diff --git a/Directory.Build.props b/Directory.Build.props
index 4dda16251e..7a38d8f922 100644
--- a/Directory.Build.props
+++ b/Directory.Build.props
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@
   <!-- Package Validation -->
   <PropertyGroup>
     <GenerateCompatibilitySuppressionFile>false</GenerateCompatibilitySuppressionFile>
-    <EnablePackageValidation>false</EnablePackageValidation>
-    <PackageValidationBaselineVersion>15.0.0</PackageValidationBaselineVersion>
+    <EnablePackageValidation>true</EnablePackageValidation>
+    <PackageValidationBaselineVersion>16.0.0</PackageValidationBaselineVersion>
     <EnableStrictModeForCompatibleFrameworksInPackage>true</EnableStrictModeForCompatibleFrameworksInPackage>
     <EnableStrictModeForCompatibleTfms>true</EnableStrictModeForCompatibleTfms>
   </PropertyGroup>
diff --git a/templates/UmbracoProject/.template.config/starterkits.template.json b/templates/UmbracoProject/.template.config/starterkits.template.json
index ba71f42e2a..745eef20ae 100644
--- a/templates/UmbracoProject/.template.config/starterkits.template.json
+++ b/templates/UmbracoProject/.template.config/starterkits.template.json
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
         "cases": [
           {
             "condition": "(StarterKit == 'Umbraco.TheStarterKit' && (UmbracoRelease == 'Latest' || UmbracoRelease == 'Custom'))",
-            "value": "16.0.0-rc"
+            "value": "16.0.0"
           },
           {
             "condition": "(StarterKit == 'Umbraco.TheStarterKit' && UmbracoRelease == 'LTS')",
diff --git a/version.json b/version.json
index 68b4b19991..52f2d6cc8e 100644
--- a/version.json
+++ b/version.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "$schema": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dotnet/Nerdbank.GitVersioning/main/src/NerdBank.GitVersioning/version.schema.json",
-  "version": "16.0.0-rc6", // TODO: When bumping this to 16.0.0, also remove the -rc suffix in the starterkits.template.json file. The starter kit final version for 16 will be released at the same time as the CMS.
+  "version": "16.0.0",
   "assemblyVersion": {
     "precision": "build"
   },