ICAO Machine-Readable Zone Line 1 (MRZ) Regex for Java

What this pattern does

This page provides a well-structured, multi-part regular expression for matching icao machine-readable zone line 1 (mrz), ported and verified for Java. Identity and credential patterns need both correctness and safety, since they're frequent targets for adversarial input. The snippet below is ready to drop into your Java project — whether you're validating in a Spring Boot controller, a Jakarta EE service, or a standalone utility class.

Java Implementation

// ICAO Machine-Readable Zone Line 1 (MRZ)
// ReDoS-safe | RegexVault — Identity & PII > Passport Numbers

import java.util.regex.Pattern;

public class IcaoMachinereadableZoneLine1MrzValidator {
    private static final Pattern PATTERN =
        Pattern.compile("^P[A-Z<]([A-Z]{3})([A-Z0-9<]{39})$");

    public static boolean validate(String input) {
        return PATTERN.matcher(input).matches();
    }

    // Example
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        System.out.println(validate("P<UTOERIKSSON<<ANNA<MARIA<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<")); // true
    }
}

Test Cases

When to use this pattern

This pattern is drawn from the Identity & PII > Passport Numbers category and carries a ReDoS-safe certification. That matters for Java developers because critical in Java applications since the JVM regex engine uses backtracking and is susceptible to ReDoS without careful pattern design. RegexVault audits patterns against known backtracking attack vectors, ensuring you have the necessary context before using this regex in a high-stakes production environment.

Common Pitfalls

Technical Notes

MRZ Line 1 for passports: document type (P) + subtype + 3-char issuing country + surname<<given names, padded with < to 44 chars total. Line 2 contains the passport number, nationality, DOB, sex, expiry, and check digits.