Dynamics NAV End of Support: which Navision version expires when

Key takeaways

• NAV 2015 dropped out of extended support on 14 January 2025, NAV 2016 on 14 April 2026.
• NAV 2017 ends on 11 January 2027, NAV 2018 on 11 January 2028 — the last regular dates.
• After end of support the system keeps running but receives no security updates and no bug fixes.
• The official successor path is Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, either in the cloud or on-premises.

The dates at a glance

For Dynamics NAV, Microsoft uses the classic lifecycle model: five years of mainstream support, then five years of extended support with security updates, then it ends. For the versions still in widespread use, extended support ends as follows:

• Dynamics NAV 2015 — 14 January 2025 (expired)
• Dynamics NAV 2016 — 14 April 2026 (expired)
• Dynamics NAV 2017 — 11 January 2027
• Dynamics NAV 2018 — 11 January 2028
• Older releases such as NAV 2009 or 2013 have been out of support for years

What happens the day after — and what doesn't

At first, nothing visible happens. The system doesn't switch off, licences don't expire, your data stays where it is. That is exactly the trap: because nothing breaks, the topic easily slips another year.

What is missing from that date on is real nonetheless. There are no more security updates — every newly discovered vulnerability in your version stays open. There are no hotfixes for bugs, not even for ones that hit you in daily business. And there is no Microsoft support channel your provider could escalate to in an emergency.

Then there is the environment: new Windows Server and SQL Server versions are no longer certified for out-of-support NAV releases. You are not just freezing the ERP but gradually the whole stack beneath it. At the latest when the server has to be replaced, the topic catches up with you.

Your options — realistically

The first route is an interim upgrade to a NAV version that is still supported. That buys time — until January 2028 if you go to NAV 2018. Technically feasible, economically rarely worthwhile: you carry the effort of an upgrade and then face the same decision again, only with less lead time.

The second route is moving to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. That is the direct successor — the same product line, developed further, with active support and semi-annual releases. You can run it in the cloud or stay on-premises if requirements demand it.

The third route is switching vendor entirely. That is usually more expensive and riskier than moving within the product line, because processes, reports and interfaces have to be rebuilt from scratch. It makes sense if NAV never really fit in the first place.

How much lead time to plan for

A NAV upgrade is not a weekend project. The effort depends almost entirely on one factor: how much has been customised. A near-standard installation can be migrated in a few weeks. An installation grown over fifteen years with deeply modified C/AL code, custom reports and half a dozen interfaces takes months — a substantial part of that for analysis and testing, not for the migration itself.

So count backwards from the cut-off date and start the analysis at least six to twelve months before. That is not a sales argument but simply the time it takes to assess customisations, trial-migrate data and train key users without paralysing daily business.

Frequently asked questions

Are we allowed to keep using NAV after end of support?

Yes. Your licence does not expire and the system keeps running technically. You do lose security updates, bug fixes and vendor support, though. Whether that is acceptable is a risk decision — for systems holding personal data you should take it together with your data protection officer.

Is Business Central the same as Navision?

It is the direct continuation of the same product line: Navision became Dynamics NAV, which became Dynamics 365 Business Central. The data model and core logic are related, which is why moving across is far easier than switching vendor. The interface, the extension model (AL instead of C/AL) and the operating model have changed considerably, though.

What does an upgrade from NAV to Business Central cost?

That can only be answered seriously after analysing the customisations — the range is too wide for a blanket figure. We therefore work in two stages: first a detailed analysis of your installation, then a binding fixed-price quote based on the documented scope.