Laravel validation: exists with additional column condition – custom validation rule

From Laravel 5.3+ you can add a custom where clause to the exists and unique rules.

Here is my scenario: I have an email verification table and I want to ensure that a passed machine code and activation code exist on the same row.

Be sure to use Illuminate\Validation\Rule;

$activationCode = $request->activation_code;                                   

$rules = [                                                                     
    'mc' => [                                                                  
        'required',                                                            
        Rule::exists('email_verifications', 'machineCode')                     
        ->where('activationCode', $activationCode),                                                                    
    ],                                                                         
    'activation_code' => 'required|integer|min:5',                             
    'operating_system' => 'required|alpha_num|max:45'                          
];

The first argument in the exists method is the table and the second is the custom column name I’m using for the ‘mc’ field. I pass the second column I want to check in a where clause.

This is pretty handy, because now I no longer need a custom Validation rule.