Code: public class CustomPropertyEditorRegistrar implements PropertyEditorRegistrar { @Override public void registerCustomEditors(PropertyEditorRegistry registry) { SimpleDateFormat sdf = new SimpleDateFormat("dd.MM.yyyy"); sdf.setLenient(false); // else e.g. 56.34.2009 will be correct date registry.registerCustomEditor(java.util.Date.class, new CustomDateEditor(sdf, true)); ...