Python - How can I check if a UTC date string is correct?

I receive a date value on a POST request, and it has this format 20220509T000000Z.

In the system where I am working on, sometimes users can send wrong date values like 2022059T000000Z and 2022509T000000Z. That date is saved as string on our database, but if it is incorrect we get issues later doing some calculations and displaying information.

So, I am looking for a way in Python to validate the string is a correct date format, something like this:

#parameter date is the string I receive on the POST
def validate(date):
    if date is valid:
        # a valid date would be 20220509T000000Z
        return true
    else:
        # an incorrect date would be 2022509T000000Z
        return 'Error, incorrect date values'

Thanks in advance

Solution

One way is to use dateutil parser in a try and except:

import dateutil

#parameter date is the string I receive on the POST
def validate(date):
    try:
        dateutil.parser.parse(date)
        # a valid date would be 20220509T000000Z
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        # an incorrect date would be 2022509T000000Z
        return 'Error, incorrect date values'