diff --git a/pyiceberg/types.py b/pyiceberg/types.py
index 3c98215366..8c33b1aa21 100644
--- a/pyiceberg/types.py
+++ b/pyiceberg/types.py
@@ -324,6 +324,9 @@ class DecimalType(PrimitiveType):
     root: tuple[int, int]
 
     def __init__(self, precision: int, scale: int) -> None:
+        if precision < 1 or precision > 38:
+            raise ValidationError(f"Decimal precision must be between 1 and 38: {precision}")
+
         super().__init__(root=(precision, scale))
 
     @model_serializer
diff --git a/tests/test_schema.py b/tests/test_schema.py
index 93ddc16202..aacdbc7d5e 100644
--- a/tests/test_schema.py
+++ b/tests/test_schema.py
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
     FloatType(),
     DoubleType(),
     DecimalType(10, 2),
-    DecimalType(100, 2),
+    DecimalType(38, 2),
     StringType(),
     DateType(),
     TimeType(),
diff --git a/tests/test_types.py b/tests/test_types.py
index 5e95687ba2..375fb9cdb6 100644
--- a/tests/test_types.py
+++ b/tests/test_types.py
@@ -920,3 +920,18 @@ def test_nested_field_geography_with_params_as_string() -> None:
     assert isinstance(field.field_type, GeographyType)
     assert field.field_type.crs == "EPSG:4326"
     assert field.field_type.algorithm == "planar"
+
+
+def test_decimal_precision_validation() -> None:
+    """Test that DecimalType rejects precision outside the [1, 38] range."""
+    decimal_type = DecimalType(38, 2)
+    assert decimal_type.precision == 38
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValidationError, match="Decimal precision must be between 1 and 38"):
+        DecimalType(39, 2)
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValidationError, match="Decimal precision must be between 1 and 38"):
+        DecimalType(0, 2)
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValidationError, match="Decimal precision must be between 1 and 38"):
+        DecimalType(-5, 2)