---
title: Date Field
label: Date
order: 70
desc: The Date field type stores a Date in the database. Learn how to use and customize the Date field, see examples and options.
keywords: date, fields, config, configuration, documentation, Content Management System, cms, headless, javascript, node, react, nextjs
---

The Date Field saves a Date in the database and provides the [Admin Panel](../admin/overview) with a customizable time picker interface.

<LightDarkImage
  srcLight="https://payloadcms.com/images/docs/fields/date.png"
  srcDark="https://payloadcms.com/images/docs/fields/date-dark.png"
  alt="Shows a Date field in the Payload Admin Panel"
  caption="This field is using the `react-datepicker` component for UI."
/>

To add a Date Field, set the `type` to `date` in your [Field Config](./overview):

```ts
import type { Field } from 'payload'

export const MyDateField: Field = {
  // ...
  type: 'date', // highlight-line
}
```

## Config Options

| Option                 | Description                                                                                                                                                                 |
| ---------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **`name`** *          | To be used as the property name when stored and retrieved from the database. [More](/docs/fields/overview#field-names)                                                      |
| **`label`**            | Text used as a field label in the Admin Panel or an object with keys for each language.                                                                                     |
| **`index`**            | Build an [index](/docs/database/overview) for this field to produce faster queries. Set this field to `true` if your users will perform queries on this field's data often. |
| **`validate`**         | Provide a custom validation function that will be executed on both the Admin Panel and the backend. [More](/docs/fields/overview#validation)                                |
| **`saveToJWT`**        | If this field is top-level and nested in a config supporting [Authentication](/docs/authentication/overview), include its data in the user JWT.                             |
| **`hooks`**            | Provide Field Hooks to control logic for this field. [More details](../hooks/fields).                                                                                       |
| **`access`**           | Provide Field Access Control to denote what users can see and do with this field's data. [More details](../access-control/fields).                                          |
| **`hidden`**           | Restrict this field's visibility from all APIs entirely. Will still be saved to the database, but will not appear in any API or the Admin Panel.                            |
| **`defaultValue`**     | Provide data to be used for this field's default value. [More](/docs/fields/overview#default-values)                                                                        |
| **`localized`**        | Enable localization for this field. Requires [localization to be enabled](/docs/configuration/localization) in the Base config.                                             |
| **`required`**         | Require this field to have a value.                                                                                                                                         |
| **`admin`**            | Admin-specific configuration. [More details](#admin-options).                                                                                                               |
| **`custom`**           | Extension point for adding custom data (e.g. for plugins)                                                                                                                   |
| **`typescriptSchema`** | Override field type generation with providing a JSON schema                                                                                                                 |
| **`virtual`**          | Provide `true` to disable field in the database. See [Virtual Fields](https://payloadcms.com/blog/learn-how-virtual-fields-can-help-solve-common-cms-challenges)            |

_* An asterisk denotes that a property is required._

## Admin Options

The customize the appearance and behavior of the Date Field in the [Admin Panel](../admin/overview), you can use the `admin` option:

```ts
import type { Field } from 'payload'

export const MyDateField: Field = {
  // ...
  admin: { // highlight-line
    // ...
  },
}
```

The Date Field inherits all of the default options from the base [Field Admin Config](../admin/fields#admin-options), plus the following additional options:

| Property                       | Description                                                                                                                            |
| ------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **`placeholder`**              | Placeholder text for the field.                                                                                                        |
| **`date`**                     | Pass options to customize date field appearance.                                                                                       |
| **`date.displayFormat`**       | Format date to be shown in field **cell**.                                                                                             |
| **`date.pickerAppearance`** * | Determines the appearance of the datepicker: `dayAndTime` `timeOnly` `dayOnly` `monthOnly`.                                            |
| **`date.monthsToShow`** *     | Number of months to display max is 2. Defaults to 1.                                                                                   |
| **`date.minDate`** *          | Min date value to allow.                                                                                                               |
| **`date.maxDate`** *          | Max date value to allow.                                                                                                               |
| **`date.minTime`** *          | Min time value to allow.                                                                                                               |
| **`date.maxTime`** *          | Max date value to allow.                                                                                                               |
| **`date.overrides`** *        | Pass any valid props directly to the [react-datepicker](https://github.com/Hacker0x01/react-datepicker/blob/master/docs/datepicker.md) |
| **`date.timeIntervals`** *    | Time intervals to display. Defaults to 30 minutes.                                                                                     |
| **`date.timeFormat`** *       | Determines time format. Defaults to `'h:mm aa'`.                                                                                       |

_* This property is passed directly to [react-datepicker](https://github.com/Hacker0x01/react-datepicker/blob/master/docs/datepicker.md)._

### Display Format and Picker Appearance

These properties only affect how the date is displayed in the UI. The full date is always stored in the format `YYYY-MM-DDTHH:mm:ss.SSSZ` (e.g. `1999-01-01T8:00:00.000+05:00`).

`displayFormat` determines how the date is presented in the field **cell**, you can pass any valid [unicode date format](https://date-fns.org/v4.1.0/docs/format).

`pickerAppearance` sets the appearance of the **react datepicker**, the options available are `dayAndTime`, `dayOnly`, `timeOnly`, and `monthOnly`. By default, the datepicker will display `dayOnly`.

When only `pickerAppearance` is set, an equivalent format will be rendered in the date field cell. To overwrite this format, set `displayFormat`.

## Example

`collections/ExampleCollection.ts`

```ts
import type { CollectionConfig } from 'payload'

export const ExampleCollection: CollectionConfig = {
  slug: 'example-collection',
  fields: [
    {
      name: 'dateOnly',
      type: 'date',
      admin: {
        date: {
          pickerAppearance: 'dayOnly',
          displayFormat: 'd MMM yyy',
        },
      },
    },
    {
      name: 'timeOnly',
      type: 'date',
      admin: {
        date: {
          pickerAppearance: 'timeOnly',
          displayFormat: 'h:mm:ss a',
        },
      },
    },
    {
      name: 'monthOnly',
      type: 'date',
      admin: {
        date: {
          pickerAppearance: 'monthOnly',
          displayFormat: 'MMMM yyyy',
        },
      },
    },
  ],
}
```
