diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yml b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
index e87ff71..29ac1ec 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ jobs:
           "macos-latest",    # ARM
         ]
         python-version: [
-          "3.7",
+          "3.8",
           "3.14",
         ]
 
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ jobs:
 
     - name: Set up Python
       uses: actions/setup-python@v6
+      id: python
       with:
         python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
         architecture: x64
@@ -73,6 +74,8 @@ jobs:
         pip install --prefer-binary --editable=.[develop,test]
 
     - name: Run linters and software tests
+      env:
+        VIRTUAL_ENV: ${{ env.pythonLocation }}
       run: |
         poe check
 
diff --git a/CHANGES.rst b/CHANGES.rst
index 9ad80d4..e334e87 100644
--- a/CHANGES.rst
+++ b/CHANGES.rst
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ Changelog for pytest-cratedb
 
 Unreleased
 ==========
+- Maintenance: Switched type checker from ``mypy`` to ``ty``
+- Maintenance: Added ``py.typed`` marker file, signalling typing support
 
 2026/01/05 v0.4.1
 =================
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index ce33e66..c34aa59 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ authors = [
   { name = "Christian Haudum", email = "developer@christianhaudum.at" },
   { name = "Andreas Motl", email = "andreas.motl@crate.io" },
 ]
-requires-python = ">=3.7"
+requires-python = ">=3.8"
 classifiers = [
   "Development Status :: 4 - Beta",
   "Environment :: Plugins",
@@ -77,10 +77,10 @@ dependencies = [
   "pytest<10",
 ]
 optional-dependencies.develop = [
-  "mypy<1.20",
   "poethepoet<1",
   "pyproject-fmt<3",
   "ruff<0.15",
+  "ty",
   "validate-pyproject<1",
 ]
 optional-dependencies.release = [
@@ -177,20 +177,6 @@ show_missing = true
 exclude_lines = [
 ]
 
-[tool.mypy]
-packages = [
-  "pytest_cratedb",
-]
-exclude = [
-]
-check_untyped_defs = true
-explicit_package_bases = true
-ignore_missing_imports = true
-implicit_optional = true
-install_types = true
-namespace_packages = true
-non_interactive = true
-
 [tool.versioningit.vcs]
 method = "git"
 default-tag = "0.0.0"
@@ -218,7 +204,7 @@ lint = [
   { cmd = "ruff format --check ." },
   { cmd = "ruff check ." },
   { cmd = "validate-pyproject pyproject.toml" },
-  { cmd = "mypy" },
+  { cmd = "ty check" },
 ]
 
 release = [
diff --git a/pytest_cratedb/plugin.py b/pytest_cratedb/plugin.py
index 8ab3031..ed1657a 100644
--- a/pytest_cratedb/plugin.py
+++ b/pytest_cratedb/plugin.py
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
+import datetime as dt
 import logging
 import random
 import shutil
 import string
 import tempfile
-from datetime import datetime
-from typing import Callable, Generator, Optional
+from typing import Callable, Dict, Generator, Optional
 
 import pytest
 from cr8.run_crate import CrateNode, get_crate
@@ -29,11 +29,11 @@ def __init__(self, name: str, version: str, **settings) -> None:
     def __repr__(self) -> str:
         return f"<CrateDB {self.name}>"
 
-    def __enter__(self):
+    def __enter__(self) -> "CrateLayer":
         self._start()
         return self
 
-    def __exit__(self, exception_type, exception_value, traceback):
+    def __exit__(self, exception_type, exception_value, traceback) -> None:
         self._stop()
 
     def _start(self) -> None:
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ def dsn(self) -> Optional[str]:
         return self.node.http_url
 
     @property
-    def addresses(self):
+    def addresses(self) -> Dict[str, str]:
         return self.node.addresses
 
 
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ class CratePlugin:
 
     # noinspection SpellCheckingInspection
     @staticmethod
-    def pytest_addoption(parser):
+    def pytest_addoption(parser) -> None:
         """
         Adds custom options to the ``pytest`` command.
         https://docs.pytest.org/en/latest/writing_plugins.html#_pytest.hookspec.pytest_addoption
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ def layer_factory(name: str, version: str, **settings):
     @pytest.fixture(scope="session")
     def crate(self, crate_layer, crate_version) -> CrateLayerGenerator:
         ident = "".join(random.sample(string.ascii_letters, 8))
-        date = datetime.utcnow().strftime("%Y%m%d%H%M")
+        date = dt.datetime.now(dt.timezone.utc).strftime("%Y%m%d%H%M")
         yield from crate_layer(f"pytest-cratedb-{date}-{ident}", crate_version)
 
     @pytest.fixture
diff --git a/pytest_cratedb/py.typed b/pytest_cratedb/py.typed
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29