diff --git a/src/de.rs b/src/de.rs
index 997900d..14d5fa5 100644
--- a/src/de.rs
+++ b/src/de.rs
@@ -43,6 +43,20 @@ where
     deserializer.end().map(move |_| t)
 }
 
+/// Same as `from_bytes` but use `limit` as max container depth instead of MAX_CONTAINER_DEPTH`
+/// Note that `limit` has to be lower than MAX_CONTAINER_DEPTH
+pub fn from_bytes_with_limit<'a, T>(bytes: &'a [u8], limit: usize) -> Result<T>
+where
+    T: Deserialize<'a>,
+{
+    if limit > crate::MAX_CONTAINER_DEPTH {
+        return Err(Error::NotSupported("limit exceeds the max allowed depth"));
+    }
+    let mut deserializer = Deserializer::new(bytes, limit);
+    let t = T::deserialize(&mut deserializer)?;
+    deserializer.end().map(move |_| t)
+}
+
 /// Perform a stateful deserialization from a `&[u8]` using the provided `seed`.
 pub fn from_bytes_seed<'a, T>(seed: T, bytes: &'a [u8]) -> Result<T::Value>
 where
@@ -53,6 +67,20 @@ where
     deserializer.end().map(move |_| t)
 }
 
+/// Same as `from_bytes_seed` but use `limit` as max container depth instead of MAX_CONTAINER_DEPTH`
+/// Note that `limit` has to be lower than MAX_CONTAINER_DEPTH
+pub fn from_bytes_seed_with_limit<'a, T>(seed: T, bytes: &'a [u8], limit: usize) -> Result<T::Value>
+where
+    T: DeserializeSeed<'a>,
+{
+    if limit > crate::MAX_CONTAINER_DEPTH {
+        return Err(Error::NotSupported("limit exceeds the max allowed depth"));
+    }
+    let mut deserializer = Deserializer::new(bytes, limit);
+    let t = seed.deserialize(&mut deserializer)?;
+    deserializer.end().map(move |_| t)
+}
+
 /// Deserialization implementation for BCS
 struct Deserializer<'de> {
     input: &'de [u8],
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index c8ee6a4..96a12ee 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -314,6 +314,9 @@ pub const MAX_SEQUENCE_LENGTH: usize = (1 << 31) - 1;
 /// Maximal allowed depth of BCS data, counting only structs and enums.
 pub const MAX_CONTAINER_DEPTH: usize = 500;
 
-pub use de::{from_bytes, from_bytes_seed};
+pub use de::{from_bytes, from_bytes_seed, from_bytes_seed_with_limit, from_bytes_with_limit};
 pub use error::{Error, Result};
-pub use ser::{is_human_readable, serialize_into, serialized_size, to_bytes};
+pub use ser::{
+    is_human_readable, serialize_into, serialize_into_with_limit, serialized_size,
+    serialized_size_with_limit, to_bytes, to_bytes_with_limit,
+};
diff --git a/src/ser.rs b/src/ser.rs
index b119926..9bd42ce 100644
--- a/src/ser.rs
+++ b/src/ser.rs
@@ -55,6 +55,20 @@ where
     Ok(output)
 }
 
+/// Same as `to_bytes` but use `limit` as max container depth instead of MAX_CONTAINER_DEPTH
+/// Note that `limit` has to be lower than MAX_CONTAINER_DEPTH
+pub fn to_bytes_with_limit<T>(value: &T, limit: usize) -> Result<Vec<u8>>
+where
+    T: ?Sized + Serialize,
+{
+    if limit > crate::MAX_CONTAINER_DEPTH {
+        return Err(Error::NotSupported("limit exceeds the max allowed depth"));
+    }
+    let mut output = Vec::new();
+    serialize_into_with_limit(&mut output, value, limit)?;
+    Ok(output)
+}
+
 /// Same as `to_bytes` but write directly into an `std::io::Write` object.
 pub fn serialize_into<W, T>(write: &mut W, value: &T) -> Result<()>
 where
@@ -65,6 +79,20 @@ where
     value.serialize(serializer)
 }
 
+/// Same as `serialize_into` but use `limit` as max container depth instead of MAX_CONTAINER_DEPTH
+/// Note that `limit` has to be lower than MAX_CONTAINER_DEPTH
+pub fn serialize_into_with_limit<W, T>(write: &mut W, value: &T, limit: usize) -> Result<()>
+where
+    W: ?Sized + std::io::Write,
+    T: ?Sized + Serialize,
+{
+    if limit > crate::MAX_CONTAINER_DEPTH {
+        return Err(Error::NotSupported("limit exceeds the max allowed depth"));
+    }
+    let serializer = Serializer::new(write, limit);
+    value.serialize(serializer)
+}
+
 struct WriteCounter(usize);
 
 impl std::io::Write for WriteCounter {
@@ -91,6 +119,20 @@ where
     Ok(counter.0)
 }
 
+/// Same as `serialized_size` but use `limit` as max container depth instead of MAX_CONTAINER_DEPTH
+/// Note that `limit` has to be lower than MAX_CONTAINER_DEPTH
+pub fn serialized_size_with_limit<T>(value: &T, limit: usize) -> Result<usize>
+where
+    T: ?Sized + Serialize,
+{
+    if limit > crate::MAX_CONTAINER_DEPTH {
+        return Err(Error::NotSupported("limit exceeds the max allowed depth"));
+    }
+    let mut counter = WriteCounter(0);
+    serialize_into_with_limit(&mut counter, value, limit)?;
+    Ok(counter.0)
+}
+
 pub fn is_human_readable() -> bool {
     let mut output = Vec::new();
     let serializer = Serializer::new(&mut output, crate::MAX_CONTAINER_DEPTH);
diff --git a/tests/serde.rs b/tests/serde.rs
index d3d5f0c..73d78a4 100644
--- a/tests/serde.rs
+++ b/tests/serde.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,10 @@ use proptest::prelude::*;
 use proptest_derive::Arbitrary;
 use serde::{de::DeserializeOwned, Deserialize, Serialize};
 
-use bcs::{from_bytes, serialized_size, to_bytes, Error, MAX_CONTAINER_DEPTH, MAX_SEQUENCE_LENGTH};
+use bcs::{
+    from_bytes, from_bytes_with_limit, serialized_size, to_bytes, to_bytes_with_limit, Error,
+    MAX_CONTAINER_DEPTH, MAX_SEQUENCE_LENGTH,
+};
 
 fn is_same<T>(t: T)
 where
@@ -654,6 +657,29 @@ fn test_recursion_limit() {
         to_bytes(&(&l3, &l3)),
         Err(Error::ExceededContainerDepthLimit("List"))
     );
+
+    // test customized limit
+    let limit = 100;
+    let not_supported_err = Error::NotSupported("limit exceeds the max allowed depth");
+    let l4 = List::integers(limit);
+    assert_eq!(
+        to_bytes_with_limit(&l4, limit),
+        Err(Error::ExceededContainerDepthLimit("List"))
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+        to_bytes_with_limit(&l4, MAX_CONTAINER_DEPTH + 1),
+        Err(not_supported_err.clone()),
+    );
+    let bytes = to_bytes_with_limit(&l4, limit + 1).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(
+        from_bytes_with_limit::<List<usize>>(&bytes, limit),
+        Err(Error::ExceededContainerDepthLimit("List"))
+    );
+    assert_eq!(from_bytes_with_limit(&bytes, limit + 1), Ok(l4));
+    assert_eq!(
+        from_bytes_with_limit::<List<usize>>(&bytes, MAX_CONTAINER_DEPTH + 1),
+        Err(not_supported_err)
+    );
 }
 
 #[derive(Deserialize, Serialize, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Debug)]