How to validate US ZIP code using jQuery Validation plugin

Question

I am using the jQuery Validation plugin for validating my form.

I want to validate the zip code as per US ZIPCode format :-

> 12345
> 12345-6789
> 12345 6789

As per my curent code its validating the zipcode should be maximum 5 and all numeric.

Please see the code below:

    <script src="~/Scripts/js/jquery.validate.js"></script>

<script>

    $().ready(function () {

        // validate signup form on keyup and submit
        $("#locationSetup").validate({
            rules: {
                'Address.AddressStreet': "required",
                'Address.City': "required",
                'Address.State.Country.CountryIsoCode': "required",
                'Address.State.SubnationalIsoCode': "required",
                'Address.PostalCode': {
                    required: true,
                    minlength: 5,
                    maxlength: 5,
                    digits: true
                }
            },
            messages: {
                'Address.AddressStreet': "Please enter your Street Address!",
                'Address.City': "Please select your City!",
                'Address.State.Country.CountryIsoCode': "Please  select your Country!",
                'Address.State.SubnationalIsoCode': "Please  select your State!",
                'Address.PostalCode': {
                    required: "Please enter your Postal Code!",
                    minlength: "Your Postal Code must be 5 numbers!",
                    maxlength: "Your Postal Code must be 5 numbers!",
                    digits: "Your Postal Code must be 5 numbers!"
                }
            }
        });

    });
</script>

@using (Html.BeginForm(Model.Step.ToString(), "Provision", FormMethod.Post, new Dictionary<string, object> { { "id", "locationSetup" } }))

<table width="100%" id="locInfo">
            <colgroup>
                <col width="30%" />
                <col />
            </colgroup>
            <tr>
                <th><label>@AddressResource.COUNTRY_LABEL_TEXT:</label> <span class="redtext">(Required)</span></th>
                <td>
                   @* @Html.HiddenFor(m => m.Address.State.Country.CountryIsoCode)*@
                   @Html.DropDownListFor(m => m.Address.State.Country.CountryIsoCode, ProvisioningHubProxy.GetCountriesList(),
                                htmlAttributes: new { @id = "Countries", @name = "Countries" })
                </td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
                <th> <label>@AddressResource.STATES_LABEL_TEXT:</label><span class="redtext">(Required)</span></th>
                <td> @Html.DropDownListFor(m => m.Address.State.SubnationalIsoCode, ProvisioningHubProxy.GetStatesList(),
                                htmlAttributes: new { @id = "States", @name = "States" })</td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
                <th><label>@AddressResource.CITY_LABEL_LABEL_TEXT:</label><span class="redtext">(Required)</span></th>
                <td> @Html.TextBoxFor(m => m.Address.City, htmlAttributes: new { @name = "City", @id = "City" })</td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
                <th> <label>@AddressResource.STREET_NAME_LABEL_TEXT:</label><span class="redtext">(Required)</span></th>
                <td>@Html.TextBoxFor(m => m.Address.AddressStreet, htmlAttributes: new { @name = "StreetName", @id = "StreetName" })</td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
                <th><label>@AddressResource.US_POSTAL_CODE_LABEL_TEXT:</label><span class="redtext">(Required)</span></th>
                <td>@Html.TextBoxFor(m => m.Address.PostalCode, htmlAttributes: new { @name = "ZipCode", @id = "ZipCode", @required = "required" })</td>
            </tr>
        </table>

}

Please suggest.

Answer 1

Add a custom validator:

jQuery.validator.addMethod("zipcode", function(value, element) {
  return this.optional(element) || /^\d{5}(?:-\d{4})?$/.test(value);
}, "Please provide a valid zipcode.");

_If you want to accept spaces¹ between zipcode, use /^\d{5}(?:[\s-]\d{4})?$/ for the pattern instead.

then specify it in your options:

rules: {
  ...
  'Address.PostalCode': {
    ...
    zipcode: true,
    ...
  },
  ...
}

Note that the extension library additional-methods.js has a zipcodeUS validator as well (but unless you're using any of the other ones it may not make sense to include it).

---

¹ According to the spec, properly formatted zip codes consist of five (5) numbers or five (5) numbers follower by a hyphen (-) and four (4) additional numbers. A space shouldn't technically be acceptable, but I'll provide the pattern regardless.

Answer 2

Simply include the additional-methods.js file and use the zipcodeUS rule.

$("#locationSetup").validate({
    rules: {
        // rules,
        'Address.PostalCode': {
            required: true,
            zipcodeUS: true // <-- use it like this
        }
    },
....

If you don't want to include the additional-methods.js file, you can copy the following method into your code...

jQuery.validator.addMethod("zipcodeUS", function(value, element) {
    return this.optional(element) || /\d{5}-\d{4}$|^\d{5}$/.test(value)
}, "The specified US ZIP Code is invalid");