PostgreSQL Release and Support Timeline - The Five-Year Policy, Minor Releases, and Final Release Dates
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The PostgreSQL Global Development Group supports a major version for 5 years after its initial release. After this, a final minor version will be released and the software will then be unsupported (end-of-life).The "Releases" table on that same page lists the "First Release" and "Final Release" dates for 29 versions, from 6.3 to 18. As of November 9, 2026, the "Final Release" of version 14 in this table is November 12, 2026. Version 19, the next major version, had its first release candidate (RC1) released on October 15, 2026, with a planned general availability (GA) date of November 19, 2026.
However, the "Final Release" dates listed in the table do not necessarily represent the date of the final minor release for each version. Comparing the table with the release notes for each version shows that for 14 versions, from 8.2 to 13, the "Final Release" date in the table matches the date listed in the release notes for the final minor release. For versions 8.1, 8.0, 7.4, and 7.3, the date listed in the release notes is 3 to 41 days after the date shown in the table. For versions 6.3 through 7.2, the final minor release was released years before the date listed in the table. Furthermore, for version 12, another minor release was released seven days after the minor release announced as final.
This article presents a timeline detailing when each major version of PostgreSQL was initially released and when it reached its "Final Release" (or is scheduled to), along with the source for each date. The two questions this timeline aims to answer are: what date does the "Final Release" in the table represent, and what can happen after the final minor release is published?
Within the scope of the primary data, the answers are as follows. First, regarding the "Final Release" listed in the table. For versions 8.2 through 13, the date corresponds to the release date of the final minor release. For nine versions—6.3 through 7.3, as well as 8.1 and 8.2—the value in the table represents a date exactly five years after the initial release.
Next, concerning the releases following the final minor release. For version 12,
12.21, released on 2024-11-14, was declared the final release. However, a subsequent release, 12.22, was released on 2024-11-21 to address defects in that release. The table lists the "Final Release" for version 12 as the date of 12.22. As of 2026-11-09, the "Final Release" for version 14 is still a planned date.This article only provides the dates for PostgreSQL versions and their sources. It does not cover new features for each version, the end-of-life dates for versions in Amazon RDS and Amazon Aurora, or the steps involved in using
pg_upgrade. These topics are covered in separate articles and official documentation (a list of these is provided in the "Topics Covered in Other Articles" section). It does not address the costs associated with extended support.Background and Method of Creating the PostgreSQL Release and Support Timeline
This section details the sources used to create the timeline and explains how the dates for each entry were determined. All sources were consulted as of November 9, 2026.The Primary Sources Used in This Article, and What Became Rows
The rows of the timeline were created from the following sources:- Versioning Policy (postgresql.org): This document outlines the rules for support periods, the approach to minor releases, version numbering, and upgrade strategies, and includes a "Releases" table. The "Releases" table has five columns: Version, Current minor, Supported, First Release, and Final Release. The table contains 29 rows, ranging from version 6.3 to 18. As of November 9, 2026, there is no row for 19.
- Roadmap (postgresql.org): This document provides planned dates for minor releases and upcoming major versions.
- Index of Release Notes and Release Notes for each version (postgresql.org): Each version's release notes page includes a line labeled
Release date. The initial release date and the final minor release date for each version were extracted from this line. The index's earliest entry is for version 0.01, dated May 1, 1995, and includes entries up to version 1.09, dated November 4, 1996. This article's timeline begins with version 6.0.
- News Announcements (postgresql.org): Announcements regarding the General Availability (GA) of major versions, minor releases, End-of-Life (EOL) announcements, and notices of out-of-cycle releases were used. The dates from these announcements were taken from the
Posted online on each announcement page. The dates for the GA announcements for versions 13 through 18 corresponded with the initial release dates listed in the respective version's release notes.
- PostgreSQL Documentation: The "Upgrading a PostgreSQL Cluster" and "pg_upgrade" pages were used to verify the process for upgrading major versions. As of November 9, 2026, the current documentation refers to version 18.
- AWS Documentation: The "Release calendars" page for Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL was used to verify the relationship between AWS dates and community dates.
The items listed include the initial releases of each major version, the table's Final Release for each major version, the two final minor releases of version 12, the out-of-cycle releases in 2026, the pre-releases of version 19, and releases that are currently scheduled but have not yet been released as of November 9, 2026. Many minor releases are not included. Security announcements are also not listed. In other words, please note that the items on this timeline are not all releases of PostgreSQL, but are representative updates that I have picked out.
Major Versions, Minor Releases, and Final Release
The Versioning Policy describes how version numbers are assigned as follows:Starting with PostgreSQL 10, a major version is indicated by increasing the first part of the version, e.g. 10 to 11. Before PostgreSQL 10, a major version was indicated by increasing either the first or second part of the version number, e.g. 9.5 to 9.6.In this article, units with a support period, such as "14" or "9.6," are referred to as "major versions" or simply "versions." Releases that deliver updates within a major version, such as
14.24 or 9.6.24, are called "minor releases." The Versioning Policy states that for minor releases following version 10, the second number in the version number is incremented; for earlier versions, the third number is incremented."Final Release" is the name of a column in the Releases table in the Versioning Policy. In this article, the date listed in that column is referred to as the "Final Release" from the table. The last minor release for that version is referred to as the "final minor release," and is distinct from the "Final Release" listed in the table. For versions that have ended, the value in the "Current minor" column is the final minor release.
Timeline Table Columns and Sources for the Dates
Each table of the timeline has the following five columns:- Date — Represents the date associated with the row. All dates are written in the
YYYY-MM-DDformat. - Change — Indicates the type of change. The value will be one of six options listed below.
- What Happened — Describes the event or change. Where a source is quoted, the quotation is verbatim.
- Date Source — Specifies the type of document from which the 'Date' value was obtained. The value will be one of four options listed below.
- Source — Refers to the specific document used as the basis for the row. This column may include documents beyond those used for the 'Date Source'.
The possible values for 'Change' are:
First Release— The initial release of a major version.Final Release— The date listed as "Final Release" in the Versioning Policy table.Final Minor— A minor release where the announcement and release notes indicate it is the final release for that version.Minor Release— A minor release that occurs as scheduled, excluding 'Final Minor'.Out-of-Cycle— A release and its announcement that occur outside of the planned schedule.Pre-release— Beta and Release Candidate (RC) versions for the next major version.
The possible values for 'Date Source' are:
Versioning table— The "Releases" table in the Versioning Policy document.Release notes— The row labeledRelease datein the release notes for each version.Announcement— The row labeledPosted onin the News announcements on postgresql.org.Roadmap— The planned date listed on the Roadmap page.
The "Date" values for the initial release rows were set to the release date in the release notes of the initial release of that version. For the "Final Release" rows, the date reflects the "Final Release" date in the table, and the "What Happened" column lists the release date from the release notes of the final minor release. Version 12, which had two final minor releases, has no "Final Release" row; its "Final Minor" row for
12.22 carries the table's Final Release date. For the rows of announcements and releases, the date corresponds to the announcement date. Planned releases that have not yet occurred are listed in a separate table.When Dates Differ Across Sources
Sometimes, different dates are recorded for the same event in different sources. This article lists these dates in a table labeled "Where the Dates Differ." The "Kind of Difference" column contains the following three values:The sources disagree— The same type of date is recorded differently in the sources.Different kinds of dates— The sources record different types of dates. For example, this could refer to the table's Final Release versus the date listed in the release notes for the final minor release.Different precision— One source lists the date only up to the month, while the other includes the day.
This article avoids making assumptions about why sources might record different dates unless the reasons are explicitly stated.
Topics Covered in Other Articles
This article will direct readers to other articles covering the following topics:- The end dates of standard support and Extended Support for PostgreSQL versions on Amazon RDS and Amazon Aurora are detailed in the AWS End-of-Support and EOL Reference.
- Information on where AWS publishes these version end dates can be found in Where AWS Publishes Version End Dates.
- Instructions for upgrading major PostgreSQL versions on Amazon RDS and Amazon Aurora are available in Zero-Downtime Database Change on RDS and Aurora.
- Guidance on adjusting PostgreSQL's autovacuum settings, including addressing bloat and planner statistics on Aurora and RDS, is provided in PostgreSQL Autovacuum, Bloat, and Planner Statistics on Aurora and RDS.
PostgreSQL Release and Support Historical Timeline (Updates from January 29, 1997)
The following four tables constitute the main body of this timeline. Following these tables are a table listing planned releases that had not yet occurred as of November 9, 2026, and a table titled "Where the Dates Differ," which lists events with differing dates across various sources. Each table's columns are defined as described in the previous section. All data was referenced as of November 9, 2026.Index:
- 1997–2003 - The period during which versions 6.0 through 7.4 were released, including the table's Final Releases for versions 6.3 and 6.4.
- 2004–2010 - The period during which versions 8.0 through 9.0 were released, including the table's Final Releases for versions 6.5 through 8.1.
- 2011–2021 - The period during which versions 9.1 through 14 were released, during which the version numbering system changed starting with version 10, and included the table's Final Releases for versions 8.2 through 9.6.
- 2022–2026 - The period during which versions 15 through 18 were released, during which versions 10 through 13 reached their end-of-life, version 12 received two final minor releases, and pre-releases for version 19 were made available.
- Scheduled - Planned releases that had not yet occurred as of November 9, 2026.
- Where the Dates Differ - Events with differing dates across various sources.
* You can sort the table by clicking on the column name.
1997–2003 — From 6.0 to 7.4
The versioning table begins with version 6.3. The rows for versions 6.0, 6.1, and 6.2 were created using only the release note dates.| Date | Change | What Happened | Date Source | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-01-29 | First Release | Version 6.0 was released. This is the first entry in the timeline. Version 6.0 is not listed in the Versioning Policy table. | Release notes | Release 6.0 |
| 1997-06-08 | First Release | Version 6.1 was released. The final minor release of 6.1 was 6.1.1, and the release notes are dated 1997-07-22. Version 6.1 is not listed in the table. | Release notes | Release 6.1, Release 6.1.1 |
| 1997-10-02 | First Release | Version 6.2 was released. The final minor release of 6.2 was 6.2.1, and the release notes are dated 1997-10-17. Version 6.2 is not listed in the table. | Release notes | Release 6.2, Release 6.2.1 |
| 1998-03-01 | First Release | Version 6.3 was released. This is the first entry in the table. | Release notes | Release 6.3, Versioning Policy |
| 1998-10-30 | First Release | Version 6.4 was released. | Release notes | Release 6.4 |
| 1999-06-09 | First Release | Version 6.5 was released. | Release notes | Release 6.5 |
| 2000-05-08 | First Release | Version 7.0 was released. | Release notes | Release 7.0 |
| 2001-04-13 | First Release | Version 7.1 was released. | Release notes | Release 7.1 |
| 2002-02-04 | First Release | Version 7.2 was released. | Release notes | Release 7.2 |
| 2002-11-27 | First Release | Version 7.3 was released. | Release notes | Release 7.3 |
| 2003-03-01 | Final Release | Final Release of version 6.3. This date is exactly five years after the initial release. The final minor release for 6.3, 6.3.2, has release notes dated 1998-04-07, approximately five years before the date listed in the table. | Versioning table | Versioning Policy, Release 6.3.2 |
| 2003-10-30 | Final Release | Final Release of version 6.4. This date is exactly five years after the initial release. The final minor release, 6.4.2, has release notes dated 1998-12-20. | Versioning table | Versioning Policy, Release 6.4.2 |
| 2003-11-17 | First Release | Version 7.4 was released. The table's Final Release for version 7.4 is dated 2010-10-01, which is a little over six years and ten months after the initial release. | Release notes | Release 7.4, Versioning Policy |
2004–2010 — 8.0 to 9.0, and the Table's Final Releases of 6.5 to 8.1
During the period from 2004 to 2010, the table's Final Release falls exactly five years after the initial release for six versions: 6.5, 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, and 8.1. For four versions – 7.3, 7.4, 8.0, and 8.1 – the release notes for the final minor release were published between three and 41 days after the table's Final Release.| Date | Change | What Happened | Date Source | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-06-09 | Final Release | Final Release of version 6.5. This date is exactly five years after the initial release. The final minor release, 6.5.3, has release notes dated 1999-10-13. | Versioning table | Versioning Policy, Release 6.5.3 |
| 2005-01-19 | First Release | Version 8.0 was released. The Final Release for version 8.0 in the table is dated 2010-10-01, which is approximately five years and eight months after the initial release. | Release notes | Release 8.0 |
| 2005-05-08 | Final Release | Final Release of version 7.0. This date is exactly five years after the initial release. The final minor release, 7.0.3, has release notes dated 2000-11-11. | Versioning table | Versioning Policy, Release 7.0.3 |
| 2005-11-08 | First Release | Version 8.1 was released. | Release notes | Release 8.1 |
| 2006-04-13 | Final Release | Final Release of version 7.1. This date is exactly five years after the initial release. The final minor release, 7.1.3, has release notes dated 2001-08-15. | Versioning table | Versioning Policy, Release 7.1.3 |
| 2006-12-05 | First Release | Version 8.2 was released. | Release notes | Release 8.2 |
| 2007-02-04 | Final Release | Final Release of version 7.2. This date is exactly five years after the initial release. The final minor release, 7.2.8, has release notes dated 2005-05-09. | Versioning table | Versioning Policy, Release 7.2.8 |
| 2007-11-27 | Final Release | Final Release of version 7.3. This date is exactly five years after the initial release. The final minor release, 7.3.21, has release notes dated 2008-01-07, which is 41 days after the date in the table. | Versioning table | Versioning Policy, Release 7.3.21 |
| 2008-02-04 | First Release | Version 8.3 was released. | Release notes | Release 8.3 |
| 2009-07-01 | First Release | Version 8.4 was released. | Release notes | Release 8.4 |
| 2010-09-20 | First Release | Version 9.0 was released. | Release notes | Release 9.0 |
| 2010-10-01 | Final Release | Final Release for versions 7.4 and 8.0. The Final Release dates are the same for both versions in the table. The final minor releases, 7.4.30 and 8.0.26, both have release notes dated 2010-10-04, which is 3 days after the date in the table. | Versioning table | Versioning Policy, Release 7.4.30, Release 8.0.26 |
| 2010-11-08 | Final Release | Final Release for version 8.1. This date is exactly five years after the initial release. The final minor release, 8.1.23, has release notes dated 2010-12-16, which is 38 days after the date in the table. | Versioning table | Versioning Policy, Release 8.1.23 |
2011–2021 — Versions 9.1 through 14, and Version Numbers from 10
During the period from 2011 to 2021, the table's Final Releases all correspond with the release dates of the final minor releases. The Final Release for version 8.2 also marks the exact fifth anniversary of the initial release.| Date | Change | What Happened | Date Source | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-09-12 | First Release | Version 9.1 was released. | Release notes | Release 9.1 |
| 2011-12-05 | Final Release | Final Release of version 8.2. The date corresponds to the release notes for the final minor release, 8.2.23, and is also exactly five years after the initial release. | Versioning table | Versioning Policy, Release 8.2.23 |
| 2012-09-10 | First Release | Version 9.2 was released. | Release notes | Release 9.2 |
| 2013-02-07 | Final Release | Final Release of version 8.3. The date corresponds to the release notes for the final minor release, 8.3.23. | Versioning table | Versioning Policy, Release 8.3.23 |
| 2013-09-09 | First Release | Version 9.3 was released. | Release notes | Release 9.3 |
| 2014-07-24 | Final Release | Final Release of version 8.4. The date corresponds to the release notes for the final minor release, 8.4.22. | Versioning table | Versioning Policy, Release 8.4.22 |
| 2014-12-18 | First Release | Version 9.4 was released. | Release notes | Release 9.4 |
| 2015-10-08 | Final Release | Final Release of version 9.0. The date corresponds to the release notes for the final minor release, 9.0.23. | Versioning table | Versioning Policy, Release 9.0.23 |
| 2016-01-07 | First Release | Version 9.5 was released. | Release notes | Release 9.5 |
| 2016-09-29 | First Release | Version 9.6 was released. Version 9.6 was the final major version represented by two numbers. | Release notes | Release 9.6, Versioning Policy |
| 2016-10-27 | Final Release | Final Release of version 9.1. The date corresponds to the release notes for the final minor release, 9.1.24. | Versioning table | Versioning Policy, Release 9.1.24 |
| 2017-10-05 | First Release | Version 10 was released. According to the Versioning Policy, major versions from 10 onwards are represented by only the first number in the version number. | Release notes | Release 10, Versioning Policy |
| 2017-11-09 | Final Release | Final Release of version 9.2. The date corresponds to the release notes for the final minor release, 9.2.24. | Versioning table | Versioning Policy, Release 9.2.24 |
| 2018-10-18 | First Release | Version 11 was released. | Release notes | Release 11 |
| 2018-11-08 | Final Release | Final Release of version 9.3. The date corresponds to the release notes for the final minor release, 9.3.25. | Versioning table | Versioning Policy, Release 9.3.25 |
| 2019-10-03 | First Release | Version 12 was released. | Release notes | Release 12 |
| 2020-02-13 | Final Release | Final Release of version 9.4. The date corresponds to the release notes for the final minor release, 9.4.26. | Versioning table | Versioning Policy, Release 9.4.26 |
| 2020-09-24 | First Release | Version 13 was released. The date also corresponds to the general availability announcement. | Release notes | Release 13, PostgreSQL 13 Released! |
| 2021-02-11 | Final Release | Final Release of version 9.5. The date corresponds to the release notes for the final minor release, 9.5.25. | Versioning table | Versioning Policy, Release 9.5.25 |
| 2021-09-30 | First Release | Version 14 was released. The date also corresponds to the general availability announcement. | Release notes | Release 14, PostgreSQL 14 Released! |
| 2021-11-11 | Final Release | Final Release of version 9.6. The date corresponds to the release notes for the final minor release, 9.6.24. The announcement on this date stated, this is the final release of PostgreSQL 9.6. | Versioning table | Versioning Policy, Release 9.6.24, Announcement from 2021-11-11 |
2022–2026 — Versions 15 through 18, Two Final Minor Releases of 12, and RC1 of 19
During the period of 2022–2026, one version (12) got another minor release after its final minor release. Additionally, a release occurred on February 26, 2026, outside of the planned schedule.| Date | Change | What Happened | Date Source | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-10-13 | First Release | Version 15 was released. The GA announcement date was also 2022-10-13. | Release notes | Release 15, PostgreSQL 15 Released! |
| 2022-11-10 | Final Release | Final Release of version 10. The date corresponds to the release notes for the final minor release, version 10.23. The announcement on that day stated, PostgreSQL 10.23 is the final release of PostgreSQL 10. | Versioning table | Versioning Policy, Release 10.23, Announcement from 2022-11-10 |
| 2023-09-14 | First Release | Version 16 was released. The GA announcement date was also 2023-09-14. | Release notes | Release 16, PostgreSQL 16 Released! |
| 2023-11-09 | Final Release | Final Release of version 11. The date corresponds to the release notes for the final minor release, version 11.22. The announcement on that day included a section titled PostgreSQL 11 EOL Notice. | Versioning table | Versioning Policy, Release 11.22, Announcement from 2023-11-09 |
| 2024-09-26 | First Release | Version 17 was released. The GA announcement date was also 2024-09-26. | Release notes | Release 17, PostgreSQL 17 Released! |
| 2024-11-14 | Final Minor | Version 12.21 was released. The announcement stated that this release was the final release for version 12, including a section titled PostgreSQL 12 EOL Notice. The release notes for version 12.21 also indicated that it was likely to be the final release for version 12. | Announcement | Announcement from 2024-11-14, Release 12.21 |
| 2024-11-15 | Out-of-Cycle | An out-of-cycle release was scheduled for 2024-11-21. This was to address two issues introduced by the release on 2024-11-14. The announcement stated that 12.22 would also be released for version 12. | Announcement | Out-of-cycle release scheduled for November 21, 2024 |
| 2024-11-21 | Final Minor | Version 12.22 was released. The announcement included a section titled PostgreSQL 12 EOL Notice stating that this was the final release for version 12. The table's Final Release for version 12 is this date. | Announcement | Announcement from 2024-11-21, Release 12.22, Versioning Policy |
| 2025-09-25 | First Release | Version 18 was released. The GA announcement date was also 2025-09-25. | Release notes | Release 18, PostgreSQL 18 Released! |
| 2025-11-13 | Final Release | Final Release of version 13. The date corresponds to the release notes for the final minor release, version 13.23. The announcement on that day included a section titled PostgreSQL 13 EOL Notice. | Versioning table | Versioning Policy, Release 13.23, Announcement from 2025-11-13 |
| 2026-02-12 | Minor Release | Versions 18.2, 17.8, 16.12, 15.16, and 14.21 were released. According to the announcement from 2026-02-16, these releases contained issues. | Release notes | Release 18.2, Release 14.21 |
| 2026-02-16 | Out-of-Cycle | An out-of-cycle release was scheduled for 2026-02-26. This was to address issues introduced by the release on 2026-02-12, before the scheduled release on 2026-05-14. | Announcement | Out-of-cycle release scheduled for February 26, 2026 |
| 2026-02-26 | Out-of-Cycle | Versions 18.3, 17.9, 16.13, 15.17, and 14.22 were released. | Announcement | Announcement from 2026-02-26, Release 14.22 |
| 2026-05-14 | Minor Release | Versions 18.4, 17.10, 16.14, 15.18, and 14.23 were released. | Announcement | Announcement from 2026-05-14 |
| 2026-06-04 | Pre-release | Beta 1 for version 19 was released. | Announcement | PostgreSQL 19 Beta 1 Released! |
| 2026-07-16 | Pre-release | Beta 2 for version 19 was released. | Announcement | PostgreSQL 19 Beta 2 Released! |
| 2026-08-13 | Minor Release | Versions 18.6, 17.11, 16.15, 15.19, and 14.24 were released, along with Beta 3 for version 19. The announcement stated that version 18.5 was not released due to issues. The same announcement included a section titled PostgreSQL 14 EOL Notice indicating that updates for version 14 would end on 2026-11-12. | Announcement | Announcement from 2026-08-13, Release 14.24 |
| 2026-09-24 | Pre-release | Beta 4 for version 19 was released. | Announcement | PostgreSQL 19 Beta 4 Released! |
| 2026-10-15 | Pre-release | RC1 for version 19 was released. The announcement stated that RC2 was scheduled for 2026-11-12, and general availability (GA) for 2026-11-19. | Announcement | PostgreSQL 19 RC 1 Released! |
Scheduled Dates as of November 9, 2026
The rows in the following table represent planned dates that, as of November 9, 2026, have not yet occurred. Please note that these plans are subject to change. The rows for 15 through 18 refer to the "Final Release" values in the Versioning Policy table, and are not presented as guarantees of ongoing support through that date.| Date | Change | What Happened | Date Source | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-11-12 | Final Release | Final Release of version 14 (planned). The announcement from 2026-08-13 stated that fixes for version 14 would stop on this date. The release notes for version 14.24 indicate November 2026. The planned date for the next minor release, as outlined in the roadmap, is also this date. | Versioning table | Versioning Policy, Announcement from 2026-08-13, Release 14.24, Roadmap |
| 2026-11-12 | Pre-release | Release Candidate 2 (RC2) for version 19 (planned). The announcement for RC1 stated that RC2 would be released on the same date as the next minor release. | Announcement | PostgreSQL 19 RC 1 Released! |
| 2026-11-19 | First Release | General Availability (GA) release for version 19 (planned). The announcement for RC1 stated that, unless an issue requires a delay or an additional release candidate, the GA release would occur on this date. As of 2026-11-09, the Release date in the release notes for version 19 was listed as 2026-??-??. | Announcement | PostgreSQL 19 RC 1 Released!, Release 19 |
| 2027-02-11 | Minor Release | Planned date for a minor release. | Roadmap | Roadmap |
| 2027-05-13 | Minor Release | Planned date for a minor release. | Roadmap | Roadmap |
| 2027-08-12 | Minor Release | Planned date for a minor release. | Roadmap | Roadmap |
| 2027-11-11 | Final Release | Final Release of version 15 (planned). | Versioning table | Versioning Policy |
| 2028-11-09 | Final Release | Final Release of version 16 (planned). | Versioning table | Versioning Policy |
| 2029-11-08 | Final Release | Final Release of version 17 (planned). | Versioning table | Versioning Policy |
| 2030-11-14 | Final Release | Final Release of version 18 (planned). | Versioning table | Versioning Policy |
Where the Dates Differ
The following table lists events for which the dates vary across different sources. In the "Dates by Source" column, dates that have been placed on the main timeline are marked with(timeline). The values in the "Kind of Difference" column correspond to the three categories defined in the previous section.| Event | Dates by Source | Kind of Difference |
|---|---|---|
| GA of 19 | RC1 announcement: 2026-11-19 (timeline), Roadmap page: October 2026 | The sources disagree |
| Last release of 12 | Table: Final Release 2024-11-21, Announcement and release notes for 12.22: 2024-11-21 (timeline), Announcement and release notes for 12.21: 2024-11-14 (timeline), Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL Release calendars: Community end of life date: 14 November 2024 | The sources disagree |
| Final Release of 14 | Table: Final Release 2026-11-12 (timeline), Announcement of 2026-08-13: 2026-11-12, Release notes for 14.24: November 2026 | Different precision |
| End of 8.1 | Table: Final Release 2010-11-08 (timeline), Release notes for 8.1.23: 2010-12-16 | Different kinds of dates |
| End of 7.4 and 8.0 | Table: Final Release 2010-10-01 (timeline), Release notes for 7.4.30 and 8.0.26: 2010-10-04 | Different kinds of dates |
| End of 7.3 | Table: Final Release 2007-11-27 (timeline), Release notes for 7.3.21: 2008-01-07 | Different kinds of dates |
| End of 6.3 to 7.2 | Table: Final Release exactly 5 years after the initial release (timeline). Release notes for the final minor release range from 6.3.2 (1998-04-07) to 7.2.8 (2005-05-09) | Different kinds of dates |
| 16, 17, 18 Initial Release | Release notes and GA announcements: 2023-09-14, 2024-09-26, 2025-09-25 (timeline). Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL Release calendars: Community release date: 9 November 2023, 14 November 2024, 13 November 2025 | The sources disagree |
| 9.6 Initial Release | Release notes and table: 2016-09-29 (timeline), Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL Release calendars: Community release date: 26 September 2016 | The sources disagree |
Current Overview of PostgreSQL Releases and Support
This section summarizes the status of each PostgreSQL version as of November 9, 2026, outlines the support policies, describes the process for determining the table's Final Release date, explains how to upgrade between major versions, and clarifies any differences in dates related to AWS.Per-Version Support Schedule
The following diagram illustrates the period from the initial release to the Final Release for versions 10 through 19. Version 14 is shown up to the planned date of 2026-11-12. Versions 15 through 18 are shown up to their planned Final Release dates in the table. Version 19 is shown only with its planned General Availability (GA) date, and does not include an end date. The red vertical line in the diagram indicates the verification date of 2026-11-09.
* You can sort the table by clicking on the column name.
| Version | First Release | Final Release (Versioning Table) | Latest Minor | Release Date of the Latest Minor | First Release + 5 Years? | Same Date as the Latest Minor? | Status (as of November 9, 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Release candidate. GA planned for 2026-11-19 |
| 18 | 2025-09-25 | 2030-11-14 | 18.6 | 2026-08-13 | No | Not yet | Supported |
| 17 | 2024-09-26 | 2029-11-08 | 17.11 | 2026-08-13 | No | Not yet | Supported |
| 16 | 2023-09-14 | 2028-11-09 | 16.15 | 2026-08-13 | No | Not yet | Supported |
| 15 | 2022-10-13 | 2027-11-11 | 15.19 | 2026-08-13 | No | Not yet | Supported |
| 14 | 2021-09-30 | 2026-11-12 | 14.24 | 2026-08-13 | No | Not yet | Supported. Final Release planned for 2026-11-12 |
| 13 | 2020-09-24 | 2025-11-13 | 13.23 | 2025-11-13 | No | Yes | Ended |
| 12 | 2019-10-03 | 2024-11-21 | 12.22 | 2024-11-21 | No | Yes | Ended |
| 11 | 2018-10-18 | 2023-11-09 | 11.22 | 2023-11-09 | No | Yes | Ended |
| 10 | 2017-10-05 | 2022-11-10 | 10.23 | 2022-11-10 | No | Yes | Ended |
| Version | First Release | Final Release (Versioning Table) | Latest Minor | Release Date of the Latest Minor | First Release + 5 Years? | Same Date as the Latest Minor? | Status (as of November 9, 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9.6 | 2016-09-29 | 2021-11-11 | 9.6.24 | 2021-11-11 | No | Yes | Ended |
| 9.5 | 2016-01-07 | 2021-02-11 | 9.5.25 | 2021-02-11 | No | Yes | Ended |
| 9.4 | 2014-12-18 | 2020-02-13 | 9.4.26 | 2020-02-13 | No | Yes | Ended |
| 9.3 | 2013-09-09 | 2018-11-08 | 9.3.25 | 2018-11-08 | No | Yes | Ended |
| 9.2 | 2012-09-10 | 2017-11-09 | 9.2.24 | 2017-11-09 | No | Yes | Ended |
| 9.1 | 2011-09-12 | 2016-10-27 | 9.1.24 | 2016-10-27 | No | Yes | Ended |
| 9.0 | 2010-09-20 | 2015-10-08 | 9.0.23 | 2015-10-08 | No | Yes | Ended |
| 8.4 | 2009-07-01 | 2014-07-24 | 8.4.22 | 2014-07-24 | No | Yes | Ended |
| 8.3 | 2008-02-04 | 2013-02-07 | 8.3.23 | 2013-02-07 | No | Yes | Ended |
| 8.2 | 2006-12-05 | 2011-12-05 | 8.2.23 | 2011-12-05 | Yes | Yes | Ended |
| 8.1 | 2005-11-08 | 2010-11-08 | 8.1.23 | 2010-12-16 | Yes | No (38 days later) | Ended |
| 8.0 | 2005-01-19 | 2010-10-01 | 8.0.26 | 2010-10-04 | No | No (3 days later) | Ended |
| 7.4 | 2003-11-17 | 2010-10-01 | 7.4.30 | 2010-10-04 | No | No (3 days later) | Ended |
| 7.3 | 2002-11-27 | 2007-11-27 | 7.3.21 | 2008-01-07 | Yes | No (41 days later) | Ended |
| 7.2 | 2002-02-04 | 2007-02-04 | 7.2.8 | 2005-05-09 | Yes | No (released 2005-05-09) | Ended |
| 7.1 | 2001-04-13 | 2006-04-13 | 7.1.3 | 2001-08-15 | Yes | No (released 2001-08-15) | Ended |
| 7.0 | 2000-05-08 | 2005-05-08 | 7.0.3 | 2000-11-11 | Yes | No (released 2000-11-11) | Ended |
| 6.5 | 1999-06-09 | 2004-06-09 | 6.5.3 | 1999-10-13 | Yes | No (released 1999-10-13) | Ended |
| 6.4 | 1998-10-30 | 2003-10-30 | 6.4.2 | 1998-12-20 | Yes | No (released 1998-12-20) | Ended |
| 6.3 | 1998-03-01 | 2003-03-01 | 6.3.2 | 1998-04-07 | Yes | No (released 1998-04-07) | Ended |
| 6.2 | 1997-10-02 | — | 6.2.1 | 1997-10-17 | — | — | Not in the versioning table |
| 6.1 | 1997-06-08 | — | 6.1.1 | 1997-07-22 | — | — | Not in the versioning table |
| 6.0 | 1997-01-29 | — | — | — | — | — | Not in the versioning table |
For versions 14 through 18, the Latest Minor is the "Current minor" value in the Versioning Policy table as of November 9, 2026. Since the "Final Release" dates for these five versions have not yet occurred, the "Same Date as the Latest Minor?" column is marked "Not yet." The index of the release notes does not include any entries for minor releases of 6.0 that come after version
6.0.0.The Policy at a Glance
The Versioning Policy outlines the relationship between major versions and minor releases as follows:The PostgreSQL Global Development Group releases a new major version containing new features about once a year. Each major version receives bug fixes and, if need be, security fixes that are released at least once every three months in what we call a "minor release."The dates for minor releases are specified on the Roadmap page, as follows:
The PostgreSQL project aims to make at least one minor release every quarter, on a predefined schedule.The target date for these releases are, unless otherwise stated, the second Thursday of February, May, August, and November.In cases where a fix cannot wait for the planned date, a release may be made outside of the planned timeline. The Versioning Policy states this as follows:
If the release team determines that a critical bug or security fix is too important to wait until the regularly scheduled minor release, it may make a release available outside of the minor release roadmap.As stated in the sentence quoted at the start of this article, the support period for a major version is five years from the initial release. Following the final minor release, the version will reach its end-of-life. The Versioning Policy recommends that users run the latest minor release for each major version.
We recommend that users always run the current minor release associated with their major version.How a Final Release Date Gets Fixed
The following diagram illustrates the process from a minor release to the table's Final Release, using version 12 as the example. The top section describes the flow related to Versioning Policy and Roadmap, while the bottom section lists the actual dates for version 12.
12.21 was released. The announcement on the same day, in the section titled PostgreSQL 12 EOL Notice, stated:This is the final release of PostgreSQL 12. PostgreSQL 12 is now end-of-life and will no longer receive security and bug fixes.The announcement on 2024-11-15 stated that an out-of-cycle release would be made on 2024-11-21 to address two issues introduced by the release on 2024-11-14. This announcement also stated that
12.22 would be released for version 12.As part of this release, we will issue fixes for all supported versions (17.2, 16.6, 15.10, 14.15, 13.18), and for 12.22, even though PostgreSQL 12 is now EOL.On 2024-11-21, version
12.22 was released. The announcement on the same day, in the PostgreSQL 12 EOL Notice section, stated that 12.22 was the final release for version 12. Both the release notes for 12.21 and 12.22 contained the following sentence.This is expected to be the last PostgreSQL release in the 12.X series.According to the Versioning Policy table, the Final Release for version 12 is listed as 2024-11-21. This means that after a minor release was announced as the final release, another minor release was subsequently designated as the final release, and the table's Final Release is the date of the later one.
Out-of-cycle releases are not limited to version 12. A minor release on 2026-02-12 introduced two regressions. Following an announcement on 2026-02-16, versions
18.3, 17.9, 16.13, 15.17, and 14.22 were released on 2026-02-26. In the release on 2026-08-13, version 18.5 was not shipped, and version 18 progressed from 18.4 to 18.6. The announcement stated:This release skips PostgreSQL 18 versions from PostgreSQL 18.4 to 18.6. 18.5 was not shipped due to a regression.As of 2026-11-09, the Final Release for version 14 is still a planned date. The announcement on 2026-08-13, in the
PostgreSQL 14 EOL Notice section, stated:PostgreSQL 14 will stop receiving fixes on November 12, 2026.The release notes for version
14.24 are written using months instead of specific dates.The PostgreSQL community will stop releasing updates for the 14.X release series in November 2026.After 2026-11-12, when the relevant section regarding version 14 in this article is changed to "ended," verify the following five points using the primary documentation.
- In the Versioning Policy table, row 14 indicates "No" for "Supported," and the "Current minor" version number corresponds to the minor release dated 2026-11-12.
- The announcement for 2026-11-12 includes a section titled
PostgreSQL 14 EOL Notice, mirroring the format of the announcement from 2025-11-13, and explicitly states that this is the final release. - The release notes for that minor release indicate a
Release dateof 2026-11-12, and state that it is expected to be the final release for version 14. - There have been no additional minor releases for version 14, similar to what occurred with version 12. If such releases were to emerge, the "Final Release" date in the table might be adjusted.
- Verify whether version 19 was generally available (GA) on 2026-11-19, and whether a row for version 19 has been added to the Versioning Policy table.
In older versions, the relationship between the "Final Release" date and the date of the final minor release differs. For versions 8.2 through 13, these two dates are the same. For versions 8.1, 8.0, 7.4, and 7.3, the release date listed in the release notes for the final minor release is between 3 and 41 days after the "Final Release" date in the table. For versions 6.3 through 7.2, the final minor release was released years before the "Final Release" date listed in the table. Furthermore, in nine versions – 6.3 through 7.3, and 8.1 and 8.2 – the "Final Release" date in the table is exactly five years after the initial release. The "Final Release" date for version 7.4 is approximately six years and ten months after the initial release, while for version 8.0, it is approximately five years and eight months, both exceeding five years. The documentation does not explain the reasons for these discrepancies.
Upgrading Between Major Versions
The Versioning Policy describes the process for upgrading between minor releases, noting that additional steps may be required even for minor releases.Minor release upgrades do not require a dump and restore; you simply stop the database server, install the updated binaries, and restart the server. Such upgrades might require additional steps so always read the release notes first.The Versioning Policy also outlines the process for upgrading between major versions, with two key points.
A dump/reload of the database or use of the pg_upgrade application is required for major upgrades.You can upgrade from one major version to another without upgrading to intervening versions, but we recommend reading the release notes of all intervening major versions prior to doing so.The "Upgrading a PostgreSQL Cluster" page of the documentation for 18 lists three methods for migrating data to a new major version:
pg_dumpall, pg_upgrade, and replication. The pg_upgrade page of the documentation for 18 specifies the supported source versions as follows:pg_upgrade supports upgrades from 9.2.X and later to the current major release of PostgreSQL, including snapshot and beta releases.This article does not cover the procedures and options in detail. Please refer to the pages Upgrading a PostgreSQL Cluster and pg_upgrade for more information. The process for upgrading on Amazon RDS and Amazon Aurora is described in Zero-Downtime Database Change on RDS and Aurora.
Where the AWS Dates Differ
The Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL Release calendars page describes the relationship between AWS support periods and community periods as follows:RDS for PostgreSQL major versions are available under standard support at least until community end of life for the corresponding community version.As of November 9, 2026, for all rows in the major version table on this page, the RDS end of standard support date is later than the Community end of life date. This means that even after the community's Final Release, standard support for Amazon RDS will not end immediately. Details regarding the dates for each RDS version and the Extended Support period can be found in the AWS End-of-Support and EOL Reference. Information on where AWS publishes version end dates is available in Where AWS Publishes Version End Dates.
There are discrepancies between the Community column on this page and the dates listed on postgresql.org.
- Community release date: Rows 16, 17, and 18 list the dates as
9 November 2023,14 November 2024, and13 November 2025, respectively. The initial release dates on postgresql.org are September 14, 2023, September 26, 2024, and September 25, 2025. The three dates listed by AWS correspond to the release notes for versions16.1,17.1, and18.1. Row 9.6 lists the date as26 September 2016, which differs by three days from the date listed on postgresql.org (September 29, 2016). - Community end of life date: Row 12 lists the date as
14 November 2024, which aligns with the date for version12.21. The Final Release listed in the Versioning Policy table for version 12 is November 21, 2024 (12.22). Rows 13 and 15 to 18 give only the month, such asNovember 2025for row 13.
The AWS page notes that dates with only a month and a year are approximate and are updated with an exact date when it is known. It does not explain the reason for the other differences. This article uses dates for the initial release and Final Release from postgresql.org, and does not source the Community column from AWS.
Frequently Asked Questions about PostgreSQL Releases and Support
What happens on the Final Release date of a PostgreSQL version?
According to the Versioning Policy, major versions are supported for five years from their initial release, followed by a final minor release, after which the version reaches its end-of-life. In versions 10 through 13, the final minor release was released on the day of the table's Final Release, and the announcement for that day stated that it was the final release for that version. As of November 9, 2026, version 14 is scheduled to reach its Final Release on November 12, 2026.Can a PostgreSQL version get another minor release after its final release?
Yes, it is possible for a PostgreSQL version to receive another minor release even after its final release. In version 12, while12.21, released on November 14, 2024, was announced as the final release, a subsequent release, 12.22, was released on November 21, 2024, to address bugs introduced in that release. The announcement on November 15, 2024, stated that 12.22 would be released even though version 12 had already reached its end-of-life (EOL). The "Final Release" date for version 12, as indicated in the table, is November 21, 2024. This article does not attempt to predict whether a similar situation will occur with version 14.Does support for a PostgreSQL version end exactly five years after its first release?
In the table, the support duration varies depending on the version. For nine versions, 6.3 through 7.3, 8.1, and 8.2, the table's Final Release date is exactly five years after the initial release. For versions 10 through 18, the table's Final Release dates all fall in November and are later than five years after the initial release. For 14 through 18, these dates were planned as of November 9, 2026. Versions 7.4 and 8.0 have support durations exceeding five years, at approximately six years and ten months, and five years and eight months, respectively. You should verify the specific support duration for your version in the Versioning Policy table.What changed in PostgreSQL version numbers from PostgreSQL 10?
Starting with version 10, the major version is represented by the first number in the version number (e.g., from 10 to 11). Up to version 9.6, the major version was indicated by either the first or second number (e.g., from 9.5 to 9.6). Minor releases, from version 10 onwards, increment the second number, while in earlier versions, the third number is incremented. For example,14.24 represents a minor release of version 14, and 9.6.24 represents a minor release of version 9.6.Does Amazon RDS end support for a PostgreSQL version on the same date?
No, it does not. The Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL release calendars state that major versions remain under standard support at least until the community end-of-life date, and as of November 9, 2026, the RDS end of standard support date for every row on that page is later than the corresponding community end-of-life date. Please refer to the AWS End-of-Support and EOL Reference for the specific dates for each version.When will PostgreSQL 19 be released, and when does PostgreSQL 14 reach its Final Release?
As of November 9, 2026, the planned General Availability (GA) date for PostgreSQL 19 is November 19, 2026. The RC1 announcement states that version 19 should be made generally available on this date, unless an issue requires a delay or an additional Release Candidate (RC). However, the Roadmap page, as of November 9, 2026, lists PostgreSQL 19 for anOctober 2026 release. The planned Final Release date for PostgreSQL 14 is November 12, 2026, which also corresponds to the planned date for the next minor release according to the Roadmap.Summary
In the PostgreSQL release notes index, this timeline begins with version 6.0 on January 29, 1997. The "Releases" table in the Versioning Policy outlines the "First Release" and "Final Release" dates for 29 versions, from 6.3 through 18. Beginning with version 10, major versions are identified by the first number in the version number.⇒ Major versions are supported for five years from their initial release, followed by a final minor release. Minor releases are typically released at least once per quarter, targeting the second Thursday of February, May, August, and November. Updates may also be released outside of this schedule to address critical bug fixes.
⇒ The "Final Release" dates in the table have different meanings depending on the version. For versions 8.2 through 13, the date corresponds to the date of the final minor release. For versions 8.1, 8.0, 7.4, and 7.3, the final minor release occurred between 3 and 41 days after the date listed. For versions 6.3 through 7.2, the final minor release was released years before the date shown. For versions 6.3 through 7.3, as well as versions 8.1 and 8.2, the listed date represents exactly five years from the initial release.
⇒ A minor release announced as the final release has been followed by another one. For example, in version 12, after the release of
12.21 on November 14, 2024, 12.22 was released on November 21, 2024, and the "Final Release" date in the table is November 21, 2024.⚠ As of November 9, 2026, some rows of this timeline are still planned. The planned dates are November 12, 2026, for the Final Release of version 14 and RC2 of version 19; November 19, 2026, for the general availability release of version 19. The Final Releases for versions 15 through 18 are also planned dates in the table. Please note that the end of standard support for Amazon RDS is separate from the community-defined dates. All information is current as of November 9, 2026.
This timeline will be updated as PostgreSQL releases and the PostgreSQL versioning policy continue to evolve.
In addition, there are related history-and-timeline articles on this site, so please have a look if you are interested.
- OpenSSL Release and Support Timeline - The Release Strategy, LTS Releases, and Where the End-of-Support Dates Come From
- Python Version Support and EOL Timeline - Release Schedule, Support Policy, and End-of-Life Dates
- Node.js Release and EOL Timeline - LTS Schedule, Active LTS and Maintenance, and End-of-Life Dates
- Java Version and LTS Timeline - Release History, the LTS Model, and Support Across Distributions
- .NET Release and Support Timeline - STS and LTS Releases, the Move to Two-Year STS Support, and End-of-Support Dates
- Go Release and Support Timeline - Release History, the Release Policy, and the Go 1 Compatibility Promise
- Kubernetes Release and Support Timeline - Minor Releases, Maintenance Mode, End of Life, and Version Skew
References:
- Versioning Policy (PostgreSQL)
- Roadmap (PostgreSQL)
- Release Notes (PostgreSQL)
- PostgreSQL 19 RC 1 Released!
- PostgreSQL 18.6, 17.11, 16.15, 15.19, 14.24 and 19 Beta 3 Released!
- Out-of-cycle release scheduled for February 26, 2026
- PostgreSQL 18.1, 17.7, 16.11, 15.15, 14.20, and 13.23 Released!
- PostgreSQL 17.1, 16.5, 15.9, 14.14, 13.17, and 12.21 Released!
- Out-of-cycle release scheduled for November 21, 2024
- PostgreSQL 17.2, 16.6, 15.10, 14.15, 13.18, and 12.22 Released!
- Upgrading a PostgreSQL Cluster (PostgreSQL Documentation)
- pg_upgrade (PostgreSQL Documentation)
- Release calendars for Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL
References:
Tech Blog with curated related content
Written by Hidekazu Konishi