Kubernetes v1.35 – PRR Freeze requirements (Thu, 9 Oct 2025 AoE)

[Drew Hagen]

Greetings Kubernetes Community! 👋

As shared earlier, we’re now actively collecting enhancements for the v1.35 release cycle. 🎉

This is a reminder that the new Production Readiness Review (PRR) Freeze is Thu, 9 Oct 2025 (end of day AoE) — which corresponds to Fri, 10 Oct 2025, 12:00 UTC. [0] All enhancements should plan to opt in well before PRR Freeze to allow adequate review time.

By PRR Freeze, each opted-in enhancement must have an open PR in kubernetes/enhancements that fulfills all three of the following requirements:

1) PRR questionnaire filled out in the KEP (no “TBD/N/A” where an answer is clearly applicable). [5]

2) kep.yaml is updated with the stage, latest-milestone, and milestone struct filled out like so:

    stage: 
    latest-milestone: v1.35
    milestone:
      : v1.35
    

3) PRR approver listed for the targeted stage in
keps/prod-readiness/<sig>/<kep-number>.yaml

e.g.,
alpha.approver: @gh-handle,
beta.approver: @gh-handle

Not required at PRR Freeze:
PRR approval and merge. Those can land before Enhancements Freeze. [1][2]

🚨 Exceptions
This new PRR Freeze follows the charters of both SIG Release [1] and SIG Architecture [2] and will be enforced this cycle.
If you anticipate missing the PRR Freeze requirements, please file an Exception early. [3] Starting at PRR Freeze, the Release Team will solicit and rule on Exception requests; Exception requests must be received within three days of the relevant freeze to be considered. [1][3]
If you also anticipate missing Enhancements Freeze, you may request exceptions for both PRR Freeze and Enhancements Freeze in the same request.
At PRR Freeze, the Enhancements board sync will be disabled; any new opt-ins or re-additions require an approved Exception to be included back in the milestone.

KEPs that miss these requirements at the PRR Freeze deadline and without an approved Exception will be removed from the 1.35 milestone at PRR Freeze.

Questions? Reach us on:
– #release-enhancements [6]
– #sig-release [7]
– #enhancements [8]

For PRR-specific questions:
– #prod-readiness [9]
– #sig-architecture [10]

Thank you!
Drew Hagen,
On behalf of the Kubernetes 1.35 Release Team [4] 🛳️

[0]: 1.35 Release Schedule
[1]: Release Phases - About PRR Freeze
[2]: SIG Architecture - Production Readiness Review process
[3]: Filing for Exceptions
[4]: sig-release/releases/release-1.35/release-team.md
[5]: PRR Questionnaire Template
[6]: #release-enhancements
[7]: #sig-release
[8]: #enhancements
[9]: #prod-readiness
[10]: #sig-architecture