Oracle / PLSQL: ADD_MONTHS Function

This Oracle tutorial explains how to use the Oracle/PLSQL ADD_MONTHS function with syntax and examples.

Description

The Oracle/PLSQL ADD_MONTHS function returns a date with a specified number of months added.

Syntax

The syntax for the ADD_MONTHS function in Oracle/PLSQL is:

ADD_MONTHS( date1, number_months )

Parameters or Arguments

date1

The starting date (before the n months have been added).

number_months

The number of months to add to date1.

Returns

The ADD_MONTHS function returns a date value.

Applies To

The ADD_MONTHS function can be used in the following versions of Oracle/PLSQL:

• Oracle 12c, Oracle 11g, Oracle 10g, Oracle 9i, Oracle 8i

Example

Let's look at some Oracle ADD_MONTHS function examples and explore how to use the ADD_MONTHS function in Oracle/PLSQL.

For example:

ADD_MONTHS('01-Aug-03', 3)
Output: '01-Nov-03'

ADD_MONTHS('01-Aug-03', -3)
Output: '01-May-03'

ADD_MONTHS('21-Aug-03', -3)
Output: '21-May-03'

ADD_MONTHS('31-Jan-03', 1)
Output: '28-Feb-03'