Microsoft SQL Server versions on Amazon RDS - Amazon Relational Database Service
Version management

Microsoft SQL Server versions on Amazon RDS

You can specify any currently supported Microsoft SQL Server version when creating a new DB instance. You can specify the Microsoft SQL Server major version (such as Microsoft SQL Server 14.00), and any supported minor version for the specified major version. If no version is specified, Amazon RDS defaults to a supported version, typically the most recent version. If a major version is specified but a minor version is not, Amazon RDS defaults to a recent release of the major version you have specified.

The following table shows the supported versions for all editions and all AWS Regions, except where noted. You can also use the describe-db-engine-versions AWS CLI command to see a list of supported versions, as well as defaults for newly created DB instances. The following table shows the SQL Server versions supported in RDS:

Major version Minor version RDS API EngineVersion and CLI engine-version
SQL Server 2022

16.00.4140.3 (CU14 GDR)

16.00.4135.4 (CU14)

16.00.4131.2 (CU13)

16.00.4125.3 (CU13)

16.00.4120.1 (CU12 GDR)

16.00.4115.5 (CU12)

16.00.4105.2 (CU11)

16.00.4095.4 (CU10)

16.00.4085.2 (CU9)

16.00.4140.3.v1

16.00.4135.4.v1

16.00.4131.2.v1

16.00.4125.3.v1

16.00.4120.1.v1

16.00.4115.5.v1

16.00.4105.2.v1

16.00.4095.4.v1

16.00.4085.2.v1
SQL Server 2019

15.00.4390.2 (CU28)

15.00.4385.2 (CU28)

15.00.4382.1 (CU27)

15.00.4375.4 (CU27)

15.00.4365.2 (CU26)

15.00.4355.3 (CU25)

15.00.4345.5 (CU24)

15.00.4335.1 (CU23)

15.00.4322.2 (CU22)

15.00.4316.3 (CU21)

15.00.4312.2 (CU20)

15.00.4236.7 (CU16)

15.00.4198.2 (CU15)

15.00.4153.1 (CU12)

15.00.4073.23 (CU8)

15.00.4043.16 (CU5)

15.00.4390.2.v1

15.00.4385.2.v1

15.00.4382.1.v1

15.00.4375.4.v1

15.00.4365.2.v1

15.00.4355.3.v1

15.00.4345.5.v1

15.00.4335.1.v1

15.00.4322.2.v1

15.00.4316.3.v1

15.00.4312.2.v1

15.00.4236.7.v1

15.00.4198.2.v1

15.00.4153.1.v1

15.00.4073.23.v1

15.00.4043.16.v1
SQL Server 2017

14.00.3475.1 (CU31)

14.00.3471.2 (CU31)

14.00.3465.1 (CU31)

14.00.3460.9 (CU31)

14.00.3451.2 (CU30)

14.00.3421.10 (CU27)

14.00.3401.7 (CU25)

14.00.3381.3 (CU23)

14.00.3356.20 (CU22)

14.00.3294.2 (CU20)

14.00.3281.6 (CU19)

14.00.3475.1.v1

14.00.3471.2.v1

14.00.3465.1.v1

14.00.3460.9.v1

14.00.3451.2.v1

14.00.3421.10.v1

14.00.3401.7.v1

14.00.3381.3.v1

14.00.3356.20.v1

14.00.3294.2.v1

14.00.3281.6.v1
SQL Server 2016

13.00.6445.1 (GDR)

13.00.6441.1 (GDR)

13.00.6435.1 (GDR)

13.00.6430.49 (GDR)

13.00.6419.1 (SP3 + Hotfix)

13.00.6300.2 (SP3)

13.00.6445.1.v1

13.00.6441.1.v1

13.00.6435.1.v1

13.00.6430.49.v1

13.00.6419.1.v1

13.00.6300.2.v1

Version management in Amazon RDS

Amazon RDS includes flexible version management that enables you to control when and how your DB instance is patched or upgraded. This enables you to do the following for your DB engine:

  • Maintain compatibility with database engine patch versions.

  • Test new patch versions to verify that they work with your application before you deploy them in production.

  • Plan and perform version upgrades to meet your service level agreements and timing requirements.

Microsoft SQL Server engine patching in Amazon RDS

Amazon RDS periodically aggregates official Microsoft SQL Server database patches into a DB instance engine version that's specific to Amazon RDS. For more information about the Microsoft SQL Server patches in each engine version, see Version and feature support on Amazon RDS.

Currently, you manually perform all engine upgrades on your DB instance. For more information, see Upgrades of the Microsoft SQL Server DB engine.

Deprecation schedule for major engine versions of Microsoft SQL Server on Amazon RDS

The following table displays the planned schedule of deprecations for major engine versions of Microsoft SQL Server.

Date Information
July 9, 2024

Microsoft will stop critical patch updates for SQL Server 2014. For more information, see Microsoft SQL Server 2014 in the Microsoft documentation.
June 1, 2024

Amazon RDS plans to end support of Microsoft SQL Server 2014 on RDS for SQL Server. At that time, any remaining instances will be scheduled to migrate to SQL Server 2016 (latest minor version available). For more information, see Announcement: Amazon RDS for SQL Server ending support for SQL Server 2014 major versions.

To avoid an automatic upgrade from Microsoft SQL Server 2014, you can upgrade at a time that is convenient to you. For more information, see Upgrading a DB instance engine version.
July 12, 2022

Microsoft will stop critical patch updates for SQL Server 2012. For more information, see Microsoft SQL Server 2012 in the Microsoft documentation.
June 1, 2022

Amazon RDS plans to end support of Microsoft SQL Server 2012 on RDS for SQL Server. At that time, any remaining instances will be scheduled to migrate to SQL Server 2014 (latest minor version available). For more information, see Announcement: Amazon RDS for SQL Server ending support for SQL Server 2012 major versions.

To avoid an automatic upgrade from Microsoft SQL Server 2012, you can upgrade at a time that is convenient to you. For more information, see Upgrading a DB instance engine version.
September 1, 2021 Amazon RDS is starting to disable the creation of new RDS for SQL Server DB instances using Microsoft SQL Server 2012. For more information, see Announcement: Amazon RDS for SQL Server ending support for SQL Server 2012 major versions.
July 12, 2019

The Amazon RDS team deprecated support for Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 in June 2019. Remaining instances of Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 are migrating to SQL Server 2012 (latest minor version available).

To avoid an automatic upgrade from Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2, you can upgrade at a time that is convenient to you. For more information, see Upgrading a DB instance engine version.
April 25, 2019 Before the end of April 2019, you will no longer be able to create new Amazon RDS for SQL Server database instances using Microsoft SQL Server 2008R2.