How to Import CSV into PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL provides several methods for importing CSV data: the server-side COPY command, the client-side \copy meta-command in psql, the pgAdmin Import/Export wizard, and plain INSERT statements. This guide covers each approach with working examples.

Method 1: COPY (Server-Side)

The COPY command reads files from the PostgreSQL server's filesystem. It requires superuser privileges or the pg_read_server_files role.

COPY customers (id, name, email, amount)
FROM '/var/data/customers.csv'
WITH (
    FORMAT CSV,
    HEADER true,
    DELIMITER ',',
    NULL 'NA',
    ENCODING 'UTF8'
);

Method 2: \copy (Client-Side, psql)

The \copy meta-command in psql reads the file from your local machine and streams it to the server. No superuser privileges required — ideal for remote databases and cloud-hosted PostgreSQL.

\copy customers (id, name, email, amount)
FROM '/home/user/customers.csv'
WITH (FORMAT CSV, HEADER true, DELIMITER ',');

Note that \copy must be on a single line — it does not support multi-line syntax.

Method 3: pgAdmin Import/Export

In pgAdmin 4, right-click the target table, select Import/Export Data, choose Import, select your CSV file, configure the delimiter and header settings, and click OK. This is the easiest method for one-off imports without writing any SQL.

Method 4: INSERT Statements

INSERT statements are the most portable method — they work in any PostgreSQL client and can be version-controlled. They are slower than COPY for large datasets but give you full control over data transformation and NULL handling.

INSERT INTO "customers" ("id", "name", "email", "amount") VALUES
  (1, 'Alice Johnson', '[email protected]', 250.00),
  (2, 'Bob Smith', '[email protected]', NULL),
  (3, 'Carol Williams', '[email protected]', 175.50);

The CSV to SQL INSERT Generator automates this process with correct PostgreSQL escaping, TEXT types, BOOLEAN literals (TRUE/FALSE), and configurable batch sizes.

Choosing the Right Method