To Timestamp

Data Type Formatting Function

Description

Converts a string to a timestamp according to the given format.

Click here to navigate to the PostgreSQL docs page for this syntax.

The function TO_TIMESTAMP() is supported on Snowflake, but some formats may fail or behave differently in Snowflake.

Grammar Syntax

TO_TIMESTAMP( string, format )

Sample Source Patterns

Some timestamp formats may have a different behavior and in that case the EWI MSCINF0043 will be added. For more information please refer to PostgreSQL Date/Time Formatting.

PostgreSQL

Code

SELECT
   TO_TIMESTAMP('12:00:00', 'HH:MS:SSSSS'),
   TO_TIMESTAMP('12:00:00 A.M.', 'HH:MS:SS A.M.'),
   TO_TIMESTAMP('2025-12-14 12:00:00', 'YYY-MONTH-DAY HH:MS:SS')

Snowflake

Code

SELECT
   TO_TIMESTAMP('12:00:00', 'HH:MS:SSSSS'),    /*** MSC-INFORMATION - MSCINF0043 - THE CURRENT TO_TIMESTAMP FORMAT MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT BEHAVIOR IN SNOWFLAKE. ***/
   TO_TIMESTAMP('12:00:00 A.M.', 'HH:MS:SS A.M.'),    /*** MSC-INFORMATION - MSCINF0043 - THE CURRENT TO_TIMESTAMP FORMAT MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT BEHAVIOR IN SNOWFLAKE. ***/
   TO_TIMESTAMP('2025-12-14 12:00:00', 'YYY-MONTH-DAY HH:MS:SS')    /*** MSC-INFORMATION - MSCINF0043 - THE CURRENT TO_TIMESTAMP FORMAT MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT BEHAVIOR IN SNOWFLAKE. ***/

And the following cases are fully supported in Snowflake.

PostgreSQL

Code

SELECT
  TO_TIMESTAMP( '2023-01-20 12:31:12.66', 'YYYY-MM-DD HH12:MI:SS'),
  TO_TIMESTAMP( '23-01-20', 'YY-MM-DD'),
  TO_TIMESTAMP( '17:31:12.66', 'HH24:MI:SS.FF2')

Result

2023-01-20 00:31:12.000000 +00:00

2023-01-20 00:00:00.000000 +00:00

0001-01-01 17:31:12.660000 +00:00 BC

Snowflake

Code

SELECT
  TO_TIMESTAMP( '2023-01-20 12:31:12.66', 'YYYY-MM-DD HH12:MI:SS'),
  TO_TIMESTAMP( '23-01-20', 'YY-MM-DD'),
  TO_TIMESTAMP( '17:31:12.66', 'HH24:MI:SS.FF2')

Result

to_timestamp	to_timestamp	to_timestamp
2023-01-20 00:31:12.000000 +00:00	2023-01-20 00:00:00.000000 +00:00	0001-01-01 17:31:12.660000 +00:00 BC

Snowflake supports the following formats:

Format Element	Description
YYYY	Year (4 or more digits).
YY	Last 2 digits of year.
MM	Month number (01–12).
MON	Month name (3 chars in English, localized lengths vary).
DD	Day of month (01–31).
DY	Day name (3 chars in English, localized lengths vary).
HH24	Hour of day (01–12).
HH12	Hour of day (00–23).
FF{x}	Seconds with {x} precision between 1-9

Related EWIs

1. MSCINF0043: THE CURRENT TO_TIMESTAMP FORMAT MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT BEHAVIOR IN SNOWFLAKE.