Validate Drivers License numbers?

Question

I am working on a ACH payment processor and was wondering if I can scope the drivers license field against some rules. Any ideas on this? Can I assume numbers only or anything else more like SSN

Thanks

Answer 1

I came up with this for a project I was working on...

function utilities() {
function validateLicense(stateCode, licenseNumber) {
    // from http://www.uiia.org/documents/license_guidelines_08.pdf
    var oneToSevenNumeric = /^[0-9]{1,7}$/;
    var oneAlpha = /(.*[A-Za-z]){1}/;
    var oneAlphaPlusSeven = /^.[0-9]{7}$/;
    var twoAlpha = /(.*[A-Za-z]){2}/;
    var alphaPlusSixNumeric = /(.*[0-9]){6}$/;
    var threeToFiveNumeric = /(.*[0-9]){3,5}$/;
    var fiveToNineNumeric = /(.*[0-9]){5,9}/;
    var sixNumeric = /^[0-9]{6}$/;
    var sevenNumeric = /^[0-9]{7}$/;
    var sevenToNineNumeric = /^[0-9]{7,9}$/;
    var eightAreNumbers = /(.*[0-9]){8}/;
    var nineNumeric = /^[0-9]{9}$/;
    var nineAlphaChars = /^[A-Za-z0-9]{9}$/;
    var tenNumeric = /^[0-9]{10}$/;
    var elevenNumeric = /^.[0-9]{11}$/;
    var twelveNumeric = /^.[0-9]{12}$/;
    var hPlusEight = /([H][0-9]{8})$/;
    var sevenPlusX = /([H][0-9]{7}X)$/;

    if (stateCode == undefined || licenseNumber == undefined) {
        return "";
    }
    if (stateCode == 'AK') {
       return validateExpression(oneToSevenNumeric, licenseNumber, "Must be 1-7 numeric");
    }
    if (stateCode == 'AL') {
      return validateExpression(sevenNumeric, licenseNumber, "Must be 7 numeric");
    }
    if (stateCode == 'AR' || stateCode == 'MS') {
      return validateExpression(nineNumeric, licenseNumber, "Must be 9 numeric");
    }
    if (stateCode == 'AZ') { 
        if (nineNumeric.test(licenseNumber) == true) {
            return "";
        }
        if (oneAlpha.test(licenseNumber) && eightAreNumbers.test(licenseNumber)) {
            return "";
        }
        if (twoAlpha.test(licenseNumber) && threeToFiveNumeric.test(licenseNumber) && licenseNumber.length < 8) {
            return "";
        }
        return "Must be 1 Alphabetic, 8 Numeric; or 2 Alphabetic, 3-6 Numeric; or 9 Numeric";
    }
    if (stateCode == 'CA') {

        if (oneAlpha.test(licenseNumber) && oneAlphaPlusSeven.test(licenseNumber)) {
            return "";
        }
        return "Must be 1 alpha and 7 numeric";
    }
    if (stateCode == 'CO' || stateCode == 'CN' || stateCode == 'CT') {
        return validateExpression(nineNumeric, licenseNumber, "Must be 9 numeric");
    }
    if (stateCode == 'DC') {
        if (sevenNumeric.test(licenseNumber) || nineNumeric.test(licenseNumber)) {
            return "";
        }
        return  "Must be 7 - 9 numeric";
    }
    if (stateCode == 'DE') {
        if (oneToSevenNumeric.test(licenseNumber)) {
            return "";
        }
        return "Must be 1 - 7 numeric";
    }
    if (stateCode == 'FL') {
        if (oneAlpha.test(licenseNumber) && twelveNumeric.test(licenseNumber)) {
            return "";
        }
        return "Must be 1 alpha, 12 numeric";
    }
    if (stateCode == 'GA') {
        if (sevenToNineNumeric.test(licenseNumber)) {
            return "";
        }
        return "Must be 7 - 9 numeric";
    }
    if (stateCode == 'HI') {
        if (nineNumeric.test(licenseNumber) || hPlusEight.test(licenseNumber)) {
            return "";
        }
        return "Must 'H' + 8 numeric; 9 numeric";
    }
    if (stateCode == 'ID') {
        if (nineNumeric.test(licenseNumber) || sixNumeric.test(licenseNumber) || (twoAlpha.test(licenseNumber) && alphaPlusSixNumeric.test(licenseNumber))) {
            return "";
        }
        return "Must 9 numbers or 6 numbers; or 2 char, 6 numbers ";
    }

    if (stateCode == 'IL') {
        if (oneAlpha.test(licenseNumber) && elevenNumeric.test(licenseNumber)) {
            return "";
        }
        return "Must 1 character 11 numbers";
    }
    if (stateCode == 'IN') {
        if (tenNumeric.test(licenseNumber) || nineNumeric.test(licenseNumber)) {
            return "";
        }
        return "Must be 9-10 numbers";
    }
    if (stateCode == 'IA') {
        if (nineAlphaChars.test(licenseNumber) || nineNumeric.test(licenseNumber)) {
            return "";
        }
        return "Must be 9 alpha numbers";
    }
    if (stateCode == 'KS' || stateCode == 'KY') {
        if (nineNumeric.test(licenseNumber) || (oneAlpha.test(licenseNumber) && eightAreNumbers.test(licenseNumber) && licenseNumber.length == 9)) {
            return "";
        }
        return "Must be 1 alpha and 8 numeric";
    }
    if (stateCode == 'LA') {
        if (nineNumeric.test(licenseNumber) == true) {
            return "";
        }
        return "Must be 9 numeric";
    }
    if (stateCode == 'ME') {
        if (sevenNumeric.test(licenseNumber) || sevenPlusX.test(licenseNumber)) {
            return "";
        }
        return "Must be 7 numeric";
    }
    if (stateCode == 'MD' || stateCode == 'MI' || stateCode == 'MN') {
        if (oneAlpha.test(licenseNumber) && twelveNumeric.test(licenseNumber)) {
            return "";
        }
        return "1 Alphabetic, 12 Numeric";
    }
    if (stateCode == 'MA') {
        if ((oneAlpha.test(licenseNumber) && eightAreNumbers.test(licenseNumber) && licenseNumber.length == 9) || nineNumeric.test(licenseNumber)) {
            return "";
        }
        return "Must be 1 alpha, 8 numeric; 9 numeric";
    }

    if (stateCode == 'MO') {
        if ((oneAlpha.test(licenseNumber) && fiveToNineNumeric.test(licenseNumber) && licenseNumber.length < 11) || nineNumeric.test(licenseNumber)) {
            return "";
        }
        return "1 alpha - 5-9 Numeric or 9 numeric";
    }
    return "";
}

function validateExpression(expression, value, error) {
    if (expression.test(value) == true) {
        return "";
    }
    return error;
}

return {
    validateLicense: validateLicense,
    validateExpression: validateExpression
};

}

Answer 2

I appreciated James' answer above, because it actually includes regex to answer this question, but it seems the drivers license formats he used are a little outdated in 2020. Here's the updated regex, if anyone needs it:

stateCode = $(<your-state-code-field>).children("option:selected").val();     
licenseNumber = $(<your-license-number-field>).attr("value");

// from https://ntsi.com/drivers-license-format/
// I opted only to set these three variables, because none of the other patterns are repeated
var sevenNumeric = /^[0-9]{7}$/;
var eightNumeric = /^[0-9]{8}$/;
var nineNumeric  = /^[0-9]{9}$/;

if (licenseNumber != 0 && (licenseNumber == "" || licenseNumber == 'null' || licenseNumber == 'undefined' || licenseNumber == false)) {
    error = "This field is required.";
} else if (stateCode == 'AK' || stateCode == 'DE') {
    if (!/^[0-9]{1,7}$/.test(licenseNumber)) {
        error = "Must be 1 to 7 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'AL') {
    if (!/^[0-9]{1,8}$/.test(licenseNumber)) {
        error = "Must be 1 to 8 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'AR') {
  if (!/^([0-9]){4,9}$/.test(licenseNumber)) {
       error = "Must be 4 to 9 numeric.";
  }
} else if (stateCode == 'AZ') { 
    if (!/^[A-Za-z]{1}[0-9]{8}$/.test(licenseNumber) && !nineNumeric.test(licenseNumber)) {
        error = "Must be 1 alphabetic and 8 numeric or 9 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'CA') {
    if (!/^[A-Za-z]{1}[0-9]{7}$/.test(licenseNumber)) {
        error = "Must be 1 alphabetic and 7 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'CO') {
  if (!(nineNumeric.test(licenseNumber)) && !(/^[A-Za-z]{1,2}[0-9]{3,5}$/.test(licenseNumber) && licenseNumber.length >= 4 ) ) {
       error = "Must be 9 numeric, or one alpha and 3 to 5 numeric, or 2 alpha and 2 to 5 numeric.";
  }
  
} else if (stateCode == 'CN' || stateCode == 'CT' || stateCode == 'MS') {
    if (!nineNumeric.test(licenseNumber)) {
        error = "Must be 9 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'DC' || stateCode == 'TN') {
    if (!sevenNumeric.test(licenseNumber) && !nineNumeric.test(licenseNumber)) {
        error = "Must be 7 or 9 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'FL') {
    if (!/^[A-Za-z]{1}[0-9]{12}$/.test(licenseNumber)) {
        error = "Must be 1 alpha, 12 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'GA') {
    if (!/^[0-9]{7,9}$/.test(licenseNumber)) {
        error = "Must be 7 to 9 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'HI') {
    if (!(/[0-9]{8}$/.test(licenseNumber) && licenseNumber.length == 9)) {
        error = "Must have 1 alpha and 8 numeric, or 9 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'ID') {
    if ( !nineNumeric.test(licenseNumber) && !/[A-Za-z]{2}[0-9]{7}[A-Za-z]{1}$/.test(licenseNumber) ) {
        error = "Must have 9 numeric, or 2 alphabetic + 6 numeric + 1 alpha.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'IL') {
    if ( !/^[A-Za-z]{1}[0-9]{11,12}$/.test(licenseNumber) ) {
        error = "Must be 1 alphabetic 11 numeric, or 1 alpha and 12 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'IN') {
  if (!(/^[A-Za-z]{0,1}[0-9]{9,10}$/.test(licenseNumber) && licenseNumber.length <= 10)) {
        error = "Must be one alpha and 9 numeric, or 9 to 10 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'IA') {
    if (!nineNumeric.test(licenseNumber) && !/^[0-9]{3}[A-Za-z]{2}[0-9]{4}$/.test(licenseNumber) ) {
        error = "Must be 9 numeric, or 3 numeric + 2 alpha + 4 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'KS') {
    if (!/^[A-Za-z]{1}[0-9]{1}[A-Za-z]{1}[0-9]{1}[A-Za-z]{1}$/.test(licenseNumber) && !( /^[A-Za-z]{0,1}[0-9]{8}$/.test(licenseNumber) && licenseNumber.length == 9 )) {
        error = "Must be alpha + number + alpha + number + alpha, or 1 alpha and 8 numeric, or 9 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'KY') {
    if (!/^[A-Za-z]{1}[0-9]{8,9}$/.test(licenseNumber) && !nineNumeric.test(licenseNumber) ) {
        error = "Must be 1 alphabetic and 8 to 9 numeric, or 9 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'LA' || stateCode == 'OR') {
    if (!/^[0-9]{1,9}$/.test(licenseNumber)) {
        error = "Must be 1 to 9 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'ME') {
    if ( !( /^[0-9]{7,8}[A-Za-z]{0,1}$/.test(licenseNumber) && licenseNumber.length <= 8)) {
        error = "Must be 7 numeric, 7 numeric and one alpha, or 8 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'MD' || stateCode == 'MN') {
    if (!/^[A-Za-z]{1}[0-9]{12}$/.test(licenseNumber)) {
        error = "Must be 1 alphabetic and 12 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'MA') {
    if (!(/[0-9]{8}$/.test(licenseNumber) && licenseNumber.length == 9)) {
        error = "Must be 1 alphabetic and 8 numeric, or 9 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'MI') {
   if (!(/^[A-Za-z]{1}[0-9]{10,12}$/.test(licenseNumber) && licenseNumber.length != 12)) {
     error = "Must be 1 alpha and 10 numeric, or 1 alpha and 12 numeric.";
   }
} else if (stateCode == 'MT') {
    if (!/^[A-Za-z]{1}[0-9]{8}$/.test(licenseNumber) && !nineNumeric.test(licenseNumber) && !/^[0-9]{13,14}$/.test(licenseNumber) ) {
        error = "Must have one alpha and 8 numeric, or 9, 13, or 14 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'NE') {
    if (!/^[A-Za-z]{1}[0-9]{6,8}$/.test(licenseNumber)) {
        error = "Must have one alpha and six to eight numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'NV') {
    if (!(/^[0-9]{9,12}$/.test(licenseNumber) && licenseNumber.length != 11) && !/^[0-9]{8}[Xx]$/.test(licenseNumber)) {
        error = "Must have 9, 10, or 12 numeric, or eight numeric + X.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'NH') {
    if (!/^[0-9]{2}[A-Za-z]{3}[0-9]{5}$/.test(licenseNumber)) {
        error = "Must have 2 numeric + 3 alpha + 5 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'NJ') {
    if (!/^[A-Za-z]{1}[0-9]{14}$/.test(licenseNumber)) {
        error = "Must have one alpha and 14 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'NM') {
    if (!/^[0-9]{8,9}$/.test(licenseNumber)) {
        error = "Must be 8 or 9 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'NY') {
    if (!/^[A-Za-z]{1}[0-9]{7}$/.test(licenseNumber) && !/^[A-Za-z]{1}[0-9]{18}$/.test(licenseNumber) && !eightNumeric.test(licenseNumber) && !nineNumeric.test(licenseNumber) && !/^[A-Za-z]{8}$/.test(licenseNumber) ) {
        error = "Must have one alpha and 7 or 18 numeric, 8 or 9 numeric, or 8 alpha.";
    }    
} else if (stateCode == 'NC') {
    if (!/^[0-9]{1,12}$/.test(licenseNumber)) {
        error = "Must have 1 to 12 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'ND') {
    if (!/^[A-Za-z]{3}[0-9]{6}$/.test(licenseNumber) && !nineNumeric.test(licenseNumber) ) {
        error = "Must have 3 alpha and 6 numeric, or 9 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'OH') {
    if (!(/^[A-Za-z]{1,2}[0-9]{3,8}$/.test(licenseNumber) && licenseNumber.length >= 5 && licenseNumber.length <= 9) && !eightNumeric.test(licenseNumber) ) {
        error = "Must have one alpha and 4 to 8 numeric, 2 alpha and 3 to 7 numeric, or 8 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'OK') {
    if (!/^[A-Za-z]{0,1}[0-9]{9}$/.test(licenseNumber)) {
        error = "Must have one alpha and 9 numeric, or 9 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'PA') {
    if (!eightNumeric.test(licenseNumber)) {
        error = "Must have 8 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'RI') {
    if (!/^[0-9]{7}[A-Za-z]{1}[0-9]{6}$/.test(licenseNumber)) {
        error = "Must have 7 numeric + 1 alpha + 6 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'SC') {
    if (!/(^[0-9]){5,11}$/.test(licenseNumber)) {
        error = "Must have 5 to 11 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'SD') {
    if (!(/(.*[0-9]){6,10}/.test(licenseNumber) && licenseNumber.length != 11) ) {
        error = "Must have 6 to 10 numeric or 12 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'TX') {
    if (!/^[0-9]{7,8}$/.test(licenseNumber)) {
        error = "Must have 7 to 8 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'UT') {
    if (!/(^[0-9]){4,10}$/.test(licenseNumber)) {
        error = "Must have 4 to 10 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'VT') {
    if (!eightNumeric.test(licenseNumber) && ! /^([0-9]{7}[Aa])$/.test(licenseNumber)) {
        error = "Must have 8 numeric or 7 numeric plus 'A'.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'VI') {
    if (!/^[A-Za-z]{1}[0-9]{8,11}$/.test(licenseNumber) && !nineNumeric.test(licenseNumber)) {
        error = "Must be 1 alpha and eight to 11 numeric, or 9 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'WA') { //1-7Alpha+any combination of Alpha, Numeric, or * for a total of 12 characters
    if (!(/^[A-Za-z]{1,7}/.test(licenseNumber) && licenseNumber.length == 12)) {
        error = "Must be 1 to 7 alpha and total 12 characters.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'WV') {
    if (!sevenNumeric.test(licenseNumber) && !/^[A-Za-z]{1,2}[0-9]{5,6}$/.test(licenseNumber) ) {
        error = "Must be 7 numeric, or 1 to 2 alpha and 5 to 6 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'WI') {
    if (!/^[A-Za-z]{1}[0-9]{13}$/.test(licenseNumber)) {
        error = "Must be 1 alpha and 13 numeric.";
    }
} else if (stateCode == 'WY') {
    if (!/^[0-9]{9,10}$/.test(licenseNumber)) {
        error = "Must be 9 to 10 numeric.";
    }
} else { // if (stateCode == 'MO')
    if (!/^[A-Za-z]{1}[0-9]{5,9}$/.test(licenseNumber) && !(/^[0-9]{8,9}[A-Za-z]{1,2}$/.test(licenseNumber) && licenseNumber.length == 10) && !nineNumeric.test(licenseNumber) && !/^[A-Za-z]{1}[0-9]{6}[Rr]$/.test(licenseNumber)) {
        error = "Must be 1 alphabetic and 5-9 numeric, eight numeric and two alpha, or 9 numeric and one alpha, or 9 numeric, or 1 alpha + 9 numeric + R.";
    }
}
// update the error message, and prevent user from continuing if error is present
if (error != "") {
  $(<your-error-field>).text(error);
   return false;
} else {
   return true;
}

Assuming your form looks something like this:

<form name="customer-form" action="" method="post">
    <select id="<your-state-code-field>">
      <option value="CA">CA</option>
      <option value="NV">NV</option>
      <option value="ME">ME</option>
      ...
    </select>
    <input type="text" id="<your-license-number-field>" name="drivers-license">
    <div id="<your-error-field>" class="error-msg"></div>
    <input type="submit" value="Submit" >
</form>

I'm no regex or license expert, so if I missed anything, or could improve this code in any way let me know.