Data file
What is a .dta file?
A .dta file is a Stata Data (DTA) Format (version 104). This is a data file — structured information used by a program rather than read directly. Confusingly, this extension has been used by 10 different formats over the years — they're all listed below.
This extension has been used by more than one format
10 different formats have claimed .dta over the years, so two files with the same extension aren't necessarily the same kind of thing.
- Stata Data (DTA) FormatVersion 104 · fmt/1029
- Stata Data (DTA) FormatVersion 105 · fmt/1030
- Stata Data (DTA) FormatVersion 110 · fmt/1031
- Stata Data (DTA) FormatVersion 111 · fmt/1032
- Stata Data (DTA) FormatVersion 114 · fmt/1034
- Stata Data (DTA) FormatVersion 113 · fmt/1033
- Stata Data (DTA) FormatVersion 115 · fmt/1035
- Stata Data (DTA) FormatVersion 117 · fmt/1036
- Stata Data (DTA) FormatVersion 118 · fmt/1037
- Help Librarian FileNo version recorded · fmt/1790
How to open a .dta file
- Start with the program that produced it; that's almost always the right tool.
- Open it in a text editor to see whether it's readable text or binary.
- For database formats, DB Browser for SQLite or LibreOffice Base can often import it.
The registry records this extension against Stata Data (DTA) Format, Stata Data (DTA) Format, Stata Data (DTA) Format and others, so software from that family is the most likely match.
How to convert a .dta file
- If you can view the data, exporting to .csv is usually the most portable option.
The technical record
For archivists, developers and the merely curious: these are the PRONOM registry entries for .dta.
| Format name | Version | MIME type | PUID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stata Data (DTA) Format | 104 | — | fmt/1029 |
| Stata Data (DTA) Format | 105 | — | fmt/1030 |
| Stata Data (DTA) Format | 110 | — | fmt/1031 |
| Stata Data (DTA) Format | 111 | — | fmt/1032 |
| Stata Data (DTA) Format | 114 | — | fmt/1034 |
| Stata Data (DTA) Format | 113 | — | fmt/1033 |
| Stata Data (DTA) Format | 115 | — | fmt/1035 |
| Stata Data (DTA) Format | 117 | — | fmt/1036 |
| Stata Data (DTA) Format | 118 | — | fmt/1037 |
| Help Librarian File | — | — | fmt/1790 |