diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index c4deaee89..6b70ad14f 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,14 +1,18 @@
 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.5)
-project(Cppcheck)
+if (MSVC)
+    cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.13)
+endif()
+cmake_policy(SET CMP0048 NEW) # allow VERSION in project()
+project(Cppcheck VERSION 2.13.99 LANGUAGES CXX)
 
 include(cmake/cxx11.cmake)
 use_cxx11()
+set (CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)
 
 set(CMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS ON)
 
 include(GNUInstallDirs)
 
-include(cmake/ccache.cmake)
 include(cmake/compilerCheck.cmake)
 include(cmake/versions.cmake)
 include(cmake/options.cmake)
diff --git a/cmake/ccache.cmake b/cmake/ccache.cmake
deleted file mode 100644
index 73ad5a189..000000000
--- a/cmake/ccache.cmake
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-if (CMAKE_VERSION VERSION_LESS "3.0")
-    if (CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_LAUNCHER)
-        set_property(GLOBAL PROPERTY RULE_LAUNCH_COMPILE "${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_LAUNCHER}")
-    elseif (CMAKE_C_COMPILER_LAUNCHER)
-        set_property(GLOBAL PROPERTY RULE_LAUNCH_COMPILE "${CMAKE_C_COMPILER_LAUNCHER}")
-    endif()
-endif()
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/cmake/compilerDefinitions.cmake b/cmake/compilerDefinitions.cmake
index ecf9bf2dd..7369554e9 100644
--- a/cmake/compilerDefinitions.cmake
+++ b/cmake/compilerDefinitions.cmake
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 if (MSVC)
+    # add_compile_definitions() requires CMake 3.12
+
     # Visual Studio only sets _DEBUG
     add_compile_definitions($<$<CONFIG:Debug>:DEBUG>)
 
diff --git a/cmake/compileroptions.cmake b/cmake/compileroptions.cmake
index 23c51be4f..e0a4011ca 100644
--- a/cmake/compileroptions.cmake
+++ b/cmake/compileroptions.cmake
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ elseif (CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID MATCHES "Clang")
 
     if (USE_LIBCXX)
         add_compile_options(-stdlib=libc++)
-        add_link_options(-lc++)
+        set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS "${CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS} -lc++")
     endif()
 
     # TODO: fix and enable these warnings - or move to suppression list below
@@ -133,6 +133,8 @@ elseif (CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID MATCHES "Clang")
 endif()
 
 if (MSVC)
+    # add_link_options() requires CMake 3.13
+
     # General
     add_compile_options(/W4) # Warning Level
     add_compile_options(/Zi) # Debug Information Format - Program Database
diff --git a/cmake/cxx11.cmake b/cmake/cxx11.cmake
index 37a038b4e..40891aae4 100644
--- a/cmake/cxx11.cmake
+++ b/cmake/cxx11.cmake
@@ -1,20 +1,9 @@
 macro(use_cxx11)
-  if (CMAKE_VERSION VERSION_LESS "3.1")
-    if (CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID STREQUAL "GNU")
-      set (CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -std=c++0x")
-    elseif (CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID MATCHES "Clang")
-      set (CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -std=c++11")
-    endif ()
+  # some GitHub Action Windows runners randomly fail with a complaint that Qt6 requires a C++17 compiler
+  if (MSVC AND USE_QT6)
+    # CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17 was added in CMake 3.8
+    set (CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17 CACHE STRING "C++ standard to use")
   else ()
-    # some GitHub Action windows runners randomly fail with a complaint that Qt6 requires a C++17 compiler
-    if (MSVC)
-      set (CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17 CACHE STRING "C++ standard to use")
-    else ()
-      set (CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 11 CACHE STRING "C++ standard to use")
-    endif()
-    set (CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)
-    if (POLICY CMP0025)
-      cmake_policy(SET CMP0025 NEW)
-    endif ()
-  endif ()
+    set (CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 11 CACHE STRING "C++ standard to use")
+  endif()
 endmacro(use_cxx11)
diff --git a/cmake/options.cmake b/cmake/options.cmake
index 8083532d0..fe9bcf252 100644
--- a/cmake/options.cmake
+++ b/cmake/options.cmake
@@ -72,6 +72,10 @@ else()
     set(CMAKE_DISABLE_PRECOMPILE_HEADERS On CACHE BOOL "Disable precompiled headers")
 endif()
 
+if (BUILD_TESTS AND REGISTER_TESTS AND CMAKE_VERSION VERSION_LESS "3.9")
+    message(FATAL_ERROR "Registering tests with CTest requires at least CMake 3.9. Use REGISTER_TESTS=OFF to disable this.")
+endif()
+
 set(CMAKE_INCLUDE_DIRS_CONFIGCMAKE ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/include      CACHE PATH "Output directory for headers")
 set(CMAKE_LIB_DIRS_CONFIGCMAKE     ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/lib          CACHE PATH "Output directory for libraries")
 
diff --git a/cmake/printInfo.cmake b/cmake/printInfo.cmake
index 3ccc78db5..e21ec8a6d 100644
--- a/cmake/printInfo.cmake
+++ b/cmake/printInfo.cmake
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-message( STATUS "------------------ General configuration for ${PROJECT_NAME} ${VERSION} -----------------")
+message( STATUS "------------------ General configuration for ${PROJECT_NAME} ${PROJECT_VERSION} -----------------")
 message( STATUS )
 message( STATUS "CMake Version =         ${CMAKE_VERSION}")
 message( STATUS "CMake Generator =       ${CMAKE_GENERATOR}")
diff --git a/cmake/versions.cmake b/cmake/versions.cmake
index 8d307012f..3ff979ecb 100644
--- a/cmake/versions.cmake
+++ b/cmake/versions.cmake
@@ -1,11 +1,6 @@
 # Version for libraries CPP
 # Version string must have 3 "parts". https://sourceforge.net/p/cppcheck/discussion/development/thread/e57efb2b62/
-SET(VERSION "2.13.99")
-STRING(REGEX MATCHALL "[0-9]+" VERSION_PARTS "${VERSION}")
-LIST(GET VERSION_PARTS 0 VERSION_MAJOR)
-LIST(GET VERSION_PARTS 1 VERSION_MINOR)
-LIST(GET VERSION_PARTS 2 VERSION_PATCH)
-SET(SOVERSION "${VERSION_MAJOR}.${VERSION_MINOR}.${VERSION_PATCH}")
+SET(SOVERSION "${PROJECT_VERSION_MAJOR}.${PROJECT_VERSION_MINOR}.${PROJECT_VERSION_PATCH}")
 
 # Postfix of so's:
 SET(DLLVERSION "")
diff --git a/releasenotes.txt b/releasenotes.txt
index 29c5ac502..d6dd91249 100644
--- a/releasenotes.txt
+++ b/releasenotes.txt
@@ -19,3 +19,4 @@ Other:
 - Added CMake option 'EXTERNALS_AS_SYSTEM' to treat external includes as 'SYSTEM' ones.
 - The minimum required compiler versions have been bumped to GCC 5.1 / Clang 3.5 / Visual Studio 2015
 - The minimum required CMake version has been bumped to 3.5
+- Using Visual Studio with CMake now checks if the CMake version is at least 3.13. This was always required but was not checked explicitly.
diff --git a/test/CMakeLists.txt b/test/CMakeLists.txt
index b4db4be9e..9e560e101 100644
--- a/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -60,12 +60,7 @@ if (BUILD_TESTS)
     endif()
 
     if (REGISTER_TESTS)
-        # CMP0057 requires 3.3 - if (IN_LIST)
-        # CMP0064 requires 3.4 - if (TEST)
-        # CMAKE_MATCH_<n> usage for if (MATCHES) requires 3.9
-        cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.9)
-        cmake_policy(SET CMP0064 NEW)
-        cmake_policy(SET CMP0057 NEW)
+        # CMAKE_MATCH_<n> usage for if (MATCHES) requires CMake 3.9
 
         find_package(Threads REQUIRED)
         include(ProcessorCount)