diff --git a/hooks/pre_gen_project.py b/hooks/pre_gen_project.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f7f1ffe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hooks/pre_gen_project.py
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+"""
+Hook for checking values from cookiecutter variables before generating the project.
+See the following for more information:
+https://cookiecutter.readthedocs.io/en/1.7.0/advanced/hooks.html
+"""
+
+import sys
+
+project_name = "{{ cookiecutter.project_name }}"
+project_gc_project = "{{ cookiecutter.project_gc_project }}"
+
+# checking for proper length of the project name
+# note: we provide the limitation here based on constraints
+# for Google service accounts and how the variable is used within template.
+# See the following for more information:
+# https://cloud.google.com/iam/docs/service-accounts-create#creating
+if  not 6 <= len(project_name) <= 21:
+    print(
+        "ERROR: %s Please use a project name of length 6-21 characters!" % project_name
+    )
+    sys.exit(1)
+
+# limitation for google project names
+# see the following for more information:
+# https://cloud.google.com/resource-manager/docs/creating-managing-projects
+if not 4 <= len(project_gc_project) <= 30:
+    print(
+        "ERROR: %s Please use a Google project name of length 4-30 characters!" % project_name
+    )
+    sys.exit(1)
diff --git a/{{ cookiecutter.project_name }}/terraform/operations/accounts.tf b/{{ cookiecutter.project_name }}/terraform/operations/accounts.tf
index 2b16f60..7b0dadc 100644
--- a/{{ cookiecutter.project_name }}/terraform/operations/accounts.tf	
+++ b/{{ cookiecutter.project_name }}/terraform/operations/accounts.tf	
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # tf account creation and related work
 # Create a new service account
 resource "google_service_account" "service_account" {
-  account_id = "${var.initiative_label}-svc-account"
+  account_id = "${var.initiative_label}-svc-acct"
 }
 
 #Create a service-account key for the associated service account
diff --git a/{{ cookiecutter.project_name }}/terraform/operations/variables.tf b/{{ cookiecutter.project_name }}/terraform/operations/variables.tf
index 3e8e9b1..61894ca 100644
--- a/{{ cookiecutter.project_name }}/terraform/operations/variables.tf	
+++ b/{{ cookiecutter.project_name }}/terraform/operations/variables.tf	
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@
 variable "project" {
   description = "Google Cloud project to create the related resources in."
   type        = string
+  validation {
+    condition     = length(var.project) >= 4 && length(var.project) <= 30
+    error_message = "Project name must be between 4 and 30 characters."
+  }
 }
 
 variable "region" {
@@ -12,9 +16,17 @@ variable "region" {
 variable "bucket_name" {
   description = "Name for the bucket being created."
   type        = string
+  validation {
+    condition     = length(var.bucket_name) >= 3 && length(var.bucket_name) <= 63
+    error_message = "Bucket name must be between 3 and 63 characters."
+  }
 }
 
 variable "initiative_label" {
   description = "Label for specific initiative useful for differentiating between various resources."
   type        = string
+  validation {
+    condition     = length(var.initiative_label) >= 6 && length(var.initiative_label) <= 21
+    error_message = "Initiative label must be between 6 and 23 characters."
+  }
 }
diff --git a/{{ cookiecutter.project_name }}/terraform/state-management/variables.tf b/{{ cookiecutter.project_name }}/terraform/state-management/variables.tf
index 3e8e9b1..61894ca 100644
--- a/{{ cookiecutter.project_name }}/terraform/state-management/variables.tf	
+++ b/{{ cookiecutter.project_name }}/terraform/state-management/variables.tf	
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@
 variable "project" {
   description = "Google Cloud project to create the related resources in."
   type        = string
+  validation {
+    condition     = length(var.project) >= 4 && length(var.project) <= 30
+    error_message = "Project name must be between 4 and 30 characters."
+  }
 }
 
 variable "region" {
@@ -12,9 +16,17 @@ variable "region" {
 variable "bucket_name" {
   description = "Name for the bucket being created."
   type        = string
+  validation {
+    condition     = length(var.bucket_name) >= 3 && length(var.bucket_name) <= 63
+    error_message = "Bucket name must be between 3 and 63 characters."
+  }
 }
 
 variable "initiative_label" {
   description = "Label for specific initiative useful for differentiating between various resources."
   type        = string
+  validation {
+    condition     = length(var.initiative_label) >= 6 && length(var.initiative_label) <= 21
+    error_message = "Initiative label must be between 6 and 23 characters."
+  }
 }