The PostgreSQL 14 EOL (end of life) is November 12, 2026. That day the PostgreSQL project ships the last update for version 14. After it, the community releases no more bug or security fixes.
This post covers who is still on version 14 without knowing it, each managed provider’s published dates, what extended support costs, what Drupal 11 and 12 require, and the three ways to upgrade. All dates are as of October 2026 and come from each provider’s own documentation.
The short version: if your database runs on AWS, Azure or Google Cloud, you have a few extra months, and then the provider starts charging you to stay. If it runs on Heroku or Supabase, the PostgreSQL 14 EOL has already passed on those platforms. Move to PostgreSQL 18 unless a tool you depend on is not ready for it. Do not wait for PostgreSQL 19. It is due November 19, a week after the PostgreSQL 14 EOL, and managed providers add new versions later.
What the PostgreSQL 14 EOL means on November 12
The PostgreSQL Global Development Group supports each major version for five years. Its versioning policy says: "After this, a final minor version will be released and the software will then be unsupported (end-of-life)."
Version 14 first shipped on September 30, 2021. The policy page lists its final release as November 12, 2026, which is also the next scheduled update release.
Your database will not stop on November 13. It will keep running. What ends is the stream of fixes. Any security flaw found in version 14 after that day stays open unless someone else patches it.
Here is where the other versions stand, from the same page:
| Version | First release | Community support ends |
|---|---|---|
| PostgreSQL 14 | September 30, 2021 | November 12, 2026 |
| PostgreSQL 15 | October 13, 2022 | November 11, 2027 |
| PostgreSQL 16 | September 14, 2023 | November 9, 2028 |
| PostgreSQL 17 | September 26, 2024 | November 8, 2029 |
| PostgreSQL 18 | September 25, 2025 | November 14, 2030 |
Who is on PostgreSQL 14 without knowing it
Most teams facing the PostgreSQL 14 EOL did not pick version 14 on purpose. It was the default when the database was created, and nobody has changed it since.
Common places it hides:
- Managed databases set up in 2022 or 2023. On AWS RDS, Aurora, Azure and Google Cloud SQL, a major version upgrade is usually a step you schedule, so a database created on 14 tends to stay there.
- App platforms. Heroku, Render and Supabase each host PostgreSQL for apps that agencies build and hand over.
- Self-hosted Linux servers. PostgreSQL’s own download page says Ubuntu “snapshots” one PostgreSQL version for the life of each Ubuntu release. Launchpad lists postgresql-14 builds for Ubuntu 22.04.
- Drupal sites that chose PostgreSQL. Many Drupal sites run MySQL or MariaDB, and this date does not touch them. The ones on PostgreSQL need a check.
The check takes one query. Connect to the database and run SELECT version();. On a Drupal site, the Status report under Reports also lists the database system and its version.
If you inherited client sites, check each one. As with backup plans, you cannot plan for a system you have not listed.
Managed provider dates after the PostgreSQL 14 EOL
Each provider sets its own deadline. Some run past the community date and charge for the extra time. Others ended support early.
| Provider | Standard support for 14 ends | What happens next | Extended support ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWS RDS and Aurora PostgreSQL | February 28, 2027 | Paid RDS Extended Support from March 1, 2027 | February 28, 2030 |
| Azure Database for PostgreSQL | December 11, 2026 or January 31, 2027 (Microsoft pages differ) | Automatic paid extended support from February 1, 2027 | November 11, 2029 |
| Google Cloud SQL | Extended support starts February 1, 2027 | Automatic paid extended support | Deprecated February 1, 2030 |
| Supabase | July 1, 2026 (passed) | Projects upgraded automatically, or paused | None |
| Heroku Postgres | November 28, 2025 (passed) | Access restricted, databases deleted for non-compliance | None |
| Render | No date published | Version 14 still listed as fully supported | None published |
Sources are the RDS release calendar and the Aurora calendar, Microsoft’s Azure extended support page, Google’s Cloud SQL version page, Supabase’s changelog, Heroku’s version support page and Render’s upgrade guide.
Microsoft’s version policy page, updated September 16, lists the end of standard support as December 11, 2026. Its extended support page, updated July 14, says January 31, 2027. Plan for the earlier date. On Supabase, the changelog says projects with unsupported extensions are "paused instead and no longer serve traffic."
What extended support costs after the PostgreSQL 14 EOL
AWS, Azure and Google enroll you automatically. You do not opt in. The bill simply starts.
AWS says Aurora "will automatically enroll" databases that pass the end of standard support. You can turn enrollment off, but AWS’s charges page says a database already past its date then "automatically upgrades to the next supported major version." AWS bills per vCPU per hour, and Multi-AZ standby instances are charged too. Its pricing FAQ example uses $0.100 per vCPU-hour in US East for a PostgreSQL 11 instance. Check the live pricing page for your region, and note the rate steps up in year three.
Google publishes its rates on the Cloud SQL pricing page. In Iowa (us-central1), extended support is $0.07 per vCPU-hour in years one and two, and $0.14 in year three. High-availability vCPUs cost double that. Committed use discounts do not apply.
Microsoft says extended support is billed for the time a server runs on an unsupported version. Its pricing page did not show a rate when we checked.
Some rough math, based on about 730 hours in a month:
- A 2 vCPU Cloud SQL instance: about $102 a month on top of the normal bill in years one and two.
- The same instance with high availability: about $204 a month.
- A 2 vCPU RDS instance at the $0.100 example rate: about $146 a month, and about twice that with a Multi-AZ standby.
For a small nonprofit, that is a real monthly cost, and it rises in year three.
What Drupal 11 and 12 require from PostgreSQL
Drupal’s database server requirements page, updated September 4, 2026, lists one PostgreSQL version per Drupal release:
- Drupal 10: PostgreSQL 12 or later.
- Drupal 11: PostgreSQL 16 or later.
- Drupal 12: PostgreSQL 18 or later.
All three require the pg_trgm extension. Drupal 12 also requires PHP 8.5, according to the Drupal 12 platform requirements post from January 2026.
This creates a trap. A Drupal 10 site on PostgreSQL 14 meets Drupal’s requirements today. It cannot move to Drupal 11 until the database is on 16 or later. So the database upgrade comes first, and ideally before the PostgreSQL 14 EOL.
Drupal’s release schedule puts Drupal 12 in the week of December 7, 2026. Our Drupal 12 release tracker covers why that date has moved. If you are planning the code side now, our Drupal 10 to 11 upgrade guide walks through it.
Which version to move to: 17, 18 or wait for 19
For most teams, the answer is PostgreSQL 18.
It is supported until November 14, 2030. It is the only version that meets Drupal 12’s requirement. Google Cloud SQL and Heroku both list it as their default for new databases. Render’s in-place upgrade always goes to the newest version it supports, which is 18.
PostgreSQL 17 is a reasonable choice in two cases. One is when an extension or tool you depend on has not been tested on 18. The other is a platform that standardized on it. Supabase’s PostgreSQL 14 notice named 17 as its upgrade target. Version 17 is supported until November 8, 2029.
Skip 15 and 16 if you can. They end in 2027 and 2028. On Heroku, version 15 is already being deprecated, with an end-of-life date of February 28, 2027.
Waiting for 19 does not fit the PostgreSQL 14 EOL timeline. The PostgreSQL 19 RC 1 announcement on October 15 says general availability is planned for November 19, 2026. A second release candidate is planned for November 12. Managed providers add new versions after that. The AWS calendar says RDS adds a new major version within 30 days of the community’s first minor release, which would be 19.1. A new major version also needs time for extensions and drivers to catch up.
Three ways to upgrade before the PostgreSQL 14 EOL
PostgreSQL’s upgrade documentation describes three methods. On a managed service, the provider’s upgrade button usually runs one of these for you.
| Method | How it works | Downtime | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dump and restore | Export everything with pg_dump, load it into a new server | Longest, grows with database size | Small databases, or a move to a new host |
| pg_upgrade | Converts the existing data files to the new version in place | Short, especially in link mode | Most self-hosted and managed upgrades |
| Logical replication | A new server on the new version copies changes live, then you switch | Seconds at the switch | Busy databases that cannot go offline |
A few details matter. The docs recommend using pg_dump from the newer version. The pg_upgrade documentation says it supports upgrades from 9.2 and later, so you can go from 14 straight to 18. In link mode it is "much faster," but you cannot go back to the old cluster once the new one starts. Extensions such as pg_trgm need matching files installed for the new version.
Render says plainly that its upgrade "requires downtime" and might take up to an hour. Test on a clone first to see how long yours takes.
A short checklist for the PostgreSQL 14 EOL
- List every database you run or manage, with its host and major version.
- For each one on 14, write down the provider’s date from the table above.
- Check the extensions in use with `\dx` in psql, and confirm each one exists for your target version.
- Take a full backup and test that it restores.
- Run the upgrade on a copy and time it.
- Test the application against the copy, including logins, forms and search.
- Schedule the real upgrade in a quiet window and tell the client the expected downtime.
- After the upgrade, refresh statistics as pg_upgrade instructs, and check the app again.
For Drupal sites, do the database first and the Drupal 11 move second. Teams on Pantheon or Acquia can compare platform options in our Pantheon vs Acquia comparison. Supabase users can find background in our Supabase explainer. Our Q4 2026 platform calendar lists the other dates landing before January.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the PostgreSQL 14 EOL?
November 12, 2026. The PostgreSQL project releases its final version 14 update that day. After that, the community ships no more bug or security fixes for 14.
Will my database stop working after the PostgreSQL 14 EOL?
No. It keeps running. It just stops getting fixes from the community. Managed providers set their own dates, and some charge to keep running old versions.
How do I find out which PostgreSQL version I am running?
Connect to the database and run SELECT version();. On a Drupal site, the Status report under Reports shows the database system and version.
When does AWS stop standard support for PostgreSQL 14?
February 28, 2027, for both RDS and Aurora, according to the AWS release calendars. Paid RDS Extended Support starts March 1, 2027 and ends February 28, 2030.
Is extended support automatic on AWS, Azure and Google Cloud?
Yes, on all three as of October 2026. Each provider enrolls databases on unsupported versions and adds a charge. Upgrading to a supported version stops the charge.
How much does extended support cost on Google Cloud SQL?
In Iowa (us-central1), $0.07 per vCPU-hour in years one and two, and $0.14 in year three. High-availability vCPUs cost twice that. It is charged on top of the normal instance price.
Should I upgrade to PostgreSQL 17 or 18?
Choose 18 unless an extension or platform you rely on is not ready for it. Version 18 is supported until November 2030 and is the minimum for Drupal 12.
Should I wait for PostgreSQL 19?
No. It is planned for November 19, 2026, after version 14 ends. Managed providers add new major versions later, and extensions need time to catch up.
Can I upgrade from PostgreSQL 14 straight to 18?
Yes. The pg_upgrade documentation says it supports upgrades from 9.2 and later to the current release. Dump and restore also works across any versions.
Does a Drupal 10 site on PostgreSQL 14 need a database upgrade?
Yes, before it can move to Drupal 11. Drupal 11 requires PostgreSQL 16 or later, and Drupal 12 requires 18. Drupal 10 itself ends on December 9, 2026.
