24-Hour Time Regex

^([01]?[0-9]|2[0-3]):[0-5][0-9]$

Match 24-hour time format HH:MM with proper hour (0-23) and minute (0-59) validation.

Test This Pattern →

Pattern Breakdown

Understanding the regex pattern ^([01]?[0-9]|2[0-3]):[0-5][0-9]$:

  • ^ - Start of string
  • $ - End of string
  • ? - Optional (zero or one)
  • [...] - Character class
  • (...) - Capturing group
  • | - Alternation (OR)

Examples

Input Result Explanation
23:59 ✓ Match Last minute of day
00:00 ✓ Match Midnight
9:30 ✓ Match Single digit hour
24:00 ✗ No Match Invalid hour

Code Examples

JavaScript

JavaScript
const pattern = /^([01]?[0-9]|2[0-3]):[0-5][0-9]$/;
const text = "23:59";

// Test if string matches
if (pattern.test(text)) {
  console.log("Valid!");
}

// Extract matches
const matches = text.match(pattern);
console.log(matches);

Python

Python
import re

pattern = r'^([01]?[0-9]|2[0-3]):[0-5][0-9]$'
text = "23:59"

# Test if string matches
if re.match(pattern, text):
    print("Valid!")

# Find all matches
matches = re.findall(pattern, text)
print(matches)

PHP

PHP
<?php
$pattern = '/^([01]?[0-9]|2[0-3]):[0-5][0-9]$/';
$text = "23:59";

// Test if string matches
if (preg_match($pattern, $text)) {
    echo "Valid!";
}

// Find all matches
preg_match_all($pattern, $text, $matches);
print_r($matches);
?>

Java

Java
import java.util.regex.*;

String pattern = "^([01]?[0-9]|2[0-3]):[0-5][0-9]$";
String text = "23:59";

Pattern p = Pattern.compile(pattern);
Matcher m = p.matcher(text);

if (m.matches()) {
    System.out.println("Valid!");
}

Use Cases

Common applications: Scheduling systems, time pickers, international apps

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the regex pattern for 24-hour time regex?
The regex pattern is: ^([01]?[0-9]|2[0-3]):[0-5][0-9]$. Match 24-hour time format HH:MM with proper hour (0-23) and minute (0-59) validation.
How do I use the 24-hour time regex pattern in JavaScript?
In JavaScript: const regex = new RegExp('^([01]?[0-9]|2[0-3]):[0-5][0-9]$'); or const regex = /^([01]?[0-9]|2[0-3]):[0-5][0-9]$/;
Does this pattern work in Python?
Yes, use: import re; pattern = re.compile(r'^([01]?[0-9]|2[0-3]):[0-5][0-9]$') in Python. Most regex patterns are cross-language compatible.
What are common use cases for 24-hour time regex?
Scheduling systems, time pickers, international apps

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