EPSG release and ArcGIS Projection Engine

[StefanoIacovella]

Hi All,

As stated in the subject I'm investigating to understand if there is an easy way to identify which version of EPSG dataset is bind to a specific version of ArcGIS' Projection Engine.
The scenario includes a legacy application, that I'm maintaining,  that uses EPSG datasets to specify CRS and Datum transformation codes. This application does not use ArcObjects, spatial datasets, mainly raster data, are stored in a proprietary format, bind to an EPSG code specifying CRS and Datum shift operation.
In order to publish datasets to ArcGIS' users a desktop extension ingests this data into an enterprise Geodatabase. Projection definition and Datum shift uses the EPSG codes with functions from the projection engine.
To avoid issues with EPSG codes not recognized I would like to sync the version of EPSG datasets used in the legacy application with the one used in ArcGIS Projection engine.

We are currently running ArcGIS 10.5.1 SP1, planning to migrate to 10.7.1.
So the main question is: where can I find a clear indication of the EPSG version used for a ArcGIS release?

Thanks for any hint

Kind Regards,

Stefano Iacovella

[MelitaKennedy · Accepted solution]

Hello Stefano, 

We don't publish the EPSG dataset version with the Esri release. We do keep a list internally. Because we don't fully implement the EPSG dataset, there's usually a subset of objects that have been implemented at any EPSG dataset release.

Note: Between 10.6.1 and 10.7.1, we did add more entries but I was selectively picking what to add so we didn't update the EPSG version number.

ArcGIS   build #   EPSG    Freeze date (not software release date)
10.4.0   5524      8.7.2   12/23/15 
10.4.1   5635      8.8     02/15/16 

10.5.0   6489      8.9.4   10/28/16 
10.5.1   7333      9.0     06/07/17 

10.6.0   8321      9.1.2   12/18/17 
10.6.1   9270      9.1.2   12/18/17 

10.7.0  10450      9.1.2   02/19/19 
10.7.1  11595      9.1.2   05/31/19 

10.8.0  12790      9.8.2   11/26/19 

[StefanoIacovella]

Hello Melita,

Thank you very much for your clear answer.

After I posted the question I tried to compare contents of EPSG standard dataset and ESRI projection engine. It was quite easy to compare CRS as arcpy has a SpatialReference() method that can be used, with an EPSG id as argument, to test if a specific CRS is supported by the projection engine.

This way I noted that many CRS are missing also when testing ArcGIS 10.5.1 against old releases of EPSG dataset, like 7.9 that was released 10 years ago.

If I clearly understood your message it seems that when you include information from EPSG you apply a filter to extract only those considered relevant.

Testing the Datum shift operation is a little bit more complicated, but from your answer I assume that also in this case any projection engine release supports a subset of the operation available in a specific EPSG dataset release.

Then, getting back to my original question, the goal of having a one to one match for ArcGIS projection engine and the legacy application using EPSG dataset is impossible.

I think I can try to extract a set of information about CRS and Datum shift operation used in the legacy application and not supported by an ArcGIS release and add them as custom CRS or operations.

Thank you very much again for your detailed information.

All the best,

Stefano

[JurajStraka]

Hello Melita,

please would it be possible to extend the list (ArcGIS versions vs. EPSG versions/freeze dates) in your post also for ArcGIS 10.8.1 + 10.8.2 and for ArcGIS Pro  2.7 + 2.8 + 2.9 ?

Some of our customers are filling in the metadata records, which allow for specifying the EPSG version + EPSG date and they would like to fill it in precisely (see screenshot attached).

Thank you kindly in advance,

Juraj.

[MelitaKennedy]

Hi Juraj, 

I'm sorry for the delay in responding. We switched from using the v10 (Desktop) numbers to v11&12 (Pro) around 10.8.1 as ArcGIS Pro became our primary release and the one that we actively work with. 

Pro      Build #   EPSG version  Release Date  ArcMap Release
12.6.0   24783     9.8.6         07/13/20      10.8.1
12.7.0   28628     9.8.6         12/11/20 
12.8.0   29751     10.14         05/07/21      10.9.0
12.9.0   32739     10.32         11/02/21      10.8.2

Melita

[jcokin1]

@MelitaKennedy thank you for the above list.👍 It is always good to know what EPSG version is being utilized by ESRI. If you can update to the current 2026 and show what versions of Pro correlate to what versions of EPSG dataset it would be greatly appreciated. 

Ex. latest copy that I saw from EPSG was 11.022 published on Nov. 5, 2024. Thanks!

[MelitaKennedy]

Hi, 

Thank you for prompting me to update this list! 

Pro      Build #   EPSG version  Release Date

13.0.0   36056      10.054      June 23, 2022
13.1.0   41833      10.076      February 23, 2023
13.2.0   49743      10.094      November 07, 2023
13.3.0   52636      11.003      May 7, 2024
13.4.0   55405      11.015      November 7, 2024
13.5.0   57366      12.002      May 13, 2025
13.6.0   59527      12.018      November 13, 2025

Notes for myself (and others): Release Dates can be found on the ArcGIS Pro Life Cycle page (link will open in a new page). Corresponding EPSG version for a release can be found on our Esri projection engine db-doc GitHub repo in the README.md file. The link is for the 3.6.0 version and will open in a new page.

To get another version, modify the link (v3.6.0 to v3.4.0 for example) OR, from the main repo page, click the pull-down on the left side above the folder list, switch to the 'tags' tab, and select the version you want. Currently, it includes ArcGIS Pro 2.1 through 3.6.

Minor releases (#.#.x) practically never get new coordinate systems or transformations added which is why none are listed. I can remember one case where we included a handful of objects into a previous version's current 'dot release'.

However, there's a discrepancy as of Jan 16, 2026 because the 3.6.0 README.md says 12.028, while another internal file says 12.018. I believe 12.018 is correct and will get the README.md file updated. 

Melita