diff --git a/.github/CONTRIBUTING.md b/.github/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 42e7700b..f2651a80 100644
--- a/.github/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/.github/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ When you introduce new `public` sniff properties, or your sniff extends a class
 ### Pre-requisites
 * VIP Coding Standards
 * WordPress-Coding-Standards
+* PHPCSUtils 1.x
 * PHP_CodeSniffer 3.x
 * PHPUnit 4.x, 5.x, 6.x or 7.x
 
diff --git a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.md b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.md
index f68fd0df..c089b1d2 100644
--- a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.md
+++ b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.md
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ Use `php -v` and `composer show` to get versions.
 | ------------------------ | -------
 | PHP version              | x.y.z
 | PHP_CodeSniffer version  | x.y.z
+| PHPCSUtils version       | x.y.z
 | VIPCS version            | x.y.z
 | WordPressCS version      | x.y.z
 | VariableAnalysis version | x.y.z
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6b5c15da..1bcb6465 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ Go to https://docs.wpvip.com/technical-references/code-review/phpcs-report/ to l
 
 * PHP 5.4+
 * [PHPCS 3.7.1+](https://github.com/squizlabs/PHP_CodeSniffer/releases)
+* [PHPCSUtils 1.0.8+](https://github.com/PHPCSStandards/PHPCSUtils)
 * [WPCS 2.3.0+](https://github.com/WordPress-Coding-Standards/WordPress-Coding-Standards/releases)
 * [VariableAnalysis 2.11.17+](https://github.com/sirbrillig/phpcs-variable-analysis/releases)
 
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@ composer g config allow-plugins.dealerdirect/phpcodesniffer-composer-installer t
 composer g require automattic/vipwpcs
 ```
 
-This will install the latest compatible versions of PHPCS, WPCS and VariableAnalysis and register the external standards with PHP_CodeSniffer.
+This will install the latest compatible versions of PHPCS, PHPCSUtils, WPCS and VariableAnalysis and register the external standards with PHP_CodeSniffer.
 
 Please refer to the [installation instructions for installing PHP_CodeSniffer for WordPress.com VIP](https://docs.wpvip.com/how-tos/code-review/php_codesniffer/) for more details.
 
diff --git a/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/AbstractVariableRestrictionsSniff.php b/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/AbstractVariableRestrictionsSniff.php
index 89234f2e..61d3ed7d 100644
--- a/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/AbstractVariableRestrictionsSniff.php
+++ b/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/AbstractVariableRestrictionsSniff.php
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@
 
 namespace WordPressVIPMinimum\Sniffs;
 
-use WordPressVIPMinimum\Sniffs\Sniff;
+use PHPCSUtils\Utils\GetTokensAsString;
+use PHPCSUtils\Utils\MessageHelper;
 
 /**
  * Restricts usage of some variables.
@@ -179,7 +180,7 @@ public function process_token( $stackPtr ) {
 
 				if ( isset( $token['bracket_closer'] ) ) {
 					$owner  = $this->phpcsFile->findPrevious( \T_VARIABLE, $stackPtr );
-					$inside = $this->phpcsFile->getTokensAsString( $stackPtr, $token['bracket_closer'] - $stackPtr + 1 );
+					$inside = GetTokensAsString::normal( $this->phpcsFile, $stackPtr, $token['bracket_closer'] );
 					$var    = implode( '', [ $this->tokens[ $owner ]['content'], $inside ] );
 				}
 			}
@@ -200,11 +201,13 @@ public function process_token( $stackPtr ) {
 				continue;
 			}
 
-			$this->addMessage(
+			$code = MessageHelper::stringToErrorcode( $groupName . '_' . $match[1] );
+			MessageHelper::addMessage(
+				$this->phpcsFile,
 				$group['message'],
 				$stackPtr,
 				$group['type'] === 'error',
-				$this->string_to_errorcode( $groupName . '_' . $match[1] ),
+				$code,
 				[ $var ]
 			);
 
diff --git a/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Classes/DeclarationCompatibilitySniff.php b/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Classes/DeclarationCompatibilitySniff.php
index 9c76bd25..a1e80c97 100644
--- a/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Classes/DeclarationCompatibilitySniff.php
+++ b/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Classes/DeclarationCompatibilitySniff.php
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
 
 use PHP_CodeSniffer\Files\File;
 use PHP_CodeSniffer\Sniffs\AbstractScopeSniff;
+use PHPCSUtils\Utils\FunctionDeclarations;
+use PHPCSUtils\Utils\ObjectDeclarations;
 
 /**
  * Class WordPressVIPMinimum_Sniffs_Classes_DeclarationCompatibilitySniff
@@ -201,15 +203,15 @@ public function __construct() {
 	 */
 	protected function processTokenWithinScope( File $phpcsFile, $stackPtr, $currScope ) {
 
-		$className = $phpcsFile->getDeclarationName( $currScope );
+		$className = ObjectDeclarations::getName( $phpcsFile, $currScope );
 
 		if ( $className !== $this->currentClass ) {
 			$this->currentClass = $className;
 		}
 
-		$methodName = $phpcsFile->getDeclarationName( $stackPtr );
+		$methodName = FunctionDeclarations::getName( $phpcsFile, $stackPtr );
 
-		$parentClassName = $phpcsFile->findExtendedClassName( $currScope );
+		$parentClassName = ObjectDeclarations::findExtendedClassName( $phpcsFile, $currScope );
 		if ( $parentClassName === false ) {
 			// This class does not extend any other class.
 			return;
@@ -242,7 +244,7 @@ protected function processTokenWithinScope( File $phpcsFile, $stackPtr, $currSco
 			return;
 		}
 
-		$signatureParams = $phpcsFile->getMethodParameters( $stackPtr );
+		$signatureParams = FunctionDeclarations::getParameters( $phpcsFile, $stackPtr );
 
 		$parentSignature = $this->checkClasses[ $parentClassName ][ $methodName ];
 
diff --git a/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Constants/ConstantStringSniff.php b/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Constants/ConstantStringSniff.php
index 1cb40e9b..d0a2fb61 100644
--- a/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Constants/ConstantStringSniff.php
+++ b/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Constants/ConstantStringSniff.php
@@ -8,8 +8,9 @@
 
 namespace WordPressVIPMinimum\Sniffs\Constants;
 
-use WordPressVIPMinimum\Sniffs\Sniff;
 use PHP_CodeSniffer\Util\Tokens;
+use PHPCSUtils\Utils\PassedParameters;
+use WordPressVIPMinimum\Sniffs\Sniff;
 
 /**
  * Sniff for properly using constant name when checking whether a constant is defined.
@@ -55,7 +56,7 @@ public function process_token( $stackPtr ) {
 			return;
 		}
 
-		$param = $this->get_function_call_parameter( $stackPtr, 1 );
+		$param = PassedParameters::getParameter( $this->phpcsFile, $stackPtr, 1, 'constant_name' );
 		if ( $param === false ) {
 			// Target parameter not found.
 			return;
diff --git a/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Files/IncludingNonPHPFileSniff.php b/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Files/IncludingNonPHPFileSniff.php
index 5165f36c..09ec5081 100644
--- a/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Files/IncludingNonPHPFileSniff.php
+++ b/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Files/IncludingNonPHPFileSniff.php
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 use WordPressVIPMinimum\Sniffs\Sniff;
 use PHP_CodeSniffer\Util\Tokens;
+use PHPCSUtils\BackCompat\BCFile;
 
 /**
  * Ensure that non-PHP files are included via `file_get_contents()` instead of using `include/require[_once]`.
@@ -59,7 +60,7 @@ public function register() {
 	 * @return void
 	 */
 	public function process_token( $stackPtr ) {
-		$end_of_statement = $this->phpcsFile->findEndOfStatement( $stackPtr );
+		$end_of_statement = BCFile::findEndOfStatement( $this->phpcsFile, $stackPtr );
 		$curStackPtr      = ( $end_of_statement + 1 );
 
 		do {
diff --git a/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Functions/DynamicCallsSniff.php b/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Functions/DynamicCallsSniff.php
index c069696f..ca2f2acc 100644
--- a/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Functions/DynamicCallsSniff.php
+++ b/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Functions/DynamicCallsSniff.php
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 namespace WordPressVIPMinimum\Sniffs\Functions;
 
 use PHP_CodeSniffer\Util\Tokens;
+use PHPCSUtils\Utils\TextStrings;
 use WordPressVIPMinimum\Sniffs\Sniff;
 
 /**
@@ -139,7 +140,7 @@ private function collect_variables() {
 		 * If we reached the end of the loop and the $value_ptr was set, we know for sure
 		 * this was a plain text string variable assignment.
 		 */
-		$current_var_value = $this->strip_quotes( $this->tokens[ $value_ptr ]['content'] );
+		$current_var_value = TextStrings::stripQuotes( $this->tokens[ $value_ptr ]['content'] );
 
 		if ( isset( $this->disallowed_functions[ $current_var_value ] ) === false ) {
 			// Text string is not one of the ones we're looking for.
diff --git a/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Hooks/AlwaysReturnInFilterSniff.php b/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Hooks/AlwaysReturnInFilterSniff.php
index 03cc8a78..f3544e6b 100644
--- a/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Hooks/AlwaysReturnInFilterSniff.php
+++ b/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Hooks/AlwaysReturnInFilterSniff.php
@@ -7,8 +7,10 @@
 
 namespace WordPressVIPMinimum\Sniffs\Hooks;
 
-use WordPressVIPMinimum\Sniffs\Sniff;
 use PHP_CodeSniffer\Util\Tokens;
+use PHPCSUtils\Utils\Arrays;
+use PHPCSUtils\Utils\FunctionDeclarations;
+use WordPressVIPMinimum\Sniffs\Sniff;
 
 /**
  * This sniff validates that filters always return a value
@@ -96,7 +98,7 @@ public function process_token( $stackPtr ) {
 	 */
 	private function processArray( $stackPtr ) {
 
-		$open_close = $this->find_array_open_close( $stackPtr );
+		$open_close = Arrays::getOpenClose( $this->phpcsFile, $stackPtr );
 		if ( $open_close === false ) {
 			return;
 		}
@@ -185,7 +187,7 @@ private function processFunctionBody( $stackPtr ) {
 
 		$filterName = $this->tokens[ $this->filterNamePtr ]['content'];
 
-		$methodProps = $this->phpcsFile->getMethodProperties( $stackPtr );
+		$methodProps = FunctionDeclarations::getProperties( $this->phpcsFile, $stackPtr );
 		if ( $methodProps['is_abstract'] === true ) {
 			$message = 'The callback for the `%s` filter hook-in points to an abstract method. Please ensure that child class implementations of this method always return a value.';
 			$data    = [ $filterName ];
diff --git a/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Hooks/PreGetPostsSniff.php b/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Hooks/PreGetPostsSniff.php
index ddcf4fac..09ee720c 100644
--- a/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Hooks/PreGetPostsSniff.php
+++ b/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Hooks/PreGetPostsSniff.php
@@ -7,8 +7,9 @@
 
 namespace WordPressVIPMinimum\Sniffs\Hooks;
 
-use WordPressVIPMinimum\Sniffs\Sniff;
 use PHP_CodeSniffer\Util\Tokens;
+use PHPCSUtils\Utils\Arrays;
+use WordPressVIPMinimum\Sniffs\Sniff;
 
 /**
  * This sniff validates a proper usage of pre_get_posts action callback.
@@ -97,7 +98,7 @@ public function process_token( $stackPtr ) {
 	 */
 	private function processArray( $stackPtr ) {
 
-		$open_close = $this->find_array_open_close( $stackPtr );
+		$open_close = Arrays::getOpenClose( $this->phpcsFile, $stackPtr );
 		if ( $open_close === false ) {
 			return;
 		}
diff --git a/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Performance/LowExpiryCacheTimeSniff.php b/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Performance/LowExpiryCacheTimeSniff.php
index 7bc8ca32..54f2b19c 100644
--- a/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Performance/LowExpiryCacheTimeSniff.php
+++ b/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Performance/LowExpiryCacheTimeSniff.php
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 namespace WordPressVIPMinimum\Sniffs\Performance;
 
 use PHP_CodeSniffer\Util\Tokens;
+use PHPCSUtils\Utils\TextStrings;
 use WordPressCS\WordPress\AbstractFunctionParameterSniff;
 
 /**
@@ -149,7 +150,7 @@ public function process_parameters( $stackPtr, $group_name, $matched_content, $p
 			}
 
 			if ( $this->tokens[ $i ]['code'] === T_CONSTANT_ENCAPSED_STRING ) {
-				$content = $this->strip_quotes( $this->tokens[ $i ]['content'] );
+				$content = TextStrings::stripQuotes( $this->tokens[ $i ]['content'] );
 				if ( is_numeric( $content ) === true ) {
 					$tokensAsString .= $content;
 					continue;
diff --git a/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Security/ProperEscapingFunctionSniff.php b/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Security/ProperEscapingFunctionSniff.php
index 416ae604..1341e590 100644
--- a/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Security/ProperEscapingFunctionSniff.php
+++ b/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Security/ProperEscapingFunctionSniff.php
@@ -8,8 +8,10 @@
 
 namespace WordPressVIPMinimum\Sniffs\Security;
 
-use WordPressVIPMinimum\Sniffs\Sniff;
 use PHP_CodeSniffer\Util\Tokens;
+use PHPCSUtils\BackCompat\BCFile;
+use PHPCSUtils\Utils\TextStrings;
+use WordPressVIPMinimum\Sniffs\Sniff;
 
 /**
  * Checks whether proper escaping function is used.
@@ -178,7 +180,7 @@ public function process_token( $stackPtr ) {
 		if ( $this->in_short_echo !== false ) {
 			$ignore[ T_COMMA ] = T_COMMA;
 		} else {
-			$start_of_statement = $this->phpcsFile->findStartOfStatement( $stackPtr, T_COMMA );
+			$start_of_statement = BCFile::findStartOfStatement( $this->phpcsFile, $stackPtr, T_COMMA );
 			if ( $this->tokens[ $start_of_statement ]['code'] === T_ECHO ) {
 				$ignore[ T_COMMA ] = T_COMMA;
 			}
@@ -195,7 +197,7 @@ public function process_token( $stackPtr ) {
 
 		$content = $this->tokens[ $html ]['content'];
 		if ( isset( Tokens::$stringTokens[ $this->tokens[ $html ]['code'] ] ) === true ) {
-			$content = Sniff::strip_quotes( $content );
+			$content = TextStrings::stripQuotes( $content );
 		}
 
 		$escaping_type = $this->escaping_functions[ $function_name ];
diff --git a/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Security/UnderscorejsSniff.php b/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Security/UnderscorejsSniff.php
index b15114ea..f76e773e 100644
--- a/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Security/UnderscorejsSniff.php
+++ b/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/Security/UnderscorejsSniff.php
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 namespace WordPressVIPMinimum\Sniffs\Security;
 
 use PHP_CodeSniffer\Util\Tokens;
+use PHPCSUtils\Utils\TextStrings;
 use WordPressVIPMinimum\Sniffs\Sniff;
 
 /**
@@ -72,7 +73,7 @@ public function process_token( $stackPtr ) {
 		/*
 		 * Ignore Gruntfile.js files as they are configuration, not code.
 		 */
-		$file_name = $this->strip_quotes( $this->phpcsFile->getFileName() );
+		$file_name = TextStrings::stripQuotes( $this->phpcsFile->getFileName() );
 		$file_name = strtolower( basename( $file_name ) );
 
 		if ( $file_name === 'gruntfile.js' ) {
@@ -120,7 +121,7 @@ public function process_token( $stackPtr ) {
 			return;
 		}
 
-		$content = $this->strip_quotes( $this->tokens[ $stackPtr ]['content'] );
+		$content = TextStrings::stripQuotes( $this->tokens[ $stackPtr ]['content'] );
 
 		$match_count = preg_match_all( self::UNESCAPED_INTERPOLATE_REGEX, $content, $matches );
 		if ( $match_count > 0 ) {
diff --git a/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/UserExperience/AdminBarRemovalSniff.php b/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/UserExperience/AdminBarRemovalSniff.php
index 6d95cb34..20c1d853 100644
--- a/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/UserExperience/AdminBarRemovalSniff.php
+++ b/WordPressVIPMinimum/Sniffs/UserExperience/AdminBarRemovalSniff.php
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
 
 namespace WordPressVIPMinimum\Sniffs\UserExperience;
 
+use PHPCSUtils\Utils\GetTokensAsString;
+use PHPCSUtils\Utils\TextStrings;
 use WordPressCS\WordPress\AbstractFunctionParameterSniff;
 use PHP_CodeSniffer\Util\Tokens;
 
@@ -208,13 +210,13 @@ public function process_parameters( $stackPtr, $group_name, $matched_content, $p
 				break;
 
 			case 'add_filter':
-				$filter_name = $this->strip_quotes( $parameters[1]['raw'] );
+				$filter_name = TextStrings::stripQuotes( $parameters[1]['raw'] );
 				if ( $filter_name !== 'show_admin_bar' ) {
 					break;
 				}
 
 				$error = true;
-				if ( $this->remove_only === true && isset( $parameters[2]['raw'] ) && $this->strip_quotes( $parameters[2]['raw'] ) === '__return_true' ) {
+				if ( $this->remove_only === true && isset( $parameters[2]['raw'] ) && TextStrings::stripQuotes( $parameters[2]['raw'] ) === '__return_true' ) {
 					$error = false;
 				}
 				break;
@@ -343,7 +345,7 @@ protected function process_css_style( $stackPtr ) {
 				}
 			}
 			$start    = ( $i + 1 );
-			$selector = trim( $this->phpcsFile->getTokensAsString( $start, $opener - $start ) );
+			$selector = trim( GetTokensAsString::normal( $this->phpcsFile, $start, ( $opener - 1 ) ) );
 			unset( $i );
 
 			foreach ( $this->target_css_selectors as $target_selector ) {
diff --git a/WordPressVIPMinimum/ruleset.xml b/WordPressVIPMinimum/ruleset.xml
index ae8347d4..87394301 100644
--- a/WordPressVIPMinimum/ruleset.xml
+++ b/WordPressVIPMinimum/ruleset.xml
@@ -1,6 +1,16 @@
 <?xml version="1.0"?>
 <ruleset xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" name="WordPressVIPMinimum" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/squizlabs/PHP_CodeSniffer/master/phpcs.xsd">
 	<description>WordPress VIP Minimum Coding Standards</description>
+
+	<!--
+		 Trigger error if PHPCSUtils cannot be found.
+		 PHPCSUtils does not contain any sniffs, so this rule isn't strictly necessary, but
+		 by having this here anyway, if PHPCSUtils is missing, the user will get a
+		 descriptive error message during the loading of the ruleset instead of
+		 a fatal "class not found" error once the sniffs start running.
+	-->
+	<rule ref="PHPCSUtils"/>
+
 	<rule ref="Generic.PHP.Syntax"/>
 	<rule ref="Generic.PHP.NoSilencedErrors">
 		<properties>
diff --git a/composer.json b/composer.json
index 1fc19981..005944eb 100644
--- a/composer.json
+++ b/composer.json
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 	],
 	"require": {
 		"php": ">=5.4",
-		"dealerdirect/phpcodesniffer-composer-installer": "^0.4.1 || ^0.5 || ^0.6.2 || ^0.7 || ^1.0",
+		"phpcsstandards/phpcsutils": "^1.0.8",
 		"sirbrillig/phpcs-variable-analysis": "^2.11.17",
 		"squizlabs/php_codesniffer": "^3.7.1",
 		"wp-coding-standards/wpcs": "^2.3"
diff --git a/tests/bootstrap.php b/tests/bootstrap.php
index bb063fdc..667f58a7 100644
--- a/tests/bootstrap.php
+++ b/tests/bootstrap.php
@@ -48,7 +48,8 @@
 
 If you use Composer, please run `composer install`.
 Otherwise, make sure you set a `PHPCS_DIR` environment variable in your phpunit.xml file
-pointing to the PHPCS directory.
+pointing to the PHPCS directory and that PHPCSUtils is included in the `installed_paths`
+for that PHPCS install.
 
 Please read the contributors guidelines for more information:
 https://github.com/Automattic/VIP-Coding-Standards/blob/develop/.github/CONTRIBUTING.md