diff --git a/crates/core/CHANGELOG.md b/crates/core/CHANGELOG.md
index 5f7e7288..4dbd1053 100644
--- a/crates/core/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/crates/core/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/),
 ### Added
 
 - `version` ([#476](https://github.com/stac-utils/stac-rs/pull/476))
+- Permissive deserialization ([#505](https://github.com/stac-utils/stac-rs/pull/505))
 
 ### Removed
 
diff --git a/crates/core/src/catalog.rs b/crates/core/src/catalog.rs
index 08615fd0..e7c10566 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/catalog.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/catalog.rs
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ use serde_json::{Map, Value};
 #[serde(tag = "type")]
 pub struct Catalog {
     /// The STAC version the `Catalog` implements.
-    #[serde(rename = "stac_version")]
+    #[serde(rename = "stac_version", default)]
     pub version: Version,
 
     /// A list of extension identifiers the `Catalog` implements.
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ pub struct Catalog {
     pub extensions: Vec<String>,
 
     /// Identifier for the `Catalog`.
+    #[serde(default)]
     pub id: String,
 
     /// A short descriptive one-line title for the `Catalog`.
@@ -37,9 +38,11 @@ pub struct Catalog {
     /// Detailed multi-line description to fully explain the `Catalog`.
     ///
     /// [CommonMark 0.29](http://commonmark.org/) syntax MAY be used for rich text representation.
+    #[serde(default)]
     pub description: String,
 
     /// A list of references to other documents.
+    #[serde(default)]
     pub links: Vec<Link>,
 
     /// Additional fields not part of the Catalog specification.
@@ -131,6 +134,7 @@ impl Migrate for Catalog {}
 mod tests {
     use super::Catalog;
     use crate::STAC_VERSION;
+    use serde_json::json;
 
     #[test]
     fn new() {
@@ -157,4 +161,9 @@ mod tests {
 
         roundtrip!(catalog, "examples/catalog.json", Catalog);
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn permissive_deserialization() {
+        let _: Catalog = serde_json::from_value(json!({})).unwrap();
+    }
 }
diff --git a/crates/core/src/collection.rs b/crates/core/src/collection.rs
index 21df9b3e..6fda2c4d 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/collection.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/collection.rs
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ const DEFAULT_LICENSE: &str = "proprietary";
 #[serde(tag = "type")]
 pub struct Collection {
     /// The STAC version the `Collection` implements.
-    #[serde(rename = "stac_version")]
+    #[serde(rename = "stac_version", default)]
     pub version: Version,
 
     /// A list of extension identifiers the `Collection` implements.
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ pub struct Collection {
     pub extensions: Vec<String>,
 
     /// Identifier for the `Collection` that is unique across the provider.
+    #[serde(default)]
     pub id: String,
 
     /// A short descriptive one-line title for the `Collection`.
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@ pub struct Collection {
     /// Detailed multi-line description to fully explain the `Collection`.
     ///
     /// [CommonMark 0.29](http://commonmark.org/) syntax MAY be used for rich text representation.
+    #[serde(default)]
     pub description: String,
 
     /// List of keywords describing the `Collection`.
@@ -53,6 +55,7 @@ pub struct Collection {
     /// `Collection`'s license(s), either a SPDX [License
     /// identifier](https://spdx.org/licenses/), `"various"` if multiple licenses
     /// apply or `"proprietary"` for all other cases.
+    #[serde(default)]
     pub license: String,
 
     /// A list of [providers](Provider), which may include all organizations capturing or
@@ -64,6 +67,7 @@ pub struct Collection {
     pub providers: Option<Vec<Provider>>,
 
     /// Spatial and temporal extents.
+    #[serde(default)]
     pub extent: Extent,
 
     /// A map of property summaries, either a set of values, a range of values
@@ -72,6 +76,7 @@ pub struct Collection {
     pub summaries: Option<Map<String, Value>>,
 
     /// A list of references to other documents.
+    #[serde(default)]
     pub links: Vec<Link>,
 
     /// Dictionary of asset objects that can be downloaded, each with a unique key.
@@ -413,6 +418,7 @@ impl Migrate for Collection {}
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::{Collection, Extent, Provider};
+    use serde_json::json;
 
     mod collection {
         use super::Collection;
@@ -537,4 +543,9 @@ mod tests {
             Collection
         );
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn permissive_deserialization() {
+        let _: Collection = serde_json::from_value(json!({})).unwrap();
+    }
 }
diff --git a/crates/core/src/item.rs b/crates/core/src/item.rs
index ba85518a..77014fd6 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/item.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/item.rs
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ const TOP_LEVEL_ATTRIBUTES: [&str; 8] = [
 #[serde(tag = "type", rename = "Feature")]
 pub struct Item {
     /// The STAC version the `Item` implements.
-    #[serde(rename = "stac_version")]
+    #[serde(rename = "stac_version", default)]
     pub version: Version,
 
     /// A list of extensions the `Item` implements.
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ pub struct Item {
     /// Provider identifier.
     ///
     /// The ID should be unique within the [Collection](crate::Collection) that contains the `Item`.
+    #[serde(default)]
     pub id: String,
 
     /// Defines the full footprint of the asset represented by this item,
@@ -66,12 +67,15 @@ pub struct Item {
     pub bbox: Option<Bbox>,
 
     /// A dictionary of additional metadata for the `Item`.
+    #[serde(default)]
     pub properties: Properties,
 
     /// List of link objects to resources and related URLs.
+    #[serde(default)]
     pub links: Vec<Link>,
 
     /// Dictionary of asset objects that can be downloaded, each with a unique key.
+    #[serde(default)]
     pub assets: HashMap<String, Asset>,
 
     /// The `id` of the STAC [Collection](crate::Collection) this `Item`
@@ -675,6 +679,7 @@ mod tests {
     use super::{Builder, FlatItem, Item};
     use crate::{Asset, STAC_VERSION};
     use geojson::{feature::Id, Feature};
+    use serde_json::json;
 
     #[test]
     fn new() {
@@ -869,4 +874,9 @@ mod tests {
         let flat_item: FlatItem = serde_json::from_value(value).unwrap();
         assert_eq!(flat_item.geometry, None);
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn permissive_deserialization() {
+        let _: Item = serde_json::from_value(json!({})).unwrap();
+    }
 }
diff --git a/crates/core/src/item_collection.rs b/crates/core/src/item_collection.rs
index dbcf2cb8..b6fac900 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/item_collection.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/item_collection.rs
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ pub struct ItemCollection {
     /// The list of [Items](Item).
     ///
     /// The attribute is actually "features", but we rename to "items".
-    #[serde(rename = "features")]
+    #[serde(rename = "features", default)]
     pub items: Vec<Item>,
 
     /// List of link objects to resources and related URLs.
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ impl TryFrom<Value> for ItemCollection {
 mod tests {
     use super::ItemCollection;
     use crate::Item;
+    use serde_json::json;
 
     #[test]
     fn item_collection_from_vec() {
@@ -130,4 +131,9 @@ mod tests {
         let items = vec![Item::new("a"), Item::new("b")];
         let _ = ItemCollection::from_iter(items.into_iter());
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn permissive_deserialization() {
+        let _: ItemCollection = serde_json::from_value(json!({})).unwrap();
+    }
 }