diff --git a/.github/CODEOWNERS b/.github/CODEOWNERS
index 3631faaece8..3073a664cd5 100644
--- a/.github/CODEOWNERS
+++ b/.github/CODEOWNERS
@@ -4,3 +4,4 @@
 /litellm/deploy/helm/ @yassin-berriai
 /litellm/deploy/terraform/ @yassin-berriai
 /.github/workflows/zizmor.yml @yuneng-berri
+/.github/root-entries-allowlist.json @mateo-berri @ryan-crabbe-berri @kerry-berri @joshua-berri
diff --git a/.github/root-entries-allowlist.json b/.github/root-entries-allowlist.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f95777f9703
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/root-entries-allowlist.json
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+{
+  ".agents": "Agent skills discovered from the repository root.",
+  ".cargo": "Cargo configuration discovered by root-invoked Cargo and maturin.",
+  ".gitguardian.yaml": "Root configuration discovered by GitGuardian.",
+  ".github": "GitHub workflows, repository automation, policy and ownership discovery.",
+  ".gitignore": "Git ignore rules for repository worktrees.",
+  "AGENTS.md": "Root instructions discovered by coding agents.",
+  "LICENSE": "Repository license consumed by hosting and package builds.",
+  "Makefile": "Root entry points for workspace development and testing.",
+  "README.md": "Repository overview consumed by hosting and package builds.",
+  "gateway": "Top-level supervisor supports worker imports without loading the SDK.",
+  "litellm": "Python SDK and consolidated project sources.",
+  "model_prices_and_context_window.json": "Published model metadata consumed by the SDK and external readers.",
+  "policy_templates.json": "Published policy templates retained at their existing root URL.",
+  "provider_endpoints_support.json": "Published provider endpoint metadata retained at its existing root URL.",
+  "pyproject.toml": "Root Python package manifest and workspace configuration.",
+  "rust-toolchain.toml": "Toolchain selection discovered by root-invoked Cargo and maturin.",
+  "tests": "Repository-wide test suites and test infrastructure.",
+  "uv.lock": "Locked dependency graph for the root Python workspace."
+}
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_repo_root_allowlist.py b/tests/unit/test_repo_root_allowlist.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8568784684e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/test_repo_root_allowlist.py
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+import json
+import subprocess
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Final
+
+ROOT: Final = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2]
+ALLOWLIST: Final = ROOT / ".github/root-entries-allowlist.json"
+
+
+def test_tracked_root_entries_have_reviewed_reasons() -> None:
+    allowed: Final[dict[str, str]] = json.loads(ALLOWLIST.read_text())
+    tracked: Final = frozenset(
+        path.split("/", 1)[0]
+        for path in subprocess.run(
+            ["git", "ls-files", "-z"], cwd=ROOT, capture_output=True, text=True, check=True
+        ).stdout.split("\0")
+        if path
+    )
+    unlisted: Final = tuple(sorted(tracked - allowed.keys()))
+    stale: Final = tuple(sorted(allowed.keys() - tracked))
+    invalid_reasons: Final = tuple(
+        sorted(
+            entry
+            for entry, reason in allowed.items()
+            if not isinstance(reason, str) or not reason.strip() or len(reason.splitlines()) != 1
+        )
+    )
+    assert not (unlisted or stale or invalid_reasons), (
+        f"Unlisted tracked root entries: {unlisted}\n"
+        f"Stale allowlist entries: {stale}\n"
+        f"Entries without a one-line reason: {invalid_reasons}\n"
+        "Edit .github/root-entries-allowlist.json to add each allowed root entry with a one-line reason, "
+        "or remove stale entries. Code owners must review allowlist changes."
+    )