diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index fc8f0c8b4..44b8fe953 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/klauspost/cpuid/v2 v2.4.0
 	github.com/miekg/dns v1.1.73
 	github.com/minio/highwayhash v1.0.4
-	github.com/mulgadc/bluebottle v1.21.1-0.20261001033338-1f3267ed0373
+	github.com/mulgadc/bluebottle v1.21.1-0.20261001041718-8a7bd5d4f2e3
 	github.com/mulgadc/northstar v1.21.0
 	github.com/mulgadc/predastore v1.21.0
 	github.com/mulgadc/viperblock v1.21.0
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 362930951..772fa382f 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -312,8 +312,8 @@ github.com/muesli/cancelreader v0.2.2 h1:3I4Kt4BQjOR54NavqnDogx/MIoWBFa0StPA8ELU
 github.com/muesli/cancelreader v0.2.2/go.mod h1:3XuTXfFS2VjM+HTLZY9Ak0l6eUKfijIfMUZ4EgX0QYo=
 github.com/muesli/termenv v0.16.0 h1:S5AlUN9dENB57rsbnkPyfdGuWIlkmzJjbFf0Tf5FWUc=
 github.com/muesli/termenv v0.16.0/go.mod h1:ZRfOIKPFDYQoDFF4Olj7/QJbW60Ol/kL1pU3VfY/Cnk=
-github.com/mulgadc/bluebottle v1.21.1-0.20261001033338-1f3267ed0373 h1:QootF30+HJfaZ1ZAwBsgGZYb8R/XbA8366WdvHMgeZM=
-github.com/mulgadc/bluebottle v1.21.1-0.20261001033338-1f3267ed0373/go.mod h1:LH0MuQcFxet0dDEISlZsuULIYj592eCN2Fv39A6EH5o=
+github.com/mulgadc/bluebottle v1.21.1-0.20261001041718-8a7bd5d4f2e3 h1:ICj61S//Rs6Unc+H03kQZ3/kHyEE8CPLljPjLSFjcgc=
+github.com/mulgadc/bluebottle v1.21.1-0.20261001041718-8a7bd5d4f2e3/go.mod h1:LH0MuQcFxet0dDEISlZsuULIYj592eCN2Fv39A6EH5o=
 github.com/mulgadc/northstar v1.21.0 h1:LE/5kiT3kBelCg02cXa3b7awhaYkGHsOXeJ4nHRLNaQ=
 github.com/mulgadc/northstar v1.21.0/go.mod h1:O446cApNMB6qebqieBhDZfCIGVWX++v3QdOz+wIGhUk=
 github.com/mulgadc/predastore v1.21.0 h1:pAm4fFWf0vnlwRgnoL2oJ+KSCw8mtjT2rQoBHFmnjzk=
diff --git a/spinifex/handlers/iam/groups.go b/spinifex/handlers/iam/groups.go
index 630be0101..c076bc34f 100644
--- a/spinifex/handlers/iam/groups.go
+++ b/spinifex/handlers/iam/groups.go
@@ -404,6 +404,9 @@ func (s *IAMServiceImpl) PutGroupPolicy(accountID string, input *iam.PutGroupPol
 	if err := validateIAMName("policyName", policyName, 128); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	if err := checkPolicyDocumentLength(policyDoc); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 	if _, err := ValidatePolicyDocument(policyDoc); err != nil {
 		return nil, awserrors.Errorf(awserrors.ErrorIAMMalformedPolicyDocument,
 			"policy %q on group %q: %w", policyName, groupName, err)
@@ -413,6 +416,9 @@ func (s *IAMServiceImpl) PutGroupPolicy(accountID string, input *iam.PutGroupPol
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	if err := checkInlinePolicySize("group", groupName, groupPolicySizeQuota, group.InlinePolicies, policyName, policyDoc); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 
 	if group.InlinePolicies == nil {
 		group.InlinePolicies = map[string]string{}
diff --git a/spinifex/handlers/iam/groups_test.go b/spinifex/handlers/iam/groups_test.go
index 3ff901a24..b125ed527 100644
--- a/spinifex/handlers/iam/groups_test.go
+++ b/spinifex/handlers/iam/groups_test.go
@@ -790,21 +790,6 @@ func TestPutGroupPolicy_MalformedDocument(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), awserrors.ErrorIAMMalformedPolicyDocument)
 }
 
-func TestPutGroupPolicy_OversizedDocument(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Parallel()
-	svc := setupTestIAMService(t)
-	createTestGroup(t, svc, "oversized-group")
-
-	huge := strings.Repeat("a", maxPolicyDocumentSize+1)
-	_, err := svc.PutGroupPolicy(testAccountID, &iam.PutGroupPolicyInput{
-		GroupName:      aws.String("oversized-group"),
-		PolicyName:     aws.String("Huge"),
-		PolicyDocument: aws.String(huge),
-	})
-	assert.Error(t, err)
-	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), awserrors.ErrorIAMMalformedPolicyDocument)
-}
-
 func TestPutGroupPolicy_GroupNotFound(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 	svc := setupTestIAMService(t)
diff --git a/spinifex/handlers/iam/policy_size_test.go b/spinifex/handlers/iam/policy_size_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..47e6730a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spinifex/handlers/iam/policy_size_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,228 @@
+package handlers_iam
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws"
+	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/service/iam"
+	"github.com/mulgadc/spinifex/spinifex/awserrors"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+// sizedPolicy returns a valid identity policy whose size, as AWS counts it, is
+// exactly size characters, padded through its resource ARN.
+func sizedPolicy(t *testing.T, size int) string {
+	t.Helper()
+	const format = `{"Version":"2012-10-17","Statement":[{"Effect":"Allow","Action":"s3:GetObject","Resource":"arn:aws:s3:::%s"}]}`
+	base := policySize(fmt.Sprintf(format, ""))
+	require.GreaterOrEqual(t, size, base)
+	doc := fmt.Sprintf(format, strings.Repeat("a", size-base))
+	require.Equal(t, size, policySize(doc))
+	return doc
+}
+
+func TestPolicySize_IgnoresWhiteSpace(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	compact := `{"Version":"2012-10-17","Statement":[{"Effect":"Allow","Action":"s3:*","Resource":"*"}]}`
+	pretty := "{\n  \"Version\": \"2012-10-17\",\n\t\"Statement\": [ {\"Effect\": \"Allow\", \"Action\": \"s3:*\", \"Resource\": \"*\"} ]\r\n}"
+	assert.Equal(t, len(compact), policySize(compact))
+	assert.Equal(t, policySize(compact), policySize(pretty))
+	assert.Equal(t, 3, policySize("aéb"), "size counts characters, not bytes")
+}
+
+// inlinePutter puts an inline policy on one entity type, for running the same
+// quota cases against users, groups and roles.
+type inlinePutter struct {
+	entityType string
+	quota      int
+	create     func(t *testing.T, svc *IAMServiceImpl, name string)
+	put        func(svc *IAMServiceImpl, name, policyName, doc string) error
+}
+
+var inlinePutters = []inlinePutter{
+	{
+		entityType: "user",
+		quota:      2048,
+		create:     func(t *testing.T, svc *IAMServiceImpl, name string) { createTestUser(t, svc, name) },
+		put: func(svc *IAMServiceImpl, name, policyName, doc string) error {
+			_, err := svc.PutUserPolicy(testAccountID, &iam.PutUserPolicyInput{
+				UserName: aws.String(name), PolicyName: aws.String(policyName), PolicyDocument: aws.String(doc),
+			})
+			return err
+		},
+	},
+	{
+		entityType: "group",
+		quota:      5120,
+		create:     func(t *testing.T, svc *IAMServiceImpl, name string) { createTestGroup(t, svc, name) },
+		put: func(svc *IAMServiceImpl, name, policyName, doc string) error {
+			_, err := svc.PutGroupPolicy(testAccountID, &iam.PutGroupPolicyInput{
+				GroupName: aws.String(name), PolicyName: aws.String(policyName), PolicyDocument: aws.String(doc),
+			})
+			return err
+		},
+	},
+	{
+		entityType: "role",
+		quota:      10240,
+		create:     func(t *testing.T, svc *IAMServiceImpl, name string) { createTestRole(t, svc, name) },
+		put: func(svc *IAMServiceImpl, name, policyName, doc string) error {
+			_, err := svc.PutRolePolicy(testAccountID, &iam.PutRolePolicyInput{
+				RoleName: aws.String(name), PolicyName: aws.String(policyName), PolicyDocument: aws.String(doc),
+			})
+			return err
+		},
+	},
+}
+
+func TestPutInlinePolicy_SingleDocumentQuota(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	for _, p := range inlinePutters {
+		t.Run(p.entityType, func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Parallel()
+			svc := setupTestIAMService(t)
+			p.create(t, svc, "sized")
+
+			err := p.put(svc, "sized", "Over", sizedPolicy(t, p.quota+1))
+			require.Error(t, err)
+			assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), awserrors.ErrorIAMLimitExceeded)
+			assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), fmt.Sprintf("Maximum policy size of %d bytes exceeded for %s sized", p.quota, p.entityType))
+
+			require.NoError(t, p.put(svc, "sized", "AtQuota", sizedPolicy(t, p.quota)))
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+// The quota applies to the sum of an entity's inline policies.
+func TestPutInlinePolicy_AggregateQuota(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	for _, p := range inlinePutters {
+		t.Run(p.entityType, func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Parallel()
+			svc := setupTestIAMService(t)
+			p.create(t, svc, "aggregate")
+
+			first := p.quota / 2
+			require.NoError(t, p.put(svc, "aggregate", "First", sizedPolicy(t, first)))
+
+			err := p.put(svc, "aggregate", "Second", sizedPolicy(t, p.quota-first+1))
+			require.Error(t, err)
+			assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), awserrors.ErrorIAMLimitExceeded)
+
+			require.NoError(t, p.put(svc, "aggregate", "Second", sizedPolicy(t, p.quota-first)))
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+// Replacing a policy counts only its new document, not the one it replaces.
+func TestPutInlinePolicy_ReplacementCountsOnlyNewDocument(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	for _, p := range inlinePutters {
+		t.Run(p.entityType, func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Parallel()
+			svc := setupTestIAMService(t)
+			p.create(t, svc, "replace")
+
+			require.NoError(t, p.put(svc, "replace", "Only", sizedPolicy(t, p.quota-10)))
+			require.NoError(t, p.put(svc, "replace", "Only", sizedPolicy(t, p.quota)))
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestPutInlinePolicy_WhiteSpaceNotCounted(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	for _, p := range inlinePutters {
+		t.Run(p.entityType, func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Parallel()
+			svc := setupTestIAMService(t)
+			p.create(t, svc, "spaced")
+
+			doc := strings.Replace(sizedPolicy(t, p.quota), `"Statement":`, `"Statement":`+strings.Repeat(" ", p.quota), 1)
+			require.NoError(t, p.put(svc, "spaced", "Spaced", doc))
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+// A PolicyDocument over AWS's API length bound fails parameter validation, as in
+// AWS, rather than reading as a malformed document.
+func TestPolicyDocumentLength_ValidationError(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	svc := setupTestIAMService(t)
+	tooLong := strings.Repeat("a", maxPolicyDocumentLength+1)
+	const want = "Member must have length less than or equal to 131072"
+
+	_, err := svc.CreatePolicy(testAccountID, &iam.CreatePolicyInput{
+		PolicyName: aws.String("TooLong"), PolicyDocument: aws.String(tooLong),
+	})
+	require.Error(t, err)
+	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), awserrors.ErrorValidationError)
+	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), want)
+
+	out, err := svc.CreatePolicy(testAccountID, &iam.CreatePolicyInput{
+		PolicyName: aws.String("Base"), PolicyDocument: aws.String(sizedPolicy(t, 200)),
+	})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	_, err = svc.CreatePolicyVersion(testAccountID, &iam.CreatePolicyVersionInput{
+		PolicyArn: out.Policy.Arn, PolicyDocument: aws.String(tooLong),
+	})
+	require.Error(t, err)
+	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), want)
+
+	for _, p := range inlinePutters {
+		p.create(t, svc, "long-"+p.entityType)
+		err := p.put(svc, "long-"+p.entityType, "TooLong", tooLong)
+		require.Error(t, err, p.entityType)
+		assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), awserrors.ErrorValidationError, p.entityType)
+		assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), want, p.entityType)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestCreatePolicy_ManagedQuota(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	svc := setupTestIAMService(t)
+
+	_, err := svc.CreatePolicy(testAccountID, &iam.CreatePolicyInput{
+		PolicyName: aws.String("Over"), PolicyDocument: aws.String(sizedPolicy(t, 6145)),
+	})
+	require.Error(t, err)
+	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), awserrors.ErrorIAMLimitExceeded)
+	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "Cannot exceed quota for PolicySize: 6144")
+
+	out, err := svc.CreatePolicy(testAccountID, &iam.CreatePolicyInput{
+		PolicyName: aws.String("AtQuota"), PolicyDocument: aws.String(sizedPolicy(t, 6144)),
+	})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	_, err = svc.CreatePolicyVersion(testAccountID, &iam.CreatePolicyVersionInput{
+		PolicyArn: out.Policy.Arn, PolicyDocument: aws.String(sizedPolicy(t, 6145)),
+	})
+	require.Error(t, err)
+	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), awserrors.ErrorIAMLimitExceeded)
+
+	_, err = svc.CreatePolicyVersion(testAccountID, &iam.CreatePolicyVersionInput{
+		PolicyArn: out.Policy.Arn, PolicyDocument: aws.String(sizedPolicy(t, 6144)),
+	})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+}
+
+// Under 2008-10-17 a ${...} reference is literal text, so a key no request
+// supplies is accepted rather than rejected as unresolvable.
+func TestValidatePolicyDocument_Version2008(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	const legacy = `{"Version":"2008-10-17","Statement":[{"Effect":"Allow","Action":"s3:GetObject",` +
+		`"Resource":"arn:aws:s3:::home/${unknown}/*","Condition":{"StringLike":{"s3:prefix":"${unknown}/*"}}},` +
+		`{"Effect":"Deny","Action":"s3:DeleteObject","NotResource":"arn:aws:s3:::${unknown}/*"}]}`
+	_, err := ValidatePolicyDocument(legacy)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	_, err = ValidatePolicyDocument(strings.Replace(legacy, "2008-10-17", "2012-10-17", 1))
+	require.Error(t, err)
+	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "no request supplies")
+
+	_, err = ValidatePolicyDocument(strings.Replace(legacy, "2008-10-17", "2010-01-01", 1))
+	require.Error(t, err)
+	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "unsupported policy version")
+}
diff --git a/spinifex/handlers/iam/policy_versions.go b/spinifex/handlers/iam/policy_versions.go
index aaf9c0bbc..b7f569ec9 100644
--- a/spinifex/handlers/iam/policy_versions.go
+++ b/spinifex/handlers/iam/policy_versions.go
@@ -125,10 +125,16 @@ func policyCASTarget(accountID, policyARN string) (string, kvutil.CASConfig, err
 
 func (s *IAMServiceImpl) CreatePolicyVersion(accountID string, input *iam.CreatePolicyVersionInput) (*iam.CreatePolicyVersionOutput, error) {
 	ctx := context.Background()
+	if err := checkPolicyDocumentLength(*input.PolicyDocument); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 	if _, err := ValidatePolicyDocument(*input.PolicyDocument); err != nil {
 		return nil, awserrors.Errorf(awserrors.ErrorIAMMalformedPolicyDocument,
 			"policy %q: %w", *input.PolicyArn, err)
 	}
+	if err := checkManagedPolicySize(*input.PolicyDocument); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 	setAsDefault := aws.BoolValue(input.SetAsDefault)
 
 	var created PolicyVersionRecord
diff --git a/spinifex/handlers/iam/roles.go b/spinifex/handlers/iam/roles.go
index 1e08612b2..89cda91e1 100644
--- a/spinifex/handlers/iam/roles.go
+++ b/spinifex/handlers/iam/roles.go
@@ -373,6 +373,9 @@ func (s *IAMServiceImpl) PutRolePolicy(accountID string, input *iam.PutRolePolic
 	if err := validateIAMName("policyName", policyName, 128); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	if err := checkPolicyDocumentLength(policyDoc); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 	if _, err := ValidatePolicyDocument(policyDoc); err != nil {
 		return nil, awserrors.Errorf(awserrors.ErrorIAMMalformedPolicyDocument,
 			"policy %q on role %q: %w", policyName, roleName, err)
@@ -389,6 +392,9 @@ func (s *IAMServiceImpl) PutRolePolicy(accountID string, input *iam.PutRolePolic
 		if !changed {
 			return false, nil
 		}
+		if err := checkInlinePolicySize("role", roleName, rolePolicySizeQuota, role.InlinePolicies, policyName, policyDoc); err != nil {
+			return false, err
+		}
 		role.InlinePolicies[policyName] = policyDoc
 		return true, nil
 	})
diff --git a/spinifex/handlers/iam/roles_test.go b/spinifex/handlers/iam/roles_test.go
index 5c62fc536..d5ad42c7f 100644
--- a/spinifex/handlers/iam/roles_test.go
+++ b/spinifex/handlers/iam/roles_test.go
@@ -1053,21 +1053,6 @@ func TestPutRolePolicy_MalformedDocument(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), awserrors.ErrorIAMMalformedPolicyDocument)
 }
 
-func TestPutRolePolicy_OversizedDocument(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Parallel()
-	svc := setupTestIAMService(t)
-	createTestRole(t, svc, "oversized-role")
-
-	huge := strings.Repeat("a", maxPolicyDocumentSize+1)
-	_, err := svc.PutRolePolicy(testAccountID, &iam.PutRolePolicyInput{
-		RoleName:       aws.String("oversized-role"),
-		PolicyName:     aws.String("Huge"),
-		PolicyDocument: aws.String(huge),
-	})
-	assert.Error(t, err)
-	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), awserrors.ErrorIAMMalformedPolicyDocument)
-}
-
 func TestPutRolePolicy_RoleNotFound(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 	svc := setupTestIAMService(t)
diff --git a/spinifex/handlers/iam/service_impl.go b/spinifex/handlers/iam/service_impl.go
index 5ffb0d2cf..531edd817 100644
--- a/spinifex/handlers/iam/service_impl.go
+++ b/spinifex/handlers/iam/service_impl.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import (
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
+	"unicode"
 	"unicode/utf8"
 
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws"
@@ -1286,10 +1287,16 @@ func (s *IAMServiceImpl) CreatePolicy(accountID string, input *iam.CreatePolicyI
 		}
 	}
 
+	if err := checkPolicyDocumentLength(*input.PolicyDocument); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 	if _, err := ValidatePolicyDocument(*input.PolicyDocument); err != nil {
 		return nil, awserrors.Errorf(awserrors.ErrorIAMMalformedPolicyDocument,
 			"policy %q: %w", policyName, err)
 	}
+	if err := checkManagedPolicySize(*input.PolicyDocument); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 
 	if err := validateTags(input.Tags, exactKeys); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -1705,6 +1712,9 @@ func (s *IAMServiceImpl) PutUserPolicy(accountID string, input *iam.PutUserPolic
 	if err := validateIAMName("policyName", policyName, 128); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	if err := checkPolicyDocumentLength(policyDoc); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 	if _, err := ValidatePolicyDocument(policyDoc); err != nil {
 		return nil, awserrors.Errorf(awserrors.ErrorIAMMalformedPolicyDocument,
 			"policy %q on user %q: %w", policyName, userName, err)
@@ -1714,6 +1724,9 @@ func (s *IAMServiceImpl) PutUserPolicy(accountID string, input *iam.PutUserPolic
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	if err := checkInlinePolicySize("user", userName, userPolicySizeQuota, user.InlinePolicies, policyName, policyDoc); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 
 	if user.InlinePolicies == nil {
 		user.InlinePolicies = map[string]string{}
@@ -2204,7 +2217,64 @@ func parseCreatedAt(raw string) time.Time {
 	return t
 }
 
-const maxPolicyDocumentSize = 6144
+// maxPolicyDocumentLength is AWS's API bound on a PolicyDocument parameter. The
+// per-type limits below are the quotas a valid document is held to.
+const maxPolicyDocumentLength = 131072
+
+// AWS's policy size quotas, in characters excluding white space. Inline limits
+// apply to the sum of an entity's inline policies.
+const (
+	managedPolicySizeQuota = 6144
+	userPolicySizeQuota    = 2048
+	groupPolicySizeQuota   = 5120
+	rolePolicySizeQuota    = 10240
+)
+
+// policySize is a document's size as AWS counts it against the quotas: its
+// characters, leaving out white space.
+func policySize(doc string) int {
+	n := 0
+	for _, r := range doc {
+		if !unicode.IsSpace(r) {
+			n++
+		}
+	}
+	return n
+}
+
+// checkPolicyDocumentLength refuses a PolicyDocument parameter over AWS's API
+// bound with the ValidationError AWS returns, before the document is parsed.
+func checkPolicyDocumentLength(doc string) error {
+	if utf8.RuneCountInString(doc) > maxPolicyDocumentLength {
+		return lengthViolation("policyDocument", fmt.Sprintf("less than or equal to %d", maxPolicyDocumentLength))
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// checkManagedPolicySize refuses a managed policy document over its quota.
+func checkManagedPolicySize(doc string) error {
+	if policySize(doc) > managedPolicySizeQuota {
+		return awserrors.Errorf(awserrors.ErrorIAMLimitExceeded, "Cannot exceed quota for PolicySize: %d", managedPolicySizeQuota)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// checkInlinePolicySize refuses putting doc as policyName when the entity's
+// inline policies would then exceed quota in total. A policy of the same name
+// is replaced, so only the new document counts.
+func checkInlinePolicySize(entityType, entityName string, quota int, inline map[string]string, policyName, doc string) error {
+	total := policySize(doc)
+	for name, existing := range inline {
+		if name != policyName {
+			total += policySize(existing)
+		}
+	}
+	if total > quota {
+		return awserrors.Errorf(awserrors.ErrorIAMLimitExceeded,
+			"Maximum policy size of %d bytes exceeded for %s %s", quota, entityType, entityName)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
 
 // isIAMNameChar returns true if c is allowed in IAM user/policy names.
 func isIAMNameChar(c byte) bool {
@@ -2288,8 +2358,8 @@ func validatePath(path string) error {
 
 // ValidatePolicyDocument parses and validates an IAM policy document JSON string.
 func ValidatePolicyDocument(docJSON string) (*PolicyDocument, error) {
-	if len(docJSON) > maxPolicyDocumentSize {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("policy document exceeds maximum size of %d bytes", maxPolicyDocumentSize)
+	if len(docJSON) > maxPolicyDocumentLength {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("policy document exceeds maximum length of %d", maxPolicyDocumentLength)
 	}
 
 	var doc PolicyDocument
@@ -2297,9 +2367,11 @@ func ValidatePolicyDocument(docJSON string) (*PolicyDocument, error) {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid JSON: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	if doc.Version != "2012-10-17" {
+	if doc.Version != iampolicy.Version2012 && doc.Version != iampolicy.Version2008 {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unsupported policy version: %q", doc.Version)
 	}
+	// Under 2008-10-17 a ${...} reference is literal text, so it cannot be unresolvable.
+	resolvesVariables := doc.Version == iampolicy.Version2012
 
 	if len(doc.Statement) == 0 {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("policy must contain at least one statement")
@@ -2318,7 +2390,7 @@ func ValidatePolicyDocument(docJSON string) (*PolicyDocument, error) {
 		if err := validateSelectorEntries(i, stmt); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
-		if err := validateStatementRestrictions(i, stmt); err != nil {
+		if err := validateStatementRestrictions(i, stmt, resolvesVariables); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 	}
@@ -2362,19 +2434,22 @@ func validateSelectorEntries(i int, stmt Statement) error {
 
 // validateStatementRestrictions rejects the clauses the evaluator cannot enforce,
 // so an identity policy is never accepted with an inert restriction on it.
-// Conditions inside the supported allowlist are accepted and enforced.
-func validateStatementRestrictions(i int, stmt Statement) error {
+// Conditions inside the supported allowlist are accepted and enforced. Policy
+// variables are checked only when the document's Version resolves them.
+func validateStatementRestrictions(i int, stmt Statement, resolvesVariables bool) error {
 	if isRawJSONNonEmpty(stmt.Principal) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("statement %d: Principal is not valid on an identity policy; use a resource or trust policy instead", i)
 	}
-	for _, resource := range stmt.Resource {
-		if err := validatePolicyVariables(i, "Resource", resource); err != nil {
-			return err
+	if resolvesVariables {
+		for _, resource := range stmt.Resource {
+			if err := validatePolicyVariables(i, "Resource", resource); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
 		}
-	}
-	for _, resource := range stmt.NotResource {
-		if err := validatePolicyVariables(i, "NotResource", resource); err != nil {
-			return err
+		for _, resource := range stmt.NotResource {
+			if err := validatePolicyVariables(i, "NotResource", resource); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
 		}
 	}
 	for op, keys := range stmt.Condition {
@@ -2382,7 +2457,7 @@ func validateStatementRestrictions(i int, stmt Statement) error {
 			if !iampolicy.SupportedCondition(op, key) {
 				return fmt.Errorf("statement %d: Condition operator %q on key %q is not supported in this release%s", i, op, key, unsupportedConditionKeyReason(key))
 			}
-			if err := validateConditionValues(i, op, key, values); err != nil {
+			if err := validateConditionValues(i, op, key, values, resolvesVariables); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 		}
@@ -2407,7 +2482,7 @@ func unsupportedConditionKeyReason(key string) string {
 // validateConditionValues rejects leaf values the matcher can only ever compare
 // false. An allowlisted operator over an unparseable value is still an inert
 // restriction, which is the failure this validation exists to prevent.
-func validateConditionValues(i int, op, key string, values ConditionValue) error {
+func validateConditionValues(i int, op, key string, values ConditionValue, resolvesVariables bool) error {
 	if len(values) == 0 {
 		return fmt.Errorf("statement %d: Condition operator %q on key %q has no value", i, op, key)
 	}
@@ -2423,8 +2498,10 @@ func validateConditionValues(i int, op, key string, values ConditionValue) error
 			iampolicy.OpNumericEquals, iampolicy.OpNumericNotEquals, iampolicy.OpNumericLessThan,
 			iampolicy.OpNumericLessThanEquals, iampolicy.OpNumericGreaterThan, iampolicy.OpNumericGreaterThanEquals:
 		default:
-			if err := validatePolicyVariables(i, fmt.Sprintf("Condition %s on key %q", op, key), v); err != nil {
-				return err
+			if resolvesVariables {
+				if err := validatePolicyVariables(i, fmt.Sprintf("Condition %s on key %q", op, key), v); err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
 			}
 		}
 		switch base {
@@ -2491,13 +2568,8 @@ func validatePolicyVariables(i int, field, value string) error {
 }
 
 // summaryQuotaDefaults holds the static SummaryMap entries returned by
-// GetAccountSummary. Spinifex's quota system (handlers/quota) only enforces
-// infrastructure dimensions (vCPUs, VPCs, subnets, EIPs, EBS) and models no IAM
-// entity limits, so these IAM quota values are AWS-parity constants for
-// informational compatibility only, not enforced limits. Resource types
-// Spinifex does not model are reported as 0 rather than omitted so CIS/audit
-// tooling that reads these keys keeps working. Real per-account resource counts
-// are overlaid on top of this table at call time.
+// GetAccountSummary, at AWS's defaults. Unmodelled resource types report 0 so
+// audit tooling finds every key; real per-account counts are overlaid at call time.
 var summaryQuotaDefaults = map[string]int64{
 	// Account-wide quotas (AWS defaults).
 	"UsersQuota":               5000,
@@ -2515,12 +2587,12 @@ var summaryQuotaDefaults = map[string]int64{
 	"AttachedPoliciesPerGroupQuota":   10,
 	"AttachedPoliciesPerRoleQuota":    10,
 	"SigningCertificatesPerUserQuota": 2,
-	"UserPolicySizeQuota":             2048,
-	"GroupPolicySizeQuota":            5120,
-	"PolicySizeQuota":                 6144,
+	"UserPolicySizeQuota":             userPolicySizeQuota,
+	"GroupPolicySizeQuota":            groupPolicySizeQuota,
+	"PolicySizeQuota":                 managedPolicySizeQuota,
 	"VersionsPerPolicyQuota":          5,
 	"AssumeRolePolicySizeQuota":       maxTrustPolicyDocumentSize,
-	"RolePolicySizeQuota":             10240,
+	"RolePolicySizeQuota":             rolePolicySizeQuota,
 
 	// AWS's default: STS global endpoint tokens valid only in default Regions.
 	"GlobalEndpointTokenVersion": 1,
diff --git a/spinifex/handlers/iam/service_impl_test.go b/spinifex/handlers/iam/service_impl_test.go
index 012a7907a..5e5fa9227 100644
--- a/spinifex/handlers/iam/service_impl_test.go
+++ b/spinifex/handlers/iam/service_impl_test.go
@@ -460,10 +460,10 @@ func TestCreatePolicy_EmptyPathRefusedBeforeDocument(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestValidatePolicyDocument_TooLarge(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
-	largeDoc := `{"Version":"2012-10-17","Statement":[{"Effect":"Allow","Action":"*","Resource":"` + strings.Repeat("a", maxPolicyDocumentSize) + `"}]}`
+	largeDoc := `{"Version":"2012-10-17","Statement":[{"Effect":"Allow","Action":"*","Resource":"` + strings.Repeat("a", maxPolicyDocumentLength) + `"}]}`
 	_, err := ValidatePolicyDocument(largeDoc)
 	assert.Error(t, err)
-	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "exceeds maximum size")
+	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "exceeds maximum length")
 }
 
 // ============================================================================
@@ -1145,7 +1145,7 @@ func TestCreatePolicy_InvalidVersion(t *testing.T) {
 
 	_, err := svc.CreatePolicy(testAccountID, &iam.CreatePolicyInput{
 		PolicyName:     aws.String("BadVersion"),
-		PolicyDocument: aws.String(`{"Version":"2008-10-17","Statement":[{"Effect":"Allow","Action":"*","Resource":"*"}]}`),
+		PolicyDocument: aws.String(`{"Version":"2010-01-01","Statement":[{"Effect":"Allow","Action":"*","Resource":"*"}]}`),
 	})
 	assert.Error(t, err)
 	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), awserrors.ErrorIAMMalformedPolicyDocument)
@@ -2243,7 +2243,7 @@ func TestValidatePolicyDocument_BadJSON(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestValidatePolicyDocument_WrongVersion(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
-	_, err := ValidatePolicyDocument(`{"Version":"2008-10-17","Statement":[{"Effect":"Allow","Action":"*","Resource":"*"}]}`)
+	_, err := ValidatePolicyDocument(`{"Version":"2010-01-01","Statement":[{"Effect":"Allow","Action":"*","Resource":"*"}]}`)
 	assert.Error(t, err)
 	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "unsupported policy version")
 }
@@ -2504,7 +2504,7 @@ func TestValidateConditionValues_ArnOperators(t *testing.T) {
 		iampolicy.OpArnEquals, iampolicy.OpArnLike, iampolicy.OpArnNotEquals, iampolicy.OpArnNotLike,
 	} {
 		for _, tt := range tests {
-			err := validateConditionValues(0, op, key, ConditionValue{tt.value})
+			err := validateConditionValues(0, op, key, ConditionValue{tt.value}, true)
 			if tt.wantErr == "" {
 				assert.NoError(t, err, "%s %s", op, tt.name)
 				continue
@@ -2740,21 +2740,6 @@ func TestInputValidation_PathLength(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Error(t, err, "513-char path should be rejected")
 }
 
-func TestInputValidation_PolicyDocumentSize(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Parallel()
-	// 6144 bytes — should pass
-	filler6144 := strings.Repeat("a", 6144-len(`{"Version":"2012-10-17","Statement":[{"Effect":"Allow","Action":"*","Resource":"arn:aws:s3:::`)-len(`"}]}`))
-	doc6144 := `{"Version":"2012-10-17","Statement":[{"Effect":"Allow","Action":"*","Resource":"arn:aws:s3:::` + filler6144 + `"}]}`
-	assert.Len(t, doc6144, 6144)
-	_, err := ValidatePolicyDocument(doc6144)
-	assert.NoError(t, err, "6144-byte policy document should be valid")
-
-	// 6145 bytes — should fail
-	doc6145 := doc6144 + " "
-	_, err = ValidatePolicyDocument(doc6145)
-	assert.Error(t, err, "6145-byte policy document should be rejected")
-}
-
 func TestValidatePolicyDocument_OverlappingDenyAllow(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 	doc, err := ValidatePolicyDocument(`{
diff --git a/spinifex/handlers/iam/user_inline_test.go b/spinifex/handlers/iam/user_inline_test.go
index 140a90b82..70b28e0fa 100644
--- a/spinifex/handlers/iam/user_inline_test.go
+++ b/spinifex/handlers/iam/user_inline_test.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package handlers_iam
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
-	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws"
@@ -130,21 +129,6 @@ func TestPutUserPolicy_UnresolvableVariableNamesTheCause(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Error(t, err)
 }
 
-func TestPutUserPolicy_OversizedDocument(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Parallel()
-	svc := setupTestIAMService(t)
-	createTestUser(t, svc, "oversized-user")
-
-	huge := strings.Repeat("a", maxPolicyDocumentSize+1)
-	_, err := svc.PutUserPolicy(testAccountID, &iam.PutUserPolicyInput{
-		UserName:       aws.String("oversized-user"),
-		PolicyName:     aws.String("Huge"),
-		PolicyDocument: aws.String(huge),
-	})
-	assert.Error(t, err)
-	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), awserrors.ErrorIAMMalformedPolicyDocument)
-}
-
 func TestPutUserPolicy_UserNotFound(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 	svc := setupTestIAMService(t)