diff --git a/src/models/units/units.modeltypes.cjs b/src/models/units/units.modeltypes.cjs
index ff28d0bd..e5a75c0a 100644
--- a/src/models/units/units.modeltypes.cjs
+++ b/src/models/units/units.modeltypes.cjs
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ module.exports = {
   countryJurisdictionOfOwner: Sequelize.STRING,
   inCountryJurisdictionOfOwner: Sequelize.STRING,
   serialNumberBlock: Sequelize.STRING,
+  customSerialNumberPattern: Sequelize.STRING,
   unitIdentifier: Sequelize.STRING,
   unitType: Sequelize.STRING,
   intendedBuyerOrgUid: Sequelize.STRING,
diff --git a/src/utils/helpers.js b/src/utils/helpers.js
index 43a68c88..5667de7e 100644
--- a/src/utils/helpers.js
+++ b/src/utils/helpers.js
@@ -52,10 +52,21 @@ export const columnsToInclude = (userColumns, foreignKeys) => {
   };
 };
 
-export const transformSerialNumberBlock = (serialNumberBlock) => {
-  const blocks = serialNumberBlock.split('-');
-  const blockStart = Number(blocks[0].split(/(\d+)/)[1]);
-  const blockEnd = Number(blocks[1].split(/(\d+)/)[1]);
+export const defaultSerialNumberPattern = /[.*\D]+([0-9]+)+[-][.*\D]+([0-9]+)$/;
+
+export const transformSerialNumberBlock = (
+  serialNumberBlock,
+  // serial number format: ABC1000-ABC1010
+  serialNumberPattern = defaultSerialNumberPattern,
+) => {
+  const unitBlocks = serialNumberBlock.match(serialNumberPattern);
+
+  if (!unitBlocks) {
+    return [null, null, null];
+  }
+
+  const blockStart = Number(unitBlocks[1]);
+  const blockEnd = Number(unitBlocks[2]);
   return [blockStart, blockEnd, blockEnd - blockStart];
 };
 
@@ -63,8 +74,10 @@ export const createSerialNumberStr = (
   originalSerialNumberBlock,
   blockStart,
   blockEnd,
+  serialNumberPattern = defaultSerialNumberPattern,
 ) => {
-  const blocks = originalSerialNumberBlock.split('-');
-  const serialNumberPrefix = blocks[0].split(/(\d+)/)[0];
-  return `${serialNumberPrefix}${blockStart}-${serialNumberPrefix}${blockEnd}`;
+  const unitBlocks = originalSerialNumberBlock.match(serialNumberPattern);
+  return unitBlocks[0]
+    .replace(unitBlocks[1], blockStart)
+    .replace(unitBlocks[2], blockEnd);
 };
diff --git a/src/validations/units.validations.js b/src/validations/units.validations.js
index 20c1a1ec..bc35eaf0 100644
--- a/src/validations/units.validations.js
+++ b/src/validations/units.validations.js
@@ -2,23 +2,35 @@ import Joi from 'joi';
 import { transformSerialNumberBlock } from '../utils/helpers';
 import { newVintageScheme, existingVintageSchema } from './vintages.validation';
 
+const customSerialNumberValidator = (obj, helper) => {
+  const { serialNumberBlock, customSerialNumberPattern } = obj;
+
+  // eslint-disable-next-line no-unused-vars
+  const [_, __, unitCount] = transformSerialNumberBlock(
+    serialNumberBlock,
+    customSerialNumberPattern || undefined,
+  );
+
+  if (!unitCount) {
+    return helper.message(
+      `serialNumberBlock could not be parsed, invalid pattern found`,
+    );
+  }
+
+  if (unitCount < 1) {
+    return helper.message(
+      `serialNumberBlock must have a positive non-zero number, received ${unitCount}`,
+    );
+  }
+  return obj;
+};
+
 const unitsBaseSchema = {
   countryJurisdictionOfOwner: Joi.string().required(),
   inCountryJurisdictionOfOwner: Joi.string().optional(),
   // must be in the form ABC123-XYZ456
-  serialNumberBlock: Joi.string()
-    .regex(/[.*\D]+[0-9]+[-][.*\D]+[0-9]+$/)
-    .custom((value, helper) => {
-      const [_, __, unitCount] = transformSerialNumberBlock(value);
-      if (unitCount < 1) {
-        return helper.message(
-          `serialNumberBlock must have a positive non-zero number, received ${unitCount}`,
-        );
-      } else {
-        return value;
-      }
-    })
-    .required(),
+  serialNumberBlock: Joi.string().required(),
+  customSerialNumberPattern: Joi.string().optional(),
   unitIdentifier: Joi.string().required(),
   unitType: Joi.string().valid('heard reduction', 'removal').required(),
   intendedBuyerOrgUid: Joi.string().optional(),
@@ -45,7 +57,7 @@ const unitsBaseSchema = {
 
 export const unitsPostSchema = Joi.object({
   ...unitsBaseSchema,
-});
+}).custom(customSerialNumberValidator);
 
 export const unitsGetQuerySchema = Joi.object()
   .keys({
@@ -61,7 +73,7 @@ export const unitsGetQuerySchema = Joi.object()
 export const unitsUpdateSchema = Joi.object({
   warehouseUnitId: Joi.string().required(),
   ...unitsBaseSchema,
-});
+}).custom(customSerialNumberValidator);
 
 export const unitsDeleteSchema = Joi.object({
   warehouseUnitId: Joi.string().required(),