Rules Reference

Cast Rules

Rule Description Example
boolean, bool Convert value to boolean. Only clear values are accepted: true, 1, yes, on and false, 0, no, off, '', null (text without distinguishing case); any other value is an error 'cast' => 'boolean'
date Convert an absolute ISO 8601 date to a Carbon date (see Absolute dates) 'cast' => 'date'
datetime Convert an absolute ISO 8601 date and time to a Carbon datetime (see Absolute dates) 'cast' => 'datetime'
float, decimal Convert value to float. A float does not keep trailing zeros ('10.50' is 10.5), so validate its decimals with decimal:0,N (up to N decimals), not with decimal:N 'cast' => 'float'
integer, int Convert value to integer. A number with a decimal part ('1.9') or out of range is an error, it is not truncated; '1.0' and '1e2' are 1 and 100 'cast' => 'integer'
string, str Convert value to string 'cast' => 'string'
timestamp Convert value to Unix timestamp. A number is used as it is; a text must be an absolute ISO 8601 date (see Absolute dates) 'cast' => 'timestamp'

Transform Rules

Rule Description Example
base64_decode Decode base64 string 'transform' => ['base64_decode']
base64_encode Encode value to base64 'transform' => ['base64_encode']
json_decode Decode JSON string 'transform' => ['json_decode'], 'transform' => ['json_decode:array']
json_encode Encode value to JSON 'transform' => ['json_encode'], 'transform' => ['json_encode:pretty']
json_to_array Convert JSON string to array 'transform' => ['json_to_array']
json_to_object Convert JSON string to object 'transform' => ['json_to_object']
round Round numeric value 'transform' => ['round:2']
lowercase, lower Convert string to lowercase 'transform' => ['lowercase']
slug Convert string to URL friendly format 'transform' => ['slug']
transliterate Convert characters to ASCII 'transform' => ['transliterate']
uppercase, upper Convert string to uppercase 'transform' => ['uppercase']

Sanitize Rules

Rule Description Example
addslashes Add slashes before quotes 'sanitize' => ['addslashes']
htmlentities Convert characters to HTML entities 'sanitize' => ['htmlentities']
htmlspecialchars Convert special characters to HTML entities 'sanitize' => ['htmlspecialchars']
regex_keep Keep only characters matching pattern 'sanitize' => ['regex_keep:/[0-9]/']
regex_remove Remove characters matching pattern 'sanitize' => ['regex_remove:/[^a-z]/']
remove_chars Remove specific characters 'sanitize' => ['remove_chars:@#$']
remove_non_printable Remove ASCII control characters (except tab and line feed), C1 control characters and invisible format characters (U+200B, U+200E, U+202A to U+202E, U+2060, U+FEFF, U+00AD). U+200C and U+200D are kept, because some scripts and emoji sequences need them 'sanitize' => ['remove_non_printable']
remove_prefix Remove string prefix 'sanitize' => ['remove_prefix:http']
remove_suffix Remove string suffix 'sanitize' => ['remove_suffix:.txt']
spaces Normalize multiple spaces to single 'sanitize' => ['spaces']
strip_tags Remove HTML and PHP tags 'sanitize' => ['strip_tags'], 'sanitize' => ['strip_tags:<p><br>']
substring Extract part of string 'sanitize' => ['substring:5'], 'sanitize' => ['substring:0,10']
trim Remove ASCII whitespace from ends (not the no-break space U+00A0) 'sanitize' => ['trim']

Validate Rules

Array Validation

Rule Description Example
allowed_keys Check that an array has only the listed keys (additionalProperties: false of a JSON Schema object) 'validate' => ['allowed_keys:name,email']
contains Check that the array has at least one of the listed values 'validate' => ['contains:terms'], 'validate' => ['contains:a,b']
dependent_required If the first key has a value, the other keys must have a value too 'validate' => ['dependent_required:card,address,zip']
in, choices Check if value is in list. Value and list are compared as text (2, 2.0 and '2' are the same choice for in:1,2,3); an array is valid when each element is in the list; booleans, null and objects are never in the list 'validate' => ['in:a,b,c'], 'validate' => ['in:1,2,3']
max_contains Check that the array has at most N elements that are one of the listed values 'validate' => ['max_contains:1,a,b']
max_items Check array maximum length. In an associative array, it counts the keys 'validate' => ['max_items:5']
min_contains Check that the array has at least N elements that are one of the listed values 'validate' => ['min_contains:2,a,b']
min_items Check array minimum length. In an associative array, it counts the keys 'validate' => ['min_items:1']
notempty Check if array is not empty 'validate' => ['notempty']
unique Check if array values are unique. The comparison is strict (same type and value): ['1e1', '10'] and ['1', 1] are unique 'validate' => ['unique']
unique_loose Check if array values are unique with a loose comparison (==): ['1e1', '10'] and ['1', 1] are duplicates 'validate' => ['unique_loose']

Date Validation

Rule Description Example
after Check if date is after another 'validate' => ['after:2024-01-01']
after_or_equal Check if date is after or equal 'validate' => ['after_or_equal:2024-01-01']
before Check if date is before another 'validate' => ['before:2024-12-31']
before_or_equal Check if date is before or equal 'validate' => ['before_or_equal:2024-12-31']
between Check if date is between two dates 'validate' => ['between:2024-01-01,2024-12-31']
date_equals Check if date equals another 'validate' => ['date_equals:2024-01-01']
date_format Check if date matches format 'validate' => ['date_format:Y-m-d']
datetime_local Check a date and time as <input type="datetime-local"> sends it: YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM or YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS, with an existing date 'validate' => ['datetime_local']
month Check a month as <input type="month"> sends it: YYYY-MM 'validate' => ['month']
time Check a time as <input type="time"> sends it: HH:MM or HH:MM:SS 'validate' => ['time']
week Check a week as <input type="week"> sends it: YYYY-Www, with the week 53 only in the years that have it 'validate' => ['week']
weekday Check if date is weekday 'validate' => ['weekday']
weekend Check if date is weekend 'validate' => ['weekend']

File Validation

Rule Description Example
file Validate file with size limits (max_size, and min_size, 1 byte by default) 'validate' => ['file:2M'], 'validate' => ['file:max_size=2M,min_size=0']
image Validate image file (JPEG, PNG, GIF or WebP) with size limits (max_size, and min_size, 1 byte by default) 'validate' => ['image:2M'], 'validate' => ['image:max_size=2M,min_size=0']
mimetype Validate file mime type, detected from its content. A whole type allows any of its subtypes with type/*; any other * is text and never matches 'validate' => ['mimetype:application/pdf,image/jpeg'], 'validate' => ['mimetype:image/*'], 'validate' => ['mimetype:application/pdf,application/x-empty']

Financial Validation

Rule Description Example
bic Validate BIC/SWIFT code (it identifies a bank, not an account) 'validate' => ['bic']
card_number Validate credit card number 'validate' => ['card_number']
iban Validate IBAN: country, length of that country, and check digits. Spaces and lowercase are accepted. Only the countries of the SWIFT IBAN Registry have IBAN (in Latin America: Brazil, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador), any other country is an error 'validate' => ['iban']

I18n Validation

Rule Description Example
country Validate country code 'validate' => ['country']
currency Validate ISO 4217 currency code, in uppercase or lowercase. It has the codes in force, with the funds codes (CLF), and not the precious metals and special codes (XAU, XAG, XDR, XXX, etc.) 'validate' => ['currency']
language Validate language code (2 or 3 letters), with an optional country: es, fil, es_CL or es-CL 'validate' => ['language']
locale Validate locale code, with _ or - as separator: es_CL or es-CL. The list is the one of ICU, so it depends on the version of ICU 'validate' => ['locale']
timezone Validate timezone identifier 'validate' => ['timezone']

ID Validation

Rule Description Example
uuid Validate UUID string (RFC 9562): versions 1 to 8, and the nil and max UUIDs. With a version, only that version is valid 'validate' => ['uuid'], 'validate' => ['uuid:4']

Internet Validation

Rule Description Example
email Validate email address. The domain can have international characters (jose@exämple.com); the part before @ must be ASCII 'validate' => ['email']
host Validate a hostname or an IP address. host:v4 and host:v6 limit the version of the IP address; a hostname is valid anyway 'validate' => ['host'], 'validate' => ['host:v4']
hostname Validate hostname. The last label can not be only digits, so 1.2.3.4 and example.123 are not hostnames (RFC 1123) 'validate' => ['hostname']
ip Validate IP address 'validate' => ['ip'], 'validate' => ['ip:v4'], 'validate' => ['ip:v6']
url Validate URL. With parameters, only those schemes are valid. A host with international characters is accepted 'validate' => ['url'], 'validate' => ['url:http,https']

Numeric Validation

Rule Description Example
decimal, float, real Validate decimal number with exactly N decimals (decimal:2), or between min and max decimals (decimal:0,2) 'validate' => ['decimal:2'], 'validate' => ['decimal:0,2']
digits_range Validate that the value is only digits, with a number of digits between min and max 'validate' => ['digits_range:3,5']
digits Validate that the value is only digits, with exactly that number of digits 'validate' => ['digits:4']
gt Greater than 'validate' => ['gt:10']
gte, min Greater than or equal 'validate' => ['gte:10']
integer, int Validate integer 'validate' => ['integer']
lt Less than 'validate' => ['lt:10']
lte, max Less than or equal 'validate' => ['lte:10']
multiple_of Check if number is multiple 'validate' => ['multiple_of:5']
numeric Validate numeric value 'validate' => ['numeric']
range Validate number in range 'validate' => ['range:1,100']

String Validation

Rule Description Example
alpha Only alphabetic characters 'validate' => ['alpha']
alpha_dash Alphanumeric with dashes/underscores 'validate' => ['alpha_dash']
alpha_num Only alphanumeric characters 'validate' => ['alpha_num']
base64 Validate base64 string 'validate' => ['base64']
color Check a color as <input type="color"> sends it: #rrggbb, in uppercase or lowercase (#fff and red are not valid) 'validate' => ['color']
ends_with String ends with value 'validate' => ['ends_with:Test']
json Validate JSON string 'validate' => ['json']
length Exact string length 'validate' => ['length:10']
max_length Maximum string length 'validate' => ['max_length:255']
min_length Minimum string length 'validate' => ['min_length:3']
not_regex Not match regular expression 'validate' => ['not_regex:/[0-9]/']
no_whitespace No whitespace in string 'validate' => ['no_whitespace']
regex Match regular expression 'validate' => ['regex:/^[A-Z]+$/']
required Value is required (null, '' and [] fail) 'validate' => ['required']
slug Validate URL friendly string 'validate' => ['slug']
starts_with String starts with value 'validate' => ['starts_with:Test']

Notes

Rule parameters

The parameters of a rule go after :, separated by commas. A comma that is part of a parameter is written as \,: 'in:a\,b,c' has two choices, a,b and c. A parameter that is not valid is an error, it is not replaced by another value ('uuid:9' fails with Invalid parameter: 9).

The rules that take a literal (regex, not_regex, starts_with, ends_with, date_format, after, before, trim, remove_chars, strip_tags, transliterate, etc.) receive all the text after : as one parameter, and \, has no special meaning for them.

Empty values

A value that is null, '' or [] has nothing to cast, transform or sanitize. If the rules do not have required, the result is null and the validators do not run, so an optional field sent empty is valid. If the rules have required, the validators run and the value fails with Field is required.

Absolute dates

The date validators (after, before, between, date_equals, weekday, weekend, etc.) and the casters date, datetime and timestamp accept as text only an absolute date in ISO 8601: YYYY-MM-DD, or with time, YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM[:SS[.fraction]] (a space can replace the T), with Z or an offset (+03:00) at the end. The date and the time must exist. Date objects are accepted too.

A relative text (tomorrow, +1 week, now) or another format (01/02/2024, which can be read as January 2 or February 1) is an error, because its value depends on the clock of the server or on how it is read. date_format validates a text in another format; to convert it, read it with your own code before processing. The parameter that a rule compares with (after:tomorrow) can still be relative.

Arrays and objects

The array validators also work with an associative array (an object): min_items and max_items count its keys.

contains, min_contains and max_contains compare the elements with the listed values as text, like in: 2, 2.0 and '2' are the same value. Booleans, null and arrays are never equal to a value. In min_contains and max_contains the first parameter is the number N, and the rest are the values: 'min_contains:2,a,b' needs at least two elements that are a or b. N must be an integer of 0 or more.

allowed_keys compares the keys of the array as text. 'allowed_keys:a,b' fails with Properties not allowed: c. for ['a' => 1, 'c' => 2].

In dependent_required the first parameter is the key that triggers the rule, and the rest are the keys that become required. A key has a value when it exists and is not null, '' or [] (false and 0 are values). If the first key has no value, the rule passes. 'dependent_required:card,address' fails with Properties required when card is present: address. for ['card' => '4111', 'address' => ''].

A value that is not an array fails with Value must be an array.

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Last updated on 30/10/2026 by Anonymous
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