diff --git a/composer.json b/composer.json
index b8f4346444f..4ad328dbc07 100644
--- a/composer.json
+++ b/composer.json
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   "homepage": "https://grpc.io",
   "license": "Apache-2.0",
   "require": {
-    "php": ">=5.5.0"
+    "php": ">=7.0.0"
   },
   "require-dev": {
     "google/auth": "^v1.3.0"
diff --git a/package.xml b/package.xml
index ad8f7f1885b..ed0cd726593 100644
--- a/package.xml
+++ b/package.xml
@@ -1996,7 +1996,7 @@
  <dependencies>
   <required>
    <php>
-    <min>5.5.0</min>
+    <min>7.0.0</min>
    </php>
    <pearinstaller>
     <min>1.4.0</min>
diff --git a/src/php/composer.json b/src/php/composer.json
index 68751fc4cd9..09f6f932bdf 100644
--- a/src/php/composer.json
+++ b/src/php/composer.json
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   "license": "Apache-2.0",
   "version": "1.35.0",
   "require": {
-    "php": ">=5.5.0",
+    "php": ">=7.0.0",
     "google/protobuf": "^v3.3.0"
   },
   "require-dev": {
diff --git a/templates/composer.json.template b/templates/composer.json.template
index a9cc6cca865..e778ab08d76 100644
--- a/templates/composer.json.template
+++ b/templates/composer.json.template
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
     "homepage": "https://grpc.io",
     "license": "Apache-2.0",
     "require": {
-      "php": ">=5.5.0"
+      "php": ">=7.0.0"
     },
     "require-dev": {
       "google/auth": "^v1.3.0"
diff --git a/templates/package.xml.template b/templates/package.xml.template
index 3273c7987ef..de65792d4ef 100644
--- a/templates/package.xml.template
+++ b/templates/package.xml.template
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
    <dependencies>
     <required>
      <php>
-      <min>5.5.0</min>
+      <min>7.0.0</min>
      </php>
      <pearinstaller>
       <min>1.4.0</min>
diff --git a/templates/src/php/composer.json.template b/templates/src/php/composer.json.template
index 9a1c5789040..e1c36461a88 100644
--- a/templates/src/php/composer.json.template
+++ b/templates/src/php/composer.json.template
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     "license": "Apache-2.0",
     "version": "${settings.php_version.php_composer()}",
     "require": {
-      "php": ">=5.5.0",
+      "php": ">=7.0.0",
       "google/protobuf": "^v3.3.0"
     },
     "require-dev": {