diff --git a/lemur/plugins/lemur_cloudca/plugin.py b/lemur/plugins/lemur_cloudca/plugin.py
index 2d26666a..2cf35b75 100644
--- a/lemur/plugins/lemur_cloudca/plugin.py
+++ b/lemur/plugins/lemur_cloudca/plugin.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 .. moduleauthor:: Kevin Glisson <kglisson@netflix.com>
 
 """
+import re
 import ssl
 import base64
 from json import dumps
@@ -245,6 +246,7 @@ class CloudCAIssuerPlugin(IssuerPlugin, CloudCA):
 
         options['validityStart'] = convert_date_to_utc_time(options['validityStart']).isoformat()
         options['validityEnd'] = convert_date_to_utc_time(options['validityEnd']).isoformat()
+        options['description'] = re.sub(r'[^a-zA-Z0-9]', '', options['caDescription'])
 
         try:
             response = self.session.post(self.url + endpoint, data=dumps(remove_none(options)), timeout=10,
@@ -297,7 +299,7 @@ class CloudCAIssuerPlugin(IssuerPlugin, CloudCA):
             'ownerEmail': options['owner'],
             'caName': options['authority'].name,
             'csr': csr,
-            'comment': options['description']
+            'comment': re.sub(r'[^a-zA-Z0-9]', '', options['description'])
         }
 
         response = self.post(endpoint, remove_none(cloudca_options))
diff --git a/lemur/static/app/angular/authorities/authority/tracking.tpl.html b/lemur/static/app/angular/authorities/authority/tracking.tpl.html
index 5d9e9b58..a2d0def6 100644
--- a/lemur/static/app/angular/authorities/authority/tracking.tpl.html
+++ b/lemur/static/app/angular/authorities/authority/tracking.tpl.html
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@
         Description
       </label>
       <div class="col-sm-10">
-        <textarea name="caDescription" ng-model="authority.caDescription" placeholder="Something elegant" class="form-control" ng-maxlength="250" ng-pattern="/^[\w\-\s]+$/" required></textarea>
-        <p ng-show="trackingForm.caDescription.$invalid && !trackingForm.caDescription.$pristine" class="help-block">You must give a short description about this authority will be used for, it should contain only alphanumeric characters</p>
+        <textarea name="caDescription" ng-model="authority.caDescription" placeholder="Something elegant" class="form-control" ng-maxlength="250" required></textarea>
+        <p ng-show="trackingForm.caDescription.$invalid && !trackingForm.caDescription.$pristine" class="help-block">You must give a short description about this authority will be used for</p>
       </div>
     </div>
     <div class="form-group"
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@
         Common Name
       </label>
       <div class="col-sm-10">
-        <input name="commonName" ng-model="authority.caDN.commonName" placeholder="Common Name" class="form-control" required/>
-        <p ng-show="trackingForm.commonName.$invalid && !trackingForm.commonName.$pristine" class="help-block">You must enter a common name</p>
+        <input name="commonName" ng-model="authority.caDN.commonName" placeholder="Common Name" class="form-control" ng-maxlength="64" required/>
+        <p ng-show="trackingForm.commonName.$invalid && !trackingForm.commonName.$pristine" class="help-block">You must enter a common name and it must be less than 64 characters in length</p>
       </div>
     </div>
     <div class="form-group"
diff --git a/lemur/static/app/angular/certificates/certificate/tracking.tpl.html b/lemur/static/app/angular/certificates/certificate/tracking.tpl.html
index e28a17e7..94fe81d9 100644
--- a/lemur/static/app/angular/certificates/certificate/tracking.tpl.html
+++ b/lemur/static/app/angular/certificates/certificate/tracking.tpl.html
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@
                 Description
             </label>
             <div class="col-sm-10">
-                <textarea name="description" ng-model="certificate.description" placeholder="Something elegant" class="form-control" ng-pattern="/^[\w\-\s]+$/" required></textarea>
-                <p ng-show="trackingForm.description.$invalid && !trackingForm.description.$pristine" class="help-block">You must give a short description about this authority will be used for, this description should only include alphanumeric characters</p>
+                <textarea name="description" ng-model="certificate.description" placeholder="Something elegant" class="form-control" required></textarea>
+                <p ng-show="trackingForm.description.$invalid && !trackingForm.description.$pristine" class="help-block">You must give a short description about this authority will be used for.</p>
             </div>
         </div>
         <div class="form-group"
@@ -47,8 +47,8 @@
                 Common Name
             </label>
             <div class="col-sm-10">
-                <input name="commonName" tooltip="If you need a certificate with multiple domains enter your primary domain here and the rest under 'Subject Alternate Names' in the next few panels" ng-model="certificate.commonName" placeholder="Common Name" class="form-control" required/>
-                <p ng-show="trackingForm.commonName.$invalid && !trackingForm.commonName.$pristine" class="help-block">You must enter a common name</p>
+                <input name="commonName" tooltip="If you need a certificate with multiple domains enter your primary domain here and the rest under 'Subject Alternate Names' in the next few panels" ng-model="certificate.commonName" placeholder="Common Name" class="form-control" ng-maxlength="64" required/>
+                <p ng-show="trackingForm.commonName.$invalid && !trackingForm.commonName.$pristine" class="help-block">You must enter a common name and it must be less than 64 characters</p>
             </div>
         </div>
         <div class="form-group">
diff --git a/lemur/static/app/angular/certificates/certificate/upload.tpl.html b/lemur/static/app/angular/certificates/certificate/upload.tpl.html
index 928e923e..55dc850f 100644
--- a/lemur/static/app/angular/certificates/certificate/upload.tpl.html
+++ b/lemur/static/app/angular/certificates/certificate/upload.tpl.html
@@ -33,8 +33,8 @@
                     Description
                 </label>
                 <div class="col-sm-10">
-                    <textarea name="description" ng-model="certificate.description" placeholder="Something elegant" class="form-control" ng-pattern="/^[\w\-\s]+$/" required></textarea>
-                    <p ng-show="uploadForm.description.$invalid && !uploadForm.description.$pristine" class="help-block">You must give a short description about this authority will be used for, this description should only include alphanumeric characters</p>
+                    <textarea name="description" ng-model="certificate.description" placeholder="Something elegant" class="form-control" required></textarea>
+                    <p ng-show="uploadForm.description.$invalid && !uploadForm.description.$pristine" class="help-block">You must give a short description about this authority will be used for.</p>
                 </div>
             </div>
             <div class="form-group"