diff --git a/.pre-commit-hooks.yaml b/.pre-commit-hooks.yaml
index 9cfc074..3084b92 100644
--- a/.pre-commit-hooks.yaml
+++ b/.pre-commit-hooks.yaml
@@ -18,3 +18,14 @@
   language: python
   types: [shell]
   args: [--fix]
+- id: verify-rapids-metadata
+  name: RAPIDS metadata
+  description: make sure RAPIDS metadata has template file or isn't hard-coded
+  entry: verify-rapids-metadata
+  language: python
+  types: [text]
+  exclude: |
+    (?x)
+        ^VERSION$|
+        [.]rapids_metadata_template$
+  args: [--fix]
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 487bf24..3a5964d 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ classifiers = [
 requires-python = ">=3.9"
 dependencies = [
     "bashlex",
+    "packaging",
 ]
 
 [project.optional-dependencies]
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ dev = [
 
 [project.scripts]
 verify-conda-yes = "rapids_pre_commit_hooks.shell.verify_conda_yes:main"
+verify-rapids-metadata = "rapids_pre_commit_hooks.rapids_metadata:main"
 
 [tool.setuptools]
 packages = { "find" = { where = ["src"] } }
diff --git a/src/rapids_pre_commit_hooks/lint.py b/src/rapids_pre_commit_hooks/lint.py
index c688a79..4ef1459 100644
--- a/src/rapids_pre_commit_hooks/lint.py
+++ b/src/rapids_pre_commit_hooks/lint.py
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ def __repr__(self):
         return (
             "LintWarning("
             + f"pos={self.pos}, "
-            + f"msg={self.msg}, "
+            + f"msg={repr(self.msg)}, "
             + f"replacements={self.replacements})"
         )
 
diff --git a/src/rapids_pre_commit_hooks/rapids_metadata.py b/src/rapids_pre_commit_hooks/rapids_metadata.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3591f76
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/rapids_pre_commit_hooks/rapids_metadata.py
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2024, NVIDIA CORPORATION.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+import re
+
+from packaging.version import Version
+
+from .lint import LintMain
+
+
+def check_rapids_version(linter, rapids_version_re):
+    for match in rapids_version_re.finditer(linter.content):
+        linter.add_warning(
+            match.span(),
+            "do not hard-code RAPIDS version; dynamically read from VERSION file or "
+            f'write a "{linter.filename}.rapids_metadata_template" file',
+        )
+
+
+def check_rapids_metadata():
+    with open("VERSION") as f:
+        version = Version(f.read())
+
+    rapids_version_re = re.compile(
+        rf"{version.major:02}\.{version.minor:02}(\.{version.micro:02})?"
+    )
+
+    def the_check(linter, args):
+        try:
+            with open(f"{linter.filename}.rapids_metadata_template") as f:
+                template_content = f.read()
+        except FileNotFoundError:
+            template_content = None
+
+        if template_content is None:
+            check_rapids_version(linter, rapids_version_re)
+        else:
+            template_replacement = template_content.format(
+                RAPIDS_VERSION_MAJOR=f"{version.major:02}",
+                RAPIDS_VERSION_MINOR=f"{version.minor:02}",
+                RAPIDS_VERSION_PATCH=f"{version.micro:02}",
+                RAPIDS_VERSION=(
+                    f"{version.major:02}.{version.minor:02}.{version.micro:02}"
+                ),
+                RAPIDS_VERSION_MAJOR_MINOR=f"{version.major:02}.{version.minor:02}",
+            )
+
+            if linter.content != template_replacement:
+                linter.add_warning(
+                    (0, len(linter.content)),
+                    f'file does not match template replacement from "{linter.filename}'
+                    '.rapids_metadata_template"',
+                ).add_replacement((0, len(linter.content)), template_replacement)
+
+    return the_check
+
+
+def main():
+    m = LintMain()
+    with m.execute() as ctx:
+        ctx.add_check(check_rapids_metadata())
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
diff --git a/test/rapids_pre_commit_hooks/test_rapids_metadata.py b/test/rapids_pre_commit_hooks/test_rapids_metadata.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0e4b652
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/rapids_pre_commit_hooks/test_rapids_metadata.py
@@ -0,0 +1,123 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2024, NVIDIA CORPORATION.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+import io
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+import pytest
+
+from rapids_pre_commit_hooks.lint import Linter
+from rapids_pre_commit_hooks.rapids_metadata import check_rapids_metadata
+
+
+class TestRAPIDSMetadata:
+    def mock_files(self, files):
+        def new_open(filename, mode="r"):
+            assert mode == "r"
+
+            try:
+                content = files[filename]
+            except KeyError:
+                raise FileNotFoundError
+
+            return io.StringIO(content)
+
+        return patch("builtins.open", new_open)
+
+    def test_mock_files(self):
+        with self.mock_files({"file.txt": "Hello"}):
+            with open("file.txt") as f:
+                assert f.read() == "Hello"
+            with pytest.raises(FileNotFoundError):
+                open("nonexistent.txt")
+            with pytest.raises(AssertionError):
+                open("file.txt", "rb")
+            with pytest.raises(AssertionError):
+                open("file.txt", "w")
+
+    def test_template_file(self):
+        FILES = {
+            "VERSION": "24.04.00\n",
+            "file.txt.rapids_metadata_template": """This file contains RAPIDS metadata
+Full version is {RAPIDS_VERSION}
+Major-minor version is {RAPIDS_VERSION_MAJOR_MINOR}
+Major version is {RAPIDS_VERSION_MAJOR}
+Minor version is {RAPIDS_VERSION_MINOR}
+Patch version is {RAPIDS_VERSION_PATCH}
+""",
+        }
+
+        CORRECT_CONTENT = CONTENT = """This file contains RAPIDS metadata
+Full version is 24.04.00
+Major-minor version is 24.04
+Major version is 24
+Minor version is 04
+Patch version is 00
+"""
+
+        linter = Linter("file.txt", CONTENT)
+        with self.mock_files(FILES):
+            checker = check_rapids_metadata()
+            checker(linter, None)
+        assert linter.warnings == []
+
+        CONTENT = """This file contains RAPIDS metadata
+Full version is 24.02.00
+Major-minor version is 24.02
+Major version is 24
+Minor version is 02
+Patch version is 00
+"""
+        expected_linter = Linter("file.txt", CONTENT)
+        expected_linter.add_warning(
+            (0, len(CONTENT)),
+            "file does not match template replacement from "
+            '"file.txt.rapids_metadata_template"',
+        ).add_replacement((0, len(CONTENT)), CORRECT_CONTENT)
+
+        linter = Linter("file.txt", CONTENT)
+        with self.mock_files(FILES):
+            checker = check_rapids_metadata()
+            checker(linter, None)
+        assert linter.warnings == expected_linter.warnings
+
+    def test_no_template_file(self):
+        FILES = {
+            "VERSION": "24.04.00\n",
+        }
+
+        CONTENT = """This file contains RAPIDS metadata
+Full version is 24.04.00
+Major-minor version is 24.04
+Major version is 24
+Minor version is 04
+Patch version is 00
+"""
+        expected_linter = Linter("file.txt", CONTENT)
+        expected_linter.add_warning(
+            (51, 59),
+            "do not hard-code RAPIDS version; dynamically read from VERSION file or "
+            'write a "file.txt.rapids_metadata_template" file',
+        )
+        expected_linter.add_warning(
+            (83, 88),
+            "do not hard-code RAPIDS version; dynamically read from VERSION file or "
+            'write a "file.txt.rapids_metadata_template" file',
+        )
+
+        linter = Linter("file.txt", CONTENT)
+        with self.mock_files(FILES):
+            checker = check_rapids_metadata()
+            checker(linter, None)
+        assert linter.warnings == expected_linter.warnings