diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 1bfec7da341..b78a697885f 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -7,9 +7,14 @@ What's New in Pylint 2.4.0?
 
 Release date: TBA
 
+* New check: ``import-outside-toplevel``
+
+  This check warns when modules are imported from places other than a
+  module toplevel, e.g. inside a function or a class.
+
 * Added a new check, ``consider-using-sys-exit``
 
-  This check is emitted when we detect that a quit() or exit() is invoked 
+  This check is emitted when we detect that a quit() or exit() is invoked
   instead of sys.exit(), which is the preferred way of exiting in program.
 
   Close #2925
diff --git a/doc/whatsnew/2.4.rst b/doc/whatsnew/2.4.rst
index 4c279ca9abd..ba34811a217 100644
--- a/doc/whatsnew/2.4.rst
+++ b/doc/whatsnew/2.4.rst
@@ -13,13 +13,18 @@ Summary -- Release highlights
 New checkers
 ============
 
+* ``import-outside-toplevel``
+
+  This check warns when modules are imported from places other than a
+  module toplevel, e.g. inside a function or a class.
+
 * Added a new check, ``consider-using-sys-exit``
 
-  This check is emitted when we detect that a quit() or exit() is invoked 
+  This check is emitted when we detect that a quit() or exit() is invoked
   instead of sys.exit(), which is the preferred way of exiting in program.
 
   Close #2925
-  
+
 * Added a new check, ``arguments-out-of-order``
 
   This check warns if you have arguments with names that match those in
@@ -118,7 +123,7 @@ New checkers
 Other Changes
 =============
 
-* Don't emit ``protected-access`` when a single underscore prefixed attribute is used 
+* Don't emit ``protected-access`` when a single underscore prefixed attribute is used
   inside a special method
 
   Close #1802
diff --git a/pylint/checkers/imports.py b/pylint/checkers/imports.py
index e6f3a8e8d95..aae37abffda 100644
--- a/pylint/checkers/imports.py
+++ b/pylint/checkers/imports.py
@@ -278,6 +278,12 @@ def _make_graph(filename, dep_info, sect, gtype):
         "Used when an import alias is same as original package."
         "e.g using import numpy as numpy instead of import numpy as np",
     ),
+    "C0415": (
+        "Import outside toplevel (%s)",
+        "import-outside-toplevel",
+        "Used when an import statement is used anywhere other than the module
+        toplevel. Move this import to the top of the file."
+    ),
 }
 
 
@@ -476,6 +482,7 @@ def visit_import(self, node):
         """triggered when an import statement is seen"""
         self._check_reimport(node)
         self._check_import_as_rename(node)
+        self._check_toplevel(node)
 
         modnode = node.root()
         names = [name for name, _ in node.names]
@@ -969,6 +976,14 @@ def _wildcard_import_is_allowed(self, imported_module):
             and "__all__" in imported_module.locals
         )
 
+    def _check_toplevel(self, node):
+        if isinstance(node.parent, (astroid.FunctionDef, astroid.ClassDef)):
+            self.add_message(
+                "import-outside-toplevel",
+                args=", ".join(name[0] for name in node.names),
+                node=node,
+            )
+
 
 def register(linter):
     """required method to auto register this checker """
diff --git a/pylint/graph.py b/pylint/graph.py
index 3eb48022759..0dc7a1460bd 100644
--- a/pylint/graph.py
+++ b/pylint/graph.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 import codecs
 import os
 import os.path as osp
+import subprocess
 import sys
 import tempfile
 
@@ -80,8 +81,6 @@ def generate(self, outputfile=None, dotfile=None, mapfile=None):
         :rtype: str
         :return: a path to the generated file
         """
-        import subprocess  # introduced in py 2.4
-
         name = self.graphname
         if not dotfile:
             # if 'outputfile' is a dot file use it as 'dotfile'
diff --git a/tests/functional/globals.py b/tests/functional/globals.py
index 1a24ff73636..e7f3cc85bda 100644
--- a/tests/functional/globals.py
+++ b/tests/functional/globals.py
@@ -29,4 +29,4 @@ def define_constant():
 def global_with_import():
     """should only warn for global-statement"""
     global sys  # [global-statement]
-    import sys
+    import sys  # pylint: disable=import-outside-toplevel
diff --git a/tests/functional/import_outside_toplevel.py b/tests/functional/import_outside_toplevel.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..620deb86f58
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/functional/import_outside_toplevel.py
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+# pylint: disable=unused-import,multiple-imports,no-self-use,missing-docstring,invalid-name,too-few-public-methods
+
+import subprocess
+
+
+def f():
+    import json  # [import-outside-toplevel]
+
+
+def g():
+    import os, sys  # [import-outside-toplevel]
+
+
+def h():
+    import time as thyme  # [import-outside-toplevel]
+
+
+def i():
+    import random as rand, socket as sock  # [import-outside-toplevel]
+
+
+class C:
+    import re  # [import-outside-toplevel]
+
+    def j(self):
+        import ssl  # [import-outside-toplevel]
diff --git a/tests/functional/import_outside_toplevel.txt b/tests/functional/import_outside_toplevel.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a618eaeccdf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/functional/import_outside_toplevel.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+import-outside-toplevel:7:f:Import outside toplevel (json)
+import-outside-toplevel:11:g:Import outside toplevel (os, sys)
+import-outside-toplevel:15:h:Import outside toplevel (time)
+import-outside-toplevel:19:i:Import outside toplevel (random, socket)
+import-outside-toplevel:23:C:Import outside toplevel (re)
+import-outside-toplevel:26:C.j:Import outside toplevel (ssl)
diff --git a/tests/functional/invalid_exceptions_raised.py b/tests/functional/invalid_exceptions_raised.py
index 78e6b65a09b..34f740de4c9 100644
--- a/tests/functional/invalid_exceptions_raised.py
+++ b/tests/functional/invalid_exceptions_raised.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# pylint:disable=too-few-public-methods,no-init,import-error,missing-docstring, not-callable, useless-object-inheritance
+# pylint:disable=too-few-public-methods,no-init,import-error,missing-docstring, not-callable, useless-object-inheritance,import-outside-toplevel
 """test pb with exceptions and old/new style classes"""
 
 
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ def bad_case9():
 
 def unknown_bases():
     """Don't emit when we don't know the bases."""
-    from lala import bala
+    from lala import bala  # pylint: disable=import-outside-toplevel
     class MyException(bala):
         pass
     raise MyException
diff --git a/tests/functional/invalid_name.py b/tests/functional/invalid_name.py
index 1a949904edd..83dd22360e7 100644
--- a/tests/functional/invalid_name.py
+++ b/tests/functional/invalid_name.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 """ Tests for invalid-name checker. """
-# pylint: disable=unused-import, no-absolute-import, wrong-import-position
+# pylint: disable=unused-import, no-absolute-import, wrong-import-position,import-outside-toplevel
 
 AAA = 24
 try:
diff --git a/tests/functional/member_checks.py b/tests/functional/member_checks.py
index 8d1d636dcc5..ad7793fd519 100644
--- a/tests/functional/member_checks.py
+++ b/tests/functional/member_checks.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # pylint: disable=print-statement,missing-docstring,no-self-use,too-few-public-methods,bare-except,broad-except, useless-object-inheritance
-# pylint: disable=using-constant-test,expression-not-assigned, assigning-non-slot, unused-variable,pointless-statement, wrong-import-order, wrong-import-position
+# pylint: disable=using-constant-test,expression-not-assigned, assigning-non-slot, unused-variable,pointless-statement, wrong-import-order, wrong-import-position,import-outside-toplevel
 from __future__ import print_function
 import six
 class Provider(object):
diff --git a/tests/functional/raising_format_tuple.py b/tests/functional/raising_format_tuple.py
index cfdda102326..0f3a3349a08 100644
--- a/tests/functional/raising_format_tuple.py
+++ b/tests/functional/raising_format_tuple.py
@@ -47,5 +47,5 @@ def bad_unicode(arg):
 
 def raise_something_without_name(arg):
     '''Regression test for nodes without .node attribute'''
-    import standard_exceptions  # pylint: disable=import-error
+    import standard_exceptions  # pylint: disable=import-error,import-outside-toplevel
     raise standard_exceptions.MyException(u'An %s', arg)  # [raising-format-tuple]
diff --git a/tests/functional/undefined_variable.py b/tests/functional/undefined_variable.py
index 59af47e1976..545565eca3b 100644
--- a/tests/functional/undefined_variable.py
+++ b/tests/functional/undefined_variable.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# pylint: disable=missing-docstring, multiple-statements, useless-object-inheritance
+# pylint: disable=missing-docstring, multiple-statements, useless-object-inheritance,import-outside-toplevel
 # pylint: disable=too-few-public-methods, no-init, no-self-use,bare-except,broad-except, import-error
 from __future__ import print_function
 DEFINED = 1
diff --git a/tests/functional/unused_variable.py b/tests/functional/unused_variable.py
index e475a90389c..cb5215d99ed 100644
--- a/tests/functional/unused_variable.py
+++ b/tests/functional/unused_variable.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# pylint: disable=missing-docstring, invalid-name, too-few-public-methods, no-self-use, useless-object-inheritance
+# pylint: disable=missing-docstring, invalid-name, too-few-public-methods, no-self-use, useless-object-inheritance,import-outside-toplevel
 
 def test_regression_737():
     import xml # [unused-import]
diff --git a/tests/functional/wrong_import_position4.py b/tests/functional/wrong_import_position4.py
index 3f1174f9dc2..c728241b737 100644
--- a/tests/functional/wrong_import_position4.py
+++ b/tests/functional/wrong_import_position4.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 """Checks import position rule"""
-# pylint: disable=unused-import,relative-import,ungrouped-imports,import-error,no-name-in-module,relative-beyond-top-level,unused-variable
+# pylint: disable=unused-import,relative-import,ungrouped-imports,import-error,no-name-in-module,relative-beyond-top-level,unused-variable,import-outside-toplevel
 def method1():
     """Method 1"""
     import x
diff --git a/tests/input/func_w0404.py b/tests/input/func_w0404.py
index 2ce7d651c4b..1a3db7f66c9 100644
--- a/tests/input/func_w0404.py
+++ b/tests/input/func_w0404.py
@@ -14,13 +14,13 @@
 
 def no_reimport():
     """docstring"""
-    import os
+    import os  #pylint: disable=import-outside-toplevel
     print(os)
 
 
 def reimport():
     """This function contains a reimport."""
-    import sys
+    import sys  #pylint: disable=import-outside-toplevel
     del sys
 
 
diff --git a/tests/input/func_w0405.py b/tests/input/func_w0405.py
index 50a069d7a9c..95c4d134f69 100644
--- a/tests/input/func_w0405.py
+++ b/tests/input/func_w0405.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 """
 from __future__ import absolute_import, print_function
 
-# pylint: disable=using-constant-test,ungrouped-imports,wrong-import-position
+# pylint: disable=using-constant-test,ungrouped-imports,wrong-import-position,import-outside-toplevel
 import os
 from os.path import join, exists
 import os
diff --git a/tests/input/func_w0612.py b/tests/input/func_w0612.py
index 3d873bbebd4..2c6fee8b8df 100644
--- a/tests/input/func_w0612.py
+++ b/tests/input/func_w0612.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 """test unused variable
 """
-# pylint: disable=invalid-name, redefined-outer-name, no-absolute-import
+# pylint: disable=invalid-name, redefined-outer-name, no-absolute-import,import-outside-toplevel
 from __future__ import print_function
 PATH = OS = collections = deque = None