diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index a7ff51d..3f20187 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -27,9 +27,6 @@ module.exports = {
       label: 'date',
       placeholder: 'date',
       type: 'date',
-      settings: {
-        empty: true,
-      },
     },
   },
   html: '<label for="{{date.id}}">{{date.label}}</label><input type="{{date.type}}" id="{{date.id}}" name="{{date.name}}" value="{{date.value}}" placeholder="{{date.placeholder}}" />',
diff --git a/lib/validation.js b/lib/validation.js
index 6362fe0..3f519ad 100644
--- a/lib/validation.js
+++ b/lib/validation.js
@@ -19,9 +19,11 @@
  * @module dateValidation
  */
 
-module.exports = function dateValidation(input, settings) {
-  if (input.target.value === '' && !settings.target.empty) {
-    return `${input.target.name} cannot be left blank!`;
+const isDate = require('validator/lib/isDate');
+
+module.exports = function dateValidation(input) {
+  if (input.target.value && !isDate(input.target.value)) {
+    return `${input.target.name} must be a date!`;
   }
 
   return true;
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 2b03242..cdccb18 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -21,7 +21,9 @@
     "Rachel White <whiter@us.ibm.com>"
   ],
   "license": "Apache-2",
-  "dependencies": {},
+  "dependencies": {
+    "validator": "^5.7.0"
+  },
   "devDependencies": {
     "ava": "^0.14.0",
     "coveralls": "^2.11.9",
diff --git a/tests/validation.js b/tests/validation.js
index 99b964c..3100fe2 100644
--- a/tests/validation.js
+++ b/tests/validation.js
@@ -1,37 +1,38 @@
 import test from 'ava';
 import validation from '../lib/validation';
 
-const input = {
+const empty = {
   target: {
-    name: 'date',
-    value: 'foo bar baz',
-  },
-  all: {
-    date: 'foo bar baz',
+    name: 'empty',
+    value: '',
   },
 };
 
-const settings = {
+const input = {
   target: {
-    empty: false,
+    name: 'good',
+    value: '1972-08-21',
   },
-  all: {
-    date: {
-      empty: false,
-    },
+};
+
+const bad = {
+  target: {
+    name: 'bad',
+    value: '1972-08-foo',
   },
 };
 
+// Empty input
+test('empty input', t => {
+  t.true(validation(empty), 'Empty input returns true');
+});
 
 // Valid input
 test('valid input', t => {
-  t.true(validation(input, settings), 'Valid input returns true');
+  t.true(validation(input), 'Valid input returns true');
 });
 
-// Invalid input
-test('validate correct input', t => {
-  const ip = input;
-  ip.target.value = '';
-
-  t.is(validation(ip, settings), 'date cannot be left blank!', 'Return string if not valid');
+// Valid input
+test('bad input', t => {
+  t.is(validation(bad), 'bad must be a date!', 'Bad input returns true');
 });