diff --git a/docs/topics/release-notes.md b/docs/topics/release-notes.md
index 260dc476c..2a8b0839b 100644
--- a/docs/topics/release-notes.md
+++ b/docs/topics/release-notes.md
@@ -24,6 +24,12 @@ The timeline for deprecation of a feature present in version 1.0 would work as f
 
 * Version 1.3 would remove the deprecated bits of API entirely.
 
+Deprecations are marked using `rest_framework.compat.deprecated`, which accepts a version tuple for the version when code is first deprecated and message to pass to the `warnings` module:
+
+    from rest_framework.compat import deprecated
+    ...
+    deprecated((3,1,0), "Using X for Y is deprecated. Prefer Z")
+
 Note that in line with Django's policy, any parts of the framework not mentioned in the documentation should generally be considered private API, and may be subject to change.
 
 ## Upgrading
diff --git a/rest_framework/compat.py b/rest_framework/compat.py
index 460795f65..b603b190a 100644
--- a/rest_framework/compat.py
+++ b/rest_framework/compat.py
@@ -6,12 +6,32 @@ versions of Django/Python, and compatibility wrappers around optional packages.
 # flake8: noqa
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
+import warnings
+
 import django
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.db import connection, transaction
 from django.utils import six
 from django.views.generic import View
 
+from rest_framework import VERSION
+
+
+def deprecated(since, message):
+    current_version = [int(i) for i in VERSION.split('.')]
+
+    assert current_version[0] == since[0], "Deprecated code must be removed before major version change. Current: {0} vs Deprecated Since: {1}".format(current_version[0], since[0])
+
+    minor_version_difference = current_version[1] - since[1]
+    assert minor_version_difference in [1,2], "Deprecated code must be removed within two minor versions"
+
+    warning_type = PendingDeprecationWarning if minor_version_difference == 1 else DeprecationWarning
+
+    warnings.warn(message, warning_type)
+
+
+
+
 try:
     import importlib  # Available in Python 3.1+
 except ImportError:
diff --git a/rest_framework/pagination.py b/rest_framework/pagination.py
index bf72ef4fc..4730623f7 100644
--- a/rest_framework/pagination.py
+++ b/rest_framework/pagination.py
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ be used for paginated responses.
 """
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
-import warnings
 from base64 import b64decode, b64encode
 from collections import namedtuple
 
@@ -16,7 +15,7 @@ from django.utils import six
 from django.utils.six.moves.urllib import parse as urlparse
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext_lazy as _
 
-from rest_framework.compat import OrderedDict
+from rest_framework.compat import OrderedDict, deprecated
 from rest_framework.exceptions import NotFound
 from rest_framework.response import Response
 from rest_framework.settings import api_settings
@@ -216,13 +215,11 @@ class PageNumberPagination(BasePagination):
             value = getattr(api_settings, settings_key, None)
             if value is not None:
                 setattr(self, attr_name, value)
-                warnings.warn(
-                    "The `%s` settings key is deprecated. "
-                    "Use the `%s` attribute on the pagination class instead." % (
-                        settings_key, attr_name
-                    ),
-                    DeprecationWarning,
-                )
+                deprecated((3, 0, 0),
+                           "The `%s` settings key is deprecated. "
+                           "Use the `%s` attribute on the pagination class instead." % (
+                           settings_key, attr_name)
+                           )
 
         for (view_attr, attr_name) in (
             ('paginate_by', 'page_size'),
@@ -233,13 +230,11 @@ class PageNumberPagination(BasePagination):
             value = getattr(view, view_attr, None)
             if value is not None:
                 setattr(self, attr_name, value)
-                warnings.warn(
-                    "The `%s` view attribute is deprecated. "
-                    "Use the `%s` attribute on the pagination class instead." % (
-                        view_attr, attr_name
-                    ),
-                    DeprecationWarning,
-                )
+                deprecated((3, 0, 0),
+                           "The `%s` view attribute is deprecated. "
+                           "Use the `%s` attribute on the pagination class instead." % (
+                           view_attr, attr_name)
+                           )
 
     def paginate_queryset(self, queryset, request, view=None):
         """
diff --git a/tests/test_atomic_requests.py b/tests/test_atomic_requests.py
index 9c30c2f8b..6a6e3d26a 100644
--- a/tests/test_atomic_requests.py
+++ b/tests/test_atomic_requests.py
@@ -6,13 +6,13 @@ from django.http import Http404
 from django.test import TestCase, TransactionTestCase
 from django.utils.decorators import method_decorator
 from django.utils.unittest import skipUnless
+from tests.models import BasicModel
 
 from rest_framework import status
 from rest_framework.exceptions import APIException
 from rest_framework.response import Response
 from rest_framework.test import APIRequestFactory
 from rest_framework.views import APIView
-from tests.models import BasicModel
 
 factory = APIRequestFactory()
 
diff --git a/tests/test_generics.py b/tests/test_generics.py
index 000adffa7..4398febc3 100644
--- a/tests/test_generics.py
+++ b/tests/test_generics.py
@@ -6,13 +6,13 @@ from django.db import models
 from django.shortcuts import get_object_or_404
 from django.test import TestCase
 from django.utils import six
+from tests.models import (
+    BasicModel, ForeignKeySource, ForeignKeyTarget, RESTFrameworkModel
+)
 
 from rest_framework import generics, renderers, serializers, status
 from rest_framework.response import Response
 from rest_framework.test import APIRequestFactory
-from tests.models import (
-    BasicModel, ForeignKeySource, ForeignKeyTarget, RESTFrameworkModel
-)
 
 factory = APIRequestFactory()
 
diff --git a/tests/test_multitable_inheritance.py b/tests/test_multitable_inheritance.py
index 340d4966a..5867f1966 100644
--- a/tests/test_multitable_inheritance.py
+++ b/tests/test_multitable_inheritance.py
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@ from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
 from django.db import models
 from django.test import TestCase
+from tests.models import RESTFrameworkModel
 
 from rest_framework import serializers
-from tests.models import RESTFrameworkModel
 
 
 # Models
diff --git a/tests/test_permissions.py b/tests/test_permissions.py
index 398020002..ac0ecab90 100644
--- a/tests/test_permissions.py
+++ b/tests/test_permissions.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ from django.core.urlresolvers import ResolverMatch
 from django.db import models
 from django.test import TestCase
 from django.utils import unittest
+from tests.models import BasicModel
 
 from rest_framework import (
     HTTP_HEADER_ENCODING, authentication, generics, permissions, serializers,
@@ -16,7 +17,6 @@ from rest_framework.compat import get_model_name, guardian
 from rest_framework.filters import DjangoObjectPermissionsFilter
 from rest_framework.routers import DefaultRouter
 from rest_framework.test import APIRequestFactory
-from tests.models import BasicModel
 
 factory = APIRequestFactory()
 
diff --git a/tests/test_relations_hyperlink.py b/tests/test_relations_hyperlink.py
index c0642eda2..b203884d8 100644
--- a/tests/test_relations_hyperlink.py
+++ b/tests/test_relations_hyperlink.py
@@ -2,14 +2,14 @@ from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
 from django.conf.urls import url
 from django.test import TestCase
-
-from rest_framework import serializers
-from rest_framework.test import APIRequestFactory
 from tests.models import (
     ForeignKeySource, ForeignKeyTarget, ManyToManySource, ManyToManyTarget,
     NullableForeignKeySource, NullableOneToOneSource, OneToOneTarget
 )
 
+from rest_framework import serializers
+from rest_framework.test import APIRequestFactory
+
 factory = APIRequestFactory()
 request = factory.get('/')  # Just to ensure we have a request in the serializer context
 
diff --git a/tests/test_relations_pk.py b/tests/test_relations_pk.py
index 169f7d9c5..fb797e993 100644
--- a/tests/test_relations_pk.py
+++ b/tests/test_relations_pk.py
@@ -2,13 +2,13 @@ from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
 from django.test import TestCase
 from django.utils import six
-
-from rest_framework import serializers
 from tests.models import (
     ForeignKeySource, ForeignKeyTarget, ManyToManySource, ManyToManyTarget,
     NullableForeignKeySource, NullableOneToOneSource, OneToOneTarget
 )
 
+from rest_framework import serializers
+
 
 # ManyToMany
 class ManyToManyTargetSerializer(serializers.ModelSerializer):
diff --git a/tests/test_relations_slug.py b/tests/test_relations_slug.py
index 680aee417..cee18031d 100644
--- a/tests/test_relations_slug.py
+++ b/tests/test_relations_slug.py
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 from django.test import TestCase
-
-from rest_framework import serializers
 from tests.models import (
     ForeignKeySource, ForeignKeyTarget, NullableForeignKeySource
 )
 
+from rest_framework import serializers
+
 
 class ForeignKeyTargetSerializer(serializers.ModelSerializer):
     sources = serializers.SlugRelatedField(
diff --git a/tests/test_response.py b/tests/test_response.py
index 1dd5d5ea0..84b0935d7 100644
--- a/tests/test_response.py
+++ b/tests/test_response.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ from __future__ import unicode_literals
 from django.conf.urls import include, url
 from django.test import TestCase
 from django.utils import six
+from tests.models import BasicModel
 
 from rest_framework import generics, routers, serializers, status, viewsets
 from rest_framework.renderers import (
@@ -11,7 +12,6 @@ from rest_framework.renderers import (
 from rest_framework.response import Response
 from rest_framework.settings import api_settings
 from rest_framework.views import APIView
-from tests.models import BasicModel
 
 
 # Serializer used to test BasicModel
diff --git a/tests/test_utils.py b/tests/test_utils.py
index 062f78e11..acda7adf8 100644
--- a/tests/test_utils.py
+++ b/tests/test_utils.py
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@ from django.conf.urls import url
 from django.core.exceptions import ImproperlyConfigured
 from django.test import TestCase
 from django.utils import six
+from tests.models import BasicModel
 
 import rest_framework.utils.model_meta
 from rest_framework.utils.breadcrumbs import get_breadcrumbs
 from rest_framework.utils.model_meta import _resolve_model
 from rest_framework.views import APIView
-from tests.models import BasicModel
 
 
 class Root(APIView):