diff --git a/google/api_core/universe.py b/google/api_core/universe.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..35669642
--- /dev/null
+++ b/google/api_core/universe.py
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+# Copyright 2024 Google LLC
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+"""Helpers for universe domain."""
+
+from typing import Any, Optional
+
+DEFAULT_UNIVERSE = "googleapis.com"
+
+
+class EmptyUniverseError(ValueError):
+    def __init__(self):
+        message = "Universe Domain cannot be an empty string."
+        super().__init__(message)
+
+
+class UniverseMismatchError(ValueError):
+    def __init__(self, client_universe, credentials_universe):
+        message = (
+            f"The configured universe domain ({client_universe}) does not match the universe domain "
+            f"found in the credentials ({credentials_universe}). "
+            "If you haven't configured the universe domain explicitly, "
+            f"`{DEFAULT_UNIVERSE}` is the default."
+        )
+        super().__init__(message)
+
+
+def determine_domain(
+    client_universe_domain: Optional[str], universe_domain_env: Optional[str]
+) -> str:
+    """Return the universe domain used by the client.
+
+    Args:
+        client_universe_domain (Optional[str]): The universe domain configured via the client options.
+        universe_domain_env (Optional[str]): The universe domain configured via the
+        "GOOGLE_CLOUD_UNIVERSE_DOMAIN" environment variable.
+
+    Returns:
+        str: The universe domain to be used by the client.
+
+    Raises:
+        ValueError: If the universe domain is an empty string.
+    """
+    universe_domain = DEFAULT_UNIVERSE
+    if client_universe_domain is not None:
+        universe_domain = client_universe_domain
+    elif universe_domain_env is not None:
+        universe_domain = universe_domain_env
+    if len(universe_domain.strip()) == 0:
+        raise EmptyUniverseError
+    return universe_domain
+
+
+def compare_domains(client_universe: str, credentials: Any) -> bool:
+    """Returns True iff the universe domains used by the client and credentials match.
+
+    Args:
+        client_universe (str): The universe domain configured via the client options.
+        credentials Any: The credentials being used in the client.
+
+    Returns:
+        bool: True iff client_universe matches the universe in credentials.
+
+    Raises:
+        ValueError: when client_universe does not match the universe in credentials.
+    """
+    credentials_universe = getattr(credentials, "universe_domain", DEFAULT_UNIVERSE)
+
+    if client_universe != credentials_universe:
+        raise UniverseMismatchError(client_universe, credentials_universe)
+    return True
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_universe.py b/tests/unit/test_universe.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..214e00ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/test_universe.py
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+# Copyright 2024 Google LLC
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+import pytest
+from google.api_core import universe
+
+
+class _Fake_Credentials:
+    def __init__(self, universe_domain=None):
+        if universe_domain:
+            self.universe_domain = universe_domain
+
+
+def test_determine_domain():
+    domain_client = "foo.com"
+    domain_env = "bar.com"
+
+    assert universe.determine_domain(domain_client, domain_env) == domain_client
+    assert universe.determine_domain(None, domain_env) == domain_env
+    assert universe.determine_domain(domain_client, None) == domain_client
+    assert universe.determine_domain(None, None) == universe.DEFAULT_UNIVERSE
+
+    with pytest.raises(universe.EmptyUniverseError):
+        universe.determine_domain("", None)
+
+    with pytest.raises(universe.EmptyUniverseError):
+        universe.determine_domain(None, "")
+
+
+def test_compare_domains():
+    fake_domain = "foo.com"
+    another_fake_domain = "bar.com"
+
+    assert universe.compare_domains(universe.DEFAULT_UNIVERSE, _Fake_Credentials())
+    assert universe.compare_domains(fake_domain, _Fake_Credentials(fake_domain))
+
+    with pytest.raises(universe.UniverseMismatchError) as excinfo:
+        universe.compare_domains(
+            universe.DEFAULT_UNIVERSE, _Fake_Credentials(fake_domain)
+        )
+    assert str(excinfo.value).find(universe.DEFAULT_UNIVERSE) >= 0
+    assert str(excinfo.value).find(fake_domain) >= 0
+
+    with pytest.raises(universe.UniverseMismatchError) as excinfo:
+        universe.compare_domains(fake_domain, _Fake_Credentials())
+    assert str(excinfo.value).find(fake_domain) >= 0
+    assert str(excinfo.value).find(universe.DEFAULT_UNIVERSE) >= 0
+
+    with pytest.raises(universe.UniverseMismatchError) as excinfo:
+        universe.compare_domains(fake_domain, _Fake_Credentials(another_fake_domain))
+    assert str(excinfo.value).find(fake_domain) >= 0
+    assert str(excinfo.value).find(another_fake_domain) >= 0