diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-lang-java.yml b/.github/workflows/test-lang-java.yml
index 94e450f237d..bca1f0b7ae8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-lang-java.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-lang-java.yml
@@ -49,12 +49,11 @@ jobs:
           restore-keys: |
             ${{ runner.os }}-maven-
 
-      - name: 'Setup Temurin JDK 8, 11, 17 & 21'
+      - name: 'Setup Temurin JDK 11, 17 & 21'
         uses: actions/setup-java@99b8673ff64fbf99d8d325f52d9a5bdedb8483e9 # v4.2.1
         with:
           distribution: 'temurin'
           java-version: |
-            8
             11
             17
             21
@@ -93,12 +92,11 @@ jobs:
           restore-keys: |
             ${{ runner.os }}-maven-
 
-      - name: 'Setup Temurin JDK 8, 11, 17 & 21'
+      - name: 'Setup Temurin JDK 11, 17 & 21'
         uses: actions/setup-java@99b8673ff64fbf99d8d325f52d9a5bdedb8483e9 # v4.2.1
         with:
           distribution: 'temurin'
           java-version: |
-            8
             11
             17
             21
@@ -149,10 +147,10 @@ jobs:
         working-directory: .
         run: mvn -B install -PskipQuality
 
-      - name: 'Generate Interop Data using Java 8, 11, 17 & 21'
+      - name: 'Generate Interop Data using Java 11, 17 & 21'
         working-directory: lang/java/interop-data-test
         run: mvn -B verify -Pgenerate-test-data
 
-      - name: 'Run Interop Tests using Java 8, 11, 17 & 21'
+      - name: 'Run Interop Tests using Java 11, 17 & 21'
         working-directory: lang/java/interop-data-test
         run: mvn -B verify -Pcheck-test-data
diff --git a/doc/examples/java-example/pom.xml b/doc/examples/java-example/pom.xml
index ef0d81639de..9c7effb7bd3 100644
--- a/doc/examples/java-example/pom.xml
+++ b/doc/examples/java-example/pom.xml
@@ -49,8 +49,8 @@
         <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
         <version>3.8.1</version>
         <configuration>
-          <source>1.8</source>
-          <target>1.8</target>
+          <source>11</source>
+          <target>11</target>
         </configuration>
       </plugin>
       <plugin>
@@ -75,8 +75,8 @@
         <artifactId>maven-plugin</artifactId>
         <version>${avro.version}</version>
         <configuration>
-          <source>1.8</source>
-          <target>1.8</target>
+          <source>11</source>
+          <target>11</target>
         </configuration>
       </plugin>
     </plugins>
diff --git a/doc/examples/mr-example/pom.xml b/doc/examples/mr-example/pom.xml
index 9a2a2583075..be6b689b07c 100644
--- a/doc/examples/mr-example/pom.xml
+++ b/doc/examples/mr-example/pom.xml
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@
         <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
         <version>3.8.1</version>
         <configuration>
-          <source>1.8</source>
-          <target>1.8</target>
+          <source>11</source>
+          <target>11</target>
         </configuration>
       </plugin>
       <plugin>
diff --git a/lang/java/avro/pom.xml b/lang/java/avro/pom.xml
index 172837b5a7c..c4770a92746 100644
--- a/lang/java/avro/pom.xml
+++ b/lang/java/avro/pom.xml
@@ -150,26 +150,6 @@
             </goals>
           </execution>
 
-          <execution>
-            <id>Run all tests under Java 8</id>
-            <goals>
-              <goal>run</goal>
-            </goals>
-            <configuration>
-              <filterProperties>
-                <integrationTestingJDK>8</integrationTestingJDK>
-                <!-- Mockito 5 (used in all other cases) requires Java 11 -->
-                <!-- This is the last version that still runs on Java 8 -->
-                <mockito.version>4.11.0</mockito.version>
-              </filterProperties>
-              <properties>
-                <maven.compiler.release/>
-                <maven.compiler.target>8</maven.compiler.target>
-              </properties>
-              <cloneProjectsTo>${project.build.directory}/it-jdk-8</cloneProjectsTo>
-            </configuration>
-          </execution>
-
           <execution>
             <id>Run all tests under Java 11</id>
             <goals>
diff --git a/lang/java/interop-data-test/src/it/check/pom.xml b/lang/java/interop-data-test/src/it/check/pom.xml
index f880584dce9..40fd8e39796 100644
--- a/lang/java/interop-data-test/src/it/check/pom.xml
+++ b/lang/java/interop-data-test/src/it/check/pom.xml
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
   <properties>
     <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
     <project.build.outputEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.outputEncoding>
-    <maven.compiler.source>8</maven.compiler.source>
+    <maven.compiler.source>11</maven.compiler.source>
 
     <main.basedir>../../../../../..</main.basedir>
     <interop.datadir>${main.basedir}/build/interop/data/</interop.datadir>
diff --git a/lang/java/interop-data-test/src/it/generate/pom.xml b/lang/java/interop-data-test/src/it/generate/pom.xml
index 0464df07d05..fe1f1d3f4d9 100644
--- a/lang/java/interop-data-test/src/it/generate/pom.xml
+++ b/lang/java/interop-data-test/src/it/generate/pom.xml
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
   <properties>
     <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
     <project.build.outputEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.outputEncoding>
-    <maven.compiler.source>8</maven.compiler.source>
+    <maven.compiler.source>11</maven.compiler.source>
 
     <main.basedir>../../../../../..</main.basedir>
 
diff --git a/lang/java/thrift/pom.xml b/lang/java/thrift/pom.xml
index 12a20258b42..1140f8ce699 100644
--- a/lang/java/thrift/pom.xml
+++ b/lang/java/thrift/pom.xml
@@ -127,6 +127,12 @@
       <artifactId>libthrift</artifactId>
       <version>${thrift.version}</version>
     </dependency>
+    <dependency>
+      <groupId>javax.annotation</groupId>
+      <artifactId>javax.annotation-api</artifactId>
+      <version>1.3.2</version>
+      <scope>test</scope>
+    </dependency>
   </dependencies>
 
 </project>
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index e40ebef883c..486452e70ea 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@
        Java artifacts are copied to the final build destination with a custom profile.
        -->
   <properties>
-    <maven.compiler.source>1.8</maven.compiler.source>
-    <maven.compiler.release>8</maven.compiler.release>
+    <maven.compiler.source>11</maven.compiler.source>
+    <maven.compiler.release>11</maven.compiler.release>
     <main.basedir>${project.basedir}</main.basedir>
     <avro.distDir>dist</avro.distDir>
     <avro.docDir>build/avro-doc-${project.version}/api</avro.docDir>
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
     <checkstyle-plugin.version>3.3.1</checkstyle-plugin.version>
     <checkstyle.version>10.15.0</checkstyle.version>
     <enforcer-plugin.version>3.4.1</enforcer-plugin.version>
-    <extra-enforcer-rules.version>1.7.0</extra-enforcer-rules.version>
+    <extra-enforcer-rules.version>1.8.0</extra-enforcer-rules.version>
     <maven-antrun-plugin.version>3.1.0</maven-antrun-plugin.version>
     <maven-compiler-plugin.version>3.13.0</maven-compiler-plugin.version>
     <maven-gpg-plugin.version>3.2.3</maven-gpg-plugin.version>
@@ -180,19 +180,6 @@
         <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
         <artifactId>maven-toolchains-plugin</artifactId>
         <executions>
-          <execution>
-            <id>Ensure ToolChain for JDK 8 is available</id>
-            <goals>
-              <goal>toolchain</goal>
-            </goals>
-            <configuration>
-              <toolchains>
-                <jdk>
-                  <version>8</version>
-                </jdk>
-              </toolchains>
-            </configuration>
-          </execution>
           <execution>
             <id>Ensure ToolChain for JDK 11 is available</id>
             <goals>
@@ -248,13 +235,13 @@
             <configuration>
               <rules>
                 <enforceBytecodeVersion>
-                  <maxJdkVersion>8</maxJdkVersion>
+                  <maxJdkVersion>11</maxJdkVersion>
                   <ignoredScopes>
                     <ignoredScope>test</ignoredScope>
                     <ignoredScope>provided</ignoredScope>
                   </ignoredScopes>
                   <!--
-                    Multi release jars that are Java 8 compatible should pass,
+                    Multi release jars that are Java 11 compatible should pass,
                     but the extra-enforcer-plugin does not detect them
                     correctly so we should ignore them explicitly.
                     -->