`datetime.now()` Explained

datetime.now() gives you the current local date and time in Python.

Beginners often use it when they want to:

record the current time
print today’s date
create timestamps
work with dates and times in programs

It is important to know that datetime.now() returns a datetime object, not a plain string. That means you can access parts of it like the year, month, day, or hour.

from datetime import datetime

now = datetime.now()
print(now)
print(now.year)
print(now.month)
print(now.day)

Use this when you want the current local date and time as a datetime object.

What `datetime.now()` does

datetime.now():

returns the current local date and time
belongs to the datetime class in the datetime module
returns a datetime object
is useful when you need the current timestamp in your program

A common beginner mistake is thinking it returns text. It does not. It returns an object with useful attributes and methods.

If you want a broader introduction to working with dates and times, see the Python datetime module overview.

Importing `datetime.now()` correctly

The most common beginner import is:

from datetime import datetime

Then you call:

datetime.now()

Example

from datetime import datetime

now = datetime.now()
print(now)

You can also import the whole module:

import datetime

now = datetime.datetime.now()
print(now)

This version works too, but it is longer.

Why beginners get confused

If you write this:

import datetime

print(datetime.now())

you will get an error, because datetime here is the module, not the class.

You need:

import datetime

print(datetime.datetime.now())

If you run into this kind of problem, see AttributeError: module has no attribute fix.

What the returned object contains

The object returned by datetime.now() includes:

year
month
day
hour
minute
second
microsecond

You can access these parts with attributes.

Example

from datetime import datetime

now = datetime.now()

print(now.year)
print(now.month)
print(now.day)
print(now.hour)
print(now.minute)
print(now.second)

You can also check its type:

from datetime import datetime

now = datetime.now()
print(type(now))

Expected output will look like:

<class 'datetime.datetime'>

If you want to understand type() better, see Python type() function explained.

Basic example

Here is a simple example that gets the current date and time, prints it, and accesses one part of it.

from datetime import datetime

now = datetime.now()

print("Full value:", now)
print("Year:", now.year)
print("Hour:", now.hour)

Example output:

Full value: 2026-04-22 14:35:10.123456
Year: 2026
Hour: 14

The exact output will be different on your computer because it uses your current local time.

Getting only the date or only the time

Sometimes the full datetime value is more than you need.

You can use:

.date() to get only the date
.time() to get only the time

Example

from datetime import datetime

now = datetime.now()

print("Full datetime:", now)
print("Date only:", now.date())
print("Time only:", now.time())

Example output:

Full datetime: 2026-04-22 14:35:10.123456
Date only: 2026-04-22
Time only: 14:35:10.123456

This can make your code clearer when you only need one part.

Formatting the result for display

If you use print(now), Python uses the default datetime format.

If you want a custom format, use strftime().

Example: year-month-day

from datetime import datetime

now = datetime.now()
print(now.strftime("%Y-%m-%d"))

Example output:

2026-04-22

Example: hour:minute:second

from datetime import datetime

now = datetime.now()
print(now.strftime("%H:%M:%S"))

Example output:

14:35:10

This is useful when you want a cleaner, human-readable string.

To learn more, see datetime.strftime() explained. If you later need to turn a string back into a datetime value, see datetime.strptime() explained.

Timezone note for beginners

datetime.now() gives local time by default.

For beginner use, that is often enough.

A few important points:

it uses the current local time on your system
basic use does not automatically include timezone information
two computers in different places may return different times

If you want to learn more about the bigger picture, start with the Python datetime module overview.

Common errors and confusion

Here are some common mistakes beginners make with datetime.now().

Using the wrong import style

This fails:

import datetime

print(datetime.now())

This works:

import datetime

print(datetime.datetime.now())

Or use:

from datetime import datetime

print(datetime.now())

Forgetting the parentheses

This:

from datetime import datetime

print(datetime.now)

does not call the function. It gives you the method itself.

Use:

from datetime import datetime

print(datetime.now())

Expecting a string

This returns a datetime object:

from datetime import datetime

now = datetime.now()
print(type(now))

If you need a string, use:

from datetime import datetime

now = datetime.now()
print(str(now))
print(now.strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S"))

Treating the module and class as the same thing

This is very common:

datetime module
datetime class inside that module

That is why these two import styles behave differently:

from datetime import datetime

and

import datetime

Quick checks you can run

If something is not working, try these commands:

python --version
python
from datetime import datetime
print(datetime.now())
import datetime; print(datetime.datetime.now())
type(datetime.now())

Common causes include:

imported the module with import datetime but called datetime.now() instead of datetime.datetime.now()
forgot parentheses and wrote datetime.now instead of datetime.now()
expected a string, but got a datetime object
tried to format the value without using strftime()
mixed up local time with timezone-aware time

FAQ

What does `datetime.now()` return?

It returns a datetime object with the current local date and time.

Why does `datetime.now()` not work after `import datetime`?

Because datetime is then the module name. You need datetime.datetime.now().

How do I print only the date?

Call .date() on the result, or use strftime() for a custom format.

How do I convert `datetime.now()` to a string?

Use str() for the default format or strftime() for a custom format.

Is `datetime.now()` the same on every computer?

No. It uses the current local time on that system.

datetime.now() Explained

`datetime.now()` Explained