diff --git a/netbox/netbox/settings.py b/netbox/netbox/settings.py
index a481249b6..017710df0 100644
--- a/netbox/netbox/settings.py
+++ b/netbox/netbox/settings.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ from django.utils.translation import gettext_lazy as _
 from netbox.config import PARAMS as CONFIG_PARAMS
 from netbox.constants import RQ_QUEUE_DEFAULT, RQ_QUEUE_HIGH, RQ_QUEUE_LOW
 from netbox.plugins import PluginConfig
+from utilities.release import load_release_data
 from utilities.string import trailing_slash
 
 
@@ -25,7 +26,8 @@ from utilities.string import trailing_slash
 # Environment setup
 #
 
-VERSION = '4.0.6-dev'
+RELEASE = load_release_data()
+VERSION = RELEASE.full_version  # Retained for backward compatibility
 HOSTNAME = platform.node()
 # Set the base directory two levels up
 BASE_DIR = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
diff --git a/netbox/release.yaml b/netbox/release.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..83bddf615
--- /dev/null
+++ b/netbox/release.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+version: "4.1.0"
+designation: "dev"
diff --git a/netbox/templates/base/layout.html b/netbox/templates/base/layout.html
index 940f74346..397553446 100644
--- a/netbox/templates/base/layout.html
+++ b/netbox/templates/base/layout.html
@@ -188,12 +188,9 @@ Blocks:
 
             {# Footer text #}
             <ul class="list-inline list-inline-dots fs-5 mb-0" id="footer-stamp" hx-swap-oob="true">
-              <li class="list-inline-item">
-                {% now 'Y-m-d H:i:s T' %}
-              </li>
-              <li class="list-inline-item">
-                {{ settings.HOSTNAME }} (v{{ settings.VERSION }})
-              </li>
+              <li class="list-inline-item">{% now 'Y-m-d H:i:s T' %}</li>
+              <li class="list-inline-item">{{ settings.HOSTNAME }}</li>
+              <li class="list-inline-item">{{ settings.RELEASE.name }}</li>
             </ul>
             {# /Footer text #}
 
diff --git a/netbox/utilities/release.py b/netbox/utilities/release.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dacec1010
--- /dev/null
+++ b/netbox/utilities/release.py
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+import datetime
+import os
+import yaml
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+from typing import Union
+
+from django.core.exceptions import ImproperlyConfigured
+
+RELEASE_PATH = 'release.yaml'
+LOCAL_RELEASE_PATH = 'local/release.yaml'
+
+
+@dataclass
+class ReleaseInfo:
+    version: str
+    edition: str = 'Community'
+    published: Union[datetime.date, None] = None
+    designation: Union[str, None] = None
+
+    @property
+    def full_version(self):
+        if self.designation:
+            return f"{self.version}-{self.designation}"
+        return self.version
+
+    @property
+    def name(self):
+        return f"NetBox {self.edition} v{self.full_version}"
+
+
+def load_release_data():
+    """
+    Load any locally-defined release attributes and return a ReleaseInfo instance.
+    """
+    base_path = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
+
+    # Load canonical release attributes
+    with open(os.path.join(base_path, RELEASE_PATH), 'r') as release_file:
+        data = yaml.safe_load(release_file)
+
+    # Overlay any local release date (if defined)
+    try:
+        with open(os.path.join(base_path, LOCAL_RELEASE_PATH), 'r') as release_file:
+            local_data = yaml.safe_load(release_file)
+    except FileNotFoundError:
+        local_data = {}
+    if type(local_data) is not dict:
+        raise ImproperlyConfigured(
+            f"{LOCAL_RELEASE_PATH}: Local release data must be defined as a dictionary."
+        )
+    data.update(local_data)
+
+    # Convert the published date to a date object
+    if 'published' in data:
+        data['published'] = datetime.date.fromisoformat(data['published'])
+
+    return ReleaseInfo(**data)