diff --git a/pinot-core/src/main/java/org/apache/pinot/core/operator/transform/function/TransformFunction.java b/pinot-core/src/main/java/org/apache/pinot/core/operator/transform/function/TransformFunction.java
index 95ee40f7279a..b50a0ad8a708 100644
--- a/pinot-core/src/main/java/org/apache/pinot/core/operator/transform/function/TransformFunction.java
+++ b/pinot-core/src/main/java/org/apache/pinot/core/operator/transform/function/TransformFunction.java
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 import org.apache.pinot.core.operator.blocks.ValueBlock;
 import org.apache.pinot.core.operator.transform.TransformResultMetadata;
 import org.apache.pinot.segment.spi.index.reader.Dictionary;
+import org.apache.pinot.spi.data.FieldSpec;
 import org.roaringbitmap.RoaringBitmap;
 
 
@@ -171,4 +172,55 @@ default void init(List<TransformFunction> arguments, Map<String, ColumnContext>
    */
   @Nullable
   RoaringBitmap getNullBitmap(ValueBlock block);
+
+  /**
+   * Validates transform function configuration during table creation.
+   */
+  default void validateIngestionConfig(String transformFunctionExpression, org.apache.pinot.spi.data.Schema schema) {
+    // Default: no validation
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Returns whether this function supports ingestion-time transformation.
+   */
+  default boolean supportsIngestionTransform() {
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Infers output data type based on input arguments.
+   */
+  default org.apache.pinot.spi.data.FieldSpec.DataType inferOutputDataType(List<String> inputArguments,
+      org.apache.pinot.spi.data.Schema schema) {
+    return FieldSpec.DataType.STRING;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Returns expected input data types for validation.
+   */
+  default FieldSpec.DataType[] getExpectedInputDataTypes() {
+    return new org.apache.pinot.spi.data.FieldSpec.DataType[0];
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Returns minimum number of arguments required.
+   */
+  default int getMinArgumentCount() {
+    return 0;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Returns maximum number of arguments allowed (-1 for unlimited).
+   */
+  default int getMaxArgumentCount() {
+    return -1;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Validates input data type compatibility.
+   */
+  default boolean isInputDataTypeSupported(FieldSpec.DataType inputType,
+      int argumentIndex) {
+    return true;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/pinot-spi/src/main/java/org/apache/pinot/spi/config/table/ingestion/IngestionConfig.java b/pinot-spi/src/main/java/org/apache/pinot/spi/config/table/ingestion/IngestionConfig.java
index 2c3fc664b879..31e2b15b97c6 100644
--- a/pinot-spi/src/main/java/org/apache/pinot/spi/config/table/ingestion/IngestionConfig.java
+++ b/pinot-spi/src/main/java/org/apache/pinot/spi/config/table/ingestion/IngestionConfig.java
@@ -76,6 +76,9 @@ public void setSchemaConformingTransformerV2Config(
   @JsonPropertyDescription("Configs related to check time value for segment")
   private boolean _segmentTimeValueCheck = true;
 
+  @JsonPropertyDescription("Default validation mode for transform functions: STRICT, LENIENT, or LEGACY")
+  private TransformConfig.ValidationMode _defaultTransformValidationMode;
+
   @Deprecated
   public IngestionConfig(@Nullable BatchIngestionConfig batchIngestionConfig,
       @Nullable StreamIngestionConfig streamIngestionConfig, @Nullable FilterConfig filterConfig,
@@ -200,4 +203,14 @@ public void setRowTimeValueCheck(boolean rowTimeValueCheck) {
   public void setSegmentTimeValueCheck(boolean segmentTimeValueCheck) {
     _segmentTimeValueCheck = segmentTimeValueCheck;
   }
+
+  @Nullable
+  public TransformConfig.ValidationMode getDefaultTransformValidationMode() {
+    return _defaultTransformValidationMode;
+  }
+
+  public void setDefaultTransformValidationMode(
+      @Nullable TransformConfig.ValidationMode defaultTransformValidationMode) {
+    _defaultTransformValidationMode = defaultTransformValidationMode;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/pinot-spi/src/main/java/org/apache/pinot/spi/config/table/ingestion/TransformConfig.java b/pinot-spi/src/main/java/org/apache/pinot/spi/config/table/ingestion/TransformConfig.java
index 468308d196ce..024ae3e0774c 100644
--- a/pinot-spi/src/main/java/org/apache/pinot/spi/config/table/ingestion/TransformConfig.java
+++ b/pinot-spi/src/main/java/org/apache/pinot/spi/config/table/ingestion/TransformConfig.java
@@ -29,17 +29,33 @@
  */
 public class TransformConfig extends BaseJsonConfig {
 
+  public enum ValidationMode {
+    STRICT,   // No automatic type conversions allowed
+    LENIENT,  // Allow safe type conversions (recommended)
+    LEGACY    // Allow all existing conversions including STRING->numeric (default)
+  }
+
   @JsonPropertyDescription("Column name")
   private final String _columnName;
 
   @JsonPropertyDescription("Transformation function string")
   private final String _transformFunction;
 
+  @JsonPropertyDescription("Validation mode for type checking: STRICT, LENIENT, or LEGACY")
+  private final ValidationMode _validationMode;
+
   @JsonCreator
   public TransformConfig(@JsonProperty("columnName") String columnName,
-      @JsonProperty("transformFunction") String transformFunction) {
+      @JsonProperty("transformFunction") String transformFunction,
+      @JsonProperty("validationMode") ValidationMode validationMode) {
     _columnName = columnName;
     _transformFunction = transformFunction;
+    _validationMode = validationMode != null ? validationMode : ValidationMode.LEGACY;
+  }
+
+  // Backward compatibility constructor
+  public TransformConfig(String columnName, String transformFunction) {
+    this(columnName, transformFunction, ValidationMode.LEGACY);
   }
 
   public String getColumnName() {
@@ -49,4 +65,8 @@ public String getColumnName() {
   public String getTransformFunction() {
     return _transformFunction;
   }
+
+  public ValidationMode getValidationMode() {
+    return _validationMode;
+  }
 }