diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 27175a5..ead0a07 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -150,6 +150,13 @@
 AC_ARG_ENABLE([openpower-pel-extension],
     AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-openpower-pel-extension], [Create PELs])
 )
+
+AC_ARG_VAR(EXTENSION_PERSIST_DIR, [Base directory for extension persistent data])
+AS_IF([test "x$EXTENSION_PERSIST_DIR" == "x"], \
+    [EXTENSION_PERSIST_DIR="/var/lib/phosphor-logging/extensions"])
+AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([EXTENSION_PERSIST_DIR], ["$EXTENSION_PERSIST_DIR"], \
+    [Base directory for extension persistent data])
+
 AM_CONDITIONAL([ENABLE_PEL_EXTENSION], [test "x$enable_openpower_pel_extension" == "xyes"])
 
 AC_CONFIG_HEADERS([config.h])
diff --git a/extensions/openpower-pels/log_id.cpp b/extensions/openpower-pels/log_id.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cbe1247
--- /dev/null
+++ b/extensions/openpower-pels/log_id.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+#include "log_id.hpp"
+
+#include "paths.hpp"
+
+#include <chrono>
+#include <filesystem>
+#include <fstream>
+#include <phosphor-logging/log.hpp>
+
+namespace openpower
+{
+namespace pels
+{
+
+namespace fs = std::filesystem;
+using namespace phosphor::logging;
+
+constexpr uint32_t startingLogID = 1;
+constexpr uint32_t bmcLogIDPrefix = 0x50000000;
+
+namespace detail
+{
+
+uint32_t addLogIDPrefix(uint32_t id)
+{
+    // If redundant BMCs are ever a thing, may need a different prefix.
+    return (id & 0x00FFFFFF) | bmcLogIDPrefix;
+}
+
+uint32_t getTimeBasedLogID()
+{
+    using namespace std::chrono;
+
+    // Use 3 bytes of the nanosecond count since the epoch.
+    uint32_t id =
+        duration_cast<nanoseconds>(system_clock::now().time_since_epoch())
+            .count();
+
+    return addLogIDPrefix(id);
+}
+
+} // namespace detail
+
+uint32_t generatePELID()
+{
+    // Note: there isn't a need to be thread safe.
+
+    static std::string idFilename;
+    if (idFilename.empty())
+    {
+        idFilename = getPELIDFile();
+    }
+
+    uint32_t id = 0;
+
+    if (!fs::exists(idFilename))
+    {
+        auto path = fs::path(idFilename).parent_path();
+        if (!fs::exists(path))
+        {
+            fs::create_directories(path);
+        }
+
+        id = startingLogID;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        std::ifstream idFile{idFilename};
+        idFile >> id;
+        if (idFile.fail())
+        {
+            // Just make up an ID
+            log<level::ERR>("Unable to read PEL ID File!");
+            return detail::getTimeBasedLogID();
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Wrapping shouldn't be a problem, but check anyway
+    if (id == 0x00FFFFFF)
+    {
+        id = startingLogID;
+    }
+
+    std::ofstream idFile{idFilename};
+    idFile << (id + 1);
+    if (idFile.fail())
+    {
+        // Just make up an ID so we don't reuse one next time
+        log<level::ERR>("Unable to write PEL ID File!");
+        return detail::getTimeBasedLogID();
+    }
+
+    return detail::addLogIDPrefix(id);
+}
+
+} // namespace pels
+} // namespace openpower
diff --git a/extensions/openpower-pels/log_id.hpp b/extensions/openpower-pels/log_id.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..21f04eb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/extensions/openpower-pels/log_id.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <cstdint>
+
+namespace openpower
+{
+namespace pels
+{
+
+namespace detail
+{
+
+/**
+ * @brief Adds the 1 byte log creator prefix to the log ID
+ *
+ * @param[in] id - the ID to add it to
+ *
+ * @return - the full log ID
+ */
+uint32_t addLogIDPrefix(uint32_t id);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Generates a PEL ID based on the current time.
+ *
+ * Used for error scenarios where the normal method doesn't
+ * work in order to get a unique ID still.
+ *
+ * @return A unique log ID.
+ */
+uint32_t getTimeBasedLogID();
+
+} // namespace detail
+
+/**
+ * @brief Generates a unique PEL log entry ID every time
+ *        it is called.
+ *
+ * This ID is used at offset 0x2C in the Private Header
+ * section of a PEL.  For single BMC systems, it must
+ * start with 0x50.
+ *
+ * @return uint32_t - The log ID
+ */
+uint32_t generatePELID();
+
+} // namespace pels
+} // namespace openpower
diff --git a/extensions/openpower-pels/openpower-pels.mk b/extensions/openpower-pels/openpower-pels.mk
index cc933f9..2cc2393 100644
--- a/extensions/openpower-pels/openpower-pels.mk
+++ b/extensions/openpower-pels/openpower-pels.mk
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 phosphor_log_manager_SOURCES += \
 	extensions/openpower-pels/bcd_time.cpp \
 	extensions/openpower-pels/entry_points.cpp \
+	extensions/openpower-pels/log_id.cpp \
 	extensions/openpower-pels/manager.cpp \
+	extensions/openpower-pels/paths.cpp \
 	extensions/openpower-pels/private_header.cpp \
 	extensions/openpower-pels/user_header.cpp
diff --git a/extensions/openpower-pels/paths.cpp b/extensions/openpower-pels/paths.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dab73c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/extensions/openpower-pels/paths.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+#include "config.h"
+
+#include "paths.hpp"
+
+#include <filesystem>
+
+namespace openpower
+{
+namespace pels
+{
+
+namespace fs = std::filesystem;
+
+fs::path getPELIDFile()
+{
+    fs::path logIDPath{EXTENSION_PERSIST_DIR};
+    logIDPath /= fs::path{"pels"} / fs::path{"pelID"};
+    return logIDPath;
+}
+
+} // namespace pels
+
+} // namespace openpower
diff --git a/extensions/openpower-pels/paths.hpp b/extensions/openpower-pels/paths.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..334165c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/extensions/openpower-pels/paths.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+#pragma once
+#include <filesystem>
+
+namespace openpower
+{
+namespace pels
+{
+
+/**
+ * @brief Returns the path to the PEL ID file
+ */
+std::filesystem::path getPELIDFile();
+
+} // namespace pels
+} // namespace openpower
diff --git a/test/openpower-pels/Makefile.include b/test/openpower-pels/Makefile.include
index f860db2..0e0257c 100644
--- a/test/openpower-pels/Makefile.include
+++ b/test/openpower-pels/Makefile.include
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 check_PROGRAMS += \
 	additional_data_test \
 	bcd_time_test \
+	log_id_test \
 	private_header_test \
 	section_header_test \
 	stream_test \
@@ -58,3 +59,12 @@
 	$(test_ldadd) \
 	$(pel_objects)
 user_header_test_LDFLAGS = $(test_ldflags)
+
+log_id_test_SOURCES = \
+	%reldir%/log_id_test.cpp %reldir%/paths.cpp
+log_id_test_CPPFLAGS = $(test_cppflags)
+log_id_test_CXXFLAGS = $(test_cxxflags)
+log_id_test_LDADD = \
+	$(test_ldadd) \
+	$(top_builddir)/extensions/openpower-pels/log_id.o
+log_id_test_LDFLAGS = $(test_ldflags)
diff --git a/test/openpower-pels/log_id_test.cpp b/test/openpower-pels/log_id_test.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e5f2632
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/openpower-pels/log_id_test.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+#include "extensions/openpower-pels/log_id.hpp"
+#include "extensions/openpower-pels/paths.hpp"
+
+#include <arpa/inet.h>
+
+#include <filesystem>
+
+#include <gtest/gtest.h>
+
+using namespace openpower::pels;
+namespace fs = std::filesystem;
+
+TEST(LogIdTest, TimeBasedIDTest)
+{
+    uint32_t lastID = 0;
+    for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++)
+    {
+        auto id = detail::getTimeBasedLogID();
+
+        EXPECT_EQ(id & 0xFF000000, 0x50000000);
+        EXPECT_NE(id, lastID);
+        lastID = id;
+    }
+}
+
+TEST(LogIdTest, IDTest)
+{
+    EXPECT_EQ(generatePELID(), 0x50000001);
+    EXPECT_EQ(generatePELID(), 0x50000002);
+    EXPECT_EQ(generatePELID(), 0x50000003);
+    EXPECT_EQ(generatePELID(), 0x50000004);
+    EXPECT_EQ(generatePELID(), 0x50000005);
+    EXPECT_EQ(generatePELID(), 0x50000006);
+
+    auto backingFile = getPELIDFile();
+    fs::remove(backingFile);
+    EXPECT_EQ(generatePELID(), 0x50000001);
+    EXPECT_EQ(generatePELID(), 0x50000002);
+    EXPECT_EQ(generatePELID(), 0x50000003);
+
+    fs::remove_all(fs::path{backingFile}.parent_path());
+}
diff --git a/test/openpower-pels/paths.cpp b/test/openpower-pels/paths.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..464b92c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/openpower-pels/paths.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+#include "extensions/openpower-pels/paths.hpp"
+
+#include <filesystem>
+
+namespace openpower
+{
+namespace pels
+{
+
+// Use paths that work in unit tests.
+
+std::filesystem::path getPELIDFile()
+{
+    static std::string idFile;
+
+    if (idFile.empty())
+    {
+        char templ[] = "/tmp/logidtestXXXXXX";
+        std::filesystem::path dir = mkdtemp(templ);
+        idFile = dir / "logid";
+    }
+    return idFile;
+}
+
+} // namespace pels
+} // namespace openpower