# `malformed_identifier`: the identifier is not shaped like one

The value cannot be an identifier of the type asked for, so no register was searched.

- Appears in: `reason`
- Billing: Free. An identifier no register could answer for never costs a credit.

A LEI is exactly twenty characters of digits and capital letters. A UK company number is at most eight characters, and is zero-padded to eight before it is looked up, so "1234567" and "01234567" are the same company.

Nothing was searched, so nothing is billed.

**What to do.** Check the identifier for missing or extra characters. For a LEI, `checksum_valid` will tell you whether the twenty characters carry a valid check digit once the length is right.

```json
{
    "identifier": "NOT-A-LEI",
    "identifier_type": "lei",
    "found": false,
    "reason": "malformed_identifier",
    "checksum_valid": false
}
```

Reference: https://spaw.co/docs/reasons/malformed_identifier