diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/analysis/BaseRuleClasses.java b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/analysis/BaseRuleClasses.java
index 18daf4d..53ce39a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/analysis/BaseRuleClasses.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/analysis/BaseRuleClasses.java
@@ -331,7 +331,14 @@
                     "special logic for constraints and select: see ConstraintSemantics"))
         .add(
             attr(RuleClass.CONFIG_SETTING_DEPS_ATTRIBUTE, LABEL_LIST)
-                .nonconfigurable("stores configurability keys"));
+                .nonconfigurable("stores configurability keys"))
+        .add(
+            attr(RuleClass.APPLICABLE_LICENSES_ATTR, LABEL_LIST)
+                .cfg(HostTransition.createFactory())
+                .allowedFileTypes(FileTypeSet.NO_FILE)
+                // TODO(b/148601291): Require provider to be "LicenseInfo".
+                .dontCheckConstraints()
+                .nonconfigurable("applicable_licenses is not configurable"));
   }
 
   public static RuleClass.Builder nameAttribute(RuleClass.Builder builder) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/analysis/DependencyResolver.java b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/analysis/DependencyResolver.java
index 61daebd..9433b26 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/analysis/DependencyResolver.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/analysis/DependencyResolver.java
@@ -482,6 +482,14 @@
     if (toolchainContext != null) {
       outgoingLabels.putAll(TOOLCHAIN_DEPENDENCY, toolchainContext.resolvedToolchainLabels());
     }
+
+    if (!rule.isAttributeValueExplicitlySpecified(RuleClass.APPLICABLE_LICENSES_ATTR)) {
+      addExplicitDeps(
+          outgoingLabels,
+          rule,
+          RuleClass.APPLICABLE_LICENSES_ATTR,
+          rule.getPackage().getDefaultApplicableLicenses());
+    }
   }
 
   private void resolveAttributes(
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/packages/Package.java b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/packages/Package.java
index 45db928..5ae743e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/packages/Package.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/packages/Package.java
@@ -167,6 +167,9 @@
    */
   private ImmutableList<Label> skylarkFileDependencies;
 
+  /** The package's default "applicable_licenses" attribute. */
+  private Set<Label> defaultApplicableLicenses = ImmutableSet.of();
+
   /**
    * The package's default "licenses" and "distribs" attributes, as specified
    * in calls to licenses() and distribs() in the BUILD file.
@@ -296,6 +299,14 @@
   }
 
   /**
+   * Sets the default 'applicable_licenses" value for this package attribute when not explicitly
+   * specified by the rule.
+   */
+  private void setDefaultApplicableLicenses(Set<Label> licenses) {
+    defaultApplicableLicenses = licenses;
+  }
+
+  /**
    * Sets the default value to use for a rule's {@link RuleClass#COMPATIBLE_ENVIRONMENT_ATTR}
    * attribute when not explicitly specified by the rule.
    */
@@ -659,6 +670,11 @@
     return defaultVisibilitySet;
   }
 
+  /** Gets the licenses list for the default applicable_licenses declared by this package. */
+  public Set<Label> getDefaultApplicableLicenses() {
+    return defaultApplicableLicenses;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Gets the parsed license object for the default license
    * declared by this package.
@@ -830,6 +846,7 @@
     @Nullable private IOException ioException = null;
     private boolean containsErrors = false;
 
+    private ImmutableList<Label> defaultApplicableLicenses = ImmutableList.of();
     private License defaultLicense = License.NO_LICENSE;
     private Set<License.DistributionType> defaultDistributionSet = License.DEFAULT_DISTRIB;
 
@@ -1149,6 +1166,23 @@
     }
 
     /**
+     * Sets the default value to use for a rule's {@link RuleClass#APPLICABLE_LICENSES_ATTR}
+     * attribute when not explicitly specified by the rule. Records a package error if any labels
+     * are duplicated.
+     */
+    void setDefaultApplicableLicenses(List<Label> licenses, String attrName, Location location) {
+      if (!checkForDuplicateLabels(
+          licenses, "package " + pkg.getName(), attrName, location, builderEventHandler)) {
+        setContainsErrors();
+      }
+      pkg.setDefaultApplicableLicenses(ImmutableSet.copyOf(licenses));
+    }
+
+    ImmutableList<Label> getDefaultApplicableLicenses() {
+      return defaultApplicableLicenses;
+    }
+
+    /**
      * Sets the default license for this package.
      */
     void setDefaultLicense(License license) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/packages/PackageFactory.java b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/packages/PackageFactory.java
index 237f0fa..acda081 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/packages/PackageFactory.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/packages/PackageFactory.java
@@ -199,6 +199,26 @@
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Declares the package() attribute specifying the default value for {@link
+   * com.google.devtools.build.lib.packages.RuleClass#APPLICABLE_LICENSES_ATTR} when not explicitly
+   * specified.
+   */
+  private static class DefaultApplicableLicenses extends PackageArgument<List<Label>> {
+    private static final String DEFAULT_APPLICABLE_LICENSES_ATTRIBUTE =
+        "default_applicable_licenses";
+
+    private DefaultApplicableLicenses() {
+      super(DEFAULT_APPLICABLE_LICENSES_ATTRIBUTE, BuildType.LABEL_LIST);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    protected void process(Package.Builder pkgBuilder, Location location, List<Label> value) {
+      pkgBuilder.setDefaultApplicableLicenses(
+          value, DEFAULT_APPLICABLE_LICENSES_ATTRIBUTE, location);
+    }
+  }
+
   private static class DefaultLicenses extends PackageArgument<License> {
     private DefaultLicenses() {
       super("licenses", BuildType.LICENSE);
@@ -448,6 +468,7 @@
         ImmutableList.<PackageArgument<?>>builder()
             .add(new DefaultDeprecation())
             .add(new DefaultDistribs())
+            .add(new DefaultApplicableLicenses())
             .add(new DefaultLicenses())
             .add(new DefaultTestOnly())
             .add(new DefaultVisibility())
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/packages/RuleClass.java b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/packages/RuleClass.java
index 301cc77..4e78bea 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/packages/RuleClass.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/packages/RuleClass.java
@@ -135,6 +135,10 @@
   public static final PathFragment EXPERIMENTAL_PREFIX = PathFragment.create("experimental");
   public static final String EXEC_COMPATIBLE_WITH_ATTR = "exec_compatible_with";
   public static final String EXEC_PROPERTIES = "exec_properties";
+  /*
+   * The attribute that declares the set of license labels which apply to this target.
+   */
+  public static final String APPLICABLE_LICENSES_ATTR = "applicable_licenses";
 
   /**
    * A constraint for the package name of the Rule instances.
@@ -2183,6 +2187,11 @@
    */
   private static Object getAttributeNoncomputedDefaultValue(Attribute attr,
       Package.Builder pkgBuilder) {
+    // TODO(b/149505729): Determine the right semantics for someone trying to define their own
+    // attribute named applicable_licenses.
+    if (attr.getName().equals("applicable_licenses")) {
+      return pkgBuilder.getDefaultApplicableLicenses();
+    }
     // Starlark rules may define their own "licenses" attributes with different types -
     // we shouldn't trigger the special "licenses" on those cases.
     if (attr.getName().equals("licenses") && attr.getType() == BuildType.LICENSE) {