diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 212fd54..150b7f8 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     "build:all": "npx nx run-many --target=build && chmod +x dist/packages/core/src/bin/main.js",
     "commit": "commit",
     "lint:all": "eslint ./packages",
-    "link:sheriff": "npm run build:all && yalc publish dist/packages/core && yalc publish dist/packages/eslint-plugin && yalc link @softarc/sheriff-core @softarc/eslint-plugin-sheriff",
+    "link:sheriff": "yarn run build:all && yalc publish dist/packages/core && yalc publish dist/packages/eslint-plugin && yalc link @softarc/sheriff-core @softarc/eslint-plugin-sheriff",
     "run:cli": "nx build core && chmod +x dist/packages/core/src/bin/main.js",
     "test": "vitest",
     "test:ci": "vitest -c vitest.config.ci.ts"
diff --git a/packages/eslint-plugin/src/lib/rules/create-rule.ts b/packages/eslint-plugin/src/lib/rules/create-rule.ts
index a8a5d6d..6e9d4d5 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-plugin/src/lib/rules/create-rule.ts
+++ b/packages/eslint-plugin/src/lib/rules/create-rule.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
-import { Rule } from 'eslint';
-import {Executor, ExecutorNode} from './executor';
 import { UserError } from '@softarc/sheriff-core';
+import { Rule } from 'eslint';
+import path from 'path';
+import { Executor, ExecutorNode } from './executor';
+import { FileFilter } from './file-filter';
 
 /**
  * Factory function generating a rule that traverses
@@ -15,15 +17,18 @@ import { UserError } from '@softarc/sheriff-core';
  */
 export const createRule: (
   ruleName: string,
+  fileFilter: FileFilter,
   executor: Executor,
-) => Rule.RuleModule = (ruleName, executor) => ({
+) => Rule.RuleModule = (ruleName, fileFilter, executor) => ({
   create: (context) => {
+    const filename = context.filename ?? context.getFilename();
+    if (isExcluded(fileFilter, filename)) {
+      return {};
+    }
+
     let isFirstRun = true;
     let hasInternalError = false;
-    const executeRuleWithContext = (
-      node: ExecutorNode,
-    ) => {
-      const filename = context.filename ?? context.getFilename();
+    const executeRuleWithContext = (node: ExecutorNode) => {
       const sourceCode =
         context.sourceCode?.text ?? context.getSourceCode().text;
 
@@ -60,3 +65,11 @@ export const createRule: (
     };
   },
 });
+
+function isExcluded({ include, exclude }: FileFilter, filePath: string) {
+  const fileName = path.basename(filePath);
+  return (
+    (include && !include.some((includeFile) => fileName === includeFile)) ||
+    (exclude && exclude.some((excludeFile) => fileName === excludeFile))
+  );
+}
diff --git a/packages/eslint-plugin/src/lib/rules/deep-import.ts b/packages/eslint-plugin/src/lib/rules/deep-import.ts
index 6e97878..eaf4108 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-plugin/src/lib/rules/deep-import.ts
+++ b/packages/eslint-plugin/src/lib/rules/deep-import.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 import { violatesEncapsulationRule } from '@softarc/sheriff-core';
 import { createRule } from './create-rule';
+import { excludeSheriffConfig } from './file-filter';
 
 export const deepImport = createRule(
   'Deep Import',
+  excludeSheriffConfig,
   (context, node, isFirstRun, filename, sourceCode) => {
     const importValue = (node.source as { value: string }).value;
     const message = violatesEncapsulationRule(
@@ -10,7 +12,7 @@ export const deepImport = createRule(
       importValue,
       isFirstRun,
       sourceCode,
-      true
+      true,
     );
     if (message) {
       context.report({
diff --git a/packages/eslint-plugin/src/lib/rules/dependency-rule.ts b/packages/eslint-plugin/src/lib/rules/dependency-rule.ts
index d3a7acd..e241028 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-plugin/src/lib/rules/dependency-rule.ts
+++ b/packages/eslint-plugin/src/lib/rules/dependency-rule.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 import { violatesDependencyRule } from '@softarc/sheriff-core';
 import { createRule } from './create-rule';
+import { excludeSheriffConfig } from './file-filter';
 
 export const dependencyRule = createRule(
   'Dependency Rule',
+  excludeSheriffConfig,
   (context, node, isFirstRun, filename, sourceCode) => {
     const importValue = (node.source as { value: string }).value;
     const message = violatesDependencyRule(
diff --git a/packages/eslint-plugin/src/lib/rules/encapsulation.ts b/packages/eslint-plugin/src/lib/rules/encapsulation.ts
index ff0176e..5f59bda 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-plugin/src/lib/rules/encapsulation.ts
+++ b/packages/eslint-plugin/src/lib/rules/encapsulation.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 import { violatesEncapsulationRule } from '@softarc/sheriff-core';
 import { createRule } from './create-rule';
+import { excludeSheriffConfig } from './file-filter';
 
 export const encapsulation = createRule(
   'Encapsulation',
+  excludeSheriffConfig,
   (context, node, isFirstRun, filename, sourceCode) => {
     const importValue = (node.source as { value: string }).value;
     const message = violatesEncapsulationRule(
@@ -10,7 +12,7 @@ export const encapsulation = createRule(
       importValue,
       isFirstRun,
       sourceCode,
-      false
+      false,
     );
     if (message) {
       context.report({
diff --git a/packages/eslint-plugin/src/lib/rules/file-filter.ts b/packages/eslint-plugin/src/lib/rules/file-filter.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4bb3114
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/eslint-plugin/src/lib/rules/file-filter.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+export interface FileFilter {
+  include?: string[];
+  exclude?: string[];
+}
+
+export const sheriffConfigFileName = 'sheriff.config.ts';
+
+export const excludeSheriffConfig: FileFilter = {
+  exclude: [sheriffConfigFileName],
+};
+
+export const onlySheriffConfig: FileFilter = {
+  include: [sheriffConfigFileName],
+};
diff --git a/packages/eslint-plugin/src/lib/rules/tests/create-rule.spec.ts b/packages/eslint-plugin/src/lib/rules/tests/create-rule.spec.ts
index d139910..377ec4a 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-plugin/src/lib/rules/tests/create-rule.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/eslint-plugin/src/lib/rules/tests/create-rule.spec.ts
@@ -1,17 +1,18 @@
+import { UserError } from '@softarc/sheriff-core';
 import { RuleTester } from 'eslint';
+import { parser } from 'typescript-eslint';
 import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vitest } from 'vitest';
 import { createRule } from '../create-rule';
-import { UserError } from '@softarc/sheriff-core';
-import { parser } from 'typescript-eslint';
+import { excludeSheriffConfig, sheriffConfigFileName } from '../file-filter';
 
 const tester = new RuleTester({
-  languageOptions: { parser, sourceType: 'module' }
+  languageOptions: { parser, sourceType: 'module' },
 });
 
 const ruleExecutor = { foo: () => void true };
 const spy = vitest.spyOn(ruleExecutor, 'foo');
 
-export const testRule = createRule('Test Rule', () => {
+export const testRule = createRule('Test Rule', excludeSheriffConfig, () => {
   ruleExecutor.foo();
 });
 
@@ -34,6 +35,21 @@ describe('create rule', () => {
     expect(spy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
   });
 
+  it('should NOT call the rule executor for any import or export types when filename is "sheriff.config.ts"', () => {
+    tester.run('test-rule', testRule, {
+      valid: [
+        {
+          filename: sheriffConfigFileName,
+          code: `import {AppComponent} from './app.component'
+      const a = new AppComponent();
+      import('../util.ts')`,
+        },
+      ],
+      invalid: [],
+    });
+    expect(spy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(0);
+  });
+
   for (const { throwing, message } of [
     {
       throwing: new Error('Test Error'),
@@ -84,7 +100,7 @@ describe('create rule', () => {
           `,
         },
       ],
-      invalid: []
+      invalid: [],
     });
 
     expect(spy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
diff --git a/tsconfig.spec.json b/tsconfig.spec.json
index 20984f2..83dc89a 100644
--- a/tsconfig.spec.json
+++ b/tsconfig.spec.json
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 {
   "extends": "./tsconfig.base.json",
   "include": ["**/*.spec.ts"]
-  ]
 }