UK / European Date Format (DD/MM/YYYY) Regex for Python

What this pattern does

This page provides a well-structured, multi-part regular expression for matching uk / european date format (dd/mm/yyyy), ported and verified for Python. A rigorously tested regex reduces debugging time and protects your application from edge-case failures. 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

# UK / European Date Format (DD/MM/YYYY)
# ReDoS-safe | RegexVault — Localization > Date Formats

import re

uk_european_date_format_ddmmyyyy_pattern = re.compile(r'^(0?[1-9]|[12][0-9]|3[01])/(0?[1-9]|1[0-2])/((?:19|20)[0-9]{2})$')

def validate_uk_european_date_format_ddmmyyyy(value: str) -> bool:
    return bool(uk_european_date_format_ddmmyyyy_pattern.fullmatch(value))

# Example
print(validate_uk_european_date_format_ddmmyyyy("15/01/2024"))  # True

Test Cases

When to use this pattern

This pattern is drawn from the Localization > Date Formats 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

Capture groups: 1=day, 2=month, 3=year. DD/MM/YYYY is standard in UK, Australia, New Zealand, India, most of Europe, and large parts of Africa, Asia, and South America.