Laravel PHP compatibility matrix (updated April 2026 — Laravel 13)

You’re setting up a new server. Or a client just asked: “Can we upgrade to Laravel 13 with our current PHP 8.1 stack?” The answer, tucked inside release notes and Composer errors, can cost your team hours. This guide puts every answer in one place — a clear, accurate laravel php compatibility reference for Laravel 10 through 13, with practical upgrade guidance for real teams.

Laravel PHP Compatibility Matrix — Quick Reference (2026)

The table below answers which php version for laravel at every major release. Check it before you touch composer.json.

Legend: ★ = Recommended • ✓ = Supported • ✗ = Not supported • ~ = May work, not officially tested

Laravel 10 — PHP Requirements

Laravel 10 dropped PHP 8.0 and made PHP 8.1 the minimum. It’s the last version to support PHP 8.1, which still matters for teams managing older hosting stacks. Laravel 10 also introduced full return types and argument types in every stub — a nice developer-experience improvement that PHP 8.1 made possible.

Laravel 11 — PHP Requirements

Laravel 11 raised the minimum to PHP 8.2. That wasn’t just a cosmetic change. PHP 8.2 brought readonly classes, DNF types, and deprecated dynamic properties, and Laravel 11 leaned into that with its slimmer app structure.

The Laravel 11 project structure is also worth noting. It removed several default files, like the separate api.php route file and much of the starter middleware setup. Existing Laravel 10 apps do not need to mirror that new layout to upgrade safely.

Laravel 12 — PHP Requirements

Laravel 12 was intentionally calm. The core team focused on minimizing breaking changes instead of introducing large new APIs. In practice, many applications move from Laravel 11 to Laravel 12 without touching application code. It also introduced updated starter kits and optional WorkOS AuthKit integration for passkeys and SSO.

For laravel 12 php compatibility, Laravel 12 requires PHP 8.2 as the minimum, while PHP 8.3 and 8.4 both work comfortably. In 2026, PHP 8.3 remains the safest general recommendation for most Laravel 12 production environments.

// composer.json
{
  "require": {
    "php": "^8.2",
    "laravel/framework": "^12.0"
  }
}

Laravel 12 support timeline

Bug fixes continue until August 13, 2026. Security fixes continue until February 24, 2027. If you are on Laravel 12 today, you still have time — but Laravel 13 should already be part of your plan.

Laravel 13 — PHP Requirements (Released March 2026)

Laravel 13 launched on March 17, 2026. It is the current recommended version for new applications, and the biggest practical shift is straightforward: laravel 13 php version raises the minimum to PHP 8.3 and drops PHP 8.2 entirely.

What’s new in Laravel 13 that leans on PHP 8.3?

• Native PHP Attributes across more framework locations
• Laravel AI SDK with a provider-agnostic approach
• Cache::touch() to extend TTL without refetching data
• Reverb database driver for WebSocket broadcasting without Redis
• Passkey authentication in the auth scaffolding

// composer.json
{
  "require": {
    "php": "^8.3",
    "laravel/framework": "^13.0",
    "phpunit/phpunit": "^12.0"
  }
}

Support Status & End-of-Life Dates (2026)

Laravel’s support policy provides bug fixes for 18 months and security fixes for 2 years per major release. Here’s the picture as of April 2026:

No LTS in Laravel (since v6)
Laravel 6 was the last LTS release. Every current major version follows the same 18-month bug-fix and 2-year security model, which makes steady annual upgrades the healthier habit.

Upgrade Path & Pre-Flight Checklist

You cannot skip major versions cleanly in Laravel. The upgrade path should be sequential:

Laravel 10 → Laravel 11 → Laravel 12 → Laravel 13

Pre-upgrade checklist: Laravel 12 → 13

1. Run php -v on production. You need PHP 8.3 minimum, and PHP 8.4 for Laravel 13.3+.
2. Update composer.json to require laravel/framework: ^13.0 and phpunit/phpunit: ^12.0.
3. Run composer update on a feature branch.
4. Clear caches before testing the app.
5. Review queue behavior, cache configuration, and CSRF/origin settings.
6. Drain queues before deployment if you are moving workers between Laravel 12 and 13.
7. Deploy to staging first and run the full test suite.
8. Confirm ecosystem packages like Livewire, Inertia, Filament, and Spatie packages are ready.

What if I’m still on PHP 8.1?

If your server still runs PHP 8.1, you are locked to Laravel 10 — which is already end-of-life. The safest route is usually PHP 8.1 → PHP 8.2 first, then Laravel 11 or 12, then PHP 8.3, and finally Laravel 13.

Summary: Laravel PHP Compatibility at a Glance

The laravel php compatibility story in 2026 is actually encouraging. The upgrade from Laravel 12 to Laravel 13 is one of the smoothest Laravel has had. For most teams, the real blocker is not application code. It is the PHP version running underneath the app.

Tags: #Laravel #PHP #Laravel13 #PHP83 #WebDevelopment #ITMarkerz