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5. Laravel Enums as First-Class Citizens: Casts, Rules, and Eloquent Integration

 Laravel Enums as First-Class Citizens: Casts, Rules, and Eloquent Integration
==============================================================================

 PHP 8.1 backed enums unlock type-safe domain modelling in Laravel. Learn how to cast them, validate them, use them in query scopes, and avoid the common pitfalls that leak primitive strings into your domain.

 ![](https://cdn.msaied.com/01M22N44A70A5MC2S599JP0MPH.webp) [Mohamed Said](https://www.msaied.com/public#person) Published 16 Jun 2026 · Updated 16 Jun 2026 · 1 min read

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 ![Laravel Enums as First-Class Citizens: Casts, Rules, and Eloquent Integration](https://cdn.msaied.com/203/54c43da0c2e5005ca99e4bee1b905e6f.png) 

  On this page +1. [Why Enums Belong at the Domain Layer](#why-enums-belong-at-the-domain-layer)
2. [Defining a Backed Enum](#defining-a-backed-enum)
3. [Eloquent Casting](#eloquent-casting)
4. [Storing Enums in JSON Columns](#storing-enums-in-json-columns)
5. [Validation Rules](#validation-rules)
6. [Query Scopes with Enums](#query-scopes-with-enums)
7. [Sharp Edges](#sharp-edges)
8. [Takeaways](#takeaways)

 Why Enums Belong at the Domain Layer
------------------------------------

Before PHP 8.1, status columns lived as magic strings or class constants — easy to mistype, impossible to enforce at the type level. Backed enums fix that. A `string` column that only ever holds `'active'`, `'suspended'`, or `'cancelled'` should be represented as a `UserStatus` enum, not a raw string that leaks through every layer of your application.

This article covers the practical wiring: Eloquent casts, validation rules, query scopes, and a few sharp edges worth knowing.

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Defining a Backed Enum
----------------------

```php