 <p>If you do not know the default date format of your database, you should <a href="http://docs.oracle.com/cd/B19306_01/server.102/b14200/sql_elements004.htm" rel="nofollow">use a mask</a> and the to_date() function, like:</p> <pre><code>insert into emp_company values ('ANIL','ACC',1500.00,to_date('01-05-89', 'DD-MM-RR')); </code></pre> <p>Also, I'm not sure this is always the case, but I've never encountered an Oracle database that did not use the 'DD-MON-YY' as the default date format (so '01-MAY-89').</p>