diff --git a/lib/modules/datasource/api.ts b/lib/modules/datasource/api.ts
index 6d684fd115d3df..386241a255e838 100644
--- a/lib/modules/datasource/api.ts
+++ b/lib/modules/datasource/api.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { CdnJsDatasource } from './cdnjs';
 import { ClojureDatasource } from './clojure';
 import { ConanDatasource } from './conan';
 import { CondaDatasource } from './conda';
+import { CpanDatasource } from './cpan';
 import { CrateDatasource } from './crate';
 import { DartDatasource } from './dart';
 import { DockerDatasource } from './docker';
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ api.set(CdnJsDatasource.id, new CdnJsDatasource());
 api.set(ClojureDatasource.id, new ClojureDatasource());
 api.set(ConanDatasource.id, new ConanDatasource());
 api.set(CondaDatasource.id, new CondaDatasource());
+api.set(CpanDatasource.id, new CpanDatasource());
 api.set(CrateDatasource.id, new CrateDatasource());
 api.set(DartDatasource.id, new DartDatasource());
 api.set(DockerDatasource.id, new DockerDatasource());
diff --git a/lib/modules/datasource/cpan/__fixtures__/Plack.json b/lib/modules/datasource/cpan/__fixtures__/Plack.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..9fb33a17fd6236
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/modules/datasource/cpan/__fixtures__/Plack.json
@@ -0,0 +1,235 @@
+{
+   "took" : 3,
+   "_shards" : {
+      "total" : 3,
+      "successful" : 3,
+      "failed" : 0
+   },
+   "hits" : {
+      "total" : 169,
+      "hits" : [
+         {
+            "_type" : "file",
+            "_id" : "iGmpDWEqEQB4FO1lXb0j3tLgIDw",
+            "_index" : "cpan_v1_01",
+            "sort" : [
+               1606695696000
+            ],
+            "_score" : null,
+            "_source" : {
+               "deprecated" : false,
+               "module" : [
+                  {
+                     "name" : "Plack",
+                     "version" : "1.0048"
+                  }
+               ],
+               "date" : "2020-11-30T00:21:36",
+               "maturity" : "released",
+               "distribution" : "Plack",
+               "download_url" : "https://cpan.metacpan.org/authors/id/M/MI/MIYAGAWA/Plack-1.0048.tar.gz"
+            }
+         },
+         {
+            "_index" : "cpan_v1_01",
+            "_id" : "rV2b5IZa2PG_JbjbYRdzPXZPFw4",
+            "sort" : [
+               1518254730000
+            ],
+            "_score" : null,
+            "_source" : {
+               "distribution" : "Plack",
+               "download_url" : "https://cpan.metacpan.org/authors/id/M/MI/MIYAGAWA/Plack-1.0047.tar.gz",
+               "deprecated" : false,
+               "module" : [
+                  {
+                     "version" : "1.0047",
+                     "name" : "Plack"
+                  }
+               ],
+               "date" : "2018-02-10T09:25:30",
+               "maturity" : "released"
+            },
+            "_type" : "file"
+         },
+         {
+            "_source" : {
+               "distribution" : "Plack",
+               "download_url" : "https://cpan.metacpan.org/authors/id/M/MI/MIYAGAWA/Plack-1.0046.tar.gz",
+               "maturity" : "released",
+               "module" : [
+                  {
+                     "version" : "1.0046",
+                     "name" : "Plack"
+                  }
+               ],
+               "date" : "2018-02-10T07:52:31",
+               "deprecated" : false
+            },
+            "sort" : [
+               1518249151000
+            ],
+            "_score" : null,
+            "_index" : "cpan_v1_01",
+            "_id" : "K3Pl0SIFDJ2K3kt5HxLnT2gVIxc",
+            "_type" : "file"
+         },
+         {
+            "_source" : {
+               "deprecated" : false,
+               "maturity" : "released",
+               "module" : [
+                  {
+                     "version" : "1.0045",
+                     "name" : "Plack"
+                  }
+               ],
+               "date" : "2017-12-31T20:42:50",
+               "distribution" : "Plack",
+               "download_url" : "https://cpan.metacpan.org/authors/id/M/MI/MIYAGAWA/Plack-1.0045.tar.gz"
+            },
+            "_index" : "cpan_v1_01",
+            "_id" : "mMVzdQVT1y8stbntvAQQc87mGeM",
+            "sort" : [
+               1514752970000
+            ],
+            "_score" : null,
+            "_type" : "file"
+         },
+         {
+            "_type" : "file",
+            "_source" : {
+               "download_url" : "https://cpan.metacpan.org/authors/id/M/MI/MIYAGAWA/Plack-1.0044.tar.gz",
+               "distribution" : "Plack",
+               "module" : [
+                  {
+                     "name" : "Plack",
+                     "version" : "1.0044"
+                  }
+               ],
+               "date" : "2017-04-27T17:48:20",
+               "maturity" : "released",
+               "deprecated" : false
+            },
+            "_score" : null,
+            "sort" : [
+               1493315300000
+            ],
+            "_index" : "cpan_v1_01",
+            "_id" : "FCsCemrqDXJgxmIF1MYaf3yxHtk"
+         },
+         {
+            "_type" : "file",
+            "_index" : "cpan_v1_01",
+            "_id" : "Noy_4t07AY__XEYnpJ9efRqKkNY",
+            "_score" : null,
+            "sort" : [
+               1487732525000
+            ],
+            "_source" : {
+               "deprecated" : false,
+               "module" : [
+                  {
+                     "name" : "Plack",
+                     "version" : "1.0043"
+                  }
+               ],
+               "date" : "2017-02-22T03:02:05",
+               "maturity" : "released",
+               "distribution" : "Plack",
+               "download_url" : "https://cpan.metacpan.org/authors/id/M/MI/MIYAGAWA/Plack-1.0043.tar.gz"
+            }
+         },
+         {
+            "_type" : "file",
+            "_score" : null,
+            "sort" : [
+               1475127522000
+            ],
+            "_index" : "cpan_v1_01",
+            "_id" : "xC2vIHM6w4Bruk0EsQCeVm25d2c",
+            "_source" : {
+               "distribution" : "Plack",
+               "download_url" : "https://cpan.metacpan.org/authors/id/M/MI/MIYAGAWA/Plack-1.0042.tar.gz",
+               "maturity" : "released",
+               "module" : [
+                  {
+                     "name" : "Plack",
+                     "version" : "1.0042"
+                  }
+               ],
+               "date" : "2016-09-29T05:38:42",
+               "deprecated" : false
+            }
+         },
+         {
+            "_source" : {
+               "deprecated" : false,
+               "maturity" : "released",
+               "module" : [
+                  {
+                     "name" : "Plack",
+                     "version" : "1.0041"
+                  }
+               ],
+               "date" : "2016-09-25T21:25:47",
+               "download_url" : "https://cpan.metacpan.org/authors/id/M/MI/MIYAGAWA/Plack-1.0041.tar.gz",
+               "distribution" : "Plack"
+            },
+            "_index" : "cpan_v1_01",
+            "_id" : "JBBPOsgzGyMPb5CkrBY8GnrCocs",
+            "_score" : null,
+            "sort" : [
+               1474838747000
+            ],
+            "_type" : "file"
+         },
+         {
+            "_source" : {
+               "distribution" : "Plack",
+               "download_url" : "https://cpan.metacpan.org/authors/id/M/MI/MIYAGAWA/Plack-1.0040-TRIAL.tar.gz",
+               "deprecated" : false,
+               "module" : [
+                  {
+                     "version" : "1.0040",
+                     "name" : "Plack"
+                  }
+               ],
+               "date" : "2016-04-01T16:58:21",
+               "maturity" : "developer"
+            },
+            "sort" : [
+               1459529901000
+            ],
+            "_score" : null,
+            "_index" : "cpan_v1_01",
+            "_id" : "NkAJcXogQmuVpc46K4jm07QqUS8",
+            "_type" : "file"
+         },
+         {
+            "_type" : "file",
+            "_source" : {
+               "deprecated" : false,
+               "maturity" : "released",
+               "module" : [
+                  {
+                     "version" : "1.0039",
+                     "name" : "Plack"
+                  }
+               ],
+               "date" : "2015-12-06T11:29:40",
+               "distribution" : "Plack",
+               "download_url" : "https://cpan.metacpan.org/authors/id/M/MI/MIYAGAWA/Plack-1.0039.tar.gz"
+            },
+            "_index" : "cpan_v1_01",
+            "_id" : "Y7WlIYOZjk3rh9O05F3UZE6WwGo",
+            "_score" : null,
+            "sort" : [
+               1449401380000
+            ]
+         }
+      ],
+      "max_score" : null
+   },
+   "timed_out" : false
+}
diff --git a/lib/modules/datasource/cpan/__fixtures__/empty.json b/lib/modules/datasource/cpan/__fixtures__/empty.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..8b2e7fe6f30195
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/modules/datasource/cpan/__fixtures__/empty.json
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+{
+   "took" : 3,
+   "_shards" : {
+      "total" : 3,
+      "successful" : 3,
+      "failed" : 0
+   },
+   "hits" : {
+      "max_score" : null,
+      "hits" : [],
+      "total" : 0
+   },
+   "timed_out" : false
+}
diff --git a/lib/modules/datasource/cpan/index.spec.ts b/lib/modules/datasource/cpan/index.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..1f5f31882c5df3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/modules/datasource/cpan/index.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+import { getPkgReleases } from '..';
+import { Fixtures } from '../../../../test/fixtures';
+import * as httpMock from '../../../../test/http-mock';
+import { EXTERNAL_HOST_ERROR } from '../../../constants/error-messages';
+import { CpanDatasource } from '.';
+
+const baseUrl = 'https://fastapi.metacpan.org/';
+
+describe('modules/datasource/cpan/index', () => {
+  describe('getReleases', () => {
+    it('returns null for empty result', async () => {
+      httpMock
+        .scope(baseUrl)
+        .post(
+          '/v1/file/_search',
+          (body) =>
+            body.query.filtered.filter.and[0].term['module.name'] === 'FooBar'
+        )
+        .reply(200, Fixtures.get('empty.json'));
+      expect(
+        await getPkgReleases({
+          datasource: CpanDatasource.id,
+          depName: 'FooBar',
+        })
+      ).toBeNull();
+    });
+
+    it('returns null for 404', async () => {
+      httpMock.scope(baseUrl).post('/v1/file/_search').reply(404);
+      expect(
+        await getPkgReleases({
+          datasource: CpanDatasource.id,
+          depName: 'Plack',
+        })
+      ).toBeNull();
+    });
+
+    it('throws for 5xx', async () => {
+      httpMock.scope(baseUrl).post('/v1/file/_search').reply(502);
+      await expect(
+        getPkgReleases({
+          datasource: CpanDatasource.id,
+          depName: 'Plack',
+        })
+      ).rejects.toThrow(EXTERNAL_HOST_ERROR);
+    });
+
+    it('returns null for unknown error', async () => {
+      httpMock.scope(baseUrl).post('/v1/file/_search').replyWithError('');
+      expect(
+        await getPkgReleases({
+          datasource: CpanDatasource.id,
+          depName: 'Plack',
+        })
+      ).toBeNull();
+    });
+
+    it('processes real data', async () => {
+      httpMock
+        .scope(baseUrl)
+        .post(
+          '/v1/file/_search',
+          (body) =>
+            body.query.filtered.filter.and[0].term['module.name'] === 'Plack'
+        )
+        .reply(200, Fixtures.get('Plack.json'));
+      const res = await getPkgReleases({
+        datasource: CpanDatasource.id,
+        depName: 'Plack',
+      });
+      expect(res).toMatchObject({
+        changelogUrl: 'https://metacpan.org/dist/Plack/changes',
+        homepage: 'https://metacpan.org/pod/Plack',
+        registryUrl: 'https://fastapi.metacpan.org/',
+        releases: expect.toBeArrayOfSize(10),
+      });
+      expect(res?.releases[1]).toMatchObject({
+        isDeprecated: false,
+        isStable: false,
+        releaseTimestamp: '2016-04-01T16:58:21.000Z',
+        version: '1.0040',
+      });
+      expect(res?.releases[9]).toMatchObject({
+        isDeprecated: false,
+        isStable: true,
+        releaseTimestamp: '2020-11-30T00:21:36.000Z',
+        version: '1.0048',
+      });
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/lib/modules/datasource/cpan/index.ts b/lib/modules/datasource/cpan/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..6fb3f934de72fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/modules/datasource/cpan/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+import { cache } from '../../../util/cache/package/decorator';
+import { joinUrlParts } from '../../../util/url';
+import * as perlVersioning from '../../versioning/perl';
+import { Datasource } from '../datasource';
+import type { GetReleasesConfig, Release, ReleaseResult } from '../types';
+import type { MetaCpanApiFile, MetaCpanApiFileSearchResult } from './types';
+
+export class CpanDatasource extends Datasource {
+  static readonly id = 'cpan';
+
+  constructor() {
+    super(CpanDatasource.id);
+  }
+
+  override readonly customRegistrySupport = false;
+
+  override readonly defaultRegistryUrls = ['https://fastapi.metacpan.org/'];
+
+  override readonly defaultVersioning = perlVersioning.id;
+
+  @cache({
+    namespace: `datasource-${CpanDatasource.id}`,
+    key: ({ packageName }: GetReleasesConfig) => `${packageName}`,
+  })
+  override async getReleases({
+    packageName,
+    registryUrl,
+  }: GetReleasesConfig): Promise<ReleaseResult | null> {
+    // istanbul ignore if
+    if (!registryUrl) {
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    let result: ReleaseResult | null = null;
+    const searchUrl = joinUrlParts(registryUrl, 'v1/file/_search');
+
+    let hits: MetaCpanApiFile[] | null = null;
+    try {
+      const body = {
+        query: {
+          filtered: {
+            query: { match_all: {} },
+            filter: {
+              and: [
+                { term: { 'module.name': packageName } },
+                { exists: { field: 'module.associated_pod' } },
+              ],
+            },
+          },
+        },
+        _source: [
+          'module.name',
+          'module.version',
+          'distribution',
+          'date',
+          'deprecated',
+          'maturity',
+        ],
+        sort: [{ date: 'desc' }],
+      };
+      const res = await this.http.postJson<MetaCpanApiFileSearchResult>(
+        searchUrl,
+        { body }
+      );
+      hits = res.body?.hits?.hits?.map(({ _source }) => _source);
+    } catch (err) {
+      this.handleGenericErrors(err);
+    }
+
+    let latestDistribution: string | null = null;
+    if (hits) {
+      const releases: Release[] = [];
+      for (const hit of hits) {
+        const {
+          module,
+          distribution,
+          date: releaseTimestamp,
+          deprecated: isDeprecated,
+          maturity,
+        } = hit;
+        const version = module.find(
+          ({ name }) => name === packageName
+        )?.version;
+        if (version) {
+          // https://metacpan.org/pod/CPAN::DistnameInfo#maturity
+          const isStable = maturity === 'released';
+          releases.push({
+            isDeprecated,
+            isStable,
+            releaseTimestamp,
+            version,
+          });
+
+          if (!latestDistribution) {
+            latestDistribution = distribution;
+          }
+        }
+      }
+      if (releases.length > 0 && latestDistribution) {
+        result = {
+          releases,
+          changelogUrl: `https://metacpan.org/dist/${latestDistribution}/changes`,
+          homepage: `https://metacpan.org/pod/${packageName}`,
+        };
+      }
+    }
+    return result;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/lib/modules/datasource/cpan/types.ts b/lib/modules/datasource/cpan/types.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..e6279b5b865da8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/modules/datasource/cpan/types.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+/**
+ * https://fastapi.metacpan.org/v1/file/_mapping
+ */
+export interface MetaCpanApiFile {
+  module: {
+    name: string;
+    version?: string;
+  }[];
+  distribution: string;
+  date: string;
+  deprecated: boolean;
+  maturity: string;
+}
+
+/**
+ * https://github.com/metacpan/metacpan-api/blob/master/docs/API-docs.md#available-fields
+ */
+export interface MetaCpanApiFileSearchResult {
+  hits: {
+    hits: {
+      _source: MetaCpanApiFile;
+    }[];
+  };
+}
diff --git a/lib/modules/versioning/perl/readme.md b/lib/modules/versioning/perl/readme.md
index 0cb3c741f247d5..623b9f17a75abc 100644
--- a/lib/modules/versioning/perl/readme.md
+++ b/lib/modules/versioning/perl/readme.md
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 Perl versioning is based on Perl's [`version` module](https://metacpan.org/pod/version).
 
-This could be used in combination with the `regex` manager and the `repology` datasource.
+This could be used in combination with the `regex` manager and the `cpan` datasource.