diff --git a/.bazelversion b/.bazelversion
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..56b6be4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.bazelversion
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+8.3.1
diff --git a/cr_checker/cr_checker.bzl b/cr_checker/cr_checker.bzl
index 1829cc0..8278335 100644
--- a/cr_checker/cr_checker.bzl
+++ b/cr_checker/cr_checker.bzl
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ def copyright_checker(
         visibility,
         template,
         config,
+        exclusion = None,
         extensions = [],
         offset = 0,
         remove_offset = 0,
@@ -40,6 +41,8 @@ def copyright_checker(
                                   Defaults to "//tools/cr_checker/resources:templates".
         config (str, optional): Path to the config resource used for project variables.
                                 Defaults to "//tools/cr_checker/resources:config".
+        exclusion (str, optional): Path to a text file listing files to be excluded from the copyright check.
+                                   File format: one path per line, relative to the repository root.
         extensions (list, optional): A list of file extensions to filter the source files.
                                      Defaults to an empty list, meaning all files are checked.
         offset (int, optional): The line offset for applying checks or modifications.
@@ -65,12 +68,14 @@ def copyright_checker(
         "-t $(location {})".format(template),
         "-c $(location {})".format(config),
     ]
-    data = []
     if len(extensions):
         args.append("-e {exts}".format(
             exts = " ".join([exts for exts in extensions]),
         ))
 
+    if exclusion:
+        args.append("--exclusion-file $(location {})".format(exclusion))
+
     if offset:
         args.append("--offset {}".format(offset))
 
@@ -89,6 +94,12 @@ def copyright_checker(
             if remove_offset:
                 args.append("--remove_offset {}".format(remove_offset))
 
+        data = srcs[:]
+        data.append(template)
+        data.append(config)
+        if exclusion:
+            data.append(exclusion)
+
         py_binary(
             name = t_name,
             main = "cr_checker.py",
@@ -96,10 +107,7 @@ def copyright_checker(
                 "@score_tooling//cr_checker/tool:cr_checker_lib",
             ],
             args = args,
-            data = srcs + [
-                template,
-                config,
-            ],
+            data = data,
             visibility = visibility,
         )
 
diff --git a/cr_checker/tests/.bazelversion b/cr_checker/tests/.bazelversion
new file mode 120000
index 0000000..96cf949
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cr_checker/tests/.bazelversion
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../../.bazelversion
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/cr_checker/tests/BUILD b/cr_checker/tests/BUILD
index 3da53e8..3bc90fc 100644
--- a/cr_checker/tests/BUILD
+++ b/cr_checker/tests/BUILD
@@ -14,9 +14,9 @@
 load("@score_tooling//python_basics:defs.bzl", "score_py_pytest")
 
 score_py_pytest(
-    name = "shebang_unit_tests",
+    name = "unit_tests",
     srcs = [
-        "test_shebang_handling.py",
+        "test_cr_checker.py",
     ],
     deps = [
         "@score_tooling//cr_checker/tool:cr_checker_lib",
diff --git a/cr_checker/tests/test_shebang_handling.py b/cr_checker/tests/test_cr_checker.py
similarity index 58%
rename from cr_checker/tests/test_shebang_handling.py
rename to cr_checker/tests/test_cr_checker.py
index 545ae49..bd2b6e1 100644
--- a/cr_checker/tests/test_shebang_handling.py
+++ b/cr_checker/tests/test_cr_checker.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 
 import importlib.util
 import json
+import pytest
 from datetime import datetime
 from pathlib import Path
 
@@ -32,15 +33,15 @@ def load_cr_checker_module():
 
 
 # load the license template
-def load_py_template() -> str:
+def load_template(extension: str) -> str:
     cr_checker = load_cr_checker_module()
     template_file = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1] / "resources" / "templates.ini"
     templates = cr_checker.load_templates(template_file)
-    return templates["py"]
+    return templates[extension]
 
 
 # write the config file here so that the year is always up to date with the year
-# written in the mock "script.py" file
+# written in the test file
 def write_config(path: Path, author: str) -> Path:
     config_path = path / "config.json"
     config_path.write_text(json.dumps({"author": author}), encoding="utf-8")
@@ -61,11 +62,145 @@ def test_detect_shebang_offset_counts_trailing_newlines(tmp_path):
     assert offset == len("#!/usr/bin/env python3\n\n".encode("utf-8"))
 
 
+@pytest.fixture(
+    params=[
+        "cpp",
+        "c",
+        "h",
+        "hpp",
+        "py",
+        "sh",
+        "bzl",
+        "ini",
+        "yml",
+        "BUILD",
+        "bazel",
+        "rs",
+        "rst",
+    ]
+)
+def prepare_test_with_header(request: SubRequest, tmp_path: PosixPath) -> tuple:
+    extension = request.param
+    test_file = tmp_path / ("file." + extension)
+    header_template = load_template(extension)
+    current_year = datetime.now().year
+    header = header_template.format(year=current_year, author="Author")
+    test_file.write_text(
+        header + "some content\n",
+        encoding="utf-8",
+    )
+    return test_file, extension, header_template
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(
+    params=[
+        "cpp",
+        "c",
+        "h",
+        "hpp",
+        "py",
+        "sh",
+        "bzl",
+        "ini",
+        "yml",
+        "BUILD",
+        "bazel",
+        "rs",
+        "rst",
+    ]
+)
+def prepare_test_no_header(request: SubRequest, tmp_path: PosixPath) -> tuple:
+    extension = request.param
+    test_file = tmp_path / ("file." + extension)
+    header_template = load_template(extension)
+    current_year = datetime.now().year
+    test_file.write_text(
+        "some content\n",
+        encoding="utf-8",
+    )
+    return test_file, extension, header_template, tmp_path
+
+
+def test_process_files_detects_header(prepare_test_with_header):
+    cr_checker = load_cr_checker_module()
+    test_file, extension, header_template = prepare_test_with_header
+
+    results = cr_checker.process_files(
+        [test_file],
+        {extension: header_template},
+        False,
+        use_mmap=False,
+        encoding="utf-8",
+        offset=0,
+        remove_offset=0,
+    )
+
+    assert results["no_copyright"] == 0
+
+
+def test_process_files_detects_missing_header(prepare_test_no_header):
+    cr_checker = load_cr_checker_module()
+    test_file, extension, header_template, tmp_path = prepare_test_no_header
+
+    results = cr_checker.process_files(
+        [test_file],
+        {extension: header_template},
+        False,
+        use_mmap=False,
+        encoding="utf-8",
+        offset=0,
+        remove_offset=0,
+    )
+
+    assert results["no_copyright"] == 1
+
+
+def test_process_files_inserts_missing_header(prepare_test_no_header):
+    cr_checker = load_cr_checker_module()
+    test_file, extension, header_template, tmp_path = prepare_test_no_header
+    author = "Author"
+    config = write_config(tmp_path, author)
+
+    results = cr_checker.process_files(
+        [test_file],
+        {extension: header_template},
+        True,
+        config=config,
+        use_mmap=False,
+        encoding="utf-8",
+        offset=0,
+        remove_offset=0,
+    )
+
+    assert results["no_copyright"] == 1
+    assert results["fixed"] == 1
+    expected_header = header_template.format(year=datetime.now().year, author="Author")
+    assert test_file.read_text(encoding="utf-8").startswith(expected_header)
+
+
+def test_process_files_skips_exclusion_with_missing_header(prepare_test_no_header):
+    cr_checker = load_cr_checker_module()
+    test_file, extension, header_template, tmp_path = prepare_test_no_header
+
+    results = cr_checker.process_files(
+        [test_file],
+        {extension: header_template},
+        False,
+        [str(test_file)],
+        use_mmap=False,
+        encoding="utf-8",
+        offset=0,
+        remove_offset=0,
+    )
+
+    assert results["no_copyright"] == 0
+
+
 # test that process_files function validates a license header after the shebang line
 def test_process_files_accepts_header_after_shebang(tmp_path):
     cr_checker = load_cr_checker_module()
     script = tmp_path / "script.py"
-    header_template = load_py_template()
+    header_template = load_template("py")
     current_year = datetime.now().year
     header = header_template.format(year=current_year, author="Author")
     script.write_text(
@@ -94,7 +229,7 @@ def test_process_files_fix_inserts_header_after_shebang(tmp_path):
         "#!/usr/bin/env python3\nprint('hi')\n",
         encoding="utf-8",
     )
-    header_template = load_py_template()
+    header_template = load_template("py")
     current_year = datetime.now().year
     author = "Author"
     config = write_config(tmp_path, author)
@@ -103,7 +238,7 @@ def test_process_files_fix_inserts_header_after_shebang(tmp_path):
         [script],
         {"py": header_template},
         True,
-        config,
+        config=config,
         use_mmap=False,
         encoding="utf-8",
         offset=0,
@@ -122,7 +257,7 @@ def test_process_files_fix_inserts_header_after_shebang(tmp_path):
 def test_process_files_accepts_header_without_shebang(tmp_path):
     cr_checker = load_cr_checker_module()
     script = tmp_path / "script.py"
-    header_template = load_py_template()
+    header_template = load_template("py")
     current_year = datetime.now().year
     header = header_template.format(year=current_year, author="Author")
     script.write_text(header + "print('hi')\n", encoding="utf-8")
@@ -145,7 +280,7 @@ def test_process_files_fix_inserts_header_without_shebang(tmp_path):
     cr_checker = load_cr_checker_module()
     script = tmp_path / "script.py"
     script.write_text("print('hi')\n", encoding="utf-8")
-    header_template = load_py_template()
+    header_template = load_template("py")
     current_year = datetime.now().year
     author = "Author"
     config = write_config(tmp_path, author)
@@ -154,7 +289,7 @@ def test_process_files_fix_inserts_header_without_shebang(tmp_path):
         [script],
         {"py": header_template},
         True,
-        config,
+        config=config,
         use_mmap=False,
         encoding="utf-8",
         offset=0,
diff --git a/cr_checker/tool/cr_checker.py b/cr_checker/tool/cr_checker.py
index a2b2d05..ef27eb9 100644
--- a/cr_checker/tool/cr_checker.py
+++ b/cr_checker/tool/cr_checker.py
@@ -186,6 +186,40 @@ def add_template_for_extensions(templates: dict, extensions: list, template: str
     return templates
 
 
+def load_exclusion(path):
+    """
+    Loads the list of files being excluded from the copyright check.
+
+    Args:
+        path (str): Path to the exclusion file.
+
+    Returns:
+        tuple(list, bool): a list of files that are excluded from the coypright check and a boolean indicating whether
+                           all paths listed in the exclusion file exist and are files.
+    """
+
+    exclusion = []
+    valid = True
+    with open(path, "r", encoding="utf-8") as file:
+        exclusion = file.read().splitlines()
+
+        for item in exclusion:
+            path = Path(item)
+            if not path.exists():
+                LOGGER.error("Excluded file %s does not exist.", item)
+                exclusion.remove(item)
+                valid = False
+                continue
+            if not path.is_file():
+                exclusion.remove(item)
+                LOGGER.error("Excluded file %s is not a file.", item)
+                valid = False
+                continue
+
+    LOGGER.debug(exclusion)
+    return exclusion, valid
+
+
 def configure_logging(log_file_path=None, verbose=False):
     """
     Configures logging to write messages to the specified log file.
@@ -490,6 +524,7 @@ def process_files(
     files,
     templates,
     fix,
+    exclusion=[],
     config=None,
     use_mmap=False,
     encoding="utf-8",
@@ -504,6 +539,8 @@ def process_files(
         templates (dict): A dictionary where keys are file extensions
                           (e.g., '.py', '.txt') and values are strings or patterns
                           representing the required copyright text.
+        exclusion (list): A list of paths to files to be excluded from the copyright
+                          check.
         config (Path): Path to the config JSON file where configuration
                        variables are stored (e.g. years for copyright headers).
         use_mmap (bool): Flag for using mmap function for reading files
@@ -528,6 +565,10 @@ def process_files(
             )
             continue
 
+        if str(item) in exclusion:
+            logging.debug("Skipped due to exclusion: %s", item)
+            continue
+
         if os.path.getsize(item) == 0:
             # No need to add copyright headers to empty files
             continue
@@ -576,6 +617,13 @@ def parse_arguments(argv):
         help="Path to the template file",
     )
 
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--exclusion-file",
+        type=Path,
+        required=False,
+        help="Path to the file listing file paths excluded from the copyright check.",
+    )
+
     parser.add_argument(
         "-c",
         "--config-file",
@@ -675,6 +723,15 @@ def main(argv=None):
         LOGGER.error("Failed to load copyright text: %s", err)
         return err.errno
 
+    exclusion = []
+    exclusion_valid = True
+    if args.exclusion_file:
+        try:
+            exclusion, exclusion_valid = load_exclusion(args.exclusion_file)
+        except IOError as err:
+            LOGGER.error("Failed to load exclusion list: %s", err)
+            return err.errno
+
     try:
         files = collect_inputs(args.inputs, args.extensions)
     except IOError as err:
@@ -695,6 +752,7 @@ def main(argv=None):
         files,
         templates,
         args.fix,
+        exclusion,
         args.config_file,
         args.use_memory_map,
         args.encoding,
@@ -712,6 +770,8 @@ def main(argv=None):
         total_no,
         COLORS["ENDC"],
     )
+    if not exclusion_valid:
+        LOGGER.info("The exclusion file contains paths that do not exist.")
     if args.fix:
         total_not_fixed = total_no - total_fixes
         LOGGER.info(
@@ -728,7 +788,7 @@ def main(argv=None):
         )
     LOGGER.info("=" * 64)
 
-    return 0 if total_no == 0 else 1
+    return 0 if (total_no == 0 and exclusion_valid) else 1
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/python_basics/integration_tests/.bazelversion b/python_basics/integration_tests/.bazelversion
deleted file mode 100644
index 2bf50aa..0000000
--- a/python_basics/integration_tests/.bazelversion
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-8.3.0
diff --git a/python_basics/integration_tests/.bazelversion b/python_basics/integration_tests/.bazelversion
new file mode 120000
index 0000000..96cf949
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python_basics/integration_tests/.bazelversion
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../../.bazelversion
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/starpls/integration_tests/.bazelversion b/starpls/integration_tests/.bazelversion
new file mode 120000
index 0000000..96cf949
--- /dev/null
+++ b/starpls/integration_tests/.bazelversion
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../../.bazelversion
\ No newline at end of file