthsNewest added 26 Aug 2026Scoped to these versions through NVD product (CPE) data. Scoped via NVD CPE. | ||
| Job postings and salaries | Not tracked for this entry | — | — |
Versions in scope
SQL Server 2014 (all service packs; SP3 is the serviced baseline). Dates per version, each with its source.
| Version | Status | Standard support ends | Extended support ends | Latest release | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12.0 | Unsupported | — | 12.0.2569.0 CU14 (20 Jun 2016) | |||
| 12.0-sp1 | Unsupported | — | 12.0.4522.0 CU13 (8 Aug 2017) | |||
| 12.0-sp2 | Unsupported | — | 12.0.5687.1 CU18 (29 Jul 2019) | |||
| 12.0-sp3 | Paid extended support only | 12.0.6449.1 CU4+GDR (10 Oct 2023) |
If you still run SQL Server 2014
The deadline is 12 July 2027, the end of the third ESU year. Standard support already ended on 9 July 2024, so every security fix since then depends on a paid ESU.
The realistic options:
- Upgrade to a supported SQL Server. SQL Server 2022 has extended support to January 2033 and SQL Server 2025 to January 2036. Avoid targeting SQL Server 2016, which has already left standard support, or 2017, which leaves it on 12 October 2027.
- Move to a managed service. Azure SQL Managed Instance or Azure SQL Database remove the version lifecycle but need a compatibility and cost assessment.
- Lift to Azure VMs as-is. Microsoft gives SQL Server 2014 free ESUs on SQL Server on Azure VMs, which defers the upgrade to July 2027 without ESU charges.
- Subscribe to ESU on existing servers. Billed hourly through Azure Arc. It buys time but delivers fixes only when Microsoft finds a Critical vulnerability.
If the real obstacle is business logic locked inside stored procedures, see SQL Server to Python migration, which covers moving that logic into application services. For suppliers and budgets, see data modernization companies and cost ranges.
Frequently asked questions
Is SQL Server 2014 still supported?
Not under standard support. Mainstream support ended on 9 July 2019 and extended support on 9 July 2024 (Microsoft lifecycle page). Paid Extended Security Updates continue to 12 July 2027.
When does SQL Server 2014 reach end of support?
Standard support ended on 9 July 2024. The three ESU years run out on 12 July 2027, which is the last date Microsoft lists for security updates.
Can I get extended support for SQL Server 2014?
Yes. Microsoft's ESU article says ESUs are free if you migrate the workload as-is to SQL Server on Azure VMs or Azure VMware Solution. Elsewhere you subscribe through Azure Arc, billed hourly. ESUs ship only when a vulnerability rated Critical is found, so there is no regular release cadence.
What can replace SQL Server 2014?
A supported SQL Server release (2022, with extended support to January 2033, or 2025, to January 2036), or a managed service such as Azure SQL Managed Instance or Azure SQL Database. Microsoft's end-of-support options cover each path.