diff --git a/models/__init__.py b/models/__init__.py
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..e69de29bb2d
diff --git a/models/base_model.py b/models/base_model.py
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..2e2412ccc5a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/models/base_model.py
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python3
+"""
+Contains class BaseModel
+"""
+
+from datetime import datetime
+import uuid
+
+
+class BaseModel:
+    """The BaseModel class from which future classes will be derived"""
+    def __init__(self):
+        """Initialization of the base model"""
+        self.id = str(uuid.uuid4())
+        self.created_at = datetime.now()
+        self.updated_at = self.created_at
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        """String representation of the BaseModel class"""
+        return "[{:s}] ({:s}) {}".format(self.__class__.__name__, self.id,
+                                           self.__dict__)
+
+    def save(self):
+        """updates the attribute 'updated_at' with the current datetime"""
+        self.updated_at = datetime.now()
+
+    def to_dict(self):
+        """returns a dictionary containing all keys/values of the instance"""
+        time = "%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S.%f"
+        new_dict = self.__dict__.copy()
+        new_dict["created_at"] = new_dict["created_at"].strftime(time)
+        new_dict["updated_at"] = new_dict["updated_at"].strftime(time)
+        new_dict["__class__"] = self.__class__.__name__
+        return new_dict
diff --git a/tests/__init__.py b/tests/__init__.py
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index 00000000000..e69de29bb2d
diff --git a/tests/test_models/__init__.py b/tests/test_models/__init__.py
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index 00000000000..e69de29bb2d
diff --git a/tests/test_models/test_base_model.py b/tests/test_models/test_base_model.py
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..e69de29bb2d