diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 1c4ee89..8760ecd 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -56,8 +56,15 @@ chrono = { version = "0.4.*", default-features = false, features = [
 serde = { version = "1.*", default-features = false, features = [
   "std",
   "derive",
-] }
-serde_json = { version = "1.*", default-features = false, features = ["std"] }
+], optional = true }
+serde_json = { version = "1.*", default-features = false, features = [
+  "std",
+], optional = true }
+
+[features]
+default = []
+serde = ["dep:serde"]
+serde-tags = ["dep:serde", "dep:serde_json"]
 
 [workspace]
 resolver = "2"
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 8b43f90..3426ace 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ use std::{
 use aws_config::retry::RetryConfig;
 use aws_sdk_ec2::client::Waiters;
 use chrono::{DateTime, Utc};
+#[cfg(feature = "serde")]
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
 mod error;
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@ macro_rules! wrap_aws_enum {
             }
         }
 
+        #[cfg(feature = "serde")]
         impl Serialize for $name {
             fn serialize<S>(&self, serializer: S) -> Result<S::Ok, S::Error>
             where
@@ -49,6 +51,7 @@ macro_rules! wrap_aws_enum {
             }
         }
 
+        #[cfg(feature = "serde")]
         impl<'de> Deserialize<'de> for $name {
             fn deserialize<D>(deserializer: D) -> Result<Self, D::Error>
             where
@@ -196,11 +199,12 @@ impl Instance {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug, Copy, Clone)]
+#[derive(Debug, Copy, Clone)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize, Deserialize))]
 pub enum Region {
-    #[serde(rename = "eu-central-1")]
+    #[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", serde(rename = "eu-central-1"))]
     EuCentral1,
-    #[serde(rename = "us-east-1")]
+    #[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", serde(rename = "us-east-1"))]
     UsEast1,
 }
 
@@ -269,7 +273,8 @@ pub struct RegionClient {
     pub cdn: RegionClientCdn,
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize, Deserialize))]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct InstanceProfileName(String);
 
 impl InstanceProfileName {
@@ -278,7 +283,8 @@ impl InstanceProfileName {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize, Deserialize))]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct InstanceKeypairName(String);
 
 impl InstanceKeypairName {
@@ -287,7 +293,8 @@ impl InstanceKeypairName {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize, Deserialize))]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct SecurityGroupId(String);
 
 impl SecurityGroupId {
@@ -296,12 +303,14 @@ impl SecurityGroupId {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize, Deserialize))]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct SecurityGroup {
     id: SecurityGroupId,
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize, Deserialize))]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct SubnetId(String);
 
 impl SubnetId {
@@ -328,8 +337,9 @@ impl fmt::Display for SubnetId {
 
 macro_rules! string_newtype {
     ($name:ident) => {
-        #[Tag(translate = serde)]
-        #[derive(Debug, Serialize, Deserialize, Clone, Eq, PartialEq)]
+        #[Tag(translate = transparent)]
+        #[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize, Deserialize))]
+        #[derive(Debug, Clone, Eq, PartialEq)]
         pub struct $name(String);
 
         impl std::fmt::Display for $name {
@@ -342,7 +352,8 @@ macro_rules! string_newtype {
 
 string_newtype!(AvailabilityZone);
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize, Deserialize))]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct Subnet {
     pub id: SubnetId,
     pub availability_zone: AvailabilityZone,
@@ -383,7 +394,8 @@ impl AmiId {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize, Deserialize))]
+#[derive(Debug)]
 pub struct Ami {
     pub id: AmiId,
     pub tags: TagList,
@@ -411,7 +423,8 @@ impl TryFrom<aws_sdk_ec2::types::Image> for Ami {
 }
 
 #[Tag(translate = manual)]
-#[derive(Debug, Serialize, Deserialize, PartialEq, Eq, PartialOrd, Ord, Copy, Clone)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize, Deserialize))]
+#[derive(Debug, PartialEq, Eq, PartialOrd, Ord, Copy, Clone)]
 pub struct Timestamp(DateTime<Utc>);
 
 impl Timestamp {
@@ -468,7 +481,8 @@ impl TryFrom<RawImageCreationDate> for Timestamp {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Serialize, Deserialize, Clone)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize, Deserialize))]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct Ip(net::IpAddr);
 
 impl Ip {
@@ -499,7 +513,8 @@ impl EipAllocationId {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize, Deserialize))]
+#[derive(Debug)]
 pub struct Eip {
     pub allocation_id: EipAllocationId,
     pub ip: Ip,
@@ -568,8 +583,9 @@ impl Eip {
 
 string_newtype!(CloudfrontDistributionId);
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
-#[serde(rename_all = "lowercase")]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize, Deserialize))]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", serde(rename_all = "lowercase"))]
 pub enum CloudfrontDistributionStatus {
     Deployed,
     Other(String),
@@ -597,10 +613,12 @@ impl From<String> for CloudfrontDistributionStatus {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize, Deserialize))]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct EfsId(String);
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize, Deserialize))]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct Efs {
     id: EfsId,
     region: Region,
@@ -633,7 +651,8 @@ impl From<String> for CloudfrontDistributionDomain {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize, Deserialize))]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct CloudfrontOrigin {
     id: CloudfrontOriginId,
     domain: CloudfrontOriginDomain,
@@ -679,7 +698,8 @@ impl From<aws_sdk_cloudfront::types::Origin> for CloudfrontOrigin {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize, Deserialize))]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct CloudfrontDistribution {
     pub id: CloudfrontDistributionId,
     pub status: CloudfrontDistributionStatus,
@@ -793,7 +813,8 @@ pub async fn load_sdk_clients<const C: usize>(
     region_clients
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize, Deserialize))]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct Account {
     id: String,
 }
@@ -808,7 +829,8 @@ impl Account {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize, Deserialize))]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct HostedZoneId(String);
 
 impl HostedZoneId {
@@ -821,7 +843,8 @@ impl HostedZoneId {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize, Deserialize))]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct Route53Zone {
     hosted_zone_id: HostedZoneId,
     name: String,
diff --git a/src/tags/README.md b/src/tags/README.md
index 8af09cf..188f896 100644
--- a/src/tags/README.md
+++ b/src/tags/README.md
@@ -56,14 +56,10 @@ in a struct that is using `#[Tags]`:
 
 ```rust
 use aws_lib::tags::{Tag, Tags};
-use serde::{Serialize, Deserialize};
 
-#[Tag(translate = serde)]
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
-struct MyTag {
-    foo: String,
-    bar: bool,
-}
+#[Tag(translate = transparent)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
+struct MyTag(String);
 
 #[Tags]
 struct MyTags {
diff --git a/src/tags/mod.rs b/src/tags/mod.rs
index f871ad2..a6f558d 100644
--- a/src/tags/mod.rs
+++ b/src/tags/mod.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,12 @@
 #![doc = include_str!("README.md")]
 use std::fmt::{self, Debug};
 
-use serde::{de::DeserializeOwned, Deserialize, Serialize};
+#[cfg(feature = "serde-tags")]
+use serde::de::DeserializeOwned;
+#[cfg(feature = "serde")]
+use serde::Deserialize;
+#[cfg(any(feature = "serde-tags", feature = "serde"))]
+use serde::Serialize;
 
 mod error;
 mod helpers;
@@ -43,10 +48,12 @@ where
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, Deserialize, Serialize, PartialEq, Eq)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Deserialize, Serialize))]
 pub struct RawTagValue(String);
 helpers::impl_string_wrapper!(RawTagValue);
 
+#[cfg(feature = "serde-tags")]
 pub struct TranslateSerde;
 pub struct TranslateManual;
 
@@ -57,6 +64,7 @@ pub trait Translator<S: ?Sized, T> {
     fn into_raw_tag(value: T) -> RawTagValue;
 }
 
+#[cfg(feature = "serde-tags")]
 pub trait TranslatableSerde: Serialize + DeserializeOwned {}
 pub trait TranslatableManual:
     TryFrom<RawTagValue, Error: Into<ParseTagValueError>> + Into<RawTagValue>
@@ -76,6 +84,7 @@ pub trait TagValue<V> {
     }
 }
 
+#[cfg(feature = "serde-tags")]
 impl<S, T> Translator<S, T> for TranslateSerde
 where
     T: TranslatableSerde,
@@ -118,7 +127,8 @@ where
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Clone, Debug, Deserialize, Serialize, PartialEq, Eq)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Deserialize, Serialize))]
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub struct RawTag {
     key: TagKey,
     value: RawTagValue,
@@ -155,7 +165,8 @@ where
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, PartialEq, Eq, Clone, Deserialize, Serialize)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Deserialize, Serialize))]
+#[derive(Debug, PartialEq, Eq, Clone)]
 pub struct TagKey(String);
 helpers::impl_string_wrapper!(TagKey);
 
@@ -252,7 +263,8 @@ where
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Clone, Debug, Serialize, Deserialize, Eq, PartialEq)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Deserialize, Serialize))]
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, Eq, PartialEq)]
 pub struct TagList(Vec<RawTag>);
 
 impl TagList {
@@ -292,6 +304,7 @@ impl TagList {
 
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
+    #[cfg(feature = "serde-tags")]
     use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
     use super::*;
@@ -303,6 +316,7 @@ mod tests {
         B,
     }
 
+    #[cfg(feature = "serde-tags")]
     #[Tag(translate = serde)]
     #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
     struct MyStructTag {
@@ -358,7 +372,9 @@ mod tests {
             #[tag(key = "anothername")]
             tag6: Option<MyTag>,
             tag7: Option<MyTag>,
+            #[cfg(feature = "serde-tags")]
             tag8: MyStructTag,
+            #[cfg(feature = "serde-tags")]
             tag9: Option<MyStructTag>,
         }
 
@@ -368,6 +384,7 @@ mod tests {
             RawTag::new("tag3".to_owned(), "false".to_owned()),
             RawTag::new("myname".to_owned(), "A".to_owned()),
             RawTag::new("anothername".to_owned(), "B".to_owned()),
+            #[cfg(feature = "serde-tags")]
             RawTag::new("tag8".to_owned(), r#"{"foo":"hi","bar":false}"#.to_owned()),
         ]);
 
@@ -380,6 +397,7 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(tags.tag5 == MyTag::A);
         assert!(tags.tag6 == Some(MyTag::B));
         assert!(tags.tag7.is_none());
+        #[cfg(feature = "serde-tags")]
         assert!(
             tags.tag8
                 == MyStructTag {
@@ -387,6 +405,7 @@ mod tests {
                     bar: false
                 }
         );
+        #[cfg(feature = "serde-tags")]
         assert!(tags.tag9.is_none());
 
         let into_tags = tags.into_tags();
@@ -399,6 +418,7 @@ mod tests {
                 RawTag::new("tag3".to_owned(), "false".to_owned()),
                 RawTag::new("myname".to_owned(), "A".to_owned()),
                 RawTag::new("anothername".to_owned(), "B".to_owned()),
+                #[cfg(feature = "serde-tags")]
                 RawTag::new("tag8".to_owned(), r#"{"foo":"hi","bar":false}"#.to_owned(),),
             ])
         );
@@ -407,7 +427,7 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn test_transparent_tag() {
         #[Tag(translate = transparent)]
-        #[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, PartialEq, Debug)]
+        #[derive(PartialEq, Debug)]
         struct MyTag(String);
 
         assert_eq!(
diff --git a/src/tags/predefined_types.rs b/src/tags/predefined_types.rs
index b1907b6..43938d6 100644
--- a/src/tags/predefined_types.rs
+++ b/src/tags/predefined_types.rs
@@ -1,14 +1,35 @@
-use super::{
-    ParseTagValueError, TagValue, TranslatableManual, TranslatableSerde, TranslateManual,
-    TranslateSerde,
-};
+use super::{ParseTagValueError, RawTagValue, TagValue, TranslatableManual, TranslateManual};
 
-// Bools can just be handled by serde.
-impl TranslatableSerde for bool {}
+impl TranslatableManual for bool {}
+
+const TRUE_STR: &str = "true";
+const FALSE_STR: &str = "false";
 
 impl TagValue<Self> for bool {
     type Error = ParseTagValueError;
-    type Translator = TranslateSerde;
+    type Translator = TranslateManual;
+}
+
+impl TryFrom<RawTagValue> for bool {
+    type Error = ParseTagValueError;
+
+    fn try_from(value: RawTagValue) -> Result<Self, Self::Error> {
+        match value.as_str() {
+            TRUE_STR => Ok(true),
+            FALSE_STR => Ok(false),
+            _ => Err(ParseTagValueError::InvalidBoolValue { value }),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl From<bool> for RawTagValue {
+    fn from(value: bool) -> Self {
+        if value {
+            Self::new(TRUE_STR.to_owned())
+        } else {
+            Self::new(FALSE_STR.to_owned())
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 // Due to quoting, we cannot use serde here. It would produce quoted