SQL NOT Operator

Last Updated : 24 Aug, 2026

The SQL NOT operator is used to reverse the boolean result of a condition in SQL. It helps in retrieving records that do not match a specific condition. It is mostly used to specify what should not be included in the results table.

Example: First, we create a demo SQL database and table, on which we will use the NOT Operator command.

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Query:

SELECT customer_name, last_name
FROM customer
WHERE NOT last_name = 'Tanaka';

Output:

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Syntax

SELECT column1, column2, … 
FROM table_name WHERE NOT condition;

Examples

Let's understand NOT in SQL with examples. First, we will create a demo SQL database and table, on which we will use the NOT command.

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Example 1: Using SQL NOT to Exclude a Specific Value

The following SQL statement selects all fields from customers table where the country is not UK.

Query:

SELECT * 
FROM customers
WHERE NOT country = 'UK';

Output:

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Example 2: Using SQL NOT with IN Operator

The NOT operator can also be used with the IN condition to exclude multiple values from the result set.

Query:

SELECT * 
FROM customers
WHERE NOT country IN ('USA', 'UK');

Output:

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  • Here, the NOT with IN condition filters out customers from both the USA and UK and returns only customers from other countries.

Example 3: Using SQL NOT with LIKE Operator

We can also combine NOT with the LIKE operator to exclude records that match a certain pattern.

Query:

SELECT * 
FROM customers
WHERE NOT customer_name LIKE 'M%';

Output:

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  • In this query, the NOT LIKE condition filters out customers whose name starts with the letter 'M', returning all others.

Example 4: Using SQL NOT with NULL Values

To exclude records where a column has a NULL value, combine NOT with the IS NULL condition.

Query:

SELECT * 
FROM customers
WHERE NOT postal_code IS NULL;

Output:

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  • This query excludes customers who have a NULL value for postal_code.

Example 5: Using NOT with AND Operator

This query retrieves customers who are not from the USA and are also not from the UK.

Query:

SELECT * 
FROM customers
WHERE NOT country = 'USA' AND NOT country = 'UK';

Output:

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Note:

  • NOT operator returns opposite results or negative results. It negates boolean condition in the WHERE clause.
  • It is used to exclude specific data from the result set.
  • It can also be combined with other operators like- LIKE, BETWEEN, and IN.
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