diff --git a/.github/labeler.yml b/.github/labeler.yml
index f3003c285..0cfa6e3c6 100644
--- a/.github/labeler.yml
+++ b/.github/labeler.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # This file is required by the the action 'https://github.com/actions/labeler'
 # and used in the '.github/workflows/ci_cd_pr.yml' workflow
 
-# -- Labels based on PR title ------------------------------------------------
+# -- Labels based on PR head branch ------------------------------------------
 'fix':
   - head-branch: ['fix']
 
diff --git a/.github/labels.yml b/.github/labels.yml
index d219451c7..3aaf76964 100644
--- a/.github/labels.yml
+++ b/.github/labels.yml
@@ -79,6 +79,10 @@
   description: Docker maintenance related
   color: 000075
 
+- name: 'breaking'
+  description: Changes that break backward compatibility
+  color: ff0000
+
 # Hacktoberfest labels -------------------------------------------------------
 
 - name: 'hacktoberfest'
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci_cd_pr.yml b/.github/workflows/ci_cd_pr.yml
index bae67d372..084742c2f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci_cd_pr.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci_cd_pr.yml
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
 
-      - uses: ansys/actions/doc-changelog@main
+      - uses: ansys/actions/doc-changelog@feat/add-breaking-change-category
         with:
           token: ${{ secrets.PYANSYS_CI_BOT_TOKEN }}
           use-conventional-commits: true
diff --git a/doc-changelog/action.yml b/doc-changelog/action.yml
index 3d5ad82ee..81286efc1 100644
--- a/doc-changelog/action.yml
+++ b/doc-changelog/action.yml
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ runs:
         import sys
         sys.path.insert(1, '${{ github.action_path }}/../python-utils/')
 
-        from parse_pr_title import get_first_letter_case
+        from parse_pr import get_first_letter_case
 
         pr_title = os.environ.get("PR_TITLE")
         get_first_letter_case(pr_title)
@@ -168,20 +168,23 @@ runs:
         token: ${{ inputs.token }}
         use-upper-case: true
 
-    - name: "Get conventional commit type from title"
+    - name: "Get conventional commit type"
       if: ${{ inputs.use-conventional-commits == 'true' }}
       env:
         PR_TITLE: ${{ github.event.pull_request.title }}
+        PR_BODY: ${{ github.event.pull_request.body }}
       shell: python
       run: |
         import os
         import sys
         sys.path.insert(1, '${{ github.action_path }}/../python-utils/')
 
-        from parse_pr_title import get_conventional_commit_type
+        from parse_pr import get_conventional_commit_type
 
         pr_title = os.environ.get("PR_TITLE")
-        get_conventional_commit_type(pr_title)
+        pr_body = os.environ.get("PR_BODY")
+
+        get_conventional_commit_type(pr_title, pr_body)
 
     - name: "Get labels in the pull request"
       id: get-labels
@@ -205,7 +208,7 @@ runs:
         import sys
         sys.path.insert(1, '${{ github.action_path }}/../python-utils/')
 
-        from parse_pr_title import changelog_category_cc
+        from parse_pr import changelog_category_cc
 
         cc_type = ${{ env.CC_TYPE }}
         changelog_category_cc(cc_type)
@@ -220,7 +223,7 @@ runs:
         import sys
         sys.path.insert(1, '${{ github.action_path }}/../python-utils/')
 
-        from parse_pr_title import changelog_cateogry_labels
+        from parse_pr import changelog_cateogry_labels
 
         labels = os.environ.get("LABELS")
         changelog_cateogry_labels(labels)
@@ -248,7 +251,7 @@ runs:
         import sys
         sys.path.insert(1, '${{ github.action_path }}/../python-utils/')
 
-        from parse_pr_title import clean_pr_title
+        from parse_pr import clean_pr_title
 
         pr_title = os.environ.get("PR_TITLE")
         use_cc = True if os.environ.get("USE_CONVENTIONAL_COMMITS") == "true" else False
@@ -294,7 +297,7 @@ runs:
         import sys
         sys.path.insert(1, '${{ github.action_path }}/../python-utils/')
 
-        from parse_pr_title import add_towncrier_config
+        from parse_pr import add_towncrier_config
 
         repo_name = os.environ.get("REPO_NAME")
         org_name = "${{ github.repository_owner }}"
@@ -311,7 +314,7 @@ runs:
         import sys
         sys.path.insert(1, '${{ github.action_path }}/../python-utils/')
 
-        from parse_pr_title import rewrite_template
+        from parse_pr import rewrite_template
 
         template_status = rewrite_template(os.getenv('TEMPLATE'), os.getenv('FILENAME'))
 
diff --git a/doc-deploy-changelog/action.yml b/doc-deploy-changelog/action.yml
index 7f8e7df8a..e6dd03b17 100644
--- a/doc-deploy-changelog/action.yml
+++ b/doc-deploy-changelog/action.yml
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ runs:
         import sys
         sys.path.insert(1, '${{ github.action_path }}/../python-utils/')
 
-        from parse_pr_title import save_env_variable
+        from parse_pr import save_env_variable
 
         # Whether or not to format the date in the CHANGELOG file - "true" or "false"
         format_date = os.environ.get("FORMAT_DATE")
diff --git a/doc/source/changelog/810.added.md b/doc/source/changelog/810.added.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f29f06cc9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/source/changelog/810.added.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+add breaking change section
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/doc/source/migrations/docs-changelog-setup.rst b/doc/source/migrations/docs-changelog-setup.rst
index 5e5c545dd..dfcc389f7 100644
--- a/doc/source/migrations/docs-changelog-setup.rst
+++ b/doc/source/migrations/docs-changelog-setup.rst
@@ -142,6 +142,11 @@ Also, replace ``ansys.<product>.<library>`` with the name under ``tool.flit.modu
     title_format = "`{version} <https://github.com/{org-name}/{repo-name}/releases/tag/v{version}>`_ - {project_date}"
     issue_format = "`#{issue} <https://github.com/{org-name}/{repo-name}/pull/{issue}>`_"
 
+    [[tool.towncrier.type]]
+    directory = "breaking"
+    name = "Breaking"
+    showcontent = true
+
     [[tool.towncrier.type]]
     directory = "added"
     name = "Added"
@@ -241,6 +246,11 @@ Also, replace ``ansys.<product>.<library>`` with the name under ``tool.flit.modu
     title_format = "## [{version}](https://github.com/ansys/{repo-name}/releases/tag/v{version}) - {project_date}"
     issue_format = "[#{issue}](https://github.com/ansys/{repo-name}/pull/{issue})"
 
+    [[tool.towncrier.type]]
+    directory = "breaking"
+    name = "Breaking"
+    showcontent = true
+
     [[tool.towncrier.type]]
     directory = "added"
     name = "Added"
diff --git a/python-utils/parse_pr_title.py b/python-utils/parse_pr.py
similarity index 89%
rename from python-utils/parse_pr_title.py
rename to python-utils/parse_pr.py
index 4df1bb07d..e5fe0c535 100644
--- a/python-utils/parse_pr_title.py
+++ b/python-utils/parse_pr.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import os
+import re
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import toml
@@ -61,20 +62,67 @@ def get_first_letter_case(pr_title: str):
         save_env_variable("FIRST_LETTER", "uppercase")
 
 
-def get_conventional_commit_type(pr_title: str):
-    """Get the conventional commit type from the pull request title.
+def has_title_breaking_changes(pr_title: str) -> bool:
+    """Check if the pull request title indicates a breaking change.
 
     Parameters
     ----------
     pr_title: str
         The pull request title.
+
+    Returns
+    -------
+    bool
+        True if the pull request title indicates a breaking change, False otherwise.
     """
-    # Get the index where the first colon is found in the pull request title
+    colon_count = pr_title.count(":")
+    if colon_count != 1:
+        raise ValueError(f"Expected exactly one ':', found {colon_count}")
+
     colon_index = pr_title.index(":")
-    # Get the conventional commit type from the pull request title (everything before the colon)
-    cc_type = '"' + pr_title[:colon_index] + '"'
-    # Save the conventional commit type as an environment variable, CC_TYPE
-    save_env_variable("CC_TYPE", cc_type)
+    exclam_index = pr_title.find("!")
+
+    return 0 <= exclam_index < colon_index
+
+
+def has_body_breaking_changes(pr_body: str) -> bool:
+    """Check if the pull request body indicates a breaking change.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    pr_body: str
+        The pull request body.
+
+    Returns
+    -------
+    bool
+        True if the pull request body indicates a breaking change, False otherwise.
+    """
+    if not pr_body:
+        return False
+
+    pattern = r"(?i)^breaking[- ]changes?:"
+    return any(re.match(pattern, line.strip()) for line in pr_body.splitlines())
+
+
+def get_conventional_commit_type(pr_title: str, pr_body: str):
+    """Get the conventional commit type from the pull request title.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    pr_title: str
+        The pull request title.
+    """
+    if has_title_breaking_changes(pr_title) or has_body_breaking_changes(pr_body):
+        # Save the conventional commit type as an environment variable, CC_TYPE
+        save_env_variable("CC_TYPE", '"breaking"')
+    else:
+        # Get the index where the first colon is found in the pull request title
+        colon_index = pr_title.index(":")
+        # Get the conventional commit type from the pull request title (everything before the colon)
+        cc_type = '"' + pr_title[:colon_index] + '"'
+        # Save the conventional commit type as an environment variable, CC_TYPE
+        save_env_variable("CC_TYPE", cc_type)
 
 
 def changelog_category_cc(cc_type: str):
@@ -91,6 +139,7 @@ def changelog_category_cc(cc_type: str):
     # Dictionary whose keys are the conventional commit type and values are
     # the changelog section
     cc_type_changelog_dict = {
+        "breaking": "breaking",
         "feat": "added",
         "fix": "fixed",
         "docs": "documentation",
@@ -129,6 +178,7 @@ def changelog_cateogry_labels(labels: str):
     # Dictionary with the key as a label from .github/workflows/label.yml and
     # value as the corresponding section in the changelog
     pr_labels = {
+        "breaking": "breaking",
         "enhancement": "added",
         "bug": "fixed",
         "documentation": "documentation",
@@ -222,13 +272,14 @@ def add_towncrier_config(org_name: str, repo_name: str, default_config: bool):
         exit(1)
 
     towncrier_config = pyproject_file if pyproject_file.exists() else towncrier_file
-    with towncrier_config.open() as file:
+    with towncrier_config.open(mode="r+") as file:
         config = toml.load(towncrier_config)
         tool = config.get("tool", "DNE")
         towncrier = tool.get("towncrier", "DNE")
 
         # List containing changelog sections under each release
         changelog_sections = [
+            "breaking",
             "added",
             "dependencies",
             "documentation",
diff --git a/python-utils/release_github_utils.py b/python-utils/release_github_utils.py
index 4dedf0a90..ab9c2360e 100644
--- a/python-utils/release_github_utils.py
+++ b/python-utils/release_github_utils.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import pypandoc
-from parse_pr_title import get_towncrier_config_value, save_env_variable
+from parse_pr import get_towncrier_config_value, save_env_variable
 
 """Semantic version regex as found on semver.org:
 https://semver.org/#is-there-a-suggested-regular-expression-regex-to-check-a-semver-string"""
diff --git a/towncrier.toml b/towncrier.toml
index 0655fca53..f600cc35a 100644
--- a/towncrier.toml
+++ b/towncrier.toml
@@ -8,6 +8,11 @@ start_string = ".. towncrier release notes start\n"
 title_format = "`{version} <https://github.com/ansys/actions/releases/tag/v{version}>`_ - {project_date}"
 issue_format = "`#{issue} <https://github.com/ansys/actions/pull/{issue}>`_"
 
+[[tool.towncrier.type]]
+directory = "breaking"
+name = "Breaking"
+showcontent = true
+
 [[tool.towncrier.type]]
 directory = "added"
 name = "Added"