UK NHS Number Regex for Java

What this pattern does

This page provides a well-structured, multi-part regular expression for matching uk nhs number, 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

// UK NHS Number
// ReDoS-safe | RegexVault — Identity & PII > Health Identifiers

import java.util.regex.Pattern;

public class UkNhsNumberValidator {
    private static final Pattern PATTERN =
        Pattern.compile("^([0-9]{3})[\\s-]?([0-9]{3})[\\s-]?([0-9]{4})$");

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

    // Example
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        System.out.println(validate("943 476 5919")); // true
    }
}

Test Cases

When to use this pattern

This pattern is drawn from the Identity & PII > Health Identifiers 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

The NHS number is 10 digits. The 10th digit is a check digit using a modulus 11 algorithm (weights 10-2). If the weighted sum's remainder is 0, the check digit is 0; if it's 1, the number is invalid; otherwise check digit = 11 - remainder.