diff --git a/data_tamer_cpp/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/data_tamer_cpp/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index b56949c..92ec5d9 100644
--- a/data_tamer_cpp/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/data_tamer_cpp/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@ include(GoogleTest)
 add_executable(datatamer_test
     dt_tests.cpp
     custom_types_tests.cpp
-    parser_tests.cpp)
+    parser_tests.cpp
+    trait_tests.cpp)
 gtest_discover_tests(datatamer_test DISCOVERY_MODE PRE_TEST)
 
 target_include_directories(datatamer_test
diff --git a/data_tamer_cpp/tests/trait_tests.cpp b/data_tamer_cpp/tests/trait_tests.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8495fa8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/data_tamer_cpp/tests/trait_tests.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+#include "data_tamer/contrib/SerializeMe.hpp"
+#include <gtest/gtest.h>
+#include <vector>
+#include <array>
+
+using namespace SerializeMe;
+
+// non-template type with TypeDefinition
+struct CustomWithTypeDef
+{
+  int a;
+  double b;
+};
+
+template <typename AddField>
+std::string_view TypeDefinition(CustomWithTypeDef&, AddField&)
+{
+  return "CustomWithTypeDef";
+}
+
+// non-template type without TypeDefinition
+struct CustomNoTypeDef
+{
+  int x;
+};
+
+// a template but non-variadic custom type
+template <typename T>
+struct TemplateCustomType
+{
+  T type;
+};
+
+template <typename T, typename AddField>
+std::string_view TypeDefinition(TemplateCustomType<T>&, AddField&)
+{
+  return "TemplateCustomType";
+}
+
+// type with variadic parameters but *not* a container type
+template <typename... Args>
+struct VariadicCustomType
+{
+  int id;
+  std::tuple<Args...> values;
+};
+
+template <typename... Args, typename AddField>
+std::string_view TypeDefinition(VariadicCustomType<Args...>&, AddField&)
+{
+  return "VariadicCustomType";
+}
+
+// check that all the traits work as expected at compile time
+// the below tests run, but are here primarily to ensure compilation works as intended for user-defined types
+// the static asserts are the crux of the test
+static_assert(has_TypeDefinition<CustomWithTypeDef>::value, "CustomWithTypeDef should "
+                                                            "have TypeDefinition");
+static_assert(!has_TypeDefinition<CustomNoTypeDef>::value, "CustomNoTypeDef should not "
+                                                           "have TypeDefinition");
+static_assert(!has_TypeDefinition<std::vector<int>>::value, "std::vector<int> should not "
+                                                            "have TypeDefinition");
+static_assert(!has_TypeDefinition<std::array<double, 3>>::value, "std::array<double, 3> "
+                                                                 "should not have "
+                                                                 "TypeDefinition");
+static_assert(has_TypeDefinition<VariadicCustomType<int, double>>::value, "MyCustomType<"
+                                                                          "int, "
+                                                                          "double> "
+                                                                          "should have "
+                                                                          "TypeDefinitio"
+                                                                          "n");
+
+static_assert(has_TypeDefinition<TemplateCustomType<int>>::value, "TemplateCustomType<"
+                                                                  "int> should have "
+                                                                  "TypeDefinition");
+
+// check that BufferSize works on the types
+TEST(CustomTypeTrait, BufferSize)
+{
+  // container of custom type works because it uses the container overload even though the contained type has no TypeDefinition
+  std::vector<CustomNoTypeDef> c{ { 1 }, { 2 }, { 3 } };
+  EXPECT_NO_THROW(BufferSize(c));
+
+  // std containers of std types
+  std::vector<int> v{ 1, 2, 3 };
+  EXPECT_NO_THROW((BufferSize(v)));
+  std::array<double, 2> arr{ { 4.0, 5.0 } };
+  EXPECT_NO_THROW((BufferSize(arr)));
+
+  // template custom type
+  TemplateCustomType<int> template_type_def_type{ 31415 };
+  EXPECT_NO_THROW((BufferSize(template_type_def_type)));
+
+  // variadic custom type
+  VariadicCustomType<int, double> variadic_type_def_type{ 1, std::make_tuple(2, 3.) };
+  EXPECT_NO_THROW((BufferSize(variadic_type_def_type)));
+
+  // container overload for custom type with TypeDefinition
+  std::vector<CustomWithTypeDef> vector_of_type_def{ { 1, 2. }, { 3, 4. } };
+  EXPECT_NO_THROW((BufferSize(vector_of_type_def)));
+
+  // non-variadic custom types
+  CustomWithTypeDef type_def_type{};
+  EXPECT_NO_THROW((BufferSize(type_def_type)));
+  CustomNoTypeDef no_type_def{};
+  // this wouldn't compile since it isn't in a container and has no type def
+  // BufferSize(no_type_def);
+}