diff --git a/scripts/pylint_custom_plugin/README.md b/scripts/pylint_custom_plugin/README.md
index a2df4d7749b6..d3b3192b20b4 100644
--- a/scripts/pylint_custom_plugin/README.md
+++ b/scripts/pylint_custom_plugin/README.md
@@ -59,4 +59,5 @@ In the case of a false positive, use the disable command to remove the pylint er
 | package-name-incorrect                             | Change your distribution package name to only include dashes, e.g. azure-storage-file-share                                                                          | # pylint:disable=package-name-incorrect                                                  | [link](https://azure.github.io/azure-sdk/python_implementation.html#packaging)                |
 | client-suffix-needed                               | Service client types should use a "Client" suffix, e.g. BlobClient.                                                                                                  | # pylint:disable=client-suffix-needed                                                    | [link](https://azure.github.io/azure-sdk/python_design.html#clients)                          |
 | docstring-admonition-needs-newline                 | Add a blank newline above the .. literalinclude statement.                                                                                                           | # pylint:disable=docstring-admonition-needs-newline                                      | No guideline, just helps our docs get built correctly for microsoft docs.                     |
-| naming-mismatch                 | Do not alias models imported from the generated code.                                                                       | # pylint:disable=naming-mismatch                                      | [link](https://github.com/Azure/autorest/blob/main/docs/generate/built-in-directives.md)                     |
\ No newline at end of file
+| naming-mismatch                 | Do not alias models imported from the generated code.                                                                       | # pylint:disable=naming-mismatch                                      | [link](https://github.com/Azure/autorest/blob/main/docs/generate/built-in-directives.md)                     |
+| client-accepts-api-version-keyword                | Ensure that the client constructor accepts a keyword-only api_version argument.                                                                       | # pylint:disable=client-accepts-api-version-keyword                                  | [link](https://azure.github.io/azure-sdk/python_design.html#specifying-the-service-version)                     |
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/scripts/pylint_custom_plugin/pylint_guidelines_checker.py b/scripts/pylint_custom_plugin/pylint_guidelines_checker.py
index 8498fc8cbc9a..4c16793e0ca6 100644
--- a/scripts/pylint_custom_plugin/pylint_guidelines_checker.py
+++ b/scripts/pylint_custom_plugin/pylint_guidelines_checker.py
@@ -1705,6 +1705,68 @@ def visit_functiondef(self, node):
     # this line makes it work for async functions
     visit_asyncfunctiondef = visit_functiondef
 
+class CheckAPIVersion(BaseChecker):
+    __implements__ = IAstroidChecker
+
+    name = "check-api-version-kwarg"
+    priority = -1
+    msgs = {
+        "C4748": (
+            "The client constructor needs to take in an optional keyword-only api_version argument"
+            "https://azure.github.io/azure-sdk/python_design.html#specifying-the-service-version",
+            "client-accepts-api-version-keyword",
+            "Accept a keyword argument called api_version.",
+        ),
+    }
+    options = (
+        (
+            "ignore-client-accepts-api-version-keyword",
+            {
+                "default": False,
+                "type": "yn",
+                "metavar": "<y_or_n>",
+                "help": "Allow for no keyword api version.",
+            },
+        ),
+    )
+    ignore_clients = ["PipelineClient", "AsyncPipelineClient", "ARMPipelineClient", "AsyncARMPipelineClient"]
+
+    def __init__(self, linter=None):
+        super(CheckAPIVersion, self).__init__(linter)             
+
+    def visit_classdef(self, node):
+        """Visits every class in file and checks if it is a client.
+        If it is a client, it checks that there is an api_version keyword.
+
+        :param node: class node
+        :type node: ast.ClassDef
+        :return: None
+        """
+
+        try:
+            api_version = False
+            
+            if node.name.endswith("Client") and node.name not in self.ignore_clients:
+                if node.doc:
+                    if ":keyword api_version:" in node.doc or ":keyword str api_version:" in node.doc:
+                        api_version = True
+                if not api_version:    
+                    for func in node.body:
+                        if isinstance(func, astroid.FunctionDef):
+                            if func.name == '__init__':
+                                if func.doc: 
+                                    if ":keyword api_version:" in func.doc or ":keyword str api_version:" in func.doc:
+                                        api_version = True
+                                if not api_version:
+                                    self.add_message(
+                                        msgid="client-accepts-api-version-keyword", node=node, confidence=None
+                                    )   
+    
+      
+        except AttributeError:
+            logger.debug("Pylint custom checker failed to check if client takes in an optional keyword-only api_version argument.")
+            pass                                                                                    
+
 
 class CheckNamingMismatchGeneratedCode(BaseChecker):
     __implements__ = IAstroidChecker
@@ -1786,6 +1848,8 @@ def register(linter):
     linter.register_checker(ServiceClientUsesNameWithClientSuffix(linter))
     linter.register_checker(CheckDocstringAdmonitionNewline(linter))
     linter.register_checker(CheckNamingMismatchGeneratedCode(linter))
+    linter.register_checker(CheckAPIVersion(linter))
+
 
     # disabled by default, use pylint --enable=check-docstrings if you want to use it
     linter.register_checker(CheckDocstringParameters(linter))
diff --git a/scripts/pylint_custom_plugin/tests/test_files/api_version_checker_acceptable_class.py b/scripts/pylint_custom_plugin/tests/test_files/api_version_checker_acceptable_class.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..930f4a797856
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/pylint_custom_plugin/tests/test_files/api_version_checker_acceptable_class.py
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#Test file for api_verison checker 
+
+
+class SomeClient():
+
+    """
+    :param str endpoint: Something.
+    :keyword api_version:
+        The API version of the service to use for requests. It defaults to API version v2.1.
+        Setting to an older version may result in reduced feature compatibility. To use the
+        latest supported API version and features, instantiate a DocumentAnalysisClient instead.
+    :paramtype api_version: str 
+    :param credential: Something.
+    :type credential: : TokenCredential.
+    :keyword key : Something2.
+    
+     
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, endpoint, credential, **kwargs):
+        pass
+
+
+
diff --git a/scripts/pylint_custom_plugin/tests/test_files/api_version_checker_acceptable_init.py b/scripts/pylint_custom_plugin/tests/test_files/api_version_checker_acceptable_init.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..6cddc4dfa810
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/pylint_custom_plugin/tests/test_files/api_version_checker_acceptable_init.py
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#Test file for api_verison checker 
+
+class SomeClient():
+
+    def __init__(self, endpoint, credential, **kwargs):
+        """
+        :param str endpoint: Something.
+        :param credential: Something.
+        :type credential: : Something.
+        :keyword api_version:
+            The API version of the service to use for requests. It defaults to API version v2.1.
+            Setting to an older version may result in reduced feature compatibility. To use the
+            latest supported API version and features, instantiate a DocumentAnalysisClient instead.
+        :paramtype api_version: str 
+        
+        """
+        pass
diff --git a/scripts/pylint_custom_plugin/tests/test_files/api_version_checker_violation.py b/scripts/pylint_custom_plugin/tests/test_files/api_version_checker_violation.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..d327d3fed542
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/pylint_custom_plugin/tests/test_files/api_version_checker_violation.py
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+# Test file for api version checker
+
+
+class SomeClient():
+
+    def __init__(self, endpoint, credential, **kwargs):
+        """
+        :param str endpoint: Something.
+        :param credential: Something.
+        :type credential: TokenCredential.
+        
+        """
+        pass
diff --git a/scripts/pylint_custom_plugin/tests/test_pylint_custom_plugins.py b/scripts/pylint_custom_plugin/tests/test_pylint_custom_plugins.py
index 8d4070d16ba3..c779b9c375a7 100644
--- a/scripts/pylint_custom_plugin/tests/test_pylint_custom_plugins.py
+++ b/scripts/pylint_custom_plugin/tests/test_pylint_custom_plugins.py
@@ -2677,3 +2677,71 @@ def test_disable_pylint_alias(self):
 
         with self.assertNoMessages():
             self.checker.visit_module(node)
+
+class TestCheckAPIVersion(pylint.testutils.CheckerTestCase):
+    CHECKER_CLASS = checker.CheckAPIVersion
+
+    def test_api_version_violation(self):
+        class_node = astroid.extract_node(
+            """
+            class SomeClient(object):
+                '''
+                   :param str something: something
+                '''
+                def __init__(self, something, **kwargs):
+                    pass
+            """
+        )
+
+        with self.assertAddsMessages(
+                pylint.testutils.Message(
+                    msg_id="client-accepts-api-version-keyword", node=class_node
+                )
+        ):
+            self.checker.visit_classdef(class_node)
+
+    def test_api_version_acceptable(self):
+        class_node = astroid.extract_node(
+            """
+            class SomeClient(object):
+                '''
+                   :param str something: something 
+                   :keyword str api_version: api_version
+                '''
+                def __init__(self, something, **kwargs):
+                    pass
+            """
+        )
+    
+        with self.assertNoMessages():
+            self.checker.visit_classdef(class_node)
+    
+    def test_api_version_file_class_acceptable(self):
+        file = open("./test_files/api_version_checker_acceptable_class.py")
+        node = astroid.parse(file.read())
+        file.close()
+    
+        with self.assertNoMessages():
+            self.checker.visit_classdef(node.body[0])
+
+    def test_api_version_file_init_acceptable(self):
+        file = open("./test_files/api_version_checker_acceptable_init.py")
+        node = astroid.parse(file.read())
+        file.close()
+
+        
+        with self.assertNoMessages():
+            self.checker.visit_classdef(node.body[0])
+
+
+    def test_api_version_file_violation(self):
+        file = open("./test_files/api_version_checker_violation.py")
+        node = astroid.parse(file.read())
+        file.close()
+
+        with self.assertAddsMessages(
+                pylint.testutils.Message(
+                    msg_id="client-accepts-api-version-keyword", node=node.body[0]
+                )
+        ):
+            self.checker.visit_classdef(node.body[0])