$re = '/(?<type>[A-Z])(?<subtype>[<A-Z])(?<country>\w{3})(?<lname>[A-Z]+)(?<lname2><[A-Z]+){0,}<<(?<fname>[A-Z]+)(?<mname1><[A-Z]+){0,}(?<complement><){0,}\n(?<pnum>[\d\w]{9})(?<pnumcheck>\d{1})(?<nat>\w{3})(?<yob>\d{2})(?<mob>\d{2})(?<dob>\d{2})(?<dobcheck>\d{1})(?<sex>M|F|<{1})(?<yoe>\d{2})(?<moe>\d{2})(?<doe>\d{2})(?<expcheck>\d{1})(?<pid>[\d\w<]{14})(?<pidcheck>\d{1})(?<generalcheck>\d{1})/m';
$str = 'P<USADOE<<JOHN<WILLIAM<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
5039927858USA5509298M2304090255136054<115916';
preg_match($re, $str, $matches, PREG_OFFSET_CAPTURE, 0);
// Print the entire match result
var_dump($matches);
Please keep in mind that these code samples are automatically generated and are not guaranteed to work. If you find any syntax errors, feel free to submit a bug report. For a full regex reference for PHP, please visit: http://php.net/manual/en/ref.pcre.php