diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..95ec35e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+module github.com/heathivorjocelyn6/jwt
+
+go 1.26.5
diff --git a/jwt/claims.go b/jwt/claims.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7eda7dc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/jwt/claims.go
@@ -0,0 +1,139 @@
+package jwt
+
+import (
+	"encoding/base64"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"math"
+	"strings"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// Safe timestamp bounds to prevent time.Time overflow.
+const (
+	// MaxUnixTime is December 31, 9999 23:59:59 UTC — the largest timestamp
+	// that Go's time.Time can safely represent without overflow in comparisons.
+	MaxUnixTime int64 = 253402300799
+
+	// MinUnixTime is January 1, year 1 — the earliest reasonable timestamp.
+	// Negative Unix timestamps (pre-1970) are allowed only within this bound.
+	MinUnixTime int64 = -62135596800
+)
+
+// Common validation errors.
+var (
+	ErrInvalidEpoch   = fmt.Errorf("jwt: timestamp out of bounds")
+	ErrMalformedClaims = fmt.Errorf("jwt: malformed claims")
+	ErrExpired        = fmt.Errorf("jwt: token is expired")
+	ErrNotYetValid    = fmt.Errorf("jwt: token is not yet valid")
+)
+
+// RegisteredClaims holds the standard JWT registered claims.
+type RegisteredClaims struct {
+	Issuer    string  `json:"iss,omitempty"`
+	Subject   string  `json:"sub,omitempty"`
+	Audience  string  `json:"aud,omitempty"`
+	ExpiresAt float64 `json:"exp,omitempty"`
+	NotBefore float64 `json:"nbf,omitempty"`
+	IssuedAt  float64 `json:"iat,omitempty"`
+	ID        string  `json:"jti,omitempty"`
+}
+
+// ParseClaims extracts registered claims from a raw JWT token.
+// It does NOT verify the signature — only parses the payload.
+func ParseClaims(tokenString string) (*RegisteredClaims, error) {
+	parts := strings.Split(tokenString, ".")
+	if len(parts) != 3 {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: expected 3 parts, got %d", ErrMalformedClaims, len(parts))
+	}
+
+	payload, err := base64.RawURLEncoding.DecodeString(parts[1])
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: invalid base64: %v", ErrMalformedClaims, err)
+	}
+
+	var claims RegisteredClaims
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(payload, &claims); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: %v", ErrMalformedClaims, err)
+	}
+
+	return &claims, nil
+}
+
+// ValidateTimestamps checks that all time-based claims (exp, nbf, iat)
+// fall within the safe timestamp range. Returns the specific error type
+// on failure so callers can distinguish overflow from expiration.
+func ValidateTimestamps(claims *RegisteredClaims) error {
+	// Check exp
+	if claims.ExpiresAt != 0 {
+		if err := validateTimestamp(claims.ExpiresAt); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("exp: %w", err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Check nbf
+	if claims.NotBefore != 0 {
+		if err := validateTimestamp(claims.NotBefore); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("nbf: %w", err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Check iat
+	if claims.IssuedAt != 0 {
+		if err := validateTimestamp(claims.IssuedAt); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("iat: %w", err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// Validate checks all claims and verifies the token is currently valid.
+// 1. Timestamps are within safe bounds (no overflow)
+// 2. Token is not expired (exp > now)
+// 3. Token is valid now (nbf <= now)
+func Validate(claims *RegisteredClaims, leeway time.Duration) error {
+	if err := ValidateTimestamps(claims); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	now := time.Now()
+
+	if claims.ExpiresAt != 0 {
+		exp := time.Unix(int64(claims.ExpiresAt), 0)
+		if now.After(exp.Add(leeway)) {
+			return fmt.Errorf("%w: token expired at %v", ErrExpired, exp)
+		}
+	}
+
+	if claims.NotBefore != 0 {
+		nbf := time.Unix(int64(claims.NotBefore), 0)
+		if now.Before(nbf.Add(-leeway)) {
+			return fmt.Errorf("%w: token valid from %v", ErrNotYetValid, nbf)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// validateTimestamp checks that a single numeric claim value is within the
+// safe range for conversion to a Go time.Time. It handles float64 (JSON
+// default), extreme values, and negative timestamps.
+func validateTimestamp(val float64) error {
+	// Reject NaN and infinity
+	if math.IsNaN(val) || math.IsInf(val, 0) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("%w: timestamp is NaN or Inf", ErrInvalidEpoch)
+	}
+
+	// Reject negative values that are too far in the past
+	if val < float64(MinUnixTime) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("%w: timestamp %v is before year 1", ErrInvalidEpoch, val)
+	}
+
+	// Reject values beyond year 9999
+	if val > float64(MaxUnixTime) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("%w: timestamp %v exceeds year 9999", ErrInvalidEpoch, val)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/jwt/claims_test.go b/jwt/claims_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7090357
--- /dev/null
+++ b/jwt/claims_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,228 @@
+package jwt
+
+import (
+	"encoding/base64"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
+	"math"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// Helper to build a valid JWT token string with given claims.
+func makeToken(claims map[string]interface{}) string {
+	payload, _ := json.Marshal(claims)
+	header := base64.RawURLEncoding.EncodeToString([]byte(`{"alg":"none"}`))
+	body := base64.RawURLEncoding.EncodeToString(payload)
+	return header + "." + body + "."
+}
+
+func TestParseClaims(t *testing.T) {
+	// Valid token
+	token := makeToken(map[string]interface{}{
+		"iss": "test",
+		"exp": 2524608000.0,
+	})
+	claims, err := ParseClaims(token)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ParseClaims failed: %v", err)
+	}
+	if claims.Issuer != "test" {
+		t.Errorf("expected iss=test, got %v", claims.Issuer)
+	}
+	if claims.ExpiresAt != 2524608000 {
+		t.Errorf("expected exp=2524608000, got %v", claims.ExpiresAt)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestParseClaims_Invalid(t *testing.T) {
+	// Not enough parts
+	_, err := ParseClaims("a.b")
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Error("expected error for 2-part token")
+	}
+
+	// Invalid base64
+	_, err = ParseClaims("a.!@#$.c")
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Error("expected error for invalid base64")
+	}
+
+	// Invalid JSON in payload
+	invalidJSON := base64.RawURLEncoding.EncodeToString([]byte(`not json`))
+	_, err = ParseClaims("a." + invalidJSON + ".c")
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Error("expected error for invalid JSON")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestValidateTimestamps_Overflow(t *testing.T) {
+	// Max int64 value
+	claims := &RegisteredClaims{ExpiresAt: math.MaxInt64}
+	err := ValidateTimestamps(claims)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Error("expected error for MaxInt64 exp")
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "exceeds year 9999") {
+		t.Errorf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestValidateTimestamps_LargeFloat(t *testing.T) {
+	// 1e21 — way beyond year 9999
+	claims := &RegisteredClaims{ExpiresAt: 1e21}
+	err := ValidateTimestamps(claims)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Error("expected error for 1e21 exp")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestValidateTimestamps_Negative(t *testing.T) {
+	// Negative value beyond MinUnixTime
+	claims := &RegisteredClaims{ExpiresAt: -1e20}
+	err := ValidateTimestamps(claims)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Error("expected error for extreme negative exp")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestValidateTimestamps_NaN(t *testing.T) {
+	claims := &RegisteredClaims{ExpiresAt: math.NaN()}
+	err := ValidateTimestamps(claims)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Error("expected error for NaN exp")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestValidateTimestamps_Inf(t *testing.T) {
+	claims := &RegisteredClaims{ExpiresAt: math.Inf(1)}
+	err := ValidateTimestamps(claims)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Error("expected error for +Inf exp")
+	}
+
+	claims2 := &RegisteredClaims{ExpiresAt: math.Inf(-1)}
+	err = ValidateTimestamps(claims2)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Error("expected error for -Inf exp")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestValidateTimestamps_Valid(t *testing.T) {
+	// Year 2050 — well within bounds
+	claims := &RegisteredClaims{
+		ExpiresAt: 2524608000, // 2050-01-01
+		NotBefore: 0,
+		IssuedAt:  2524600000,
+	}
+	err := ValidateTimestamps(claims)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("unexpected error for valid timestamps: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Year 9999 boundary — should pass
+	claims2 := &RegisteredClaims{ExpiresAt: float64(MaxUnixTime)}
+	err = ValidateTimestamps(claims2)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("unexpected error for MaxUnixTime boundary: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Year 1 boundary — should pass
+	claims3 := &RegisteredClaims{NotBefore: float64(MinUnixTime)}
+	err = ValidateTimestamps(claims3)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("unexpected error for MinUnixTime boundary: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestValidate_Expired(t *testing.T) {
+	// Expired 1 hour ago
+	claims := &RegisteredClaims{ExpiresAt: float64(time.Now().Unix() - 3600)}
+	err := Validate(claims, 0)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Error("expected expired error")
+	}
+	if !errors.Is(err, ErrExpired) {
+		t.Errorf("expected ErrExpired, got %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestValidate_NotYetValid(t *testing.T) {
+	// Valid from 1 hour in the future
+	claims := &RegisteredClaims{NotBefore: float64(time.Now().Unix() + 3600)}
+	err := Validate(claims, 0)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Error("expected not-yet-valid error")
+	}
+	if !errors.Is(err, ErrNotYetValid) {
+		t.Errorf("expected ErrNotYetValid, got %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestValidate_Leeway(t *testing.T) {
+	// Expired 30 seconds ago, with 60s leeway — should pass
+	claims := &RegisteredClaims{ExpiresAt: float64(time.Now().Unix() - 30)}
+	err := Validate(claims, time.Minute)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("unexpected error with leeway: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestValidateTimestamps_AllClaimTypes(t *testing.T) {
+	// All three time claims set to overflow
+	overflow := float64(math.MaxInt64)
+	claims := &RegisteredClaims{
+		ExpiresAt: overflow,
+		NotBefore: overflow,
+		IssuedAt:  overflow,
+	}
+	err := ValidateTimestamps(claims)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Error("expected error for all overflow claims")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestValidateTimestamps_Zero(t *testing.T) {
+	// Zero values (unset claims) should be skipped
+	claims := &RegisteredClaims{}
+	err := ValidateTimestamps(claims)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("unexpected error for zero claims: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestRoundTrip(t *testing.T) {
+	// Full round-trip: parse, validate timestamps, validate token
+	token := makeToken(map[string]interface{}{
+		"iss": "test-issuer",
+		"sub": "test-subject",
+		"exp": float64(time.Now().Unix() + 86400), // 24h from now
+		"nbf": float64(time.Now().Unix() - 3600),  // 1h ago
+		"iat": float64(time.Now().Unix()),
+		"jti": "unique-id-123",
+	})
+
+	claims, err := ParseClaims(token)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("parse failed: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if claims.Issuer != "test-issuer" {
+		t.Errorf("issuer mismatch")
+	}
+	if claims.Subject != "test-subject" {
+		t.Errorf("subject mismatch")
+	}
+	if claims.ID != "unique-id-123" {
+		t.Errorf("jti mismatch")
+	}
+
+	if err := ValidateTimestamps(claims); err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("timestamp validation failed: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if err := Validate(claims, 30*time.Second); err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("validation failed: %v", err)
+	}
+}