How to test a regex password in Python?

I agree with Hammish. Do not use a regex for this. Use discrete functions for each and every test and then call them in sequence. Next year when you want to require at least 2 Upper and 2 Lower case letters in the password you will not be happy with trying to modify that regex.

Another reason for this is to allow user configuration. Suppose you sell you program to someone who wants 12 character passwords. It's easier to modify a single function to handle system parameters than it is to modify a regex.

// pseudo-code
Bool PwdCheckLength(String pwd)
{
    Int minLen = getSystemParameter("MinPwdLen");
    return pwd.len() < minlen;
}

import re
password = raw_input("Enter string to test: ")
if re.fullmatch(r'[A-Za-z0-9@#$%^&+=]{8,}', password):
    # match
else:
    # no match

The {8,} means "at least 8". The .fullmatch function requires the entire string to match the entire regex, not just a portion.