diff --git a/src/modality-agnostic-files/dataset-description.md b/src/modality-agnostic-files/dataset-description.md
index 79d75264c3..68fa12374f 100644
--- a/src/modality-agnostic-files/dataset-description.md
+++ b/src/modality-agnostic-files/dataset-description.md
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ Templates:
 -   `dataset_description.json`
 -   `README[.md|.rst|.txt]`
 -   `CITATION.cff`
+-   `datacite.yml`
 -   `CHANGES`
 -   `LICENSE[.md|.rst|.txt]`
 
@@ -31,8 +32,8 @@ and a guide for using macros can be found at
       "HEDVersion": "RECOMMENDED",
       "DatasetLinks": "REQUIRED if [BIDS URIs][] are used",
       "DatasetType": "RECOMMENDED",
-      "License": "RECOMMENDED",
-      "Authors": "RECOMMENDED if CITATION.cff is not present",
+      "License": "RECOMMENDED if CITATION.cff and datacite.yml are not present",
+      "Authors": "RECOMMENDED if CITATION.cff and datacite.yml are not present",
       "Keywords": "OPTIONAL",
       "Acknowledgements": "OPTIONAL",
       "HowToAcknowledge": "OPTIONAL",
@@ -172,7 +173,24 @@ A guide for using macros can be found at
 -->
 {{ MACROS___render_text("objects.files.README.description") }}
 
-## `CITATION.cff`
+## Structured citation files
+
+BIDS permits structured citation files that may improve interoperability with
+dataset indexing utilities or afford higher precision than fields in
+`dataset_description.json`.
+
+If these files are used, fields that provide information that is redundant with
+`dataset_description.json` fields SHOULD be preferred to those in `dataset_description.json`.
+
+To avoid inconsistency, metadata present in one of the following files SHOULD NOT be
+be included in `dataset_description.json`, with the exception of `Name` and
+`DatasetDOI`, to ensure that tools that are only aware of `dataset_description.json`
+can generate references to the dataset.
+
+In particular, if a structured citation file is present,
+the `"Authors"` field of `dataset_description.json` MUST be omitted.
+
+### `CITATION.cff`
 
 <!-- This block generates a file tree.
 A guide for using macros can be found at
@@ -180,18 +198,22 @@ A guide for using macros can be found at
 -->
 {{ MACROS___render_text("objects.files.CITATION.description") }}
 
-For most redundant fields between `CITATION.cff` and `dataset_description.json`,
-the `CITATION.cff` SHOULD take precedence.
-To avoid inconsistency, metadata present in `CITATION.cff` SHOULD NOT be
-be included in `dataset_description.json`, with the exception of `Name` and
-`DatasetDOI`, to ensure that `CITATION.cff`-unaware tools can generate
-references to the dataset.
-In particular, if `CITATION.cff` is present,
-the `"Authors"` field of `dataset_description.json` MUST be omitted,
-and the `"HowToAcknowledge"`, `"License"` and `"ReferencesAndLinks"` SHOULD be omitted
+If `CITATION.cff` is present,
+the `"HowToAcknowledge"`, `"License"` and `"ReferencesAndLinks"` SHOULD be omitted
 in favor of the `CITATION.cff` fields `message`/`preferred-citation`, `license` and
 `references`.
 
+### `datacite.yml`
+
+<!-- This block generates a file tree.
+A guide for using macros can be found at
+ https://github.com/bids-standard/bids-specification/blob/master/macros_doc.md
+-->
+{{ MACROS___render_text("objects.files.datacite.description") }}
+
+If `datacite.yml` is present, the `"License"` SHOULD be omitted
+in favor of the `datacite.yml` field `rightsList`.
+
 ## `CHANGES`
 
 <!-- This block generates a description.
diff --git a/src/schema/objects/files.yaml b/src/schema/objects/files.yaml
index 9c6bc41305..58d6825583 100644
--- a/src/schema/objects/files.yaml
+++ b/src/schema/objects/files.yaml
@@ -49,6 +49,16 @@ README:
     even if the used format is not rendered.
     A guideline for creating a good `README` file can be found in the
     [bids-starter-kit](https://github.com/bids-standard/bids-starter-kit/tree/main/templates/).
+datacite:
+  display_name: datacite.yml
+  file_type: regular
+  description: |
+    A description of the citation information for the dataset, following the
+    [DataCite Metadata Schema v4](https://schema.datacite.org/meta/kernel-4/)
+    (or higher) schema.
+    This file permits more detailed and structured descriptions than
+    [dataset_description.json](SPEC_ROOT/glossary.md#dataset_description-files),
+    suitable for submission to DataCite to generate a DOI.
 dataset_description:
   display_name: Dataset Description
   file_type: regular
diff --git a/src/schema/rules/files/common/core.yaml b/src/schema/rules/files/common/core.yaml
index fe8535d0ce..55d68782e1 100644
--- a/src/schema/rules/files/common/core.yaml
+++ b/src/schema/rules/files/common/core.yaml
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@ dataset_description:
 CITATION:
   level: optional
   path: CITATION.cff
+datacite:
+  level: optional
+  path: datacite.yml
 README:
   level: recommended
   stem: README