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# PostgreSQL TIME Data Type

**Summary**: in this tutorial, you will learn about the PostgreSQL `TIME` data types and some handy functions to handle time values.

## Introduction to PostgreSQL TIME data type

PostgreSQL provides the `TIME` data type that allows you to store the time data in the database.

Here's the syntax for declaring a column with the `TIME` data type:

```sql
column_name TIME(precision);
```

In this syntax, the `precision` specifies the fractional seconds precision for the time value, which ranges from 1 to 6.

The `TIME` data type requires 8 bytes and its allowed range is from `00:00:00` to `24:00:00`.

The following illustrates the common formats of the `TIME` values:

```
HH:MI
HH:MI:SS
HHMISS
```

For example:

```sql
01:02
01:02:03
010203
```

To use a time value with the precision, you can utilize the following formats:

```
MI:SS.pppppp
HH:MI:SS.pppppp
HHMISS.pppppp
```

In this syntax, `p` specifies the precision. For example:

```sql
04:59.999999
04:05:06.777777
040506.777777
```

PostgreSQL accepts almost any reasonable `TIME` format including SQL-compatible, ISO 8601, and so on.

## PostgreSQL TIME data type example

In practice, you often use the `TIME` data type for the columns that store the time of day only such as the time of an event or a shift. For example:

First, [create a new table](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-create-table) named `shifts` by using the following `CREATE TABLE` statement:

```sql
CREATE TABLE shifts (
    id serial PRIMARY KEY,
    shift_name VARCHAR NOT NULL,
    start_at TIME NOT NULL,
    end_at TIME NOT NULL
);
```

Second, [insert](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-insert) some rows into the `shifts` table:

```sql
INSERT INTO shifts(shift_name, start_at, end_at)
VALUES('Morning', '08:00:00', '12:00:00'),
      ('Afternoon', '13:00:00', '17:00:00'),
      ('Night', '18:00:00', '22:00:00');
```

Third, [query](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-select) data from the `shifts` table:

```sql
SELECT * FROM shifts;
```

Output:

```text
 id | shift_name | start_at |  end_at
----+------------+----------+----------
  1 | Morning    | 08:00:00 | 12:00:00
  2 | Afternoon  | 13:00:00 | 17:00:00
  3 | Night      | 18:00:00 | 22:00:00
(3 rows)
```

## PostgreSQL TIME WITH TIME ZONE type

Besides the `TIME` data type, PostgreSQL provides the `TIME WITH TIME ZONE` data type that allows you to store and manipulate the time of day with time zone.

The following statement illustrates how to declare a column whose data type is `TIME WITH TIME ZONE`:

```sql
column TIME WITH TIME ZONE
```

The storage size of the `TIME WITH TIME ZONE` data type is 12 bytes, allowing you to store a time value with the time zone that ranges from `00:00:00+1459` to `24:00:00-1459`.

The following are some examples of the `TIME WITH TIME ZONE` type:

```
04:05:06 PST
04:05:06.789-8
```

When dealing with timezone, it is recommended to use [`TIMESTAMP`](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-timestamp) instead of the `TIME WITH TIME ZONE` type. This is because the time zone has very little meaning unless it is associated with both date and time.

## Handling PostgreSQL TIME values

Let's explore some functions that handle time values.

### 1) Getting the current time

To get the current time with the time zone, you use the [`CURRENT_TIME`](../postgresql-date-functions/postgresql-current_time) function as follows:

```sql
SELECT CURRENT_TIME;
```

Output:

```
timetz
--------------------
 00:51:02.746572-08
(1 row)
```

To obtain the current time with a specific precision, you use the `CURRENT_TIME(precision)` function:

```sql
SELECT CURRENT_TIME(5);
```

Output:

```
   current_time
-------------------
 00:52:12.19515-08
(1 row)
```

Notice that without specifying the precision, the `CURRENT_TIME` function returns a time value with the full available precision.

To get the local time, you use the `LOCALTIME` function:

```sql
SELECT LOCALTIME;
```

Output:

```
      localtime
-----------------
 00:52:40.227186
(1 row)
```

Similarly, to get the local time with a specific precision, you use the `LOCALTIME(precision)` function:

```sql
SELECT LOCALTIME(0);
```

Output:

```
 localtime
----------
 00:56:08
(1 row)
```

### 2) Converting time to a different time zone

To convert time to a different time zone, you use the following form:

```sql
[TIME with time zone] AT TIME ZONE time_zone
```

For example, to convert the local time to the time at the time zone UTC-7, you use the following statement:

```sql
SELECT LOCALTIME AT TIME ZONE 'UTC-7';
```

Output:

```
      timezone
--------------------
 16:02:38.902271+07
(1 row)
```

### 2) Extracting hours, minutes, and seconds from a time value

To extract hours, minutes, and seconds from a time value, you use the [`EXTRACT`](../postgresql-date-functions/postgresql-extract) function as follows:

```sql
EXTRACT(field FROM time_value);
```

The field can be the hour, minute, second, or milliseconds. For example:

```sql
SELECT
    LOCALTIME,
    EXTRACT (HOUR FROM LOCALTIME) as hour,
    EXTRACT (MINUTE FROM LOCALTIME) as minute,
    EXTRACT (SECOND FROM LOCALTIME) as second,
    EXTRACT (milliseconds FROM LOCALTIME) as milliseconds;
```

### PostgreSQL TIME example

### 3) Arithmetic operations on time values

PostgreSQL allows you to apply arithmetic operators such as +, -,  and *  on time values and between time and [interval](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-interval) values.

The following statement returns an [interval](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-interval) between two times:

```sql
SELECT time '10:00' - time '02:00' AS result;
```

Output:

```
  result
----------
 08:00:00
(1 row)
```

The following statement adds 2 hours to the local time:

```sql
SELECT LOCALTIME + interval '2 hours' AS result;
```

Output:

```
    result
-----------------
 03:16:18.020418
(1 row)
```

In this example, the sum of a time value and an interval value is a time value.

## Summary

- Use the PostgreSQL `TIME` data type to store time data.

---

## Related docs (PostgreSQL Data Types)

- [Boolean](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-boolean)
- [CHAR, VARCHAR, and TEXT](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-char-varchar-text)
- [NUMERIC](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-numeric)
- [DOUBLE PRECISION](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-double-precision-type)
- [REAL](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-real-data-type)
- [Integer](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-integer)
- [SERIAL](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-serial)
- [DATE](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-date)
- [TIMESTAMP](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-timestamp)
- [Interval](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-interval)
- [UUID](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-uuid)
- [JSON](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-json)
- [HSTORE](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-hstore)
- [Array](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-array)
- [User-defined Data Types](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-user-defined-data-types)
- [Enum](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-enum)
- [XML](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-xml-data-type)
- [BYTEA](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-bytea-data-type)
- [Composite Types](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-composite-types)