How to Install `python-dateutil` in Python

v2.9.0.post0 General Purpose Python !=3.0.*,!=3.1.*,!=3.2.*,>=2.7 Dual License

Extensions to the standard Python datetime module

Install pip install python-dateutil

What is python-dateutil?

Extensions to the standard Python datetime module

dateutil - powerful extensions to datetime

The module provides powerful extensions to the standard module, available in Python.

can be installed from PyPI using (note that the package name is different from the importable name)::

Documentation → PyPI page → Author: Gustavo Niemeyer

Quick Start

Minimal example to get started with python-dateutil:

import dateutil

print(dateutil.__version__)

Installation

pip (standard)

pip install python-dateutil

Virtual environment (recommended)

python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate   # Windows: venv\Scripts\activate
pip install python-dateutil

pip3

pip3 install python-dateutil

conda

conda install -c conda-forge python-dateutil

Poetry

poetry add python-dateutil

Dependencies

Installing python-dateutil will also install these packages:

six

Verify the Installation

After installing, confirm the package is available:

python -c "import dateutil; print(dateutil.__version__)"

If this prints a version number, installation succeeded. If you see a ModuleNotFoundError, see the errors section below.

Installation Errors

Common errors when installing python-dateutil with pip.

ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'dateutil'

Cause: The package is not installed in the current Python environment.

Fix: Run pip install python-dateutil. If using a virtual environment, ensure it is activated first.

ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'dateutil' (installed but still failing)

Cause: pip installed the package into a different Python than the one running your script.

Fix: Use python -m pip install python-dateutil to install into the interpreter you are running.

ImportError: cannot import name 'X' from 'dateutil'

Cause: The function or class does not exist in the installed version.

Fix: Check the version with pip show python-dateutil and upgrade with pip install --upgrade python-dateutil.

pip: command not found

Cause: pip is not in PATH or Python was not added to PATH during installation.

Fix: Try python -m pip install python-dateutil. On macOS/Linux try pip3.

PermissionError: [Errno 13] Permission denied

Cause: No write access to the system Python package directory.

Fix: Use a virtual environment, or add --user: pip install --user python-dateutil

SSL: CERTIFICATE_VERIFY_FAILED

Cause: pip cannot verify PyPI's SSL certificate — common behind corporate proxies.

Fix: Try: pip install --trusted-host pypi.org --trusted-host files.pythonhosted.org python-dateutil

Recent Releases

Version	Released
`2.9.0`	2024-03-01
`2.9.0.post0` latest	2024-03-01
`2.8.2`	2021-07-14
`2.8.1`	2019-11-03
`2.8.0`	2019-02-05

Full release history on PyPI →

Manage python-dateutil

Upgrade to latest version

pip install --upgrade python-dateutil

Install a specific version

pip install python-dateutil==2.9.0.post0

Uninstall

pip uninstall python-dateutil

Check what is installed

pip show python-dateutil

Last updated: 2026-04-11 • Data from PyPI

How to Install python-dateutil in Python