Is SQL Server 2016 Still Supported? End-of-Life Dates (2026)
Short answer
SQL Server 2016 is in paid extended support only: standard support ended on 14 Jul 2026, and paid extended support ends on 17 Jul 2029 (in 2 years and 9 months). CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog lists 1 vulnerability that affects SQL Server 2016, matched to its versions through NVD data.
SQL Server 2016 left standard support on 14 July 2026; Microsoft's paid Extended Security Updates run for up to three years, to 17 July 2029.
Legacy Technology Tracker · Status as of 16 Oct 2026. Data checked 7 Oct 2026; refreshed monthly, with quarterly snapshots kept unchanged.
Risk rating
Elevated: standard support ended 14 Jul 2026; paid extended support runs to 17 Jul 2029; 1 vulnerability 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 2016 (all service packs). | ||
| 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 2016 (vendor), until 17 Jul 2029Pricing basis: Subscription billed hourly per core through Azure Arc (Software Assurance holders or pay-as-you-go); not free on Azure VMs, unlike SQL Server 2014; the page quotes no list price | ||
| Known exploited vulnerabilities (CISA KEV) | 1 CVE all time; 0 added in the last 24 monthsNewest added 18 Sep 2024Scoped 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 2016 (all service packs). Dates per version, each with its source.
| Version | Status | Standard support ends | Extended support ends | Latest release | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13.0 | Unsupported | — | 13.0.2218.0 CU9+GDR (6 Jan 2018) | |||
| 13.0-sp1 | Unsupported | — | 13.0.4604.0 CU15+GDR (9 Jul 2019) | |||
| 13.0-sp2 | Unsupported | — | 13.0.5893.48 CU17+GDR (14 Jun 2022) | |||
| SQL Server 2016 SP3 | Paid extended support only | 13.0.6500.1 GDR (14 Jul 2026) | ||||
| SQL Server 2016 SP3 (Azure Connect pack) | Paid extended support only | 13.0.7095.1 Azure Connect pack+GDR (14 Jul 2026) |
If you still run SQL Server 2016
Extended support ended on 14 July 2026, and the first ESU year is under way. The last ESU date is 17 July 2029, but ESU is a bridge rather than a plan: it delivers fixes only when Microsoft finds a Critical vulnerability and adds no features.
The realistic options:
- Upgrade to SQL Server 2022 or 2025. Extended support runs to January 2033 and January 2036 (2022, 2025). SQL Server 2017 only buys until 12 October 2027.
- Move to a managed service. Azure SQL Managed Instance or Azure SQL Database remove the version lifecycle. They need a compatibility and cost assessment first.
- Subscribe to ESU while you migrate. Billed hourly per core through Azure Arc. Microsoft gives SQL Server 2016 on Azure VMs no free-ESU benefit, unlike SQL Server 2014, so a lift-and-shift does not avoid the charge.
- Stay unpatched. The database keeps running, but every new vulnerability stays open.
Check the Windows Server version underneath as well. A SQL Server 2016 host on Windows Server 2012 loses its operating-system patches on 13 October 2026; see Windows Server 2012.
Related pages: SQL Server to Python migration for moving logic out of the database, data modernization companies, and cost ranges.
Frequently asked questions
Is SQL Server 2016 still supported?
Not under standard support. Mainstream support ended on 13 July 2021 and extended support on 14 July 2026 (Microsoft lifecycle page). Paid Extended Security Updates began on 15 July 2026.
When does SQL Server 2016 reach end of support?
Extended support ended on 14 July 2026. ESU Year 1 runs to July 2027 and Year 3 ends on 17 July 2029, the last date Microsoft lists.
Can I get extended support for SQL Server 2016?
Yes, through Microsoft's ESU subscription, billed hourly via Azure Arc. Unlike SQL Server 2014, moving a SQL Server 2016 workload to an Azure VM does not make the ESUs free. ESUs ship only when a Critical vulnerability is found and carry no new features.
What can replace SQL Server 2016?
SQL Server 2022 (extended support to January 2033) or 2025 (to January 2036), or a managed Azure SQL service. SQL Server 2017 leaves standard support on 12 October 2027, so it is a short-lived target.