1. Database Reference
  2. Initialization Parameters
  3. Initialization Parameters
  4. NLS_DATE_FORMAT

1.202 NLS_DATE_FORMAT

NLS_DATE_FORMAT specifies the default date format to use with the TO_CHAR and TO_DATE functions. The default value of this parameter is determined by NLS_TERRITORY.
Property Description

Parameter type

String

Syntax

NLS_DATE_FORMAT = "format"

Default value

Derived from NLS_TERRITORY

Modifiable

ALTER SESSION

Modifiable in a PDB

Yes

Range of values

Any valid date format mask but not exceeding a fixed length

Basic

No

The value of this parameter can be any valid date format mask, and the value must be surrounded by double quotation marks. For example:

NLS_DATE_FORMAT = "MM/DD/YYYY"

Note:

The value of this initialization parameter NLS_DATE_FORMAT is used to initialize the session value of this parameter, which is the actual value referenced by the SQL query processing. This initial value is overridden by a client-side value if the client uses the Oracle JDBC driver or if the client is OCI-based and the NLS_LANG client setting (environment variable) is defined. The initialization parameter value is, therefore, usually ignored.

See Also:

Oracle Database Globalization Support Guide for more information about this parameter