diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/validation/OWNERS b/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/validation/OWNERS
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..40237324761
--- /dev/null
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/validation/OWNERS
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+# See the OWNERS docs at https://go.k8s.io/owners
+
+# Disable inheritance as this is an api owners file
+options:
+  no_parent_owners: true
+approvers:
+  - api-approvers
+reviewers:
+  - api-reviewers
+labels:
+  - kind/api-change
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/validation/OWNERS b/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/validation/OWNERS
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..40237324761
--- /dev/null
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/validation/OWNERS
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+# See the OWNERS docs at https://go.k8s.io/owners
+
+# Disable inheritance as this is an api owners file
+options:
+  no_parent_owners: true
+approvers:
+  - api-approvers
+reviewers:
+  - api-reviewers
+labels:
+  - kind/api-change