diff --git a/claims.go b/claims.go
index b2dc6b2d..3c3ac96f 100644
--- a/claims.go
+++ b/claims.go
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ func (c RegisteredClaims) Valid(opts ...validationOption) error {
 		vErr.Errors |= ValidationErrorExpired
 	}
 
-	if !c.VerifyIssuedAt(now, false) {
+	if !c.VerifyIssuedAt(now, false, opts...) {
 		vErr.Inner = ErrTokenUsedBeforeIssued
 		vErr.Errors |= ValidationErrorIssuedAt
 	}
@@ -73,6 +73,11 @@ func (c RegisteredClaims) Valid(opts ...validationOption) error {
 		vErr.Errors |= ValidationErrorNotValidYet
 	}
 
+	if !c.validateAudience(false, opts...) {
+		vErr.Inner = ErrTokenInvalidAudience
+		vErr.Errors |= ValidationErrorAudience
+	}
+
 	if vErr.valid() {
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -89,10 +94,7 @@ func (c *RegisteredClaims) VerifyAudience(cmp string, req bool) bool {
 // VerifyExpiresAt compares the exp claim against cmp (cmp < exp).
 // If req is false, it will return true, if exp is unset.
 func (c *RegisteredClaims) VerifyExpiresAt(cmp time.Time, req bool, opts ...validationOption) bool {
-	validator := validator{}
-	for _, o := range opts {
-		o(&validator)
-	}
+	validator := getValidator(opts...)
 	if c.ExpiresAt == nil {
 		return verifyExp(nil, cmp, req, validator.leeway)
 	}
@@ -102,21 +104,23 @@ func (c *RegisteredClaims) VerifyExpiresAt(cmp time.Time, req bool, opts ...vali
 
 // VerifyIssuedAt compares the iat claim against cmp (cmp >= iat).
 // If req is false, it will return true, if iat is unset.
-func (c *RegisteredClaims) VerifyIssuedAt(cmp time.Time, req bool) bool {
+func (c *RegisteredClaims) VerifyIssuedAt(cmp time.Time, req bool, opts ...validationOption) bool {
+	validator := getValidator(opts...)
+	if validator.skipIssuedAt {
+		return true
+	}
+
 	if c.IssuedAt == nil {
-		return verifyIat(nil, cmp, req)
+		return verifyIat(nil, cmp, req, validator.leeway)
 	}
 
-	return verifyIat(&c.IssuedAt.Time, cmp, req)
+	return verifyIat(&c.IssuedAt.Time, cmp, req, validator.leeway)
 }
 
 // VerifyNotBefore compares the nbf claim against cmp (cmp >= nbf).
 // If req is false, it will return true, if nbf is unset.
 func (c *RegisteredClaims) VerifyNotBefore(cmp time.Time, req bool, opts ...validationOption) bool {
-	validator := validator{}
-	for _, o := range opts {
-		o(&validator)
-	}
+	validator := getValidator(opts...)
 	if c.NotBefore == nil {
 		return verifyNbf(nil, cmp, req, validator.leeway)
 	}
@@ -130,6 +134,20 @@ func (c *RegisteredClaims) VerifyIssuer(cmp string, req bool) bool {
 	return verifyIss(c.Issuer, cmp, req)
 }
 
+func (c *RegisteredClaims) validateAudience(req bool, opts ...validationOption) bool {
+	v := getValidator(opts...)
+	aud, skip := v.getAudienceValidationOpts(len(c.Audience) != 0)
+
+	// Based on my reading of https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc7519/#section-4.1.3
+	// this should technically fail. This is left as a decision for the maintainers to alter
+	// the behavior as it would be a breaking change.
+	if !skip && aud != nil {
+		return c.VerifyAudience(*aud, req)
+	}
+
+	return !req
+}
+
 // StandardClaims are a structured version of the JWT Claims Set, as referenced at
 // https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc7519#section-4. They do not follow the
 // specification exactly, since they were based on an earlier draft of the
@@ -164,7 +182,7 @@ func (c StandardClaims) Valid(opts ...validationOption) error {
 		vErr.Errors |= ValidationErrorExpired
 	}
 
-	if !c.VerifyIssuedAt(now, false) {
+	if !c.VerifyIssuedAt(now, false, opts...) {
 		vErr.Inner = ErrTokenUsedBeforeIssued
 		vErr.Errors |= ValidationErrorIssuedAt
 	}
@@ -174,6 +192,11 @@ func (c StandardClaims) Valid(opts ...validationOption) error {
 		vErr.Errors |= ValidationErrorNotValidYet
 	}
 
+	if !c.validateAudience(false, opts...) {
+		vErr.Inner = ErrTokenInvalidAudience
+		vErr.Errors |= ValidationErrorAudience
+	}
+
 	if vErr.valid() {
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -190,10 +213,7 @@ func (c *StandardClaims) VerifyAudience(cmp string, req bool) bool {
 // VerifyExpiresAt compares the exp claim against cmp (cmp < exp).
 // If req is false, it will return true, if exp is unset.
 func (c *StandardClaims) VerifyExpiresAt(cmp int64, req bool, opts ...validationOption) bool {
-	validator := validator{}
-	for _, o := range opts {
-		o(&validator)
-	}
+	validator := getValidator(opts...)
 	if c.ExpiresAt == 0 {
 		return verifyExp(nil, time.Unix(cmp, 0), req, validator.leeway)
 	}
@@ -204,22 +224,24 @@ func (c *StandardClaims) VerifyExpiresAt(cmp int64, req bool, opts ...validation
 
 // VerifyIssuedAt compares the iat claim against cmp (cmp >= iat).
 // If req is false, it will return true, if iat is unset.
-func (c *StandardClaims) VerifyIssuedAt(cmp int64, req bool) bool {
+func (c *StandardClaims) VerifyIssuedAt(cmp int64, req bool, opts ...validationOption) bool {
+	validator := getValidator(opts...)
+	if validator.skipIssuedAt {
+		return true
+	}
+
 	if c.IssuedAt == 0 {
-		return verifyIat(nil, time.Unix(cmp, 0), req)
+		return verifyIat(nil, time.Unix(cmp, 0), req, validator.leeway)
 	}
 
 	t := time.Unix(c.IssuedAt, 0)
-	return verifyIat(&t, time.Unix(cmp, 0), req)
+	return verifyIat(&t, time.Unix(cmp, 0), req, validator.leeway)
 }
 
 // VerifyNotBefore compares the nbf claim against cmp (cmp >= nbf).
 // If req is false, it will return true, if nbf is unset.
 func (c *StandardClaims) VerifyNotBefore(cmp int64, req bool, opts ...validationOption) bool {
-	validator := validator{}
-	for _, o := range opts {
-		o(&validator)
-	}
+	validator := getValidator(opts...)
 	if c.NotBefore == 0 {
 		return verifyNbf(nil, time.Unix(cmp, 0), req, validator.leeway)
 	}
@@ -234,6 +256,20 @@ func (c *StandardClaims) VerifyIssuer(cmp string, req bool) bool {
 	return verifyIss(c.Issuer, cmp, req)
 }
 
+func (c *StandardClaims) validateAudience(req bool, opts ...validationOption) bool {
+	v := getValidator(opts...)
+	aud, skip := v.getAudienceValidationOpts(c.Audience != "")
+
+	// Based on my reading of https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc7519/#section-4.1.3
+	// this should technically fail. This is left as a decision for the maintainers to alter
+	// the behavior as it would be a breaking change.
+	if !skip && aud != nil {
+		return c.VerifyAudience(*aud, req)
+	}
+
+	return !req
+}
+
 // ----- helpers
 
 func verifyAud(aud []string, cmp string, required bool) bool {
@@ -266,11 +302,12 @@ func verifyExp(exp *time.Time, now time.Time, required bool, skew time.Duration)
 	return now.Before((*exp).Add(+skew))
 }
 
-func verifyIat(iat *time.Time, now time.Time, required bool) bool {
+func verifyIat(iat *time.Time, now time.Time, required bool, skew time.Duration) bool {
 	if iat == nil {
 		return !required
 	}
-	return now.After(*iat) || now.Equal(*iat)
+	t := (*iat).Add(-skew)
+	return now.After(t) || now.Equal(*iat)
 }
 
 func verifyNbf(nbf *time.Time, now time.Time, required bool, skew time.Duration) bool {
diff --git a/map_claims.go b/map_claims.go
index e4a08079..832a6afb 100644
--- a/map_claims.go
+++ b/map_claims.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package jwt
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
-	"errors"
 	"time"
 	// "fmt"
 )
@@ -42,10 +41,7 @@ func (m MapClaims) VerifyExpiresAt(cmp int64, req bool, opts ...validationOption
 		return !req
 	}
 
-	validator := validator{}
-	for _, o := range opts {
-		o(&validator)
-	}
+	validator := getValidator(opts...)
 
 	switch exp := v.(type) {
 	case float64:
@@ -65,7 +61,7 @@ func (m MapClaims) VerifyExpiresAt(cmp int64, req bool, opts ...validationOption
 
 // VerifyIssuedAt compares the exp claim against cmp (cmp >= iat).
 // If req is false, it will return true, if iat is unset.
-func (m MapClaims) VerifyIssuedAt(cmp int64, req bool) bool {
+func (m MapClaims) VerifyIssuedAt(cmp int64, req bool, opts ...validationOption) bool {
 	cmpTime := time.Unix(cmp, 0)
 
 	v, ok := m["iat"]
@@ -73,17 +69,29 @@ func (m MapClaims) VerifyIssuedAt(cmp int64, req bool) bool {
 		return !req
 	}
 
+	validator := getValidator(opts...)
+
+	// validate the type
+	switch v.(type) {
+	case float64, json.Number:
+		if validator.skipIssuedAt {
+			return true
+		}
+	default:
+		return false
+	}
+
 	switch iat := v.(type) {
 	case float64:
 		if iat == 0 {
-			return verifyIat(nil, cmpTime, req)
+			return verifyIat(nil, cmpTime, req, validator.leeway)
 		}
 
-		return verifyIat(&newNumericDateFromSeconds(iat).Time, cmpTime, req)
+		return verifyIat(&newNumericDateFromSeconds(iat).Time, cmpTime, req, validator.leeway)
 	case json.Number:
 		v, _ := iat.Float64()
 
-		return verifyIat(&newNumericDateFromSeconds(v).Time, cmpTime, req)
+		return verifyIat(&newNumericDateFromSeconds(v).Time, cmpTime, req, validator.leeway)
 	}
 
 	return false
@@ -99,10 +107,7 @@ func (m MapClaims) VerifyNotBefore(cmp int64, req bool, opts ...validationOption
 		return !req
 	}
 
-	validator := validator{}
-	for _, o := range opts {
-		o(&validator)
-	}
+	validator := getValidator(opts...)
 
 	switch nbf := v.(type) {
 	case float64:
@@ -127,6 +132,21 @@ func (m MapClaims) VerifyIssuer(cmp string, req bool) bool {
 	return verifyIss(iss, cmp, req)
 }
 
+func (m MapClaims) validateAudience(req bool, opts ...validationOption) bool {
+	_, ok := m["aud"]
+	v := getValidator(opts...)
+	aud, skip := v.getAudienceValidationOpts(ok)
+
+	// Based on my reading of https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc7519/#section-4.1.3
+	// this should technically fail. This is left as a decision for the maintainers to alter
+	// the behavior as it would be a breaking change.
+	if !skip && aud != nil {
+		return m.VerifyAudience(*aud, req)
+	}
+
+	return !req
+}
+
 // Valid validates time based claims "exp, iat, nbf".
 // There is no accounting for clock skew.
 // As well, if any of the above claims are not in the token, it will still
@@ -136,23 +156,25 @@ func (m MapClaims) Valid(opts ...validationOption) error {
 	now := TimeFunc().Unix()
 
 	if !m.VerifyExpiresAt(now, false, opts...) {
-		// TODO(oxisto): this should be replaced with ErrTokenExpired
-		vErr.Inner = errors.New("Token is expired")
+		vErr.Inner = ErrTokenExpired
 		vErr.Errors |= ValidationErrorExpired
 	}
 
-	if !m.VerifyIssuedAt(now, false) {
-		// TODO(oxisto): this should be replaced with ErrTokenUsedBeforeIssued
-		vErr.Inner = errors.New("Token used before issued")
+	if !m.VerifyIssuedAt(now, false, opts...) {
+		vErr.Inner = ErrTokenUsedBeforeIssued
 		vErr.Errors |= ValidationErrorIssuedAt
 	}
 
 	if !m.VerifyNotBefore(now, false, opts...) {
-		// TODO(oxisto): this should be replaced with ErrTokenNotValidYet
-		vErr.Inner = errors.New("Token is not valid yet")
+		vErr.Inner = ErrTokenNotValidYet
 		vErr.Errors |= ValidationErrorNotValidYet
 	}
 
+	if !m.validateAudience(false, opts...) {
+		vErr.Inner = ErrTokenInvalidAudience
+		vErr.Errors |= ValidationErrorAudience
+	}
+
 	if vErr.valid() {
 		return nil
 	}
diff --git a/map_claims_test.go b/map_claims_test.go
index b8b9eb74..361c49d2 100644
--- a/map_claims_test.go
+++ b/map_claims_test.go
@@ -110,13 +110,13 @@ func TestMapClaimsVerifyExpiresAtExpire(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("Failed to verify claims, wanted: %v got %v", want, got)
 	}
 
-	got = mapClaims.VerifyExpiresAt(exp + 1, true)
+	got = mapClaims.VerifyExpiresAt(exp+1, true)
 	if want != got {
 		t.Fatalf("Failed to verify claims, wanted: %v got %v", want, got)
 	}
 
 	want = true
-	got = mapClaims.VerifyExpiresAt(exp - 1, true)
+	got = mapClaims.VerifyExpiresAt(exp-1, true)
 	if want != got {
 		t.Fatalf("Failed to verify claims, wanted: %v got %v", want, got)
 	}
diff --git a/parser_option.go b/parser_option.go
index a7976645..d86c5f1c 100644
--- a/parser_option.go
+++ b/parser_option.go
@@ -36,3 +36,26 @@ func WithLeeway(d time.Duration) ParserOption {
 		p.validationOptions = append(p.validationOptions, withLeeway(d))
 	}
 }
+
+// WithoutIssuedAtValidation is an option to disable the validation of the issued at (iat) claim.
+// The current `iat` time based validation is planned to be deprecated in v5
+
+func WithoutIssuedAtValidation() ParserOption {
+	return func(p *Parser) {
+		p.validationOptions = append(p.validationOptions, withoutIssuedAtValidation())
+	}
+}
+
+// WithAudience returns the ParserOption for specifying an expected aud member value
+func WithAudience(aud string) ParserOption {
+	return func(p *Parser) {
+		p.validationOptions = append(p.validationOptions, withAudience(aud))
+	}
+}
+
+// WithoutAudienceValidation returns the ParserOption that specifies audience check should be skipped
+func WithoutAudienceValidation() ParserOption {
+	return func(p *Parser) {
+		p.validationOptions = append(p.validationOptions, withoutAudienceValidation())
+	}
+}
diff --git a/parser_test.go b/parser_test.go
index e25ff0b2..a94b3b39 100644
--- a/parser_test.go
+++ b/parser_test.go
@@ -188,6 +188,50 @@ var jwtTestData = []struct {
 		nil,
 		jwt.SigningMethodRS256,
 	},
+	{
+		"basic iat",
+		"", // autogen
+		defaultKeyFunc,
+		jwt.MapClaims{"foo": "bar", "nbf": float64(time.Now().Unix()), "iat": float64(time.Now().Unix() + 100)},
+		false,
+		jwt.ValidationErrorIssuedAt,
+		[]error{jwt.ErrTokenUsedBeforeIssued},
+		nil,
+		jwt.SigningMethodRS256,
+	},
+	{
+		"basic iat skip validation",
+		"", // autogen
+		defaultKeyFunc,
+		jwt.MapClaims{"foo": "bar", "nbf": float64(time.Now().Unix()), "iat": float64(time.Now().Unix() + 100)},
+		true,
+		0,
+		nil,
+		jwt.NewParser(jwt.WithoutIssuedAtValidation()),
+		jwt.SigningMethodRS256,
+	},
+	{
+		"basic iat with 60s skew",
+		"", // autogen
+		defaultKeyFunc,
+		jwt.MapClaims{"foo": "bar", "iat": float64(time.Now().Unix() + 100)},
+		false,
+		jwt.ValidationErrorIssuedAt,
+		[]error{jwt.ErrTokenUsedBeforeIssued},
+		jwt.NewParser(jwt.WithLeeway(time.Minute)),
+		jwt.SigningMethodRS256,
+	},
+	{
+		"basic iat with 120s skew",
+		"", // autogen
+		defaultKeyFunc,
+		jwt.MapClaims{"foo": "bar", "iat": float64(time.Now().Unix() + 100)},
+		true,
+		0,
+		nil,
+		jwt.NewParser(jwt.WithLeeway(2 * time.Minute)),
+		jwt.SigningMethodRS256,
+	},
 	{
 		"invalid signing method",
 		"",
@@ -331,7 +375,7 @@ var jwtTestData = []struct {
 		"",
 		defaultKeyFunc,
 		&jwt.RegisteredClaims{
-			Audience: jwt.ClaimStrings{"test", "test"},
+			Audience: jwt.ClaimStrings{"test", "test2"},
 		},
 		true,
 		0,
@@ -339,6 +383,84 @@ var jwtTestData = []struct {
 		&jwt.Parser{UseJSONNumber: true},
 		jwt.SigningMethodRS256,
 	},
+	{
+		"RFC7519 Claims - single aud without validation",
+		"",
+		defaultKeyFunc,
+		&jwt.RegisteredClaims{
+			Audience: jwt.ClaimStrings{"test"},
+		},
+		true,
+		0,
+		nil,
+		jwt.NewParser(jwt.WithoutAudienceValidation()),
+		jwt.SigningMethodRS256,
+	},
+	{
+		"RFC7519 Claims - multiple aud without validation",
+		"",
+		defaultKeyFunc,
+		&jwt.RegisteredClaims{
+			Audience: jwt.ClaimStrings{"test", "test2"},
+		},
+		true,
+		0,
+		nil,
+		jwt.NewParser(jwt.WithoutAudienceValidation()),
+		jwt.SigningMethodRS256,
+	},
+	{
+		"RFC7519 Claims - single aud with valid audience",
+		"",
+		defaultKeyFunc,
+		&jwt.RegisteredClaims{
+			Audience: jwt.ClaimStrings{"test"},
+		},
+		true,
+		0,
+		nil,
+		jwt.NewParser(jwt.WithAudience("test")),
+		jwt.SigningMethodRS256,
+	},
+	{
+		"RFC7519 Claims - multiple aud with valid audience",
+		"",
+		defaultKeyFunc,
+		&jwt.RegisteredClaims{
+			Audience: jwt.ClaimStrings{"test", "test2"},
+		},
+		true,
+		0,
+		nil,
+		jwt.NewParser(jwt.WithAudience("test")),
+		jwt.SigningMethodRS256,
+	},
+	{
+		"RFC7519 Claims - single aud with invalid audience",
+		"",
+		defaultKeyFunc,
+		&jwt.RegisteredClaims{
+			Audience: jwt.ClaimStrings{"test"},
+		},
+		false,
+		jwt.ValidationErrorAudience,
+		[]error{jwt.ErrTokenInvalidAudience},
+		jwt.NewParser(jwt.WithAudience("bad")),
+		jwt.SigningMethodRS256,
+	},
+	{
+		"RFC7519 Claims - multiple aud with invalid audience",
+		"",
+		defaultKeyFunc,
+		&jwt.RegisteredClaims{
+			Audience: jwt.ClaimStrings{"test", "test2"},
+		},
+		false,
+		jwt.ValidationErrorAudience,
+		[]error{jwt.ErrTokenInvalidAudience},
+		jwt.NewParser(jwt.WithAudience("bad")),
+		jwt.SigningMethodRS256,
+	},
 	{
 		"RFC7519 Claims - single aud with wrong type",
 		"eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJhdWQiOjF9.8mAIDUfZNQT3TGm1QFIQp91OCpJpQpbB1-m9pA2mkHc", // { "aud": 1 }
diff --git a/validator_option.go b/validator_option.go
index eb29dc30..abc0fbf4 100644
--- a/validator_option.go
+++ b/validator_option.go
@@ -15,7 +15,10 @@ type validationOption func(*validator)
 // Note that this struct is (currently) un-exported, its naming is subject to change and will only be exported once
 // the API is more stable.
 type validator struct {
-	leeway time.Duration // Leeway to provide when validating time values
+	leeway       time.Duration // Leeway to provide when validating time values
+	audience     *string       // Expected audience value
+	skipAudience bool          // Ignore aud check
+	skipIssuedAt bool          // Ignore iat check
 }
 
 // withLeeway is an option to set the clock skew (leeway) window
@@ -27,3 +30,51 @@ func withLeeway(d time.Duration) validationOption {
 		v.leeway = d
 	}
 }
+
+// withoutIssuedAtValidation is an option to disable the validation of the issued at (iat) claim
+//
+// Note that this function is (currently) un-exported, its naming is subject to change and will only be exported once
+// the API is more stable.
+func withoutIssuedAtValidation() validationOption {
+	return func(v *validator) {
+		v.skipIssuedAt = true
+	}
+}
+
+// withAudience returns the ParserOption for specifying an expected aud member value
+//
+// Note that this function is (currently) un-exported, its naming is subject to change and will only be exported once
+// the API is more stable.
+func withAudience(aud string) validationOption {
+	return func(v *validator) {
+		v.audience = &aud
+	}
+}
+
+// withoutAudienceValidation returns the ParserOption that specifies audience check should be skipped
+//
+// Note that this function is (currently) un-exported, its naming is subject to change and will only be exported once
+// the API is more stable.
+func withoutAudienceValidation() validationOption {
+	return func(v *validator) {
+		v.skipAudience = true
+	}
+}
+
+// getValidator return the validation given the options
+func getValidator(opts ...validationOption) validator {
+	v := validator{}
+	for _, o := range opts {
+		o(&v)
+	}
+	return v
+}
+
+// getAudienceValidationOpts returns the aud, and skip validation values from the
+// options. If validation is not required then function will return true for skip.
+func (v *validator) getAudienceValidationOpts(req bool) (*string, bool) {
+	if !req || v.skipAudience {
+		return nil, true
+	}
+	return v.audience, false
+}