PostgreSQL 14 is supported until its final release on 12 November 2026, according to the PostgreSQL project's versioning policy. The project supports each major version for five years after its first release. After that date it gets no more fixes, including security fixes, so plan to be on a newer major.
The five year rule
PostgreSQL ships a major version about once a year. The project says each one is supported for five years, receives minor releases at least every three months, and then gets a final release after which it reaches end of life.
| Version | First release | Final release |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | 24 Sep 2020 | 13 Nov 2025, now unsupported |
| 14 | 30 Sep 2021 | 12 Nov 2026 |
| 15 | 13 Oct 2022 | 11 Nov 2027 |
Newer majors, 16, 17 and 18, are later in the same calendar. The policy page also recommends running the latest minor release of your major, which is a cheap fix and does not need a dump and restore.
Minor versus major upgrades
A minor upgrade, such as 14.23 to 14.24, means stopping the server, installing new binaries and restarting. No data migration. A major upgrade, such as 14 to 17, changes the on disk format and needs either a dump and restore or the pg_upgrade tool.
This difference matters for planning. Minor updates should be routine and automatic. Major upgrades are projects with a rehearsal.
Plan a major upgrade
- Inventory every instance, including replicas, reporting copies and the one a vendor installed.
- Choose the target. A newer major gives more years before the next move.
- Check extensions. Each one needs a build for the target version.
- Read the release notes for every major you cross, looking for removed features and changed defaults.
- Rehearse on a restored copy of production. Time it, run the application's tests and compare query plans for your hottest queries.
- Pick a method.
pg_upgradeis fast with a short downtime window. Logical replication allows near zero downtime but takes more setup. - Keep a rollback plan until you are sure.
If you use a managed service
Cloud providers publish their own deprecation schedules for database versions, and they may not match the community dates. Check your provider's notices and note any automatic upgrade date, since forced upgrades can arrive at inconvenient times.
Quick check
Is PostgreSQL 13 still supported?
No. The versioning page lists 13 as unsupported, with its final release on 13 November 2025.
Do minor releases need a data migration?
No. Per the project, you stop the server, install the new binaries and restart.
Where Safeguard fits
Safeguard's asset discovery and dependency scanning help you spot which services and client libraries still point at an older database version. The free scan is a way to start.
Sources
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
