diff --git a/.pre-commit-hooks.yaml b/.pre-commit-hooks.yaml
index 29bab0b..35a4ba0 100644
--- a/.pre-commit-hooks.yaml
+++ b/.pre-commit-hooks.yaml
@@ -5,3 +5,10 @@
     language: python
     pass_filenames: false
     always_run: true
+-   id: pre-executed-nb-never-execute
+    name: Check pre-executed notebooks
+    description: Confirm that notebooks that are pre-executed contain "nbsphinx" metadata where "execute"="never"
+    entry: pre-executed-nb-never-execute
+    language: python
+    pass_filenames: true
+    always_run: true
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 25612f9..b8931bf 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -2,6 +2,20 @@
 
 [![Template](https://img.shields.io/badge/Template-LINCC%20Frameworks%20Python%20Project%20Template-brightgreen)](https://lincc-ppt.readthedocs.io/en/latest/)
 
+## Check template version
+
+### Motivation
+
+The [LINCC Frameworks Python Project Template](https://lincc-ppt.readthedocs.io/en/latest/)
+is a reference implementation for our team's 
+python best practices. These best practices change over time (or we adapt to changes in 
+other systems), and the PPT copier template is updated and released.
+
+This pre-commit check determines if your current PPT copier template is up-to-date
+and provides a warning if it's not. You can still continue with your commit if the 
+template is stale, but we recommend running the update process.
+
+### Configuration
 
 Add the following to your `.pre-commit-config.yaml` file to check for newer versions 
 of the template:
@@ -12,7 +26,7 @@ repos:
 ...
 
   - repo: https://github.com/lincc-frameworks/pre-commit-hooks
-    rev: v0.1
+    rev: v0.1.2
     hooks:
       - id: check-lincc-frameworks-template-version
         name: Check template version
@@ -22,6 +36,8 @@ repos:
 ...
 ```
 
+### Execution
+
 If the template version in the `.copier-answers.yml` file matches the most recent 
 version available, you'll see this:
 
@@ -44,11 +60,79 @@ For more information see the documentation: https://lincc-ppt.readthedocs.io/en/
 ```
 
 
+## Check pre-executed notebooks
+
+### Motivation
+
+Often, tutorial notebooks require large datasets, access to third party APIs, large CPU or GPU requirements.
+
+In our projects, we want to include these in rendered readthedocs sites, but do NOT want them to be 
+executed as part of the docs workflow.
+
+To ensure that the notebooks are not run by the notebook conversion process, you can add the following metadata block to the notebook:
+
+```
+   "nbsphinx": {
+    "execute": "never"
+   },
+```
+
+The `pre-executed-nb-never-execute` hook was built to check all notebooks inside some `pre_executed` directory
+for this metadata block. If it is not present, we add the block. We also confirm that the metadata is well-formatted.
+
+### Configuration
+
+Add the following to your `.pre-commit-config.yaml` file to check notebook metadata:
+
+```
+repos:
+
+...
+  - repo: https://github.com/lincc-frameworks/pre-commit-hooks
+    rev: v0.1.2
+    hooks:
+      - id: pre-executed-nb-never-execute
+        name: Check pre-executed notebooks
+        files: ^docs/pre_executed/.*\.ipynb$
+        verbose: true
+        args:
+          ["docs/pre_executed/",]
+...
+```
+
+### Execution
+
+If all notebooks are found to be in good order, expect the following output
+in your pre-commit logs:
+
+```
+Check pre-executed notebooks.............................................Passed
+```
+
+If some notebooks are modified by this hook, the hook will fail, with a message that 
+includes the paths to the modified notebooks.
+```
+Check pre-executed notebooks.............................................Failed
+- hook id: pre-executed-nb-never-execute
+- exit code: 1
+- files were modified by this hook
+
+Modified notebook to set nbsphinx.execute='never': docs/pre_executed/intro.ipynb
+```
+
+Further, if notebooks are malformed, the errors will appear in the pre-commit
+logs.
+
+```
+Check pre-executed notebooks.............................................Failed
+- hook id: pre-executed-nb-never-execute
+- exit code: 1
+
+Expecting property name enclosed in double quotes: line 85 column 1 (char 2195)
+```
+
 ## Attribution
 
 This project was automatically generated using the LINCC-Frameworks [python-project-template](https://github.com/lincc-frameworks/python-project-template).
 
-A repository badge was added to show that this project uses the python-project-template, however it's up to
-you whether or not you'd like to display it!
-
-For more information about the project template see the For more information about the project template see the [documentation](https://lincc-ppt.readthedocs.io/en/latest/).
+For more information about the project template see the [documentation](https://lincc-ppt.readthedocs.io/en/latest/).
diff --git a/src/pre_commit_hooks/__init__.py b/src/pre_commit_hooks/__init__.py
index 3741e2f..da0ee7b 100644
--- a/src/pre_commit_hooks/__init__.py
+++ b/src/pre_commit_hooks/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 from ._version import __version__
 from .check_template_version import *
+from .pre_executed_nb_never_execute import *
 
 __all__ = ["__version__"]
diff --git a/src/pre_commit_hooks/pre_executed_nb_never_execute.py b/src/pre_commit_hooks/pre_executed_nb_never_execute.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d4041ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/pre_commit_hooks/pre_executed_nb_never_execute.py
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""
+Ensure every notebook under docs/pre_executed has metadata:
+"nbsphinx": {"execute": "never"}
+
+This script is safe to run as a pre-commit hook. It will modify notebooks in-place
+and print modified file paths. It raises exceptions on hard errors (instead of
+return codes). If any notebook has an explicit `nbsphinx.execute` value other than
+`"never"`, the script fails without making changes to that notebook.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import json
+import logging
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
+TARGET_DIR = ROOT / "docs" / "pre_executed"
+
+
+def _find_notebooks(dirpath: Path) -> list[Path]:
+    if not dirpath.exists():
+        return []
+    return sorted(dirpath.glob("*.ipynb"))
+
+
+def ensure_nbsphinx_execute_never(notebook_path: Path) -> bool:
+    """Return True if the file was modified.
+
+    Raises RuntimeError when the notebook explicitly sets `nbsphinx.execute`
+    to a value other than "never" (the script should fail with no fix).
+    """
+    with notebook_path.open("r") as fh:
+        nb = json.load(fh)
+
+    if not isinstance(nb, dict):
+        raise RuntimeError(f"Unexpected notebook format for {notebook_path}")
+
+    metadata = nb.setdefault("metadata", {})
+    nbsphinx = metadata.setdefault("nbsphinx", {})
+
+    if not isinstance(nbsphinx, dict):
+        raise RuntimeError(
+            f"Notebook {notebook_path} has metadata.nbsphinx "
+            "of type {type(nbsphinx).__name__}; expected a mapping"
+        )
+
+    if "execute" in nbsphinx:
+        if nbsphinx["execute"] == "never":
+            return False
+        raise RuntimeError(
+            f"Notebook {notebook_path} has "
+            "metadata.nbsphinx.execute={nbsphinx.get('execute')!r}; expected 'never'"
+        )
+
+    nbsphinx["execute"] = "never"
+
+    with notebook_path.open("w") as fh:
+        json.dump(nb, fh, indent=1, sort_keys=True, ensure_ascii=False)
+
+    logging.warning("Modified notebook to set nbsphinx.execute='never': %s", notebook_path)
+
+    return True
+
+
+def main(argv=None) -> int:
+    """Main method for execution.
+
+    Finds notebooks in the target directory, and scans each for nbsphinx execute metadata.
+    """
+    logging.basicConfig(level=logging.WARNING, format="%(message)s")
+
+    if argv is None and len(sys.argv) > 1:
+        argv = sys.argv[1]
+    if argv is None:
+        argv = TARGET_DIR
+
+    notebooks = _find_notebooks(Path(argv))
+    if len(notebooks) == 0:
+        logging.warning("No notebooks found at path %s.", str(argv))
+        return 0
+
+    # If pre-scan passed, perform modifications safely.
+    return_code = 0
+    for nb in notebooks:
+        try:
+            if ensure_nbsphinx_execute_never(nb):
+                return_code = 1
+        except Exception as e:
+            logging.error(str(e))
+            return_code = 1
+
+    return return_code
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    raise SystemExit(main())
diff --git a/tests/pre_commit_hooks/test_pre_executed_nb_never_execute.py b/tests/pre_commit_hooks/test_pre_executed_nb_never_execute.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8332e98
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/pre_commit_hooks/test_pre_executed_nb_never_execute.py
@@ -0,0 +1,143 @@
+from pre_commit_hooks import pre_executed_nb_never_execute
+
+
+def test_nb_never_metadata(caplog, capsys, tmp_path):
+    notebook_path = tmp_path / "empty_metadata.ipynb"
+    with notebook_path.open("w") as fh:
+        fh.write(
+            """{
+"metadata": {
+  "nbsphinx": {
+   "execute": "never"
+  }
+ },
+ "nbformat": 4,
+ "nbformat_minor": 5
+}
+"""
+        )
+    result = pre_executed_nb_never_execute.main(tmp_path)
+    assert result == 0
+
+    captured = caplog.text
+    assert captured == ""
+
+    captured = capsys.readouterr().out
+    assert captured == ""
+
+
+def test_nb_empty_metadata(caplog, tmp_path):
+    notebook_path = tmp_path / "empty_metadata.ipynb"
+    with notebook_path.open("w") as fh:
+        fh.write(
+            """{
+"metadata": {
+ },
+ "nbformat": 4,
+ "nbformat_minor": 5
+}
+"""
+        )
+    result = pre_executed_nb_never_execute.main(tmp_path)
+    assert result == 1
+
+    captured = caplog.text
+    assert "Modified notebook to set" in captured
+    assert "empty_metadata.ipynb" in captured
+
+
+def test_nb_no_metadata(caplog, tmp_path):
+    notebook_path = tmp_path / "no_metadata.ipynb"
+    with notebook_path.open("w") as fh:
+        fh.write(
+            """{
+ "nbformat": 4,
+ "nbformat_minor": 5
+}
+"""
+        )
+    result = pre_executed_nb_never_execute.main(tmp_path)
+    assert result == 1
+
+    captured = caplog.text
+    assert "Modified notebook to set" in captured
+    assert "no_metadata.ipynb" in captured
+
+
+def test_nb_always_executes(caplog, tmp_path):
+    notebook_path = tmp_path / "always_execute.ipynb"
+    with notebook_path.open("w") as fh:
+        fh.write(
+            """{
+"metadata": {
+  "nbsphinx": {
+   "execute": "always"
+  }
+ }
+}
+"""
+        )
+    result = pre_executed_nb_never_execute.main(tmp_path)
+    assert result == 1
+
+    captured = caplog.text
+    assert "always_execute.ipynb" in captured
+    assert "expected 'never'" in captured
+
+
+def test_nb_metadata_wrong_type(caplog, tmp_path):
+    notebook_path = tmp_path / "wrong_metadata.ipynb"
+    with notebook_path.open("w") as fh:
+        fh.write(
+            """{
+"metadata": {
+  "nbsphinx": "never"
+ }
+}
+"""
+        )
+    result = pre_executed_nb_never_execute.main(tmp_path)
+    assert result == 1
+
+    captured = caplog.text
+    assert "wrong_metadata.ipynb" in captured
+    assert "expected a mapping" in captured
+
+
+def test_nb_not_a_nb(caplog, tmp_path):
+    notebook_path = tmp_path / "not_a_nb.ipynb"
+    with notebook_path.open("w") as fh:
+        fh.write(
+            """# README
+Hey man, this is just a readme.
+"""
+        )
+    result = pre_executed_nb_never_execute.main(tmp_path)
+    assert result == 1
+
+    captured = caplog.text
+    assert "ERROR" in captured
+
+
+def test_nb_no_argument(caplog):
+    result = pre_executed_nb_never_execute.main()
+    assert result == 0
+
+    captured = caplog.text
+    assert "No notebooks found at path" in captured
+
+
+def test_nb_no_notebooks(caplog, tmp_path):
+    result = pre_executed_nb_never_execute.main(tmp_path)
+    assert result == 0
+
+    captured = caplog.text
+    assert "No notebooks found at path" in captured
+
+
+def test_nb_dir_does_not_exist(caplog, tmp_path):
+    result = pre_executed_nb_never_execute.main(tmp_path / "not_there")
+    assert result == 0
+
+    captured = caplog.text
+    assert "No notebooks found at path" in captured