diff --git a/.changeset/skip-4xx-safe-methods.md b/.changeset/skip-4xx-safe-methods.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9a14ece2ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/skip-4xx-safe-methods.md
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+'@redocly/openapi-core': patch
+'@redocly/cli': patch
+---
+
+Make the `operation-4xx-response` rule configurable to exclude safe HTTP
+methods by default (get, head, options). This allows projects to avoid
+requiring 4XX responses for read-only operations while keeping the default
+behavior conservative.
diff --git a/docs/@v2/rules/oas/operation-4xx-response.md b/docs/@v2/rules/oas/operation-4xx-response.md
index 3c7fc29dba..6fef190727 100644
--- a/docs/@v2/rules/oas/operation-4xx-response.md
+++ b/docs/@v2/rules/oas/operation-4xx-response.md
@@ -23,10 +23,11 @@ While this thinking has mostly changed (for the better in our opinion), it does
 
 ## Configuration
 
-| Option           | Type    | Description                                                                               |
-| ---------------- | ------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
-| severity         | string  | Possible values: `off`, `warn`, `error`. Default `warn` (in `recommended` configuration). |
-| validateWebhooks | boolean | Determines if responses inside webhooks are validated. Default `false`.                   |
+| Option           | Type    | Description                                                                                                 |
+| ---------------- | ------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
+| severity         | string  | Possible values: `off`, `warn`, `error`. Default `warn` (in `recommended` configuration).                   |
+| validateWebhooks | boolean | Determines if responses inside webhooks are validated. Default `false`.                                     |
+| excludeMethods   | array   | List of HTTP methods (case-insensitive) to exclude from 4XX validation. Default: `['get','head','options']` |
 
 An example configuration:
 
@@ -44,6 +45,15 @@ rules:
     validateWebhooks: true
 ```
 
+To exclude additional methods from 4XX validation:
+
+```yaml
+rules:
+  operation-4xx-response:
+    severity: error
+    excludeMethods: [get, head, options, trace]
+```
+
 ## Examples
 
 Given this configuration:
diff --git a/packages/core/src/rules/common/__tests__/operation-4xx-response.exclude.test.ts b/packages/core/src/rules/common/__tests__/operation-4xx-response.exclude.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a7161befeb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core/src/rules/common/__tests__/operation-4xx-response.exclude.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+import { outdent } from 'outdent';
+
+import { parseYamlToDocument, replaceSourceWithRef } from '../../../../__tests__/utils.js';
+import { createConfig } from '../../../config/index.js';
+import { lintDocument } from '../../../lint.js';
+import { BaseResolver } from '../../../resolve.js';
+
+describe('Oas3 operation-4xx-response (exclude methods)', () => {
+  it('should not report for excluded methods by default (GET)', async () => {
+    const document = parseYamlToDocument(
+      outdent`
+          openapi: 3.0.0
+          paths:
+            '/test':
+              get:
+                responses:
+                  200:
+                    description: ok response
+        `,
+      'foobar.yaml'
+    );
+
+    const results = await lintDocument({
+      externalRefResolver: new BaseResolver(),
+      document,
+      config: await createConfig({ rules: { 'operation-4xx-response': 'error' } }),
+    });
+
+    expect(replaceSourceWithRef(results)).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`[]`);
+  });
+
+  it('should report for non-excluded methods (POST) when missing 4xx', async () => {
+    const document = parseYamlToDocument(
+      outdent`
+          openapi: 3.0.0
+          paths:
+            '/test':
+              post:
+                responses:
+                  200:
+                    description: ok response
+        `,
+      'foobar.yaml'
+    );
+
+    const results = await lintDocument({
+      externalRefResolver: new BaseResolver(),
+      document,
+      config: await createConfig({ rules: { 'operation-4xx-response': 'error' } }),
+    });
+
+    expect(replaceSourceWithRef(results)).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+      [
+        {
+          "location": [
+            {
+              "pointer": "#/paths/~1test/post/responses",
+              "reportOnKey": true,
+              "source": "foobar.yaml",
+            },
+          ],
+          "message": "Operation must have at least one \`4XX\` response.",
+          "reference": "https://redocly.com/docs/cli/rules/oas/operation-4xx-response",
+          "ruleId": "operation-4xx-response",
+          "severity": "error",
+          "suggest": [],
+        },
+      ]
+    `);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/core/src/rules/common/operation-4xx-response.ts b/packages/core/src/rules/common/operation-4xx-response.ts
index e61247b772..163612d8a6 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/rules/common/operation-4xx-response.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/rules/common/operation-4xx-response.ts
@@ -2,32 +2,55 @@ import type { Oas3Rule, Oas2Rule } from '../../visitors.js';
 import type { UserContext } from '../../walk.js';
 import { validateResponseCodes } from '../utils.js';
 
-export const Operation4xxResponse: Oas3Rule | Oas2Rule = ({ validateWebhooks }) => {
+export const Operation4xxResponse: Oas3Rule | Oas2Rule = (opts: any = {}) => {
+  const { validateWebhooks, excludeMethods: rawExcludeMethods } = opts || {};
+  const defaultExcluded = ['get', 'head', 'options'];
+  const excludeMethods = Array.isArray(rawExcludeMethods)
+    ? rawExcludeMethods.map((m: string) => String(m).toLowerCase())
+    : defaultExcluded;
+
   return {
     Paths: {
-      Responses(responses: Record<string, object>, { report }: UserContext) {
-        const codes = Object.keys(responses || {});
-
-        validateResponseCodes({
-          responseCodes: codes,
-          codeRange: '4XX',
-          report: report as UserContext['report'],
-          reference: 'https://redocly.com/docs/cli/rules/oas/operation-4xx-response',
-        });
+      Operation: {
+        leave(operation: Record<string, any>, { report, key, location }: UserContext) {
+          const method = String(key).toLowerCase();
+          if (excludeMethods.includes(method)) return;
+
+          const codes = Object.keys((operation.responses as Record<string, object>) || {});
+
+          // keep the reported location consistent with previous implementation
+          const childReport: UserContext['report'] = (problem) =>
+            report({ ...problem, location: location.child(['responses']).key() });
+
+          validateResponseCodes({
+            responseCodes: codes,
+            codeRange: '4XX',
+            report: childReport,
+            reference: 'https://redocly.com/docs/cli/rules/oas/operation-4xx-response',
+          });
+        },
       },
     },
     WebhooksMap: {
-      Responses(responses: Record<string, object>, { report }: UserContext) {
-        if (!validateWebhooks) return;
+      Operation: {
+        leave(operation: Record<string, any>, { report, key, location }: UserContext) {
+          if (!validateWebhooks) return;
+
+          const method = String(key).toLowerCase();
+          if (excludeMethods.includes(method)) return;
+
+          const codes = Object.keys((operation.responses as Record<string, object>) || {});
 
-        const codes = Object.keys(responses || {});
+          const childReport: UserContext['report'] = (problem) =>
+            report({ ...problem, location: location.child(['responses']).key() });
 
-        validateResponseCodes({
-          responseCodes: codes,
-          codeRange: '4XX',
-          report: report as UserContext['report'],
-          reference: 'https://redocly.com/docs/cli/rules/oas/operation-4xx-response',
-        });
+          validateResponseCodes({
+            responseCodes: codes,
+            codeRange: '4XX',
+            report: childReport,
+            reference: 'https://redocly.com/docs/cli/rules/oas/operation-4xx-response',
+          });
+        },
       },
     },
   };