diff --git a/config/CMakeLists.txt b/config/CMakeLists.txt
index fe8fab9b6..709bf469f 100644
--- a/config/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/config/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -60,8 +60,6 @@
 
 
 
-cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.5.0)
-
 include(ProcessorCount)
 ProcessorCount(CORES)
 
diff --git a/contrib/CI/CMakeLists.txt b/contrib/CI/CMakeLists.txt
index c5baed08c..c2f4dbd0d 100644
--- a/contrib/CI/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/contrib/CI/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -60,7 +60,5 @@
 
 
 
-cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.5.0)
-
 configure_file(generic_rpm.sh.in generic_rpm.sh @ONLY)
 configure_file(rpms.sh.in        rpms.sh        @ONLY)
diff --git a/contrib/CMakeLists.txt b/contrib/CMakeLists.txt
index 52b6a320c..d90fe623d 100644
--- a/contrib/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/contrib/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -60,8 +60,6 @@
 
 
 
-cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.5.0)
-
 set(CONTRIB_SOURCES
   gendir.c                # simple source tree generator
   treediff.c              # walk two trees and print the names that don't match
diff --git a/docs/CMakeLists.txt b/docs/CMakeLists.txt
index 107726857..ce18d0540 100644
--- a/docs/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/docs/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -60,8 +60,6 @@
 
 
 
-cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.5.0)
-
 # build man pages
 add_subdirectory(man)
 
diff --git a/docs/latex/CMakeLists.txt b/docs/latex/CMakeLists.txt
index 510f882ae..f94d86d5e 100644
--- a/docs/latex/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/docs/latex/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -60,7 +60,6 @@
 
 
 
-cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.5.0)
 SET(LATEX_OUTPUT_PATH ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/pdfs)
 
 INCLUDE(UseLATEX)
diff --git a/docs/man/CMakeLists.txt b/docs/man/CMakeLists.txt
index ec809f334..2b7b7c198 100644
--- a/docs/man/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/docs/man/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -60,8 +60,6 @@
 
 
 
-cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.5.0)
-
 set(MAN_PAGES
   bfwreaddirplus2db.1
   gufi_dir2index.1
diff --git a/examples/CMakeLists.txt b/examples/CMakeLists.txt
index ec22df0e0..a4ccfbd2c 100644
--- a/examples/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/examples/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -60,8 +60,6 @@
 
 
 
-cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.5.0)
-
 # copy test scripts into the test directory within the build directory
 # list these explicitly to prevent random garbage from getting in
 foreach(EXAMPLE
diff --git a/scripts/CMakeLists.txt b/scripts/CMakeLists.txt
index 287d19cd4..319e62695 100644
--- a/scripts/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/scripts/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -60,8 +60,6 @@
 
 
 
-cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.5.0)
-
 # gufi_* scripts
 set(TOOLS
   find
diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index 6325830bc..bcfca263c 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -60,8 +60,6 @@
 
 
 
-cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.5.0)
-
 include(CheckSymbolExists)
 check_symbol_exists(localtime_r "time.h" LOCALTIME_R)
 if (LOCALTIME_R)
diff --git a/test/CMakeLists.txt b/test/CMakeLists.txt
index 504d28d39..e5af11937 100644
--- a/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -60,8 +60,6 @@
 
 
 
-cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.5.0)
-
 # allow for the test working directory to be moved
 set(TEST_WORKING_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}" CACHE PATH "Directory to run tests in")
 execute_process(COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" -E make_directory "${TEST_WORKING_DIRECTORY}")
diff --git a/test/regression/CMakeLists.txt b/test/regression/CMakeLists.txt
index ea40a9f79..5e76ca283 100644
--- a/test/regression/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/regression/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -60,8 +60,6 @@
 
 
 
-cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.5.0)
-
 # regression test specific files
 set(CORE
   generatetree.sh
diff --git a/test/unit/CMakeLists.txt b/test/unit/CMakeLists.txt
index 268b7ae9d..c98bc7f95 100644
--- a/test/unit/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/unit/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -60,8 +60,6 @@
 
 
 
-cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.5.0)
-
 # not using VERSION_GREATER_EQUAL just in case CMake version is less than 3.7
 if (NOT ("${CMAKE_VERSION}" VERSION_LESS "3.5.0"))
   if (NOT "${CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME}" STREQUAL "CYGWIN")
diff --git a/test/unit/googletest/CMakeLists.txt b/test/unit/googletest/CMakeLists.txt
index f0ece9af2..8a68a50dc 100644
--- a/test/unit/googletest/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/unit/googletest/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -61,7 +61,6 @@
 
 
 # https://github.com/hpc/hxhim/blob/master/test/CMakeLists.txt
-cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.5.0)
 
 include(CheckLanguage)
 
diff --git a/test/unit/python/CMakeLists.txt b/test/unit/python/CMakeLists.txt
index f34725174..fb879dea2 100644
--- a/test/unit/python/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/unit/python/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -60,8 +60,6 @@
 
 
 
-cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.5.0)
-
 set(TESTS
   gufi_common
   gufi_config