diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 503c0347..2eee4954 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -16,3 +16,4 @@ debian-inspector>=21.5
 regex>=2021.7
 GitPython~=3.1
 prettytable~=2.1
+packageurl-python>=0.9.4
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index fd2defc3..4c94b82c 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ tern.formats =
     jsonc = tern.formats.json.consumer:JSON
     yaml = tern.formats.yaml.generator:YAML
     html = tern.formats.html.generator:HTML
+    cyclonedxjson = tern.formats.cyclonedx.cyclonedxjson.generator:CycloneDXJSON
 tern.extensions =
     cve_bin_tool = tern.extensions.cve_bin_tool.executor:CveBinTool
     scancode = tern.extensions.scancode.executor:Scancode
diff --git a/tern/formats/cyclonedx/__init__.py b/tern/formats/cyclonedx/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a048eda0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tern/formats/cyclonedx/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2019 VMware, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-2-Clause
diff --git a/tern/formats/cyclonedx/cyclonedx.py b/tern/formats/cyclonedx/cyclonedx.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3b6220aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tern/formats/cyclonedx/cyclonedx.py
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2019-2020 VMware, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-2-Clause
+
+from tern.classes.template import Template
+
+
+class CycloneDX(Template):
+    ''' This is the CycloneDX Template class
+
+    It provides mappings for the CycloneDX document format '''
+
+    def file_data(self):
+        return {}
+
+    def package(self):
+        return {}
+
+    def image_layer(self):
+        return {}
+
+    def image(self):
+        return {}
diff --git a/tern/formats/cyclonedx/cyclonedx_common.py b/tern/formats/cyclonedx/cyclonedx_common.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5f1f38de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tern/formats/cyclonedx/cyclonedx_common.py
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2021 VMware, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-2-Clause
+
+"""
+Common functions that are useful for CycloneDX document creation
+"""
+
+import datetime
+import uuid
+from tern.utils import general
+
+
+###################
+# General Helpers #
+###################
+
+
+# document level tool information
+metadata_tool = {
+    'vendor': 'Tern Tools',
+    'name': 'Tern',
+    'version': general.get_git_rev_or_version()[1]
+}
+
+
+# keys are what Tern uses, values what CycloneDX uses
+hash_type_mapping = {
+    'md5': 'MD5',
+    'sha1': 'SHA-1',
+    'sha256': 'SHA-256',
+}
+
+
+pkg_format_purl_type_mapping = {
+    'deb': 'deb',
+    'rpm': 'rpm',
+    'apk': 'apk',
+    'pip': 'pip',
+    'gem': 'gem',
+    'npm': 'npm',
+    'go.mod': 'go',
+}
+
+
+purl_types_with_namespaces = [
+    'deb',
+    'rpm',
+    'apk',
+]
+
+
+# map Tern OS guesses to package URL namespace
+os_guess_purl_namespace_mapping = {
+    'debian': 'debian',
+    'ubuntu': 'ubuntu',
+    'alpine linux': 'alpine',
+    'centos': 'centos',
+    'fedora': 'fedora',
+    'opensuse': 'opensuse',
+    'rhel': 'rhel',
+    # Arch Linux
+    # Photon
+}
+
+
+def get_serial_number():
+    ''' Return a randomly generated CycloneDX BOM serial number '''
+    return 'urn:uuid:' + str(uuid.uuid4())
+
+
+def get_timestamp():
+    ''' Return a timestamp suitable for the BOM timestamp '''
+    return datetime.datetime.utcnow().strftime('%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ')
+
+
+def get_hash(checksum_type, checksum):
+    ''' Return a CycloneDX hash object from Tern checksum values '''
+    hash_algorithm = hash_type_mapping.get(checksum_type, None)
+    return None if hash_algorithm is None else {'alg': hash_algorithm, 'content': checksum}
+
+
+def get_property(name, value):
+    ''' Return a CycloneDX property object '''
+    return {'name': name, 'value': value}
+
+
+def get_purl_type(pkg_format):
+    return pkg_format_purl_type_mapping.get(pkg_format.lower())
+
+
+def get_purl_namespace(os_guess, pkg_format):
+    if pkg_format in purl_types_with_namespaces:
+        for os in os_guess_purl_namespace_mapping:
+            if os_guess.lower().startswith(os):
+                return os_guess_purl_namespace_mapping.get(os)
+    return None
+
+
+def get_os_guess(image_obj):
+    for layer in image_obj.layers:
+        if layer.os_guess:
+            return layer.os_guess
+    return None
+
+
+def get_license_from_name(name):
+    return {'license': {'name': name}}
diff --git a/tern/formats/cyclonedx/cyclonedxjson/__init__.py b/tern/formats/cyclonedx/cyclonedxjson/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..605cea42
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tern/formats/cyclonedx/cyclonedxjson/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2021 VMware, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-2-Clause
diff --git a/tern/formats/cyclonedx/cyclonedxjson/generator.py b/tern/formats/cyclonedx/cyclonedxjson/generator.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bef8cb84
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tern/formats/cyclonedx/cyclonedxjson/generator.py
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2021 VMware, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-2-Clause
+
+'''
+CycloneDX JSON document generator
+'''
+
+import json
+import logging
+
+from tern.utils import constants
+from tern.formats import generator
+from tern.formats.cyclonedx.cyclonedx import CycloneDX
+from tern.formats.cyclonedx import cyclonedx_common
+from tern.formats.cyclonedx.cyclonedxjson import image_helpers as mhelpers
+from tern.formats.cyclonedx.cyclonedxjson import package_helpers as phelpers
+
+
+# global logger
+logger = logging.getLogger(constants.logger_name)
+
+
+def get_document_dict(image_obj_list, template):  # pylint: disable=[unused-argument]
+    ''' Return document info as a dictionary '''
+    docu_dict = {
+        'bomFormat': 'CycloneDX',
+        'specVersion': '1.3',
+        'serialNumber': cyclonedx_common.get_serial_number(),
+        'version': 1,
+        'metadata': {
+            'timestamp': cyclonedx_common.get_timestamp(),
+            'tools': [cyclonedx_common.metadata_tool],
+        },
+        'components': [],
+    }
+
+    # if representing a single image populate top level BOM metadata component
+    # else representing multiple images so list them as components
+    if len(image_obj_list) == 1:
+        docu_dict['metadata']['component'] = mhelpers.get_image_dict(image_obj_list[0])
+        docu_dict['components'] = phelpers.get_packages_list(image_obj_list[0])
+    else:
+        for image_obj in image_obj_list:
+            image_componet = mhelpers.get_image_dict(image_obj)
+            image_componet['components'] = phelpers.get_packages_list(image_obj)
+            docu_dict['components'].append(image_componet)
+
+    return docu_dict
+
+
+class CycloneDXJSON(generator.Generate):
+    def generate(self, image_obj_list, print_inclusive=False):
+        ''' Generate a CycloneDX document
+        The whole document should be stored in a dictionary which can be
+        converted to JSON and dumped to a file using the write_report function
+        in report.py. '''
+        logger.debug('Generating CycloneDX JSON document...')
+
+        template = CycloneDX()
+        report = get_document_dict(image_obj_list, template)
+
+        return json.dumps(report, indent=2)
diff --git a/tern/formats/cyclonedx/cyclonedxjson/image_helpers.py b/tern/formats/cyclonedx/cyclonedxjson/image_helpers.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..109faeac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tern/formats/cyclonedx/cyclonedxjson/image_helpers.py
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2021 VMware, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-2-Clause
+
+'''
+Helper functions for image level JSON CycloneDX document dictionaries
+'''
+
+
+from tern.formats.cyclonedx import cyclonedx_common
+from packageurl import PackageURL
+
+
+def get_image_dict(image_obj):
+    ''' Given an image object return the CycloneDX document dictionary for the
+    given image. For CycloneDX, the image is a component and hence follows the
+    JSON spec for components. '''
+    image_dict = {
+        'type': 'container',
+        'scope': 'required',
+        'name': image_obj.name,
+        'version': image_obj.checksum_type + ':' + image_obj.checksum,
+        'hashes': [],
+        'properties': []
+    }
+
+    purl = PackageURL('docker', None, image_dict['name'], image_dict['version'])
+    image_dict['purl'] = str(purl)
+
+    if image_obj.repotags:
+        for repotag in image_obj.repotags:
+            image_dict['properties'].append(cyclonedx_common.get_property('tern:repotag', repotag))
+
+    os_guess = cyclonedx_common.get_os_guess(image_obj)
+    if os_guess:
+        image_dict['properties'].append(cyclonedx_common.get_property('tern:os_guess', os_guess))
+
+    cdx_hash = cyclonedx_common.get_hash(image_obj.checksum_type, image_obj.checksum)
+    if cdx_hash is not None:
+        image_dict['hashes'].append(cdx_hash)
+
+    return image_dict
diff --git a/tern/formats/cyclonedx/cyclonedxjson/package_helpers.py b/tern/formats/cyclonedx/cyclonedxjson/package_helpers.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4ff4da23
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tern/formats/cyclonedx/cyclonedxjson/package_helpers.py
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2021 VMware, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-2-Clause
+
+'''
+Helper functions for packages in CycloneDX JSON document creation
+'''
+
+from tern.formats.cyclonedx import cyclonedx_common
+from packageurl import PackageURL
+
+
+def get_package_dict(os_guess, package):
+    ''' Given a package format, namespace and package object return a
+    CycloneDX JSON dictionary representation of the package. '''
+    package_dict = {
+        'name': package.name,
+        'version': package.version,
+        'type': 'application',
+    }
+
+    purl_type = cyclonedx_common.get_purl_type(package.pkg_format)
+    purl_namespace = cyclonedx_common.get_purl_namespace(os_guess, package.pkg_format)
+    if purl_type:
+        purl = PackageURL(purl_type, purl_namespace, package.name, package.version)
+        package_dict['purl'] = str(purl)
+
+    if package.pkg_license:
+        package_dict['licenses'] = [cyclonedx_common.get_license_from_name(package.pkg_license)]
+
+    if package.pkg_licenses:
+        package_dict['evidence'] = {'licenses': []}
+        for pkg_license in package.pkg_licenses:
+            package_dict['evidence']['licenses'].append(cyclonedx_common.get_license_from_name(pkg_license))
+
+    return package_dict
+
+
+def get_packages_list(image_obj):
+    ''' Given an image object return a list of CycloneDX dictionary
+    representations for each of the packages in the image '''
+    package_dicts = []
+
+    os_guess = cyclonedx_common.get_os_guess(image_obj)
+
+    for layer_obj in image_obj.layers:
+        for package in layer_obj.packages:
+            package_dicts.append(get_package_dict(os_guess, package))
+
+    return package_dicts