diff --git a/docs/api/config.rst b/docs/api/config.rst
index 73b7511..93edf7d 100644
--- a/docs/api/config.rst
+++ b/docs/api/config.rst
@@ -106,6 +106,8 @@ The following table lists the available general options:
 +==============================+===========+===============================================================================================================+
 | ``grad_accumulation_steps``  | integer   | number of training steps to accumulate gradients between optimizer steps  (default = ``1``)                   |
 +------------------------------+-----------+---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| ``max_grad_norm``            | float     | maximum gradient norm for gradient clipping. A value of 0.0 means clipping is disabled (default = ``0.0``)    |
++------------------------------+-----------+---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
 
 .. _lr_schedule_properties-ref:
 
@@ -326,8 +328,6 @@ The following table lists the available options by algorithm type:
 +                +             +------------------------------+------------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
 |                |             | ``value_loss_coefficient``   | float      | value loss coefficient: weight for value estimate component of the loss function          |
 +                +             +------------------------------+------------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
-|                |             | ``max_grad_norm``            | float      | maximum gradient norm for gradient clipping                                               |
-+                +             +------------------------------+------------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
 |                |             | ``normalize_advantage``      | boolean    | if set to true, advantage values are normalized over all buffer entries                   |
 +----------------+-------------+------------------------------+------------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
 
diff --git a/src/csrc/include/internal/model_pack.h b/src/csrc/include/internal/model_pack.h
index 43bc9eb..351e96d 100644
--- a/src/csrc/include/internal/model_pack.h
+++ b/src/csrc/include/internal/model_pack.h
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ struct ModelPack {
   std::shared_ptr<Comm> comm;
   std::shared_ptr<ModelState> state;
   int grad_accumulation_steps = 1;
+  float max_grad_norm = 0.0;
 };
 
 void save_model_pack(const ModelPack& model_pack, const std::string& fname, bool save_optimizer = true);
diff --git a/src/csrc/include/internal/rl/off_policy/ddpg.h b/src/csrc/include/internal/rl/off_policy/ddpg.h
index 806bb50..3788a1a 100644
--- a/src/csrc/include/internal/rl/off_policy/ddpg.h
+++ b/src/csrc/include/internal/rl/off_policy/ddpg.h
@@ -109,6 +109,11 @@ void train_ddpg(const ModelPack& p_model, const ModelPack& p_model_target, const
       q_model.comm->allreduce(grads, true);
     }
 
+    // gradient clipping
+    if (q_model.max_grad_norm > 0.0) {
+      torch::nn::utils::clip_grad_norm_(q_model.model->parameters(), q_model.max_grad_norm);
+    }
+
     // optimizer step
     q_model.optimizer->step();
 
@@ -149,6 +154,11 @@ void train_ddpg(const ModelPack& p_model, const ModelPack& p_model_target, const
       p_model.comm->allreduce(grads, true);
     }
 
+    // gradient clipping
+    if (p_model.max_grad_norm > 0.0) {
+      torch::nn::utils::clip_grad_norm_(p_model.model->parameters(), p_model.max_grad_norm);
+    }
+
     // optimizer step
     p_model.optimizer->step();
 
diff --git a/src/csrc/include/internal/rl/off_policy/sac.h b/src/csrc/include/internal/rl/off_policy/sac.h
index ef459d0..4455485 100644
--- a/src/csrc/include/internal/rl/off_policy/sac.h
+++ b/src/csrc/include/internal/rl/off_policy/sac.h
@@ -202,8 +202,15 @@ void train_sac(const PolicyPack& p_model, const std::vector<ModelPack>& q_models
         q_model.comm->allreduce(grads, true);
       }
 
+      // gradient clipping
+      if (q_model.max_grad_norm > 0.0) {
+        torch::nn::utils::clip_grad_norm_(q_model.model->parameters(), q_model.max_grad_norm);
+      }
+
       // optimizer step
       q_model.optimizer->step();
+
+      // lr scheduler step
       q_model.lr_scheduler->step();
     }
   }
@@ -263,6 +270,11 @@ void train_sac(const PolicyPack& p_model, const std::vector<ModelPack>& q_models
       p_model.comm->allreduce(grads, true);
     }
 
+    // gradient clipping
+    if (p_model.max_grad_norm > 0.0) {
+      torch::nn::utils::clip_grad_norm_(p_model.model->parameters(), p_model.max_grad_norm);
+    }
+
     // optimizer step
     p_model.optimizer->step();
 
diff --git a/src/csrc/include/internal/rl/off_policy/td3.h b/src/csrc/include/internal/rl/off_policy/td3.h
index 708a613..4600105 100644
--- a/src/csrc/include/internal/rl/off_policy/td3.h
+++ b/src/csrc/include/internal/rl/off_policy/td3.h
@@ -130,6 +130,11 @@ void train_td3(const ModelPack& p_model, const ModelPack& p_model_target, const
         q_model.comm->allreduce(grads, true);
       }
 
+      // gradient clipping
+      if (q_model.max_grad_norm > 0.0) {
+        torch::nn::utils::clip_grad_norm_(q_model.model->parameters(), q_model.max_grad_norm);
+      }
+
       // optimizer step
       q_model.optimizer->step();
 
@@ -180,6 +185,11 @@ void train_td3(const ModelPack& p_model, const ModelPack& p_model_target, const
         p_model.comm->allreduce(grads, true);
       }
 
+      // gradient clipping
+      if (p_model.max_grad_norm > 0.0) {
+        torch::nn::utils::clip_grad_norm_(p_model.model->parameters(), p_model.max_grad_norm);
+      }
+
       // optimizer step
       p_model.optimizer->step();
 
diff --git a/src/csrc/include/internal/rl/on_policy/ppo.h b/src/csrc/include/internal/rl/on_policy/ppo.h
index b873121..5a16d76 100644
--- a/src/csrc/include/internal/rl/on_policy/ppo.h
+++ b/src/csrc/include/internal/rl/on_policy/ppo.h
@@ -45,8 +45,8 @@ template <typename T>
 void train_ppo(const ACPolicyPack& pq_model, torch::Tensor state_tensor, torch::Tensor action_tensor,
                torch::Tensor q_tensor, torch::Tensor log_p_tensor, torch::Tensor adv_tensor, torch::Tensor ret_tensor,
                const T& epsilon, const T& clip_q, const T& entropy_loss_coeff, const T& q_loss_coeff,
-               const T& max_grad_norm, const T& target_kl_divergence, bool normalize_advantage, T& p_loss_val,
-               T& q_loss_val, T& kl_divergence, T& clip_fraction, T& explained_var) {
+               const T& target_kl_divergence, bool normalize_advantage, T& p_loss_val, T& q_loss_val, T& kl_divergence,
+               T& clip_fraction, T& explained_var) {
 
   // nvtx marker
   torchfort::nvtx::rangePush("torchfort_train_ppo");
@@ -179,8 +179,8 @@ void train_ppo(const ACPolicyPack& pq_model, torch::Tensor state_tensor, torch::
       }
 
       // clip
-      if (max_grad_norm > 0.) {
-        torch::nn::utils::clip_grad_norm_(pq_model.model->parameters(), max_grad_norm);
+      if (pq_model.max_grad_norm > 0.) {
+        torch::nn::utils::clip_grad_norm_(pq_model.model->parameters(), pq_model.max_grad_norm);
       }
 
       // optimizer step
@@ -325,7 +325,6 @@ class PPOSystem : public RLOnPolicySystem, public std::enable_shared_from_this<R
   float target_kl_divergence_, current_kl_divergence_, explained_variance_;
   float clip_fraction_;
   float a_low_, a_high_;
-  float max_grad_norm_;
   bool normalize_advantage_;
   ActorNormalizationMode actor_normalization_mode_;
 };
diff --git a/src/csrc/include/internal/rl/policy.h b/src/csrc/include/internal/rl/policy.h
index d4b2675..779b321 100644
--- a/src/csrc/include/internal/rl/policy.h
+++ b/src/csrc/include/internal/rl/policy.h
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ struct PolicyPack {
   std::shared_ptr<Comm> comm;
   std::shared_ptr<ModelState> state;
   int grad_accumulation_steps = 1;
+  float max_grad_norm = 0.0;
 };
 
 class GaussianPolicy : public Policy, public std::enable_shared_from_this<Policy> {
@@ -157,6 +158,7 @@ struct ACPolicyPack {
   std::shared_ptr<Comm> comm;
   std::shared_ptr<ModelState> state;
   int grad_accumulation_steps = 1;
+  float max_grad_norm = 0.0;
 };
 
 class GaussianACPolicy : public ACPolicy, public std::enable_shared_from_this<ACPolicy> {
diff --git a/src/csrc/rl/off_policy/ddpg.cpp b/src/csrc/rl/off_policy/ddpg.cpp
index 76ceca8..d90efe0 100644
--- a/src/csrc/rl/off_policy/ddpg.cpp
+++ b/src/csrc/rl/off_policy/ddpg.cpp
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ DDPGSystem::DDPGSystem(const char* name, const YAML::Node& system_node, int mode
 
   if (system_node["optimizer"]["general"]) {
     auto params = get_params(system_node["optimizer"]["general"]);
-    std::set<std::string> supported_params{"grad_accumulation_steps"};
+    std::set<std::string> supported_params{"grad_accumulation_steps", "max_grad_norm"};
     check_params(supported_params, params.keys());
     try {
       p_model_.grad_accumulation_steps = params.get_param<int>("grad_accumulation_steps")[0];
@@ -188,6 +188,13 @@ DDPGSystem::DDPGSystem(const char* name, const YAML::Node& system_node, int mode
     } catch (std::out_of_range) {
       // default
     }
+
+    try {
+      p_model_.max_grad_norm = params.get_param<float>("max_grad_norm")[0];
+      q_model_.max_grad_norm = params.get_param<float>("max_grad_norm")[0];
+    } catch (std::out_of_range) {
+      // default
+    }
   }
 
   // get schedulers
diff --git a/src/csrc/rl/off_policy/sac.cpp b/src/csrc/rl/off_policy/sac.cpp
index 4f3bc54..c1905ee 100644
--- a/src/csrc/rl/off_policy/sac.cpp
+++ b/src/csrc/rl/off_policy/sac.cpp
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ SACSystem::SACSystem(const char* name, const YAML::Node& system_node, int model_
 
   if (system_node["optimizer"]["general"]) {
     auto params = get_params(system_node["optimizer"]["general"]);
-    std::set<std::string> supported_params{"grad_accumulation_steps"};
+    std::set<std::string> supported_params{"grad_accumulation_steps", "max_grad_norm"};
     check_params(supported_params, params.keys());
     try {
       p_model_.grad_accumulation_steps = params.get_param<int>("grad_accumulation_steps")[0];
@@ -199,6 +199,15 @@ SACSystem::SACSystem(const char* name, const YAML::Node& system_node, int model_
     } catch (std::out_of_range) {
       // default
     }
+
+    try {
+      p_model_.max_grad_norm = params.get_param<float>("max_grad_norm")[0];
+      for (auto& q_model : q_models_) {
+        q_model.max_grad_norm = params.get_param<float>("max_grad_norm")[0];
+      }
+    } catch (std::out_of_range) {
+      // default
+    }
   }
 
   // in this case we want to optimize the entropy coefficient
diff --git a/src/csrc/rl/off_policy/td3.cpp b/src/csrc/rl/off_policy/td3.cpp
index eca74d2..7233d75 100644
--- a/src/csrc/rl/off_policy/td3.cpp
+++ b/src/csrc/rl/off_policy/td3.cpp
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ TD3System::TD3System(const char* name, const YAML::Node& system_node, int model_
 
   if (system_node["optimizer"]["general"]) {
     auto params = get_params(system_node["optimizer"]["general"]);
-    std::set<std::string> supported_params{"grad_accumulation_steps"};
+    std::set<std::string> supported_params{"grad_accumulation_steps", "max_grad_norm"};
     check_params(supported_params, params.keys());
     try {
       p_model_.grad_accumulation_steps = params.get_param<int>("grad_accumulation_steps")[0];
@@ -200,6 +200,15 @@ TD3System::TD3System(const char* name, const YAML::Node& system_node, int model_
     } catch (std::out_of_range) {
       // default
     }
+
+    try {
+      p_model_.max_grad_norm = params.get_param<float>("max_grad_norm")[0];
+      for (auto& q_model : q_models_) {
+        q_model.max_grad_norm = params.get_param<float>("max_grad_norm")[0];
+      }
+    } catch (std::out_of_range) {
+      // default
+    }
   }
 
   // get schedulers
diff --git a/src/csrc/rl/on_policy/ppo.cpp b/src/csrc/rl/on_policy/ppo.cpp
index 7f140fd..70999e5 100644
--- a/src/csrc/rl/on_policy/ppo.cpp
+++ b/src/csrc/rl/on_policy/ppo.cpp
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ PPOSystem::PPOSystem(const char* name, const YAML::Node& system_node, int model_
                                            "target_kl_divergence",
                                            "entropy_loss_coefficient",
                                            "value_loss_coefficient",
-                                           "max_grad_norm",
                                            "normalize_advantage"};
     check_params(supported_params, params.keys());
     batch_size_ = params.get_param<int>("batch_size")[0];
@@ -52,7 +51,6 @@ PPOSystem::PPOSystem(const char* name, const YAML::Node& system_node, int model_
     target_kl_divergence_ = params.get_param<float>("target_kl_divergence")[0];
     epsilon_ = params.get_param<float>("epsilon", 0.2)[0];
     clip_q_ = params.get_param<float>("clip_q", 0.)[0];
-    max_grad_norm_ = params.get_param<float>("max_grad_norm", 0.5)[0];
     entropy_loss_coeff_ = params.get_param<float>("entropy_loss_coefficient", 0.0)[0];
     value_loss_coeff_ = params.get_param<float>("value_loss_coefficient", 0.5)[0];
     normalize_advantage_ = params.get_param<bool>("normalize_advantage", true)[0];
@@ -135,13 +133,19 @@ PPOSystem::PPOSystem(const char* name, const YAML::Node& system_node, int model_
 
   if (system_node["optimizer"]["general"]) {
     auto params = get_params(system_node["optimizer"]["general"]);
-    std::set<std::string> supported_params{"grad_accumulation_steps"};
+    std::set<std::string> supported_params{"grad_accumulation_steps", "max_grad_norm"};
     check_params(supported_params, params.keys());
     try {
       pq_model_.grad_accumulation_steps = params.get_param<int>("grad_accumulation_steps")[0];
     } catch (std::out_of_range) {
       // default
     }
+
+    try {
+      pq_model_.max_grad_norm = params.get_param<float>("max_grad_norm")[0];
+    } catch (std::out_of_range) {
+      // default
+    }
   }
 
   // get schedulers
@@ -454,8 +458,8 @@ void PPOSystem::trainStep(float& p_loss_val, float& q_loss_val) {
 
   // train step
   train_ppo(pq_model_, s, a, q, logp, adv, ret, epsilon_, clip_q_, entropy_loss_coeff_, value_loss_coeff_,
-            max_grad_norm_, target_kl_divergence_, normalize_advantage_, p_loss_val, q_loss_val, current_kl_divergence_,
-            clip_fraction_, explained_variance_);
+            target_kl_divergence_, normalize_advantage_, p_loss_val, q_loss_val, current_kl_divergence_, clip_fraction_,
+            explained_variance_);
 
   // system logging
   if ((system_state_->report_frequency > 0) && (train_step_count_ % system_state_->report_frequency == 0)) {
diff --git a/src/csrc/torchfort.cpp b/src/csrc/torchfort.cpp
index e3b4e3b..e52f830 100644
--- a/src/csrc/torchfort.cpp
+++ b/src/csrc/torchfort.cpp
@@ -99,13 +99,18 @@ torchfort_result_t torchfort_create_model(const char* name, const char* config_f
 
       if (config["optimizer"]["general"]) {
         auto params = get_params(config["optimizer"]["general"]);
-        std::set<std::string> supported_params{"grad_accumulation_steps"};
+        std::set<std::string> supported_params{"grad_accumulation_steps", "max_grad_norm"};
         check_params(supported_params, params.keys());
         try {
           models[name].grad_accumulation_steps = params.get_param<int>("grad_accumulation_steps")[0];
         } catch (std::out_of_range) {
           // default
         }
+        try {
+          models[name].max_grad_norm = params.get_param<float>("max_grad_norm")[0];
+        } catch (std::out_of_range) {
+          // default
+        }
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/csrc/training.cpp b/src/csrc/training.cpp
index 5339496..58469f2 100644
--- a/src/csrc/training.cpp
+++ b/src/csrc/training.cpp
@@ -149,6 +149,10 @@ void train_multiarg(const char* name, torchfort_tensor_list_t inputs_in, torchfo
       models[name].comm->allreduce(*loss_val, true);
     }
 
+    if (models[name].max_grad_norm > 0.0) {
+      torch::nn::utils::clip_grad_norm_(model->parameters(), models[name].max_grad_norm);
+    }
+
     opt->step();
     if (models[name].lr_scheduler) {
       models[name].lr_scheduler->step();
diff --git a/tests/rl/configs/ppo.yaml b/tests/rl/configs/ppo.yaml
index bcacd47..c7396fc 100644
--- a/tests/rl/configs/ppo.yaml
+++ b/tests/rl/configs/ppo.yaml
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ algorithm:
     target_kl_divergence: 0.02
     entropy_loss_coefficient: 0.
     value_loss_coefficient: 0.5
-    max_grad_norm: 0.5
     normalize_advantage: True
 
 actor:
@@ -47,6 +46,8 @@ optimizer:
     weight_decay: 0
     eps: 1e-6
     amsgrad: 0
+  general:
+    max_grad_norm: 0.5
 
 lr_scheduler:
   type: linear