9818\D?9[01]\D?\d{2}(?:\D?\d{4}){2} #### m/ 9818 # A literal. \D? # Optional non-digit. [01] # Require a zero or a one. \D? # Another optional non-digit. \d{2} # Require two digits. (?: # Group but don't capture. \D? # Another optional non-digit. \d{4} # Followed by four digits. ){2} # Repeated twice. /x