diff --git a/layer.md b/layer.md
index 0a1fc2321..b441b8dba 100644
--- a/layer.md
+++ b/layer.md
@@ -270,4 +270,13 @@ Implementations SHOULD generate layers using _explicit whiteout_ files, but MUST
 
 Any given image is likely to be composed of several of these Image Filesystem Changeset tar archives.
 
+# Non-Distributable Layers
+
+Certain layers, due to legal requirements, may not be regularly distributable.
+Typically, such layers are downloaded directly from a distributor but are never uploaded.
+
+Layers that have these restrictions SHOULD be tagged with an alternative mediatype of `application/vnd.oci.image.layer.nondistributable.tar+gzip`.
+[Descriptors](descriptor.md) referencing these layers MAY include `urls` for downloading these layers.
+It is implementation defined whether or not implementations upload layers tagged with this media type.
+
 [tar-archive]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tar_(computing)
diff --git a/media-types.md b/media-types.md
index d426814da..34a5bc9f1 100644
--- a/media-types.md
+++ b/media-types.md
@@ -5,8 +5,9 @@ The following `mediaType` MIME types are used by the formats described here, and
 - `application/vnd.oci.descriptor.v1+json`: [Content Descriptor](descriptor.md)
 - `application/vnd.oci.image.manifest.list.v1+json`: [Manifest list](manifest.md#manifest-list)
 - `application/vnd.oci.image.manifest.v1+json`: [Image manifest format](manifest.md#image-manifest)
-- `application/vnd.oci.image.layer.tar+gzip`: ["Layer", as a gzipped tar archive](layer.md)
 - `application/vnd.oci.image.config.v1+json`: [Container config JSON](serialization.md)
+- `application/vnd.oci.image.layer.tar+gzip`: ["Layer", as a gzipped tar archive](layer.md)
+- `application/vnd.oci.image.layer.nondistributable.tar+gzip`: ["Layer", as a gzipped tar that has distribution restrictions](layer.md#non-distributable-layers)
 
 ## Compatibility Matrix