Stripe API Key Regex for Python

What this pattern does

This page provides a well-structured, multi-part regular expression for matching stripe api key, ported and verified for Python. In security-sensitive code, using an unverified regex can open the door to both false positives and denial-of-service attacks. The snippet below is ready to drop into your Python project — whether you're validating in a Django view, a FastAPI endpoint, or a standalone data processing script.

Python Implementation

# Stripe API Key
# ReDoS-safe | RegexVault — Security > API Keys & Tokens

import re

stripe_api_key_pattern = re.compile(r'^(sk|pk|rk)_(live|test)_[0-9a-zA-Z]{24,}$')

def validate_stripe_api_key(value: str) -> bool:
    return bool(stripe_api_key_pattern.fullmatch(value))

# Example
print(validate_stripe_api_key("sk_live_4eC39HqLyjWDarjtT1zdp7dc"))  # True

Test Cases

When to use this pattern

This pattern is drawn from the Security > API Keys & Tokens category and carries a ReDoS-safe certification. That matters for Python developers because particularly important in Python web servers where CPU-bound regex operations can stall concurrent request handling. 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

Prefixes: sk=secret key (server-side only), pk=publishable key (client-safe), rk=restricted key. Environments: live (production) vs test. Secret keys (sk_*) must never be exposed in client-side code or logs. Publishable keys (pk_*) are intentionally public.