diff --git a/python/core/auto_generated/qgslayernotesutils.sip.in b/python/core/auto_generated/qgslayernotesutils.sip.in
index a2a779e4a9a..6b36ec05a07 100644
--- a/python/core/auto_generated/qgslayernotesutils.sip.in
+++ b/python/core/auto_generated/qgslayernotesutils.sip.in
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ Contains utility functions for working with layer notes.
 %End
   public:
 
-    static QString layerNotes( QgsMapLayer *layer );
+    static QString layerNotes( const QgsMapLayer *layer );
 %Docstring
 Returns the notes for the specified ``layer``.
 
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ The returned string is a HTML formatted set of user notations for the layer.
 Sets the ``notes`` for the specified ``layer``, where ``notes`` is a HTML formatted string.
 %End
 
-    static bool layerHasNotes( QgsMapLayer *layer );
+    static bool layerHasNotes( const QgsMapLayer *layer );
 %Docstring
 Returns ``True`` if the specified ``layer`` has notes available.
 %End
diff --git a/python/core/auto_generated/qgsmaplayer.sip.in b/python/core/auto_generated/qgsmaplayer.sip.in
index 414925b8cb0..dec957030bd 100644
--- a/python/core/auto_generated/qgsmaplayer.sip.in
+++ b/python/core/auto_generated/qgsmaplayer.sip.in
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ This is the base class for all map layer types (vector, raster).
       Temporal,
       Legend,
       Elevation,
+      Notes,
       AllStyleCategories
     };
     typedef QFlags<QgsMapLayer::StyleCategory> StyleCategories;
diff --git a/src/core/qgslayernotesutils.cpp b/src/core/qgslayernotesutils.cpp
index 26932a11efe..af1e8098e43 100644
--- a/src/core/qgslayernotesutils.cpp
+++ b/src/core/qgslayernotesutils.cpp
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 #include "qgslayernotesutils.h"
 #include "qgsmaplayer.h"
 
-QString QgsLayerNotesUtils::layerNotes( QgsMapLayer *layer )
+QString QgsLayerNotesUtils::layerNotes( const QgsMapLayer *layer )
 {
   if ( !layer )
     return nullptr;
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ void QgsLayerNotesUtils::setLayerNotes( QgsMapLayer *layer, const QString &notes
     layer->setCustomProperty( QStringLiteral( "userNotes" ), notes );
 }
 
-bool QgsLayerNotesUtils::layerHasNotes( QgsMapLayer *layer )
+bool QgsLayerNotesUtils::layerHasNotes( const QgsMapLayer *layer )
 {
   if ( !layer )
     return false;
diff --git a/src/core/qgslayernotesutils.h b/src/core/qgslayernotesutils.h
index 3b7329453bf..f4581051022 100644
--- a/src/core/qgslayernotesutils.h
+++ b/src/core/qgslayernotesutils.h
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ class CORE_EXPORT QgsLayerNotesUtils
      *
      * The returned string is a HTML formatted set of user notations for the layer.
      */
-    static QString layerNotes( QgsMapLayer *layer );
+    static QString layerNotes( const QgsMapLayer *layer );
 
     /**
      * Sets the \a notes for the specified \a layer, where \a notes is a HTML formatted string.
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ class CORE_EXPORT QgsLayerNotesUtils
     /**
      * Returns TRUE if the specified \a layer has notes available.
      */
-    static bool layerHasNotes( QgsMapLayer *layer );
+    static bool layerHasNotes( const QgsMapLayer *layer );
 
     /**
      * Removes any notes for the specified \a layer.
diff --git a/src/core/qgsmaplayer.cpp b/src/core/qgsmaplayer.cpp
index c8e169bedd9..2d4b5b7ca90 100644
--- a/src/core/qgsmaplayer.cpp
+++ b/src/core/qgsmaplayer.cpp
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@
 #include "qgsmaplayertemporalproperties.h"
 #include "qgsmaplayerelevationproperties.h"
 #include "qgsprovidermetadata.h"
+#include "qgslayernotesutils.h"
 
 QString QgsMapLayer::extensionPropertyType( QgsMapLayer::PropertyType type )
 {
@@ -621,6 +622,12 @@ void QgsMapLayer::writeCommonStyle( QDomElement &layerElement, QDomDocument &doc
       properties->writeXml( layerElement, document, context );
   }
 
+  if ( categories.testFlag( Notes ) && QgsLayerNotesUtils::layerHasNotes( this ) )
+  {
+    QDomElement notesElem = document.createElement( QStringLiteral( "userNotes" ) );
+    notesElem.setAttribute( QStringLiteral( "value" ), QgsLayerNotesUtils::layerNotes( this ) );
+    layerElement.appendChild( notesElem );
+  }
 
   // custom properties
   if ( categories.testFlag( CustomProperties ) )
@@ -1750,6 +1757,16 @@ void QgsMapLayer::readCommonStyle( const QDomElement &layerElement, const QgsRea
     if ( QgsMapLayerElevationProperties *properties = elevationProperties() )
       properties->readXml( layerElement.toElement(), context );
   }
+
+  if ( categories.testFlag( Notes ) )
+  {
+    const QDomElement notesElem = layerElement.firstChildElement( QStringLiteral( "userNotes" ) );
+    if ( !notesElem.isNull() )
+    {
+      const QString notes = notesElem.attribute( QStringLiteral( "value" ) );
+      QgsLayerNotesUtils::setLayerNotes( this, notes );
+    }
+  }
 }
 
 QUndoStack *QgsMapLayer::undoStack()
diff --git a/src/core/qgsmaplayer.h b/src/core/qgsmaplayer.h
index 9af1653770b..0c0ecd178a9 100644
--- a/src/core/qgsmaplayer.h
+++ b/src/core/qgsmaplayer.h
@@ -183,8 +183,9 @@ class CORE_EXPORT QgsMapLayer : public QObject
       Temporal           = 1 << 14, //!< Temporal properties (since QGIS 3.14)
       Legend             = 1 << 15, //!< Legend settings (since QGIS 3.16)
       Elevation          = 1 << 16, //!< Elevation settings (since QGIS 3.18)
+      Notes              = 1 << 17, //!< Layer user notes (since QGIS 3.20)
       AllStyleCategories = LayerConfiguration | Symbology | Symbology3D | Labeling | Fields | Forms | Actions |
-                           MapTips | Diagrams | AttributeTable | Rendering | CustomProperties | GeometryOptions | Relations | Temporal | Legend | Elevation,
+                           MapTips | Diagrams | AttributeTable | Rendering | CustomProperties | GeometryOptions | Relations | Temporal | Legend | Elevation | Notes,
     };
     Q_ENUM( StyleCategory )
     Q_DECLARE_FLAGS( StyleCategories, StyleCategory )
diff --git a/src/gui/qgsmaplayerstylecategoriesmodel.cpp b/src/gui/qgsmaplayerstylecategoriesmodel.cpp
index 9195fcfacbb..e18e8026b58 100644
--- a/src/gui/qgsmaplayerstylecategoriesmodel.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/qgsmaplayerstylecategoriesmodel.cpp
@@ -286,6 +286,17 @@ QVariant QgsMapLayerStyleCategoriesModel::data( const QModelIndex &index, int ro
       }
       break;
 
+    case QgsMapLayer::StyleCategory::Notes:
+      switch ( role )
+      {
+        case Qt::DisplayRole:
+        case Qt::ToolTipRole:
+          return tr( "Notes" );
+        case Qt::DecorationRole:
+          return QIcon(); // TODO
+      }
+      break;
+
     case QgsMapLayer::StyleCategory::AllStyleCategories:
       switch ( role )
       {