diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index 55b2a6b..457f977 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -58,11 +58,11 @@
                                 <fieldset class="form-group">
                                     <legend>Check Group</legend>
                                     <span class="form-group__item">
-                                        <input data-validation='{"optional": true, "maxCount": 2}' id="checkbox-1" type="checkbox" name="checks">
+                                        <input data-validation='{"maxCount": 2}' id="checkbox-1" type="checkbox" name="checks">
                                         <label for="checkbox-1">Checkbox 1</label>
                                     </span>
                                     <span class="form-group__item">
-                                        <input id="checkbox-2" type="checkbox" name="checks">
+                                        <input data-validation='{"optional": false}' id="checkbox-2" type="checkbox" name="checks">
                                         <label for="checkbox-2">Checkbox 2</label>
                                     </span>
                                     <span class="form-group__item">
diff --git a/validation.js b/validation.js
index 367b75a..ca4fe1e 100644
--- a/validation.js
+++ b/validation.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ class ValidationField {
     maxCount = null
     message = null
     messageOutputted = null
-    minCount = null
+    minCount = 1
     optional = false
     pattern = null
     patternMessage = null
@@ -95,24 +95,6 @@ class ValidationField {
             // add a native pattern attr if pattern property is present
             if (this.pattern) this.el.setAttribute('pattern', this.pattern)
 
-            // track minimum selections for checkboxes; todo: add multiple attr support
-            if (this.el.type === 'checkbox') {
-                if (!this.validationInstance.multi.hasOwnProperty(this.el.name)) {
-                    this.validationInstance.multi[this.el.name] = {}
-                    // this.validationInstance.multi[this.el.name].count = 0
-                    this.validationInstance.multi[this.el.name].minCount = this.minCount ?? 1
-                    if (this.maxCount) this.validationInstance.multi[this.el.name].maxCount = this.maxCount
-                }
-
-                // if (this.el.checked) this.validationInstance.multi[this.el.name].count++
-
-                // this.el.addEventListener('change', () => {
-                //     this.el.checked
-                //         ? this.validationInstance.multi[this.el.name].count++
-                //         : this.validationInstance.multi[this.el.name].count--
-                // })
-            }
-
             // add required indicator
             if (this.validationInstance.reqIndicators) {
                 const hasIndicator = this.formGroupEl?.querySelector(`.${this.validationInstance.reqIndicatorClass}`)
@@ -141,7 +123,6 @@ class Validation {
     form = null
     invalidClass = 'invalid'
     messageClass = 'invalid__message'
-    multi = []
     onlyOnSubmit = false
     onSuccess = null
     passConfirm = true
@@ -221,19 +202,21 @@ class Validation {
         for (const nameAttr of this.reqData) {
             const fields = this.form.querySelectorAll(`[name="${nameAttr}"]:where(input, select, textarea)`)
             for (const el of fields) {
+                // checkbox specfic
+                if (el.type === 'checkbox') {
+                    // combine all data-validation attrs and copy to all checks in the group
+                    const checks = this.form.querySelectorAll(`input[name="${el.name}"]`)
+                    let multiOptions = {}
+                    for (const check of checks) {
+                        Object.assign(multiOptions, check.dataset.validation ? JSON.parse(check.dataset.validation) : {})
+                        el.dataset.validation = JSON.stringify(multiOptions)
+                    }
+                }
+
                 this.reqFields.push(new ValidationField({el: el, validationInstance: this}))
             }
         }
 
-        this.form.addEventListener('submit', e => {
-            e.preventDefault()
-            this.validate()
-        })
-
-        this.form.addEventListener('reset', () => {
-            this.removeErrors()
-        })
-
         // add/remove a field when disabled attr is dynamically toggled
         const observeEls = this.form.querySelectorAll('input, select, textarea, [data-validation]:not(form, input, select, textarea)')
         const disabledObserver = new MutationObserver((mutationList, observer) => {
@@ -260,6 +243,15 @@ class Validation {
             })
         }
 
+        this.form.addEventListener('submit', e => {
+            e.preventDefault()
+            this.validate()
+        })
+
+        this.form.addEventListener('reset', () => {
+            this.removeErrors()
+        })
+
         // console.log(this)
     }
 
@@ -331,23 +323,16 @@ class Validation {
 
     validateCheckbox(fieldInstance, nameAttrVal) {
         const checkCount = this.form.querySelectorAll(`[name="${nameAttrVal}"]:checked`).length
-
-        // minCount only
-        if (!fieldInstance.validationInstance.multi[`${nameAttrVal}`].hasOwnProperty('maxCount')) {
-            if (checkCount < fieldInstance.validationInstance.multi[`${nameAttrVal}`].minCount) {
-                let messageMod = fieldInstance.validationInstance.multi[`${nameAttrVal}`].minCount === 1 ? `choice is` : `choices are`
-                let message = `At least ${fieldInstance.validationInstance.multi[`${nameAttrVal}`].minCount} ${messageMod} required.`
-                this.addError(fieldInstance, message)
-            }
-        }
-
-        // minCount and maxCount set
-        if (fieldInstance.validationInstance.multi[`${nameAttrVal}`].maxCount) {
-            if (checkCount < fieldInstance.validationInstance.multi[`${nameAttrVal}`].minCount ||
-                checkCount > fieldInstance.validationInstance.multi[`${nameAttrVal}`].maxCount) {
-                let message = `At least ${fieldInstance.validationInstance.multi[`${nameAttrVal}`].minCount}, and no more than ${fieldInstance.validationInstance.multi[`${nameAttrVal}`].maxCount} choices are required.`
-                this.addError(fieldInstance, message)
-            }
+        let message
+        if (fieldInstance.maxCount && (checkCount < fieldInstance.minCount || checkCount > fieldInstance.maxCount)) {
+            message = fieldInstance.minCount !== fieldInstance.maxCount
+                ? `At least ${fieldInstance.minCount}, and no more than ${fieldInstance.maxCount} choices are required.`
+                : `${fieldInstance.minCount} choices are required.`
+            this.addError(fieldInstance, message)
+        } else if (checkCount < fieldInstance.minCount) {
+            let messageMod = fieldInstance.minCount === 1 ? `choice is` : `choices are`
+            message = `At least ${fieldInstance.minCount} ${messageMod} required.`
+            this.addError(fieldInstance, message)
         }
     }