diff --git a/crates/iceberg/src/transaction/sort_order.rs b/crates/iceberg/src/transaction/sort_order.rs
index dfa1328c09..2ae5da38f6 100644
--- a/crates/iceberg/src/transaction/sort_order.rs
+++ b/crates/iceberg/src/transaction/sort_order.rs
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ use crate::{Error, ErrorKind, TableRequirement, TableUpdate};
 #[derive(Debug, PartialEq, Eq, Clone)]
 struct PendingSortField {
     name: String,
+    transform: Transform,
     direction: SortDirection,
     null_order: NullOrder,
 }
@@ -46,7 +47,7 @@ impl PendingSortField {
 
         Ok(SortField::builder()
             .source_id(field_id)
-            .transform(Transform::Identity)
+            .transform(self.transform)
             .direction(self.direction)
             .null_order(self.null_order)
             .build())
@@ -65,24 +66,58 @@ impl ReplaceSortOrderAction {
         }
     }
 
-    /// Adds a field for sorting in ascending order.
+    /// Adds a field for sorting in ascending order, sorting by the column's raw value
+    /// (an identity transform). To sort by a transform of the column instead (e.g.
+    /// `bucket[N]`, `year`, `truncate[W]`), use [`Self::asc_with_transform`].
     pub fn asc(self, name: &str, null_order: NullOrder) -> Self {
-        self.add_sort_field(name, SortDirection::Ascending, null_order)
+        self.asc_with_transform(name, Transform::Identity, null_order)
     }
 
-    /// Adds a field for sorting in descending order.
+    /// Adds a field for sorting in descending order, sorting by the column's raw value
+    /// (an identity transform). To sort by a transform of the column instead (e.g.
+    /// `bucket[N]`, `year`, `truncate[W]`), use [`Self::desc_with_transform`].
     pub fn desc(self, name: &str, null_order: NullOrder) -> Self {
-        self.add_sort_field(name, SortDirection::Descending, null_order)
+        self.desc_with_transform(name, Transform::Identity, null_order)
+    }
+
+    /// Adds a field for sorting in ascending order by a transform of the column's value
+    /// (e.g. `Transform::Bucket(16)`, `Transform::Year`, `Transform::Truncate(4)`).
+    ///
+    /// Whether the transform is valid for the column's type is checked at commit time,
+    /// once the table schema is available (mirroring Java's `SortOrder.Builder.build()`).
+    pub fn asc_with_transform(
+        self,
+        name: &str,
+        transform: Transform,
+        null_order: NullOrder,
+    ) -> Self {
+        self.add_sort_field(name, transform, SortDirection::Ascending, null_order)
+    }
+
+    /// Adds a field for sorting in descending order by a transform of the column's value
+    /// (e.g. `Transform::Bucket(16)`, `Transform::Year`, `Transform::Truncate(4)`).
+    ///
+    /// Whether the transform is valid for the column's type is checked at commit time,
+    /// once the table schema is available (mirroring Java's `SortOrder.Builder.build()`).
+    pub fn desc_with_transform(
+        self,
+        name: &str,
+        transform: Transform,
+        null_order: NullOrder,
+    ) -> Self {
+        self.add_sort_field(name, transform, SortDirection::Descending, null_order)
     }
 
     fn add_sort_field(
         mut self,
         name: &str,
+        transform: Transform,
         sort_direction: SortDirection,
         null_order: NullOrder,
     ) -> Self {
         self.pending_sort_fields.push(PendingSortField {
             name: name.to_string(),
+            transform,
             direction: sort_direction,
             null_order,
         });
@@ -135,10 +170,11 @@ impl TransactionAction for ReplaceSortOrderAction {
 mod tests {
     use as_any::Downcast;
 
-    use crate::spec::{NullOrder, SortDirection};
+    use crate::ErrorKind;
+    use crate::spec::{NullOrder, SortDirection, Transform};
     use crate::transaction::sort_order::{PendingSortField, ReplaceSortOrderAction};
     use crate::transaction::tests::make_v2_table;
-    use crate::transaction::{ApplyTransactionAction, Transaction};
+    use crate::transaction::{ApplyTransactionAction, Transaction, TransactionAction};
 
     #[test]
     fn test_replace_sort_order() {
@@ -159,14 +195,90 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(replace_sort_order.pending_sort_fields, vec![
             PendingSortField {
                 name: String::from("x"),
+                transform: Transform::Identity,
                 direction: SortDirection::Ascending,
                 null_order: NullOrder::First,
             },
             PendingSortField {
                 name: String::from("y"),
+                transform: Transform::Identity,
                 direction: SortDirection::Descending,
                 null_order: NullOrder::Last,
             }
         ]);
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_replace_sort_order_with_transform() {
+        let table = make_v2_table();
+        let tx = Transaction::new(&table);
+        let replace_sort_order = tx.replace_sort_order();
+
+        let tx = replace_sort_order
+            .asc_with_transform("x", Transform::Bucket(16), NullOrder::First)
+            .desc_with_transform("y", Transform::Truncate(4), NullOrder::Last)
+            .apply(tx)
+            .unwrap();
+
+        let replace_sort_order = (*tx.actions[0])
+            .downcast_ref::<ReplaceSortOrderAction>()
+            .unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(replace_sort_order.pending_sort_fields, vec![
+            PendingSortField {
+                name: String::from("x"),
+                transform: Transform::Bucket(16),
+                direction: SortDirection::Ascending,
+                null_order: NullOrder::First,
+            },
+            PendingSortField {
+                name: String::from("y"),
+                transform: Transform::Truncate(4),
+                direction: SortDirection::Descending,
+                null_order: NullOrder::Last,
+            }
+        ]);
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_replace_sort_order_with_transform_commits() {
+        use std::sync::Arc;
+
+        use crate::TableUpdate;
+
+        let table = make_v2_table();
+        let action = Arc::new(ReplaceSortOrderAction::new().asc_with_transform(
+            "x",
+            Transform::Bucket(16),
+            NullOrder::First,
+        ));
+
+        let mut action_commit = TransactionAction::commit(action, &table).await.unwrap();
+        let updates = action_commit.take_updates();
+
+        let sort_order = match &updates[0] {
+            TableUpdate::AddSortOrder { sort_order } => sort_order,
+            other => panic!("expected AddSortOrder, got {other:?}"),
+        };
+        assert_eq!(sort_order.fields[0].transform, Transform::Bucket(16));
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_replace_sort_order_rejects_incompatible_transform() {
+        use std::sync::Arc;
+
+        let table = make_v2_table();
+        // `x` is a `long` column; `year` only accepts date/timestamp types.
+        let action = Arc::new(ReplaceSortOrderAction::new().asc_with_transform(
+            "x",
+            Transform::Year,
+            NullOrder::First,
+        ));
+
+        let err = match TransactionAction::commit(action, &table).await {
+            Err(e) => e,
+            Ok(_) => panic!("year transform on a long column should be rejected"),
+        };
+        assert_eq!(err.kind(), ErrorKind::Unexpected);
+    }
 }