diff --git a/VDS/Components/TextFields/EntryFieldBase.swift b/VDS/Components/TextFields/EntryFieldBase.swift
index 63f0ca69..390c2b9a 100644
--- a/VDS/Components/TextFields/EntryFieldBase.swift
+++ b/VDS/Components/TextFields/EntryFieldBase.swift
@@ -83,6 +83,8 @@ open class EntryFieldBase: Control, Changeable, FormFieldInternalValidatable {
         }
     }()
     
+    open var rules = [AnyRule<String>]()
+
     //--------------------------------------------------
     // MARK: - Configuration Properties
     //--------------------------------------------------
@@ -103,11 +105,13 @@ open class EntryFieldBase: Control, Changeable, FormFieldInternalValidatable {
         $0.setSurfaceColors(VDSFormControlsColor.backgroundOnlight, VDSFormControlsColor.backgroundOndark, forState: .normal)
         $0.setSurfaceColors(VDSFormControlsColor.backgroundOnlight, VDSFormControlsColor.backgroundOndark, forState: .disabled)
         $0.setSurfaceColors(VDSColor.feedbackErrorBackgroundOnlight, VDSColor.feedbackErrorBackgroundOndark, forState: .error)
+        $0.setSurfaceColors(VDSColor.feedbackErrorBackgroundOnlight, VDSColor.feedbackErrorBackgroundOndark, forState: [.error, .focused])
     }
 
     internal var borderColorConfiguration = ControlColorConfiguration().with {
         $0.setSurfaceColors(VDSFormControlsColor.borderOnlight, VDSFormControlsColor.borderOndark, forState: .normal)
         $0.setSurfaceColors(VDSColor.elementsPrimaryOnlight, VDSColor.elementsPrimaryOnlight, forState: .focused)
+        $0.setSurfaceColors(VDSColor.elementsPrimaryOnlight, VDSColor.elementsPrimaryOnlight, forState: [.focused, .error])
         $0.setSurfaceColors(VDSColor.interactiveDisabledOnlight, VDSColor.interactiveDisabledOndark, forState: .disabled)
         $0.setSurfaceColors(VDSColor.feedbackErrorOnlight, VDSColor.feedbackErrorOndark, forState: .error)
         $0.setSurfaceColors(VDSColor.interactiveDisabledOnlight, VDSColor.interactiveDisabledOndark, forState: [.disabled,.error])
@@ -159,7 +163,10 @@ open class EntryFieldBase: Control, Changeable, FormFieldInternalValidatable {
     internal var validator: (any FormFieldValidatorable)?
 
     /// Whether or not to show the internal error
-    open var hasInternalError: Bool { !(validator?.isValid ?? true) }
+    open var hasInternalError: Bool {
+        guard let validator, !showError else { return false }
+        return !validator.isValid
+    }
 
     /// Override UIControl state to add the .error state if showError is true.
     open override var state: UIControl.State {
@@ -304,15 +311,30 @@ open class EntryFieldBase: Control, Changeable, FormFieldInternalValidatable {
     /// Used to make changes to the View based off a change events or from local properties.
     open override func updateView() {
         super.updateView()
-        
+        updateRules()
+        validator = FormFieldValidator<EntryFieldBase>(field: self, rules: rules)
+
         updateContainerView()
         updateTitleLabel()
         updateErrorLabel()
         updateHelperLabel()
         
         backgroundColor = surface.color
-        validator?.validate()
-        internalErrorText = validator?.errorMessage
+        
+        if let validator {
+            validator.validate()
+            if validator.isValid {
+                internalErrorText = nil
+            } else {
+                if let errorText, errorText.isEmpty {
+                    internalErrorText = errorText
+                } else {
+                    internalErrorText = validator.errorMessage
+                }
+            }
+        } else {
+            internalErrorText = nil
+        }
     }
     
     //--------------------------------------------------
@@ -338,6 +360,21 @@ open class EntryFieldBase: Control, Changeable, FormFieldInternalValidatable {
         return bottomContainerView
     }
     
+    internal func updateRules() {
+        rules.removeAll()
+        if self.required {
+            let rule = RequiredRule()
+            if let errorText {
+                rule.errorMessage = errorText
+            } else if let labelText{
+                rule.errorMessage = "You must enter a \(labelText)"
+            } else {
+                rule.errorMessage = "You must enter a value"
+            }
+            rules.append(.init(rule))
+        }
+    }
+    
     open func updateTitleLabel() {
                
         //update the local vars for the label since we no
@@ -369,22 +406,14 @@ open class EntryFieldBase: Control, Changeable, FormFieldInternalValidatable {
     }
     
     open func updateErrorLabel(){
-        if showError, hasInternalError, let errorText, let internalErrorText {
-            errorLabel.text = [internalErrorText, errorText].joined(separator: "\n")
-            errorLabel.surface = surface
-            errorLabel.isEnabled = isEnabled
-            errorLabel.isHidden = false
-            statusIcon.name = .error
-            statusIcon.surface = surface
-            statusIcon.isHidden = !isEnabled
-        } else if showError, let errorText {
+        if showError, let errorText {
             errorLabel.text = errorText
             errorLabel.surface = surface
             errorLabel.isEnabled = isEnabled
             errorLabel.isHidden = false
             statusIcon.name = .error
             statusIcon.surface = surface
-            statusIcon.isHidden = !isEnabled
+            statusIcon.isHidden = !isEnabled || state.contains(.focused)
         } else if hasInternalError, let internalErrorText {
             errorLabel.text = internalErrorText
             errorLabel.surface = surface
@@ -392,7 +421,7 @@ open class EntryFieldBase: Control, Changeable, FormFieldInternalValidatable {
             errorLabel.isHidden = false
             statusIcon.name = .error
             statusIcon.surface = surface
-            statusIcon.isHidden = !isEnabled
+            statusIcon.isHidden = !isEnabled || state.contains(.focused)
         } else {
             statusIcon.isHidden = true
             errorLabel.isHidden = true
diff --git a/VDS/Components/TextFields/InputField/InputField.swift b/VDS/Components/TextFields/InputField/InputField.swift
index 9200a5f7..071790c5 100644
--- a/VDS/Components/TextFields/InputField/InputField.swift
+++ b/VDS/Components/TextFields/InputField/InputField.swift
@@ -210,13 +210,15 @@ open class InputField: EntryFieldBase {
 
     /// Used to make changes to the View based off a change events or from local properties.
     open override func updateView() {
+
+        //update fieldType first
+        updateFieldType()
+
         super.updateView()
         
         textField.isEnabled = isEnabled
         textField.textColor = textFieldTextColorConfiguration.getColor(self)
-                
-        updateFieldType()
-        
+                        
         //show error or success
         if showError, let _ = errorText {
             successLabel.isHidden = true
@@ -264,7 +266,16 @@ open class InputField: EntryFieldBase {
         var actionModel: InputField.TextLinkModel?
         var toolTipModel: Tooltip.TooltipModel? = tooltipModel
         var isSecureTextEntry = false
-
+        var rules = [AnyRule<String>]()
+        
+        if self.required {
+            let rule = RequiredRule()
+            if let errorText {
+                rule.errorMessage = errorText
+            }
+            rules.append(.init(rule))
+        }
+        
         switch fieldType {
         case .text:
             break
diff --git a/VDS/Components/TextFields/TextArea/TextArea.swift b/VDS/Components/TextFields/TextArea/TextArea.swift
index 796fe6cd..8dd9485a 100644
--- a/VDS/Components/TextFields/TextArea/TextArea.swift
+++ b/VDS/Components/TextFields/TextArea/TextArea.swift
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ open class TextArea: EntryFieldBase {
     open override var state: UIControl.State {
         get {
             var state = super.state
-            if textView.isFirstResponder && !showError && !hasInternalError {
+            if textView.isFirstResponder {
                 state.insert(.focused)
             }
             return state
@@ -162,8 +162,6 @@ open class TextArea: EntryFieldBase {
     open override func setup() {
         super.setup()
         isAccessibilityElement = false
-        validator = FormFieldValidator<TextArea>(field: self, rules: [.init(countRule)])
-        
         containerStackView.pinToSuperView(.uniform(VDSFormControls.spaceInset))
         minWidthConstraint = containerView.widthAnchor.constraint(greaterThanOrEqualToConstant: containerSize.width)
         minWidthConstraint?.isActive = true
@@ -229,6 +227,12 @@ open class TextArea: EntryFieldBase {
         highlightCharacterOverflow()
     }
     
+    override func updateRules() {
+        super.updateRules()
+        
+        rules.append(.init(countRule))
+    }
+    
     /// Container for the area showing helper text, error text, character count, maximum length value.
     open override func getBottomContainer() -> UIView {
         bottomStackView.addArrangedSubview(bottomContainerView)
@@ -293,16 +297,6 @@ open class TextArea: EntryFieldBase {
     // MARK: - Validation
     //--------------------------------------------------
     var countRule = CharacterCountRule()
-    
-    class CharacterCountRule: Rule {
-        var maxLength: Int?
-        var errorMessage: String = "You have exceeded the character limit."
-        
-        func isValid(value: String?) -> Bool {
-            guard let text = value, let maxLength, maxLength > 0 else { return true }
-            return text.count <= maxLength
-        }
-    }
 }
 
 extension TextArea: UITextViewDelegate {