diff --git a/packages/block/src/header.ts b/packages/block/src/header.ts
index c3870714cf..579b9c4b64 100644
--- a/packages/block/src/header.ts
+++ b/packages/block/src/header.ts
@@ -193,6 +193,7 @@ export class BlockHeader {
       )
     }
 
+    const validateConsensusFormat = options.consensusFormatValidation ?? true
     const defaults = {
       parentHash: zeros(32),
       uncleHash: KECCAK256_RLP_ARRAY,
@@ -297,7 +298,7 @@ export class BlockHeader {
     }
 
     // Validate consensus format after block is sealed (if applicable) so extraData checks will pass
-    this._consensusFormatValidation()
+    if (validateConsensusFormat === true) this._consensusFormatValidation()
 
     const freeze = options?.freeze ?? true
     if (freeze) {
diff --git a/packages/block/src/types.ts b/packages/block/src/types.ts
index 049d5488e3..5ebbc19ef4 100644
--- a/packages/block/src/types.ts
+++ b/packages/block/src/types.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import type {
   TxData,
 } from '@ethereumjs/tx'
 import type { AddressLike, BigIntLike, BufferLike } from '@ethereumjs/util'
-
 /**
  * An object to set to which blockchain the blocks and their headers belong. This could be specified
  * using a {@link Common} object, or `chain` and `hardfork`. Defaults to mainnet without specifying a
@@ -69,6 +68,10 @@ export interface BlockOptions {
    * Will throw if provided on a non-PoA chain.
    */
   cliqueSigner?: Buffer
+  /**
+   * Perform consensus validation checks on header if set. Defaults to true.
+   */
+  consensusFormatValidation?: boolean
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/packages/block/test/header.spec.ts b/packages/block/test/header.spec.ts
index af082ed9e9..53e3de37ec 100644
--- a/packages/block/test/header.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/block/test/header.spec.ts
@@ -290,6 +290,65 @@ tape('[Block]: Header functions', function (t) {
 
     st.end()
   })
+
+  t.test('should skip consensusFormatValidation if flag is set to false', (st) => {
+    const common = new Common({ chain: Chain.Goerli, hardfork: Hardfork.Chainstart })
+    const extraData = Buffer.concat([Buffer.alloc(1)])
+
+    try {
+      BlockHeader.fromHeaderData({ extraData }, { common, consensusFormatValidation: false })
+      st.pass(
+        'should instantiate header with invalid extraData when consensusFormatValidation === false'
+      )
+    } catch (error: any) {
+      st.fail('should not throw')
+    }
+
+    st.end()
+  })
+
+  t.test('_genericFormatValidation checks', (st) => {
+    const badHash = Buffer.alloc(31)
+
+    st.throws(
+      () => BlockHeader.fromHeaderData({ parentHash: badHash }),
+      (err: any) => err.message.includes('parentHash must be 32 bytes'),
+      'throws on invalid parent hash length'
+    )
+    st.throws(
+      () => BlockHeader.fromHeaderData({ stateRoot: badHash }),
+      (err: any) => err.message.includes('stateRoot must be 32 bytes'),
+      'throws on invalid state root hash length'
+    )
+    st.throws(
+      () => BlockHeader.fromHeaderData({ transactionsTrie: badHash }),
+      (err: any) => err.message.includes('transactionsTrie must be 32 bytes'),
+      'throws on invalid transactionsTrie root hash length'
+    )
+
+    st.throws(
+      () => BlockHeader.fromHeaderData({ nonce: Buffer.alloc(5) }),
+      (err: any) => err.message.includes('nonce must be 8 bytes'),
+      'contains nonce length error message'
+    )
+
+    const kovanCommon = new Common({ chain: Chain.Kovan })
+    st.throws(
+      () => BlockHeader.fromHeaderData({ nonce: Buffer.alloc(5) }, { common: kovanCommon }),
+      (err: any) => err.message.includes('nonce must be 65 bytes on kovan'),
+      'contains kovan nonce error message'
+    )
+
+    st.doesNotThrow(
+      () =>
+        BlockHeader.fromHeaderData(
+          { nonce: Buffer.alloc(65) },
+          { common: kovanCommon, consensusFormatValidation: false }
+        ),
+      'was able to create Kovan block with nonce 65 bytes long'
+    )
+    st.end()
+  })
   /*
   TODO: Decide if we need to move these tests to blockchain
   t.test('header validation -> poa checks', async function (st) {