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Canada Passport Number validator
How the passport number format works
- Format
- 2 letters + 6 digits (issued before May 2023), or 1 letter + 6 digits + 2 letters (issued from May 2023 onward)
- Example
- AB123456
Things to watch for
- Format-only check — does not confirm the passport was actually issued, is unexpired, or is currently valid
- Canada changed its passport numbering format in May 2023; older-format passports (10-year validity) remain valid for years, so both formats are accepted
- Validation runs entirely in your browser — the number you enter is never transmitted or stored
^([A-Z]{2}[0-9]{6}|[A-Z][0-9]{6}[A-Z]{2})$A Canadian passport number follows one of two shapes depending on issue date: 2 letters followed by 6 digits for passports issued before May 2023 (e.g. AB123456), or 1 letter, 6 digits, then 2 more letters for passports issued from May 2023 onward, when Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) updated its Passport Program numbering.
What this checker verifies
This tool confirms the input matches either the older or the newer 8-character shape, catching an obvious typo like a missing digit or a letter dropped into the wrong position — easy mistakes when a number is retyped from a scan rather than copied straight from the passport’s data page.
What a pass doesn’t confirm
Neither format carries a check digit this tool can recompute, so matching one of the two shapes is the strongest signal a client-side check gives. Because standard Canadian passports remain valid for up to 10 years, older-format numbers will keep showing up alongside newer ones for years to come — a pass on either format doesn’t confirm IRCC actually issued that number or that the passport is unexpired, and nothing you type is decoded or stored.
Scope: format-only validation, running entirely in your browser.
Content last reviewed 2026-08-09.
passport number FAQ
Why are there two Canadian passport number formats?
IRCC changed the numbering pattern in May 2023, from 2 letters + 6 digits to 1 letter + 6 digits + 2 letters. Passports are valid for up to 10 years, so both formats are still in active use and this checker accepts either.
Does this tool confirm the passport is real?
No. It only confirms the number matches one of the two documented shapes. Confirming the passport was actually issued or is currently valid requires Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada's own records.
Is my number stored anywhere?
No. Validation happens entirely in your browser; nothing is sent or saved.