diff --git a/fluent-hc/pom.xml b/fluent-hc/pom.xml
index 4e9858083..9c296eff5 100644
--- a/fluent-hc/pom.xml
+++ b/fluent-hc/pom.xml
@@ -72,6 +72,27 @@
   </dependencies>
 
   <build>
+    <plugins>
+      <plugin>
+        <groupId>org.apache.rat</groupId>
+        <artifactId>apache-rat-plugin</artifactId>
+        <version>${hc.rat.version}</version>
+        <executions>
+          <execution>
+            <phase>verify</phase>
+            <goals>
+              <goal>check</goal>
+            </goals>
+          </execution>
+        </executions>
+        <configuration>
+          <excludes>
+            <exclude>.externalToolBuilders/**</exclude>			
+            <exclude>maven-eclipse.xml</exclude>
+          </excludes>
+        </configuration>
+      </plugin>
+    </plugins>
     <resources>
       <resource>
         <directory>src/main/resources</directory>
diff --git a/httpmime/pom.xml b/httpmime/pom.xml
index 6e12d02db..b32b8dd7a 100644
--- a/httpmime/pom.xml
+++ b/httpmime/pom.xml
@@ -60,6 +60,27 @@
   </dependencies>
 
   <build>
+    <plugins>
+      <plugin>
+        <groupId>org.apache.rat</groupId>
+        <artifactId>apache-rat-plugin</artifactId>
+        <version>${hc.rat.version}</version>
+        <executions>
+          <execution>
+            <phase>verify</phase>
+            <goals>
+              <goal>check</goal>
+            </goals>
+          </execution>
+        </executions>
+        <configuration>
+          <excludes>
+            <exclude>.externalToolBuilders/**</exclude>			
+            <exclude>maven-eclipse.xml</exclude>
+          </excludes>
+        </configuration>
+      </plugin>  
+    </plugins>
     <resources>
       <resource>
         <directory>src/main/resources</directory>
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 8c5a9e929..1e5dc3cf8 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@
     <mockito.version>1.8.5</mockito.version>
     <jna.version>4.1.0</jna.version>
     <hc.stylecheck.version>1</hc.stylecheck.version>
+    <hc.rat.version>0.11</hc.rat.version>
   </properties>
 
   <dependencyManagement>
@@ -359,7 +360,7 @@
       <plugin>
         <groupId>org.apache.rat</groupId>
         <artifactId>apache-rat-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>0.11</version>
+        <version>${hc.rat.version}</version>
         <executions>
           <execution>
             <phase>verify</phase>
@@ -373,7 +374,7 @@
             <exclude>src/docbkx/resources/**</exclude>
             <exclude>src/test/resources/*.truststore</exclude>
             <exclude>.checkstyle</exclude>
-            <exclude>.externalToolBuilders</exclude>			
+            <exclude>.externalToolBuilders/**</exclude>			
             <exclude>maven-eclipse.xml</exclude>
           </excludes>
         </configuration>