diff --git a/.github/hooks/check-dco.sh b/.github/hooks/check-dco.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..5f7f88654b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/hooks/check-dco.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# DCO sign-off check for the pre-commit commit-msg stage.
+#
+# Mirrors the GitHub DCO app requirement: every commit must carry a
+# "Signed-off-by:" line identifying the author.
+#
+# Usage: check-dco.sh <commit-message-file>
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+msg_file="${1:-}"
+
+if [[ -z "${msg_file}" || ! -f "${msg_file}" ]]; then
+    echo "DCO check: no commit message file supplied." >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+if grep -qE '^Signed-off-by: .+ <[^@ ]+@[^@ ]+>$' "${msg_file}"; then
+    exit 0
+fi
+
+cat >&2 <<'EOF'
+DCO check failed: commit message is missing a "Signed-off-by:" line.
+
+Add a sign-off using one of:
+    git commit -s            # sign as you create the commit
+    git commit --amend -s    # sign the most recent commit
+
+The line must identify the commit author, for example:
+    Signed-off-by: Your Name <you@example.com>
+EOF
+
+exit 1
diff --git a/.pre-commit-config.yaml b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
index ae03b5bae9..a3fe2d7d83 100644
--- a/.pre-commit-config.yaml
+++ b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 default_language_version:
   python: python3
 
+default_install_hook_types: [pre-commit, commit-msg]
+
 ci:
   autofix_prs: true
   autoupdate_commit_msg: '[pre-commit.ci] pre-commit suggestions'
@@ -62,3 +64,10 @@ repos:
               ^versioneer.py|
               ^monai/_version.py
           )
+  - repo: local
+    hooks:
+      - id: dco
+        name: DCO sign-off
+        entry: .github/hooks/check-dco.sh
+        language: script
+        stages: [commit-msg]
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 1fb68b4b58..318433a48e 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -51,7 +51,19 @@ To collaborate efficiently, please read through this section and follow them.
 
 #### Checking the coding style
 
-Coding style is checked and enforced by black, isort, and ruff.
+Coding style is checked and enforced by black, isort, and ruff, and every commit must carry a DCO sign-off.
+To catch formatting and DCO failures before they reach CI, install the git pre-commit hooks once per checkout:
+
+```bash
+# install the git hooks: black, isort, ruff, and the DCO sign-off check
+pre-commit install
+
+# or, via the test runner:
+./runtests.sh --setup
+```
+
+These hooks run automatically on every `git commit`: `black`, `isort`, and `ruff` reformat the staged files, and the `commit-msg` hook blocks a commit that is missing a `Signed-off-by` line.
+
 Before submitting a pull request, we recommend that all linting should pass, by running the following command locally:
 
 ```bash
@@ -247,6 +259,8 @@ Git has a `-s` (or `--signoff`) command-line option to append this automatically
 git commit -s -m 'a new commit'
 ```
 
+If the git pre-commit hooks are installed (`pre-commit install` or `./runtests.sh --setup`), the local `commit-msg` hook blocks any commit that is missing this line, so the DCO check fails locally rather than in CI.
+
 The commit message will be:
 
 ```
diff --git a/runtests.sh b/runtests.sh
index 0fc18b36ec..6a092f57bf 100755
--- a/runtests.sh
+++ b/runtests.sh
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ doPyreflyFormat=false
 doCleanup=false
 doDistTests=false
 doPrecommit=false
+doSetup=false
 testTimeout=0
 
 NUM_PARALLEL=1
@@ -61,7 +62,7 @@ PY_EXE=${MONAI_PY_EXE:-$(which python)}
 
 function print_usage {
     echo "runtests.sh [--codeformat] [--autofix] [--black] [--isort] [--pylint] [--ruff]"
-    echo "            [--clangformat] [--precommit] [--pytype] [-j number] [--pyrefly]"
+    echo "            [--clangformat] [--precommit] [--pytype] [-j number] [--pyrefly] [--setup]"
     echo "            [--unittests] [--disttests] [--coverage] [--quick] [--min] [--net] [--build] [--list_tests]"
     echo "            [--dryrun] [--copyright] [--clean] [--help] [--version] [--path] [--formatfix]"
     echo ""
@@ -103,6 +104,7 @@ function print_usage {
     echo ""
     echo "Misc. options:"
     echo "    --dryrun          : display the commands to the screen without running"
+    echo "    --setup           : install git pre-commit hooks (black, isort, ruff, DCO sign-off)"
     echo "    --copyright       : check whether every source code has a copyright header"
     echo "    -f, --codeformat  : shorthand to run all code style and static analysis tests"
     echo "    -c, --clean       : clean temporary files from tests and exit"
@@ -320,6 +322,9 @@ do
         --precommit)
             doPrecommit=true
         ;;
+        --setup)
+            doSetup=true
+        ;;
         --pytype)
             echo "${yellow}WARNING: --pytype is deprecated and may be removed in a future release.${noColor}"
             doPytypeFormat=true
@@ -429,6 +434,21 @@ then
     echo "${green}done!${noColor}"
 fi
 
+if [ $doSetup = true ]
+then
+    echo "${separator}${blue}setup${noColor}"
+
+    # ensure pre-commit is available
+    if ! is_pip_installed pre_commit
+    then
+        install_deps
+    fi
+
+    ${cmdPrefix}"${PY_EXE}" -m pre_commit install
+
+    echo "${green}done! git hooks installed (black, isort, ruff, DCO sign-off).${noColor}"
+fi
+
 # unconditionally report on the state of monai
 print_version