diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
index bb920942a..d17b4fcc5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ jobs:
         OS: ${{ matrix.os }}
         NODE_VERSION: ${{ matrix.node }}
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@11bd71901bbe5b1630ceea73d27597364c9af683 # v4
+      - uses: actions/checkout@08c6903cd8c0fde910a37f88322edcfb5dd907a8 # v4
       - run: git fetch --prune --unshallow
       - run: git config --global user.name 'Actions'
       - run: git config --global user.email 'dummy@example.org'
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-please.yml b/.github/workflows/release-please.yml
index 9fdbbe7b8..c3ffddc2b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release-please.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-please.yml
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ jobs:
           release-type: node
           package-name: commit-and-tag-version
       # The logic below handles the npm publication:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@11bd71901bbe5b1630ceea73d27597364c9af683 # v4
+      - uses: actions/checkout@08c6903cd8c0fde910a37f88322edcfb5dd907a8 # v4
         # these if statements ensure that a publication only occurs when
         # a new release is created:
         if: ${{ steps.release.outputs.release_created }}
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 770201d3b..79efe5bc7 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,13 @@
 
 All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file. See [commit-and-tag-version](https://github.com/absolute-version/commit-and-tag-version) for commit guidelines.
 
+## [12.6.0](https://github.com/absolute-version/commit-and-tag-version/compare/v12.5.2...v12.6.0) (2025-08-27)
+
+
+### Features
+
+* add --config option to allow custom config file path ([#237](https://github.com/absolute-version/commit-and-tag-version/issues/237)) ([3958e68](https://github.com/absolute-version/commit-and-tag-version/commit/3958e688a60df4f1ba46137d1f4147a65817c8d7))
+
 ## [12.5.2](https://github.com/absolute-version/commit-and-tag-version/compare/v12.5.1...v12.5.2) (2025-07-30)
 
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 85a850241..b466a5e13 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ _Having problems? Want to contribute? Join us on the [node-tooling community Sla
     - [Release as a Pre-Release](#release-as-a-pre-release)
     - [Release as a Target Type Imperatively (`npm version`-like)](#release-as-a-target-type-imperatively-npm-version-like)
     - [Prevent Git Hooks](#prevent-git-hooks)
+    - [Custom Config Path](#custom-config-path)
     - [Signing Commits and Tags](#signing-commits-and-tags)
     - [Lifecycle Scripts](#lifecycle-scripts)
     - [Skipping Lifecycle Steps](#skipping-lifecycle-steps)
@@ -312,6 +313,23 @@ npm run release -- --no-verify
 commit-and-tag-version --no-verify
 ```
 
+### Custom Config Path
+
+Specify a custom path to the configuration file using the `--config` option
+
+```sh
+commit-and-tag-version --config ./path/to/.versionrc.js
+
+# or using alias
+commit-and-tag-version -c ./path/to/.versionrc.js
+```
+
+All config file formats can be used:
+
+```sh
+commit-and-tag-version -c ./path/to/.versionrc[.js|.cjs|.json]
+```
+
 ### Signing Commits and Tags
 
 If you have your GPG key set up, add the `--sign` or `-s` flag to your `commit-and-tag-version` command.
diff --git a/command.js b/command.js
index c5d98480e..8d04da3d6 100755
--- a/command.js
+++ b/command.js
@@ -132,6 +132,12 @@ const yargs = require('yargs')
     default: defaults.npmPublishHint,
     describe: 'Customized publishing hint',
   })
+  .option('config', {
+    type: 'string',
+    default: defaults.config,
+    alias: 'c',
+    describe: 'Path to a custom configuration file',
+  })
   .check((argv) => {
     if (typeof argv.scripts !== 'object' || Array.isArray(argv.scripts)) {
       throw Error('scripts must be an object');
@@ -150,9 +156,10 @@ const yargs = require('yargs')
   )
   .pkgConf('standard-version')
   .pkgConf('commit-and-tag-version')
-  .config(getConfiguration())
   .wrap(97);
 
+yargs.config(getConfiguration(yargs.argv.config));
+
 Object.keys(spec.properties).forEach((propertyKey) => {
   const property = spec.properties[propertyKey];
   yargs.option(propertyKey, {
diff --git a/defaults.js b/defaults.js
index 9cf40e034..83d69d225 100644
--- a/defaults.js
+++ b/defaults.js
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ const defaults = {
   gitTagFallback: true,
   preset: require.resolve('conventional-changelog-conventionalcommits'),
   npmPublishHint: undefined,
+  config: undefined,
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/lib/configuration.js b/lib/configuration.js
index f169631ea..be8c634ef 100644
--- a/lib/configuration.js
+++ b/lib/configuration.js
@@ -9,9 +9,13 @@ const CONFIGURATION_FILES = [
   '.versionrc.js',
 ];
 
-module.exports.getConfiguration = function () {
+module.exports.getConfiguration = function (configFile) {
   let config = {};
-  const configPath = findUp.sync(CONFIGURATION_FILES);
+
+  // If the user has provided a configuration file via the `--config` argument, we use that.
+  const configurationFiles = configFile ?? CONFIGURATION_FILES;
+
+  const configPath = findUp.sync(configurationFiles);
   if (!configPath) {
     return config;
   }
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index f46c12f94..69bd560bf 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "commit-and-tag-version",
-  "version": "12.5.2",
+  "version": "12.6.0",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "commit-and-tag-version",
-      "version": "12.5.2",
+      "version": "12.6.0",
       "license": "ISC",
       "dependencies": {
         "chalk": "^2.4.2",
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
         "jest": "^29.7.0",
         "jest-serial-runner": "^1.2.1",
         "prettier": "^3.3.3",
-        "shelljs": "^0.8.5",
+        "shelljs": "^0.10.0",
         "strip-ansi": "^6.0.1"
       },
       "engines": {
@@ -4504,14 +4504,6 @@
         "node": ">= 0.4"
       }
     },
-    "node_modules/interpret": {
-      "version": "1.4.0",
-      "dev": true,
-      "license": "MIT",
-      "engines": {
-        "node": ">= 0.10"
-      }
-    },
     "node_modules/is-array-buffer": {
       "version": "3.0.4",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/is-array-buffer/-/is-array-buffer-3.0.4.tgz",
@@ -7531,16 +7523,6 @@
         "node": ">= 6"
       }
     },
-    "node_modules/rechoir": {
-      "version": "0.6.2",
-      "dev": true,
-      "dependencies": {
-        "resolve": "^1.1.6"
-      },
-      "engines": {
-        "node": ">= 0.10"
-      }
-    },
     "node_modules/redent": {
       "version": "3.0.0",
       "license": "MIT",
@@ -7798,19 +7780,17 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/shelljs": {
-      "version": "0.8.5",
+      "version": "0.10.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/shelljs/-/shelljs-0.10.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-Jex+xw5Mg2qMZL3qnzXIfaxEtBaC4n7xifqaqtrZDdlheR70OGkydrPJWT0V1cA1k3nanC86x9FwAmQl6w3Klw==",
       "dev": true,
       "license": "BSD-3-Clause",
       "dependencies": {
-        "glob": "^7.0.0",
-        "interpret": "^1.0.0",
-        "rechoir": "^0.6.2"
-      },
-      "bin": {
-        "shjs": "bin/shjs"
+        "execa": "^5.1.1",
+        "fast-glob": "^3.3.2"
       },
       "engines": {
-        "node": ">=4"
+        "node": ">=18"
       }
     },
     "node_modules/side-channel": {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 466aad691..46f347be2 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "commit-and-tag-version",
-  "version": "12.5.2",
+  "version": "12.6.0",
   "description": "replacement for `npm version` with automatic CHANGELOG generation",
   "bin": "bin/cli.js",
   "scripts": {
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
     "jest": "^29.7.0",
     "jest-serial-runner": "^1.2.1",
     "prettier": "^3.3.3",
-    "shelljs": "^0.8.5",
+    "shelljs": "^0.10.0",
     "strip-ansi": "^6.0.1"
   }
 }
diff --git a/test/config-files.integration-test.js b/test/config-files.integration-test.js
index e1c54f3c9..dba07a780 100644
--- a/test/config-files.integration-test.js
+++ b/test/config-files.integration-test.js
@@ -86,6 +86,30 @@ describe('config files', function () {
     expect(content).toContain(issueUrlFormat);
   });
 
+  it('reads config from custom path', async function () {
+    const issueUrlFormat = 'http://www.foo.com/{{id}}';
+    const changelog = ({ preset }) => preset.issueUrlFormat;
+    mock({ bump: 'minor', changelog });
+    fs.mkdirSync('custom-folder');
+    fs.writeFileSync(
+      'custom-folder/.versionrc.json',
+      JSON.stringify({ issueUrlFormat }),
+      'utf-8',
+    );
+
+    // Override process.argv to simulate CLI arguments before `exec`.
+    // This ensures yargs parses the custom config argument.
+    const originalArgv = process.argv;
+    process.argv = ['node', 'script.js', '-c', 'custom-folder/.versionrc.json'];
+
+    await exec(['-c', 'custom-folder/.versionrc.json']);
+    const content = fs.readFileSync('CHANGELOG.md', 'utf-8');
+    expect(content).toContain(issueUrlFormat);
+
+    // Restore original process.argv
+    process.argv = originalArgv;
+  });
+
   it('evaluates a config-function from .versionrc.js', async function () {
     const issueUrlFormat = 'http://www.foo.com/{{id}}';
     const src = `module.exports = function() { return ${JSON.stringify({