diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 9fd548371..e5c83ddb0 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ Dependencies
 Incompatible changes
 --------------------
 
+* apidoc: template files are renamed to ``.rst_t``
+
 Deprecated
 ----------
 
@@ -27,6 +29,7 @@ Features added
 * #5124: graphviz: ``:graphviz_dot:`` option is renamed to ``:layout:``
 * #1464: html: emit a warning if :confval:`html_static_path` and
   :confval:`html_extra_path` directories are inside output directory
+* #5602: apidoc: Add ``--templatedir`` option
 
 Bugs fixed
 ----------
diff --git a/doc/man/sphinx-apidoc.rst b/doc/man/sphinx-apidoc.rst
index aef497e0d..78c0735cb 100644
--- a/doc/man/sphinx-apidoc.rst
+++ b/doc/man/sphinx-apidoc.rst
@@ -126,6 +126,30 @@ These options are used when :option:`--full` is specified:
 
    Sets the project release to put in generated files (see :confval:`release`).
 
+.. rubric:: Project templating
+
+.. versionadded:: 2.2
+   Project templating options for sphinx-apidoc
+
+.. option:: -t, --templatedir=TEMPLATEDIR
+
+   Template directory for template files.  You can modify the templates of
+   sphinx project files generated by apidoc.  Following Jinja2 template
+   files are allowed:
+
+   * ``module.rst_t``
+   * ``package.rst_t``
+   * ``toc.rst_t``
+   * ``master_doc.rst_t``
+   * ``conf.py_t``
+   * ``Makefile_t``
+   * ``Makefile.new_t``
+   * ``make.bat_t``
+   * ``make.bat.new_t``
+
+   In detail, please refer the system template files Sphinx provides.
+   (``sphinx/templates/apidoc`` and ``sphinx/templates/quickstart``)
+
 Environment
 -----------
 
diff --git a/sphinx/ext/apidoc.py b/sphinx/ext/apidoc.py
index d38b749f0..ed413de52 100644
--- a/sphinx/ext/apidoc.py
+++ b/sphinx/ext/apidoc.py
@@ -111,8 +111,8 @@ def format_directive(module, package=None):
     return directive
 
 
-def create_module_file(package, basename, opts):
-    # type: (str, str, Any) -> None
+def create_module_file(package, basename, opts, user_template_dir=None):
+    # type: (str, str, Any, str) -> None
     """Build the text of the file and write the file."""
     qualname = module_join(package, basename)
     context = {
@@ -121,12 +121,13 @@ def create_module_file(package, basename, opts):
         'qualname': qualname,
         'automodule_options': OPTIONS,
     }
-    text = ReSTRenderer(template_dir).render('module.rst', context)
+    text = ReSTRenderer([user_template_dir, template_dir]).render('module.rst_t', context)
     write_file(qualname, text, opts)
 
 
-def create_package_file(root, master_package, subroot, py_files, opts, subs, is_namespace, excludes=[]):  # NOQA
-    # type: (str, str, str, List[str], Any, List[str], bool, List[str]) -> None
+def create_package_file(root, master_package, subroot, py_files, opts, subs,
+                        is_namespace, excludes=[], user_template_dir=None):
+    # type: (str, str, str, List[str], Any, List[str], bool, List[str], str) -> None
     """Build the text of the file and write the file."""
     # build a list of sub packages (directories containing an INITPY file)
     subpackages = [sub for sub in subs if not
@@ -151,7 +152,7 @@ def create_package_file(root, master_package, subroot, py_files, opts, subs, is_
         'automodule_options': OPTIONS,
         'show_headings': not opts.noheadings,
     }
-    text = ReSTRenderer(template_dir).render('package.rst', context)
+    text = ReSTRenderer([user_template_dir, template_dir]).render('package.rst_t', context)
     write_file(pkgname, text, opts)
 
     if submodules and opts.separatemodules:
@@ -159,8 +160,8 @@ def create_package_file(root, master_package, subroot, py_files, opts, subs, is_
             create_module_file(None, submodule, opts)
 
 
-def create_modules_toc_file(modules, opts, name='modules'):
-    # type: (List[str], Any, str) -> None
+def create_modules_toc_file(modules, opts, name='modules', user_template_dir=None):
+    # type: (List[str], Any, str, str) -> None
     """Create the module's index."""
     modules.sort()
     prev_module = ''
@@ -176,7 +177,7 @@ def create_modules_toc_file(modules, opts, name='modules'):
         'maxdepth': opts.maxdepth,
         'docnames': modules,
     }
-    text = ReSTRenderer(template_dir).render('toc.rst', context)
+    text = ReSTRenderer([user_template_dir, template_dir]).render('toc.rst_t', context)
     write_file(name, text, opts)
 
 
@@ -220,8 +221,8 @@ def is_skipped_module(filename, opts, excludes):
         return False
 
 
-def recurse_tree(rootpath, excludes, opts):
-    # type: (str, List[str], Any) -> List[str]
+def recurse_tree(rootpath, excludes, opts, user_template_dir=None):
+    # type: (str, List[str], Any, str) -> List[str]
     """
     Look for every file in the directory tree and create the corresponding
     ReST files.
@@ -271,7 +272,8 @@ def recurse_tree(rootpath, excludes, opts):
                 # a namespace and there is something there to document
                 if not is_namespace or len(py_files) > 0:
                     create_package_file(root, root_package, subpackage,
-                                        py_files, opts, subs, is_namespace, excludes)
+                                        py_files, opts, subs, is_namespace, excludes,
+                                        user_template_dir)
                     toplevels.append(module_join(root_package, subpackage))
         else:
             # if we are at the root level, we don't require it to be a package
@@ -279,7 +281,7 @@ def recurse_tree(rootpath, excludes, opts):
             for py_file in py_files:
                 if not is_skipped_module(path.join(rootpath, py_file), opts, excludes):
                     module = path.splitext(py_file)[0]
-                    create_module_file(root_package, module, opts)
+                    create_module_file(root_package, module, opts, user_template_dir)
                     toplevels.append(module)
 
     return toplevels
@@ -386,6 +388,11 @@ Note: By default this script will not overwrite already created files."""))
                            const='sphinx.ext.%s' % ext, dest='extensions',
                            help=__('enable %s extension') % ext)
 
+    group = parser.add_argument_group(__('Project templating'))
+    group.add_argument('-t', '--templatedir', metavar='TEMPLATEDIR',
+                       dest='templatedir',
+                       help=__('template directory for template files'))
+
     return parser
 
 
@@ -412,7 +419,7 @@ def main(argv=sys.argv[1:]):
     if not args.dryrun:
         ensuredir(args.destdir)
     excludes = [path.abspath(exclude) for exclude in args.exclude_pattern]
-    modules = recurse_tree(rootpath, excludes, args)
+    modules = recurse_tree(rootpath, excludes, args, args.templatedir)
 
     if args.full:
         from sphinx.cmd import quickstart as qs
@@ -455,9 +462,10 @@ def main(argv=sys.argv[1:]):
                 d['extensions'].extend(ext.split(','))
 
         if not args.dryrun:
-            qs.generate(d, silent=True, overwrite=args.force)
+            qs.generate(d, silent=True, overwrite=args.force,
+                        templatedir=args.templatedir)
     elif args.tocfile:
-        create_modules_toc_file(modules, args, args.tocfile)
+        create_modules_toc_file(modules, args, args.tocfile, args.templatedir)
 
     return 0
 
diff --git a/sphinx/templates/apidoc/module.rst b/sphinx/templates/apidoc/module.rst_t
similarity index 100%
rename from sphinx/templates/apidoc/module.rst
rename to sphinx/templates/apidoc/module.rst_t
diff --git a/sphinx/templates/apidoc/package.rst b/sphinx/templates/apidoc/package.rst_t
similarity index 100%
rename from sphinx/templates/apidoc/package.rst
rename to sphinx/templates/apidoc/package.rst_t
diff --git a/sphinx/templates/apidoc/toc.rst b/sphinx/templates/apidoc/toc.rst_t
similarity index 100%
rename from sphinx/templates/apidoc/toc.rst
rename to sphinx/templates/apidoc/toc.rst_t
diff --git a/sphinx/util/template.py b/sphinx/util/template.py
index 636767d41..fd8886944 100644
--- a/sphinx/util/template.py
+++ b/sphinx/util/template.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 """
 
 import os
-from typing import Dict
+from typing import Dict, List, Union
 
 from jinja2.loaders import BaseLoader
 from jinja2.sandbox import SandboxedEnvironment
@@ -34,7 +34,13 @@ class BaseRenderer:
 
 
 class FileRenderer(BaseRenderer):
-    def __init__(self, search_path: str) -> None:
+    def __init__(self, search_path: Union[str, List[str]]) -> None:
+        if isinstance(search_path, str):
+            search_path = [search_path]
+        else:
+            # filter "None" paths
+            search_path = list(filter(None, search_path))
+
         loader = SphinxFileSystemLoader(search_path)
         super().__init__(loader)
 
@@ -46,7 +52,7 @@ class FileRenderer(BaseRenderer):
 
 
 class SphinxRenderer(FileRenderer):
-    def __init__(self, template_path: str = None) -> None:
+    def __init__(self, template_path: Union[str, List[str]] = None) -> None:
         if template_path is None:
             template_path = os.path.join(package_dir, 'templates')
         super().__init__(template_path)
@@ -76,7 +82,7 @@ class LaTeXRenderer(SphinxRenderer):
 
 
 class ReSTRenderer(SphinxRenderer):
-    def __init__(self, template_path: str = None, language: str = None) -> None:
+    def __init__(self, template_path: Union[str, List[str]] = None, language: str = None) -> None:  # NOQA
         super().__init__(template_path)
 
         # add language to environment