#### 13.6.4.1 Local Variable DECLARE Statement

```
DECLARE var_name [, var_name] ... type [DEFAULT value]
```

 This statement declares local variables within stored programs. To provide a default value for a variable, include a `DEFAULT` clause. The value can be specified as an expression; it need not be a constant. If the `DEFAULT` clause is missing, the initial value is `NULL`.

 Local variables are treated like stored routine parameters with respect to data type and overflow checking. See [Section 13.1.17, “CREATE PROCEDURE and CREATE FUNCTION Statements”](create-procedure.html).

 Variable declarations must appear before cursor or handler declarations.

 Local variable names are not case-sensitive. Permissible characters and quoting rules are the same as for other identifiers, as described in [Section 9.2, “Schema Object Names”](identifiers.html).

 The scope of a local variable is the [`BEGIN ... END`](begin-end.html) block within which it is declared. The variable can be referred to in blocks nested within the declaring block, except those blocks that declare a variable with the same name.

 For examples of variable declarations, see [Section 13.6.4.2, “Local Variable Scope and Resolution”](local-variable-scope.html).

