diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 0b88e3c8..24709708 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## Unreleased
+### Added
+- Added `limit` parameter to `option().counted()` to limit the number of times the option can be used. You can either clamp the value to the limit, or throw an error if the limit is exceeded. ([#483](https://github.com/ajalt/clikt/issues/483))
+
 ## 4.2.2
 ### Changed
 - Options and arguments can now reference option groups in their `defaultLazy` and other finalization blocks. They can also freely reference each other, including though chains of references. ([#473](https://github.com/ajalt/clikt/issues/473))
diff --git a/clikt/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/github/ajalt/clikt/output/Localization.kt b/clikt/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/github/ajalt/clikt/output/Localization.kt
index 7b4f792b..ebef73fd 100644
--- a/clikt/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/github/ajalt/clikt/output/Localization.kt
+++ b/clikt/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/github/ajalt/clikt/output/Localization.kt
@@ -145,6 +145,12 @@ interface Localization {
     fun rangeExceededBoth(value: String, min: String, max: String) =
         "$value is not in the valid range of $min to $max."
 
+    /**
+     * A counted option was given more times than its limit
+     */
+    fun countedOptionExceededLimit(count: Int, limit: Int): String =
+        "option was given $count times, but only $limit times are allowed"
+
     /**
      * Invalid value for `choice` parameter
      *
diff --git a/clikt/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/github/ajalt/clikt/parameters/options/FlagOption.kt b/clikt/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/github/ajalt/clikt/parameters/options/FlagOption.kt
index 27b90844..e8c26620 100644
--- a/clikt/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/github/ajalt/clikt/parameters/options/FlagOption.kt
+++ b/clikt/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/github/ajalt/clikt/parameters/options/FlagOption.kt
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import com.github.ajalt.clikt.core.BadParameterValue
 import com.github.ajalt.clikt.parameters.types.boolean
 import com.github.ajalt.clikt.parameters.types.int
 import com.github.ajalt.mordant.terminal.YesNoPrompt
+import kotlin.jvm.JvmOverloads
 
 /** A block that converts a flag value from one type to another */
 typealias FlagConverter<InT, OutT> = OptionTransformContext.(InT) -> OutT
@@ -78,9 +79,20 @@ inline fun <OutT> OptionWithValues<Boolean, Boolean, Boolean>.convert(
 
 /**
  * Turn an option into a flag that counts the number of times it occurs on the command line.
+ *
+ * @param limit The maximum number of times the option can be given. (defaults to no limit)
+ * @param clamp If `true`, the counted value will be clamped to the [limit] if it is exceeded. If
+ *   `false`, an error will be shown isntead of clamping.
  */
-fun RawOption.counted(): OptionWithValues<Int, Int, Int> {
-    return int().transformValues(0..0) { it.lastOrNull() ?: 1 }.transformAll { it.sum() }
+@JvmOverloads // TODO(5.0): remove this annotation
+fun RawOption.counted(limit: Int = Int.MAX_VALUE, clamp: Boolean = true): OptionWithValues<Int, Int, Int> {
+    return int().transformValues(0..0) { it.lastOrNull() ?: 1 }.transformAll {
+        val s = it.sum()
+        if (!clamp && s > limit) {
+            fail(context.localization.countedOptionExceededLimit(s, limit))
+        }
+        s.coerceAtMost(limit)
+    }
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/clikt/src/commonTest/kotlin/com/github/ajalt/clikt/parameters/OptionTest.kt b/clikt/src/commonTest/kotlin/com/github/ajalt/clikt/parameters/OptionTest.kt
index b07e7c45..51d6a584 100644
--- a/clikt/src/commonTest/kotlin/com/github/ajalt/clikt/parameters/OptionTest.kt
+++ b/clikt/src/commonTest/kotlin/com/github/ajalt/clikt/parameters/OptionTest.kt
@@ -361,10 +361,11 @@ class OptionTest {
         row("-xyx", 2, true, null),
         row("-xyxzxyz", 2, true, "xyz"),
         row("-xyzxyz", 1, true, "xyz"),
-        row("-xzfoo", 1, false, "foo")
+        row("-xzfoo", 1, false, "foo"),
+        row("-xxxxxx", 4, false, null),
     ) { argv, ex, ey, ez ->
         class C : TestCommand() {
-            val x by option("-x", "--xx").counted()
+            val x by option("-x", "--xx").counted(limit = 4)
             val y by option("-y", "--yy").flag()
             val z by option("-z", "--zz")
             override fun run_() {
@@ -377,6 +378,20 @@ class OptionTest {
         C().parse(argv)
     }
 
+    @Test
+    @JsName("counted_option_clamp_false")
+    fun `counted option clamp=false`() {
+        class C(called: Boolean) : TestCommand(called) {
+            val x by option("-x").counted(limit = 2, clamp = false)
+        }
+
+        C(true).parse("").x shouldBe 0
+        C(true).parse("-xx").x shouldBe 2
+
+        shouldThrow<UsageError> { C(false).parse("-xxxx") }
+            .formattedMessage shouldBe "invalid value for -x: option was given 4 times, but only 2 times are allowed"
+    }
+
     @Test
     @JsName("default_option")
     fun `default option`() = forAll(
diff --git a/docs/options.md b/docs/options.md
index 67e5c454..faf9426b 100644
--- a/docs/options.md
+++ b/docs/options.md
@@ -445,10 +445,13 @@ line:
 You might want a flag option that counts the number of times it occurs on the command line. You can
 use [`counted`][counted] for this.
 
+You can specify a `limit` for the number of times the [`counted`][counted] option can be given,
+and either `clamp` the value or show an error if the limit is exceeded.
+
 === "Example"
     ```kotlin
     class Log : CliktCommand() {
-        val verbosity by option("-v").counted()
+        val verbosity by option("-v").counted(limit=3, clamp=true)
         override fun run() {
             echo("Verbosity level: $verbosity")
         }
@@ -461,6 +464,7 @@ use [`counted`][counted] for this.
     Verbosity level: 3
     ```
 
+
 ## Feature Switch Flags
 
 Another way to use flags is to assign a value to each option name. You can do this with