Oracle 21c and 23ai Support Dates: 21c Ends in July 2027, and 23ai Is Now 26ai

The short answer

Oracle Database 21c Premier Support ends in July 2027, and there is no Extended Support for it. 21c is an Innovation Release, so after July 2027 it moves straight to Sustaining Support, with no new patches. Oracle Database 23ai has been replaced by Oracle AI Database 26ai, a Long Term Support Release. Oracle's FAQ says 23ai customers move to 26ai by applying the October 2025 release update, with no database upgrade or application re-certification. The Lifetime Support Policy lists 26ai Enterprise Edition with Premier Support to December 2031 and Extended Support still marked TBD.

Oracle Database support dates

Source: Oracle Lifetime Support Policy for Technology Products, effective 2 October 2026. Sustaining Support is listed as indefinite for every release. The policy has no separate row for 23ai.

Oracle 21c end of life: what July 2027 means

Innovation Releases carry new features between long-term releases and get a short support window. For 21c, Premier Support runs to July 2027 and then stops. Without an Extended Support stage, a 21c database receives its last updates, fixes and Critical Patch Updates in that month. From then on, Sustaining Support gives you technical help and the fixes already released, but no new security patches and no certification with new products.

If any production database runs 21c, July 2027 is the date to plan around. Oracle provides a direct upgrade path from 21c to 26ai.

Oracle 23ai support end date: what happened to 23ai

Oracle renamed and re-released its long-term line. In Oracle's words, 26ai "is a long-term support release that replaces Oracle Database 23ai". There is no 23ai support end date to track because 23ai databases are expected to apply the October 2025 release update and continue as 26ai. Oracle states that no database upgrade or application re-certification is required for that step.

For planning purposes, treat a 23ai database as a 26ai database once that update is applied, and use the 26ai dates: Premier Support to December 2031, Extended Support not yet published. Oracle's FAQ says a long-term release gets five years of Premier and three of Extended Support.

Options for 21c and 23ai databases

Move to 26ai

For 23ai this is a release update, not a project. For 21c it is a supported direct upgrade, and the natural move if the features that drew you to 21c are ones you still use. It keeps you on Oracle's patch stream to at least December 2031.

Rebuild on 19c

Where a 21c database can be rebuilt rather than upgraded, such as a development or test copy, 19c is an option. It has Premier Support to December 2029 and Extended Support to December 2032, so it is the longer-supported release today. Our post on Oracle 19c end of life has the details.

Third-party support

Third-party Oracle support providers cover releases including 21c without Oracle's patch stream. Our Oracle Database comparison describes what each publishes.

Move to PostgreSQL

A 21c database that has to move anyway is a reasonable candidate for leaving Oracle, especially if it sits behind an application you own. The Oracle to PostgreSQL migration guide covers the steps, and Oracle Database alternatives compares targets.

Where OSSeva fits

OSSeva does not support or patch Oracle Database, so for a move to 26ai or 19c, Oracle is the right partner. For databases you decide to move off Oracle, OSSeva's Oracle to PostgreSQL offer covers assessment, conversion with ora2pg and orafce, data migration, a parallel run and cutover, with OSSeva supporting the PostgreSQL cluster afterwards, priced per cluster. Book a discovery call for a quote.

Frequently asked questions

When is Oracle 21c end of life?

Premier Support for 21c ends in July 2027. Oracle offers no Extended Support for 21c, so July 2027 is the last month of new patches. Sustaining Support continues after that without new fixes.

Does Oracle 21c have Extended Support?

No. The Lifetime Support Policy lists Extended Support for 21c as "Not Available", because 21c is an Innovation Release.

What is the Oracle 23ai support end date?

23ai has no separate date. Oracle replaced it with 26ai, and 23ai databases move to 26ai by applying the October 2025 release update. 26ai Enterprise Edition has Premier Support to December 2031.

Is Oracle 26ai the same as 23ai?

26ai is the long-term release that replaces 23ai, reached from 23ai through a release update rather than an upgrade. Oracle names it Oracle AI Database 26ai.

When does Oracle 26ai Extended Support end?

Oracle has not published it. The Lifetime Support Policy lists 26ai Extended Support as TBD.

Can I upgrade from 21c to 26ai directly?

Yes. Oracle provides upgrade paths to 26ai from 19c and from 21c.