Is Microsoft SQL Server Still Supported? End-of-Life Dates (2026)
Short answer
Microsoft SQL Server is supported and new versions continue to ship; the newest version is supported until 6 Jan 2036. CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog lists 2 vulnerabilities in Microsoft SQL Server.
Microsoft supports each SQL Server release for at least ten years, five of mainstream and five of extended support, so which version you run decides your deadline: SQL Server 2014 and 2016 have left standard support and 2017 leaves it on 12 October 2027.
Legacy Technology Tracker · Status as of 16 Oct 2026. Data checked 7 Oct 2026; refreshed monthly, with quarterly snapshots kept unchanged.
Risk rating
Low: supported, with new release lines continuing; no licence change recorded in the last 24 months; 2 vulnerabilities on CISA's KEV list (supported versions receive security fixes). 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 | SupportedAll SQL Server releases tracked by endoflife.date (2014 and 2016 also have their own rows). | ||
| End of mainstream support | |||
| Newest version supported until | |||
| Known exploited vulnerabilities (CISA KEV) | 2 CVEs all time; 1 added in the last 24 monthsNewest added 26 Aug 2026Matched by vendor and product name in the KEV catalog. | ||
| Job postings and salaries | Not published: the job-posting source is on hold pending a data licence. | — | — |
Versions in scope
All SQL Server releases tracked by endoflife.date (2014 and 2016 also have their own rows). Dates per version, each with its source.
| Version | Status | Standard support ends | Extended support ends | Latest release | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.0-sp3 | Unsupported | — | 6.0.151 (22 Dec 2000) | |||
| 6.50-sp5a | Unsupported | — | 6.50.480 (7 Oct 2005) | |||
| 7.0-sp4 | Unsupported | — | 7.0.1152 (9 May 2012) | |||
| 8.0-sp4 | Unsupported | — | 8.0.2305 QFE (14 Aug 2012) | |||
| 9.0 | Unsupported | — | 9.0.1399 (14 Jan 2006) | |||
| 9.0-sp1 | Unsupported | — | 9.0.2233 (16 May 2007) | |||
| 9.00-sp2 | Unsupported | — | 9.00.3325 CU13 (20 Apr 2009) | |||
| 9.00-sp3 | Unsupported | — | 9.00.4309 CU11 (16 Aug 2010) | |||
| 9.0-sp4 | Unsupported | — | 9.0.5324.0 QFE (9 Oct 2012) | |||
| 10.00 | Unsupported | — | 10.00.1835 CU10 (15 Mar 2010) | |||
| 10.00-sp1 | Unsupported | — | 10.00.2850 CU16 (19 Sep 2011) | |||
| 10.00-sp2 | Unsupported | — | 10.00.4371 CU10+QFE (9 Oct 2012) | |||
| 10.00-sp3 | Unsupported | — | 10.00.5861 CU16+QFE (14 Jul 2015) | |||
| 10.0-sp4 | Unsupported | 10.0.6814.4 CU17+GDR (14 Feb 2023) | ||||
| 10.50-r2 | Unsupported | — | 10.50.1815.0 CU13 (16 Apr 2012) | |||
| 10.50-sp1 | Unsupported | — | 10.50.2881.0 CU14 (8 Aug 2013) | |||
| 10.50-sp2 | Unsupported | — | 10.50.4339.0 CU13+QFE (14 Jul 2015) | |||
| 10.50-sp3 | Unsupported | 10.50.6785.2 GDR (14 Feb 2023) | ||||
| 11.0 | Unsupported | — | 11.0.2424.0 CU11 (16 Dec 2012) | |||
| 11.0-sp1 | Unsupported | — | 11.0.3513.0 CU13+QFE (14 Jul 2015) | |||
| 11.0-sp2 | Unsupported | — | 11.0.5678.0 CU16 (17 Nov 2016) | |||
| 11.0-sp3 | Unsupported | — | 11.0.6614.2 CU10+QFE (16 Jan 2018) | |||
| 11.0-sp4 | Unsupported | 11.0.7512.11 GDR (14 Feb 2023) | ||||
| 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) | ||||
| 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) | |||
| 13.0-sp3 | Paid extended support only | 13.0.6500.1 GDR (14 Jul 2026) | ||||
| 13.0-sp3-acp | Paid extended support only | 13.0.7095.1 Azure Connect pack+GDR (14 Jul 2026) | ||||
| 14.0 | Supported | — | 14.0.3550.4 CU31+GDR (8 Sep 2026) | |||
| 15.0 | Supported | — | 15.0.4490.9 CU32+GDR (8 Sep 2026) | |||
| 16.0 | Supported | — | 16.0.4295.3 CU27 (15 Sep 2026) | |||
| 17.0 | Supported | — | 17.0.5005.3 CU9 (15 Sep 2026) |
If you still run Microsoft SQL Server
Which SQL Server you run decides the deadline. The next to leave extended support is SQL Server 2017 on 12 October 2027. SQL Server 2014 and 2016 have already left standard support and now depend on paid Extended Security Updates; each has its own page: SQL Server 2014 and SQL Server 2016.
The realistic options:
- Upgrade within SQL Server. SQL Server 2022 is supported to January 2033 and SQL Server 2025 to January 2036. Pick the newest release the application's vendor certifies, since upgrades change query behaviour and compatibility levels.
- Move to a managed service. Azure SQL Managed Instance or Azure SQL Database remove the version lifecycle but need an assessment of features and cost.
- Buy ESU. Available for 2014 and 2016 only, and only as a bridge: updates ship when a Critical vulnerability is found, with no features or regular cadence.
- Move logic out of the database. Where years of stored procedures are the real lock-in, SQL Server to Python migration describes moving that logic into application services.
For suppliers and budgets, see data modernization companies and cost ranges.
Frequently asked questions
Which SQL Server versions are still supported?
SQL Server 2017 (extended support to 12 October 2027), 2019 (to 8 January 2030), 2022 (to 11 January 2033) and 2025 (to 6 January 2036). SQL Server 2016 left standard support on 14 July 2026 and SQL Server 2014 on 9 July 2024. Dates are from Microsoft's lifecycle pages for 2017, 2019, 2022 and 2025.
When does SQL Server reach end of support?
Each version has its own date. Microsoft's end-of-support overview describes five years of mainstream support followed by five years of extended support that includes security updates only.
Can I get extended support for an old SQL Server version?
Microsoft's ESU article lists SQL Server 2014 and 2016 as the versions with Extended Security Updates. It covers up to three years after extended support ends.
What replaces an old SQL Server?
A current SQL Server release, SQL Server on an Azure VM, or a managed service such as Azure SQL Managed Instance or Azure SQL Database. Microsoft documents each path in its end-of-support options.