diff --git a/modules/vba_documents/lib/vba_documents/upload_validator.rb b/modules/vba_documents/lib/vba_documents/upload_validator.rb
index e2da009ef6c..281c5ef2f5e 100644
--- a/modules/vba_documents/lib/vba_documents/upload_validator.rb
+++ b/modules/vba_documents/lib/vba_documents/upload_validator.rb
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ def validate_metadata(metadata_input, consumer_id, upload_guid, submission_versi
       if rejected.present?
         raise VBADocuments::UploadError.new(code: 'DOC102', detail: "Non-string values for keys: #{rejected.join(',')}")
       end
-      if (FILE_NUMBER_REGEX =~ metadata['fileNumber']).nil?
+      if (FILE_NUMBER_REGEX =~ metadata['fileNumber'].strip).nil?
         raise VBADocuments::UploadError.new(code: 'DOC102', detail: 'Non-numeric or invalid-length fileNumber')
       end
 
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ def validate_documents(parts, pdf_validator_options = VBADocuments::DocumentRequ
 
     def perfect_metadata(model, parts, timestamp)
       metadata = JSON.parse(parts['metadata'])
+      metadata['fileNumber'] = metadata['fileNumber'].strip if metadata.key?('fileNumber')
       metadata['source'] = "#{model.consumer_name} via VA API"
       metadata['receiveDt'] = timestamp.in_time_zone('US/Central').strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')
       metadata['uuid'] = model.guid
diff --git a/modules/vba_documents/spec/sidekiq/upload_processor_spec.rb b/modules/vba_documents/spec/sidekiq/upload_processor_spec.rb
index 9fa49b997df..8718dd4f676 100644
--- a/modules/vba_documents/spec/sidekiq/upload_processor_spec.rb
+++ b/modules/vba_documents/spec/sidekiq/upload_processor_spec.rb
@@ -217,6 +217,26 @@
       expect(updated.status).to eq('received')
     end
 
+    it 'trims leading\trailing whitespace from consumer supplied fileNumber metadata part' do
+      md = JSON.parse(valid_metadata)
+      md['fileNumber'] = '  012345678  '
+      allow(VBADocuments::MultipartParser).to receive(:parse) {
+        { 'metadata' => md.to_json, 'content' => valid_doc, 'attachment1' => valid_doc }
+      }
+      allow(CentralMail::Service).to receive(:new) { client_stub }
+      allow(faraday_response).to receive_messages(status: 200, body: '', success?: true)
+      capture_body = nil
+      expect(client_stub).to receive(:upload) { |arg|
+        capture_body = arg
+        faraday_response
+      }
+
+      described_class.new.perform(upload.guid, test_caller)
+      metadata = JSON.parse(capture_body['metadata'])
+      # leading\trailing whitespace should have been removed
+      expect(metadata['fileNumber']).to eq(metadata['fileNumber']&.strip)
+    end
+
     context 'when payload is empty' do
       let(:empty_payload) { get_fixture('emptyfile.blob') }