diff --git a/lib/double_entry/account.rb b/lib/double_entry/account.rb
index 37bc270..8eb6617 100644
--- a/lib/double_entry/account.rb
+++ b/lib/double_entry/account.rb
@@ -4,23 +4,14 @@
 module DoubleEntry
   class Account
     class << self
-      attr_writer :accounts, :scope_identifier_max_length, :account_identifier_max_length
+      attr_accessor :scope_identifier_max_length, :account_identifier_max_length
+      attr_writer :accounts
 
       # @api private
       def accounts
         @accounts ||= Set.new
       end
 
-      # @api private
-      def scope_identifier_max_length
-        @scope_identifier_max_length ||= 23
-      end
-
-      # @api private
-      def account_identifier_max_length
-        @account_identifier_max_length ||= 31
-      end
-
       # @api private
       def account(identifier, options = {})
         account = accounts.find(identifier, (options[:scope].present? || options[:scope_identity].present?))
@@ -160,7 +151,7 @@ def inspect
 
       def ensure_scope_is_valid
         identity = scope_identity
-        if identity && identity.length > Account.scope_identifier_max_length
+        if identity && Account.scope_identifier_max_length && identity.length > Account.scope_identifier_max_length
           fail ScopeIdentifierTooLongError,
                "scope identifier '#{identity}' is too long. Please limit it to #{Account.scope_identifier_max_length} characters."
         end
@@ -175,7 +166,7 @@ def initialize(args)
       @positive_only = args[:positive_only]
       @negative_only = args[:negative_only]
       @currency = args[:currency] || Money.default_currency
-      if identifier.length > Account.account_identifier_max_length
+      if Account.account_identifier_max_length && identifier.length > Account.account_identifier_max_length
         fail AccountIdentifierTooLongError,
              "account identifier '#{identifier}' is too long. Please limit it to #{Account.account_identifier_max_length} characters."
       end
diff --git a/lib/double_entry/transfer.rb b/lib/double_entry/transfer.rb
index 1cd8736..a410dee 100644
--- a/lib/double_entry/transfer.rb
+++ b/lib/double_entry/transfer.rb
@@ -4,18 +4,14 @@
 module DoubleEntry
   class Transfer
     class << self
-      attr_writer :transfers, :code_max_length
+      attr_accessor :code_max_length
+      attr_writer :transfers
 
       # @api private
       def transfers
         @transfers ||= Set.new
       end
 
-      # @api private
-      def code_max_length
-        @code_max_length ||= 47
-      end
-
       # @api private
       def transfer(amount, options = {})
         fail TransferIsNegative if amount.negative?
@@ -73,7 +69,7 @@ def initialize(attributes)
       @code = attributes[:code]
       @from = attributes[:from]
       @to = attributes[:to]
-      if code.length > Transfer.code_max_length
+      if Transfer.code_max_length && code.length > Transfer.code_max_length
         fail TransferCodeTooLongError,
              "transfer code '#{code}' is too long. Please limit it to #{Transfer.code_max_length} characters."
       end
diff --git a/spec/double_entry/account_spec.rb b/spec/double_entry/account_spec.rb
index 8270814..a2c82c6 100644
--- a/spec/double_entry/account_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/double_entry/account_spec.rb
@@ -4,17 +4,22 @@ module DoubleEntry
     let(:identity_scope) { ->(value) { value } }
 
     describe '::new' do
-      context 'given an identifier 31 characters in length' do
-        let(:identifier) { 'xxxxxxxx 31 characters xxxxxxxx' }
-        specify do
-          expect { Account.new(:identifier => identifier) }.to_not raise_error
+      context 'given a account_identifier_max_length of 31' do
+        before { Account.account_identifier_max_length = 31 }
+        after { Account.account_identifier_max_length = nil }
+
+        context 'given an identifier 31 characters in length' do
+          let(:identifier) { 'xxxxxxxx 31 characters xxxxxxxx' }
+          specify do
+            expect { Account.new(:identifier => identifier) }.to_not raise_error
+          end
         end
-      end
 
-      context 'given an identifier 32 characters in length' do
-        let(:identifier) { 'xxxxxxxx 32 characters xxxxxxxxx' }
-        specify do
-          expect { Account.new(:identifier => identifier) }.to raise_error AccountIdentifierTooLongError, /'#{identifier}'/
+        context 'given an identifier 32 characters in length' do
+          let(:identifier) { 'xxxxxxxx 32 characters xxxxxxxxx' }
+          specify do
+            expect { Account.new(:identifier => identifier) }.to raise_error AccountIdentifierTooLongError, /'#{identifier}'/
+          end
         end
       end
     end
@@ -41,14 +46,19 @@ module DoubleEntry
         let(:account) { Account.new(:identifier => 'x', :scope_identifier => identity_scope) }
         subject(:initialize_account_instance) { Account::Instance.new(:account => account, :scope => scope) }
 
-        context 'given a scope identifier 23 characters in length' do
-          let(:scope) { 'xxxx 23 characters xxxx' }
-          specify { expect { initialize_account_instance }.to_not raise_error }
-        end
+        context 'given a scope_identifier_max_length of 23' do
+          before { Account.scope_identifier_max_length = 23 }
+          after { Account.scope_identifier_max_length = nil }
+
+          context 'given a scope identifier 23 characters in length' do
+             let(:scope) { 'xxxx 23 characters xxxx' }
+             specify { expect { initialize_account_instance }.to_not raise_error }
+           end
 
-        context 'given a scope identifier 24 characters in length' do
-          let(:scope) { 'xxxx 24 characters xxxxx' }
-          specify { expect { initialize_account_instance }.to raise_error ScopeIdentifierTooLongError, /'#{scope}'/ }
+          context 'given a scope identifier 24 characters in length' do
+            let(:scope) { 'xxxx 24 characters xxxxx' }
+            specify { expect { initialize_account_instance }.to raise_error ScopeIdentifierTooLongError, /'#{scope}'/ }
+          end
         end
       end
     end
diff --git a/spec/double_entry/configuration_spec.rb b/spec/double_entry/configuration_spec.rb
index a1374bd..d3fe7d1 100644
--- a/spec/double_entry/configuration_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/double_entry/configuration_spec.rb
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@
 
   describe 'max lengths' do
     context 'given a max length has not been set' do
-      its(:code_max_length) { should be 47 }
-      its(:scope_identifier_max_length) { should be 23 }
-      its(:account_identifier_max_length) { should be 31 }
+      its(:code_max_length) { should be_nil }
+      its(:scope_identifier_max_length) { should be_nil }
+      its(:account_identifier_max_length) { should be_nil }
     end
 
     context 'given a code max length of 10 has been set' do
diff --git a/spec/double_entry/transfer_spec.rb b/spec/double_entry/transfer_spec.rb
index 9350aba..b2384a3 100644
--- a/spec/double_entry/transfer_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/double_entry/transfer_spec.rb
@@ -2,17 +2,22 @@
 module DoubleEntry
   RSpec.describe Transfer do
     describe '::new' do
-      context 'given a code 47 characters in length' do
-        let(:code) { 'xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 47 characters xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx' }
-        specify do
-          expect { Transfer.new(:code => code) }.to_not raise_error
-        end
-      end
-
-      context 'given a code 48 characters in length' do
-        let(:code) { 'xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 48 characters xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx' }
-        specify do
-          expect { Transfer.new(:code => code) }.to raise_error TransferCodeTooLongError, /'#{code}'/
+      context 'given a code_max_length of 47' do
+        before { Transfer.code_max_length = 47 }
+        after { Transfer.code_max_length = nil }
+
+        context 'given a code 47 characters in length' do
+          let(:code) { 'xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 47 characters xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx' }
+          specify do
+            expect { Transfer.new(:code => code) }.to_not raise_error
+          end
+        end
+
+        context 'given a code 48 characters in length' do
+          let(:code) { 'xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 48 characters xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx' }
+          specify do
+            expect { Transfer.new(:code => code) }.to raise_error TransferCodeTooLongError, /'#{code}'/
+          end
         end
       end
     end