diff --git a/.gemini/skills/android-maps-utils/SKILL.md b/.gemini/skills/android-maps-utils/SKILL.md
index 1c3227120..d9552eaf7 100644
--- a/.gemini/skills/android-maps-utils/SKILL.md
+++ b/.gemini/skills/android-maps-utils/SKILL.md
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ Add the necessary dependency to the app-level `build.gradle.kts` file:
 ```kotlin
 dependencies {
     // Google Maps Utility Library
-    implementation("com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils:5.2.0") // x-release-please-version
+    implementation("com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils:5.3.0") // x-release-please-version
 }
 ```
 
diff --git a/.release-please-manifest.json b/.release-please-manifest.json
index 474bbb2c5..cdbb2d257 100644
--- a/.release-please-manifest.json
+++ b/.release-please-manifest.json
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 {
-    ".": "5.2.0"
+    ".": "5.3.0"
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 7aea68196..7521b49cc 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,18 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## [5.3.0](https://github.com/googlemaps/android-maps-utils/compare/v5.2.0...v5.3.0) (2026-09-24)
+
+
+### Features
+
+* add polygon z-index support ([#1785](https://github.com/googlemaps/android-maps-utils/issues/1785)) ([9056fd9](https://github.com/googlemaps/android-maps-utils/commit/9056fd93b719dcf6a151466dc6e9f2c3db7284d3))
+* add z-index support across geometry styles and layer mappers ([#1787](https://github.com/googlemaps/android-maps-utils/issues/1787)) ([c3fa410](https://github.com/googlemaps/android-maps-utils/commit/c3fa4106f55fae2703957c3b5d4ba3b43c6c09db))
+
+
+### Bug Fixes
+
+* **data:** enforce decompression limit and reject payload on KMZ directory entries ([#1792](https://github.com/googlemaps/android-maps-utils/issues/1792)) ([56b3c24](https://github.com/googlemaps/android-maps-utils/commit/56b3c2470e7e0df667b3e4320e066a459b4761b7))
+
 ## [5.2.0](https://github.com/googlemaps/android-maps-utils/compare/v5.1.1...v5.2.0) (2026-08-28)
 
 
diff --git a/MIGRATION.md b/MIGRATION.md
index 1deaca3a6..637075cce 100644
--- a/MIGRATION.md
+++ b/MIGRATION.md
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ If your project uses all utilities, you can import the aggregator artifact direc
 ```toml
 # gradle/libs.versions.toml
 [versions]
-androidMapsUtils = "5.2.0" # x-release-please-version
+androidMapsUtils = "5.3.0" # x-release-please-version
 
 [libraries]
 android-maps-utils = { group = "com.google.maps.android", name = "android-maps-utils", version.ref = "androidMapsUtils" }
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5b22a01ea..1072bbe70 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ dependencies {
     // You do not need to add a separate dependency for the Maps SDK for Android
     // since this library builds in the compatible version of the Maps SDK.
     // The aggregator artifact transitively pulls in all submodules below.
-    implementation("com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils:5.2.0") // x-release-please-version
+    implementation("com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils:5.3.0") // x-release-please-version
 }
 ```
 
@@ -59,15 +59,15 @@ Alternatively, depend only on the submodules your app needs:
 ```kotlin
 dependencies {
     // Base utilities: PolyUtil, SphericalUtil, collection managers, Street View metadata
-    implementation("com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils-core:5.2.0") // x-release-please-version
+    implementation("com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils-core:5.3.0") // x-release-please-version
     // Marker clustering
-    implementation("com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils-clustering:5.2.0") // x-release-please-version
+    implementation("com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils-clustering:5.3.0") // x-release-please-version
     // KML and GeoJSON import
-    implementation("com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils-data:5.2.0") // x-release-please-version
+    implementation("com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils-data:5.3.0") // x-release-please-version
     // Heatmaps
-    implementation("com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils-heatmaps:5.2.0") // x-release-please-version
+    implementation("com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils-heatmaps:5.3.0") // x-release-please-version
     // Marker icons and animation
-    implementation("com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils-ui:5.2.0") // x-release-please-version
+    implementation("com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils-ui:5.3.0") // x-release-please-version
 }
 ```
 
diff --git a/build.gradle.kts b/build.gradle.kts
index 6f3aa73a3..750d0cd56 100644
--- a/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/build.gradle.kts
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ tasks.register<Exec>("installAndLaunch") {
 allprojects {
     group = "com.google.maps.android"
     // {x-release-please-start-version}
-    version = "5.2.0"
+    version = "5.3.0"
     // {x-release-please-end}
 
     plugins.withId("java") {
diff --git a/llm-integration-prompt.md b/llm-integration-prompt.md
index 1c3227120..d9552eaf7 100644
--- a/llm-integration-prompt.md
+++ b/llm-integration-prompt.md
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ Add the necessary dependency to the app-level `build.gradle.kts` file:
 ```kotlin
 dependencies {
     // Google Maps Utility Library
-    implementation("com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils:5.2.0") // x-release-please-version
+    implementation("com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils:5.3.0") // x-release-please-version
 }
 ```