diff --git a/validator/validator.go b/validator/validator.go
index 41f07b2..f06f5f5 100644
--- a/validator/validator.go
+++ b/validator/validator.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package validator
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/url"
@@ -160,6 +161,27 @@ func (v *Validator) Validate(ctx context.Context, resource string) error {
 	})
 }
 
+// ValidateBytes validates a single STAC resource.
+//
+// The location is a URL or file path that represents the resource and will
+// be used in any validation error.
+func ValidateBytes(ctx context.Context, data []byte, location string) error {
+	resource := crawler.Resource{}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(data, &resource); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to parse data as JSON: %w", err)
+	}
+	v := New(&Options{NoRecursion: true})
+	info := &crawler.ResourceInfo{
+		Location: location,
+		Entry:    location,
+	}
+	err := v.validate(resource, info)
+	if !errors.Is(err, crawler.ErrStopRecursion) {
+		return err
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (v *Validator) validate(resource crawler.Resource, info *crawler.ResourceInfo) error {
 	v.logger.Info("validating resource", "resource", info.Location)
 	version := resource.Version()
diff --git a/validator/validator_test.go b/validator/validator_test.go
index 8f7ab84..71f17ec 100644
--- a/validator/validator_test.go
+++ b/validator/validator_test.go
@@ -68,6 +68,40 @@ func (s *Suite) TestValidCases() {
 	}
 }
 
+func (s *Suite) TestValidateBytes() {
+	cases := []string{
+		"v1.0.0-beta.2/LC08_L1TP_097073_20130319_20200913_02_T1.json",
+		"v1.0.0/catalog.json",
+		"v1.0.0/collection.json",
+		"v1.0.0/item.json",
+		"v1.0.0/catalog-with-item.json",
+		"v1.0.0/catalog-with-multiple-items.json",
+		"v1.0.0/item-eo.json",
+	}
+
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	for _, c := range cases {
+		s.Run(c, func() {
+			location := path.Join("testdata", "cases", c)
+			data, err := os.ReadFile(location)
+			s.Require().NoError(err)
+			s.NoError(validator.ValidateBytes(ctx, data, location))
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func (s *Suite) TestValidateBytesInvalidItem() {
+	location := "testdata/cases/v1.0.0/item-missing-id.json"
+
+	data, readErr := os.ReadFile(location)
+	s.Require().NoError(readErr)
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	err := validator.ValidateBytes(ctx, data, location)
+	s.Require().Error(err)
+	s.Assert().True(strings.HasSuffix(fmt.Sprintf("%#v", err), "missing properties: 'id'"))
+}
+
 func (s *Suite) TestSchemaMap() {
 	v := validator.New(&validator.Options{
 		SchemaMap: map[string]string{