diff --git a/artifact-schemas/all_ontology_schema.json b/artifact-schemas/all_ontology_schema.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3dc5dd10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/artifact-schemas/all_ontology_schema.json
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
+  "title": "Valid Ontology Term JSON Schema",
+  "description": "Schema for file containing metadata for Ontology Terms accepted in dataset submissions to CZ CellXGene Data Portal.",
+  "type": "object",
+  "properties": {
+    "EFO": { "$ref": "#/definitions/ontologyCategory" },
+    "UBERON": { "$ref": "#/definitions/ontologyCategory" },
+    "CL": { "$ref": "#/definitions/ontologyCategory" },
+    "HANCESTRO": { "$ref": "#/definitions/ontologyCategory" },
+    "HsapDv": { "$ref": "#/definitions/ontologyCategory" },
+    "MmusDv": { "$ref": "#/definitions/ontologyCategory" },
+    "PATO": { "$ref": "#/definitions/ontologyCategory" },
+    "NCBITaxon": { "$ref": "#/definitions/ontologyCategory" },
+    "MONDO": { "$ref": "#/definitions/ontologyCategory" }
+  },
+  "additionalProperties": false,
+  "definitions": {
+    "ontologyCategory": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "patternProperties": {
+        "^(EFO|UBERON|CL|HANCESTRO|HsapDv|MmusDv|PATO|NCBITaxon|MONDO):[0-9]{7}$": {
+          "type": "object",
+          "properties": {
+            "label": {
+              "type": "string",
+              "description": "human-readable name for the ontology entry."
+            },
+            "deprecated": {
+              "type": "boolean",
+              "description": "Indicates whether the ontology entry is deprecated."
+            },
+            "ancestors": {
+              "type": "array",
+              "items": {
+                "type": "string",
+                "pattern": "^(EFO|UBERON|CL|HANCESTRO|HsapDv|MmusDv|PATO|NCBITaxon|MONDO):[0-9]{7}$",
+                "description": "List of ancestor IDs for the ontology entry."
+              },
+              "description": "An array of ancestor ontology terms that this term is a subclass of."
+            },
+            "comments": {
+              "type": "array",
+              "items": {
+                "type": "string"
+              },
+              "minItems": 0,
+              "description": "Optional comments regarding the ontology entry from ontology curators."
+            },
+            "term_tracker": {
+              "type": "string",
+              "format": "uri",
+              "description": "Optional URL to track discussion around the term's history and changes."
+            },
+            "consider": {
+              "type": "array",
+              "items": {
+                "type": "string"
+              },
+              "minItems": 0,
+              "description": "Suggests alternative IDs to consider in place of this ontology entry."
+            },
+            "replaced_by": {
+              "type": "string",
+              "pattern": "^(EFO|UBERON|CL|HANCESTRO|HsapDv|MmusDv|PATO|NCBITaxon|MONDO):[0-9]{7}$",
+              "description": "If deprecated, the ID of the ontology entry that should canonically replace this one."
+            }
+          },
+          "required": ["label", "deprecated", "ancestors"],
+          "additionalProperties": false,
+        }
+      },
+      "additionalProperties": false
+    }
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/artifact-schemas/cell_class_list_schema.json b/artifact-schemas/cell_class_list_schema.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0fd0e14f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/artifact-schemas/cell_class_list_schema.json
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
+  "title": "Curated 'Cell Class' Ontology Terms Schema",
+  "description": "A schema for validating an array of CL ontology term IDs representing high-level 'Cell Classes', curated for CZ CellxGene use.",
+  "type": "array",
+  "items": {
+    "type": "string",
+    "pattern": "^CL:[0-9]{7}$"
+  },
+  "minItems": 1,
+  "uniqueItems": true
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/artifact-schemas/cell_subclass_list_schema.json b/artifact-schemas/cell_subclass_list_schema.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..08811cbb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/artifact-schemas/cell_subclass_list_schema.json
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
+  "title": "Curated 'Cell Subclass' Ontology Terms Schema",
+  "description": "A schema for validating an array of CL ontology term IDs representing high-level 'Cell Subclasses', curated for CZ CellxGene use.",
+  "type": "array",
+  "items": {
+    "type": "string",
+    "pattern": "^CL:[0-9]{7}$"
+  },
+  "minItems": 1,
+  "uniqueItems": true
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/artifact-schemas/cell_type_descendants_schema.json b/artifact-schemas/cell_type_descendants_schema.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..04fc2e55
--- /dev/null
+++ b/artifact-schemas/cell_type_descendants_schema.json
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
+  "title": "Cell Type Ontology Descendants Schema",
+  "description": "A schema for mapping cell type ontology Terms to its descendant cell type ontology terms",
+  "type": "object",
+  "patternProperties": {
+    "^CL:[0-9]{7}$": {
+      "type": "array",
+      "items": {
+        "type": "string",
+        "pattern": "^CL:[0-9]{7}$"
+      },
+      "description": "An array of CL ontology term IDs that are subclasses of the key CL ontology term ID."
+    }
+  },
+  "additionalProperties": false
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/artifact-schemas/ontology_info_schema.json b/artifact-schemas/ontology_info_schema.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..437a6aa3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/artifact-schemas/ontology_info_schema.json
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
+  "title": "Ontology Version and Source Schema",
+  "description": "A schema for the set of valid ontology reference files mapping to a CZ CellXGene Dataset Schema Version",
+  "type": "object",
+  "properties": {
+    "CL": { "$ref": "#/definitions/ontologyEntry" },
+    "EFO": { "$ref": "#/definitions/ontologyEntry" },
+    "HANCESTRO": { "$ref": "#/definitions/ontologyEntry" },
+    "HsapDv": { "$ref": "#/definitions/ontologyEntry" },
+    "MONDO": { "$ref": "#/definitions/ontologyEntry" },
+    "MmusDv": { "$ref": "#/definitions/ontologyEntry" },
+    "NCBITaxon": { "$ref": "#/definitions/ontologyEntry" },
+    "UBERON": { "$ref": "#/definitions/ontologyEntry" },
+    "PATO": { "$ref": "#/definitions/ontologyEntry" }
+  },
+  "additionalProperties": false,
+  "definitions": {
+    "ontologyEntry": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "properties": {
+        "version": {
+          "type": "string",
+          "description": "version of ontology canonical to this data release, as defined in its source repo"
+        },
+        "source": {
+          "type": "string",
+          "format": "uri",
+          "description": "Source to find and download canonical ontology version for this data release"
+        },
+        "filetype": {
+          "type": "string",
+          "description": "filetype used to build generated artifacts for this ontology data release"
+        }
+      },
+      "required": ["version", "source", "filetype"],
+      "additionalProperties": false
+    }
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/artifact-schemas/organ_list_schema.json b/artifact-schemas/organ_list_schema.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d4782f6f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/artifact-schemas/organ_list_schema.json
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
+  "title": "Curated 'Organ' Ontology Terms Schema",
+  "description": "A schema for validating an array of UBERON ontology term IDs representing 'Organ' ontology terms, curated for CZ CellxGene use.",
+  "type": "array",
+  "items": {
+    "type": "string",
+    "pattern": "^UBERON:[0-9]{7}$"
+  },
+  "minItems": 1,
+  "uniqueItems": true
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/artifact-schemas/system_list_schema_.json b/artifact-schemas/system_list_schema_.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..edc9c39a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/artifact-schemas/system_list_schema_.json
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
+  "title": "Curated 'System' Ontology Terms Schema",
+  "description": "A schema for validating an array of UBERON ontology term IDs representing organ 'System' ontology terms, curated for CZ CellxGene use.",
+  "type": "array",
+  "items": {
+    "type": "string",
+    "pattern": "^UBERON:[0-9]{7}$"
+  },
+  "minItems": 1,
+  "uniqueItems": true
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/artifact-schemas/tissue_descendants_schema.json b/artifact-schemas/tissue_descendants_schema.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6d540383
--- /dev/null
+++ b/artifact-schemas/tissue_descendants_schema.json
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
+  "title": "Tissue Ontology Descendants Schema",
+  "description": "A schema for mapping Tissue ontology terms to its descendant Tissue ontology terms",
+  "type": "object",
+  "patternProperties": {
+    "^UBERON:[0-9]{7}$": {
+      "type": "array",
+      "items": {
+        "type": "string",
+        "pattern": "^UBERON:[0-9]{7}$"
+      },
+      "description": "An array of UBERON ontology term IDs that are subclasses of the key UBERON ontology term ID."
+    }
+  },
+  "additionalProperties": false
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/artifact-schemas/tissue_general_list_schema.json b/artifact-schemas/tissue_general_list_schema.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6928b472
--- /dev/null
+++ b/artifact-schemas/tissue_general_list_schema.json
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
+  "title": "Curated 'Tissue General' Ontology Terms Schema",
+  "description": "A schema for validating an array of high-level UBERON ontology term IDs representing 'general tissue' ontology terms, curated for CZ CellxGene use.",
+  "type": "array",
+  "items": {
+    "type": "string",
+    "pattern": "^UBERON:[0-9]{7}$"
+  },
+  "minItems": 1,
+  "uniqueItems": true
+}
\ No newline at end of file