diff --git a/doc8/main.py b/doc8/main.py
index 5486233..28dd41e 100644
--- a/doc8/main.py
+++ b/doc8/main.py
@@ -144,6 +144,8 @@ def main():
                         help="ignore the given errors code/codes",
                         type=split_set_type,
                         default=[])
+    parser.add_argument("--ignore-path", action="append", default=[],
+                        help="ignore the given directory or file")
     parser.add_argument("--max-line-length", action="store", metavar="int",
                         type=int,
                         help="maximum allowed line"
@@ -164,8 +166,12 @@ def main():
         args['extension'] = list(FILE_PATTERNS)
 
     files = collections.deque()
+    ignored_paths = []
+    for path in args.pop('ignore_path', []):
+        ignored_paths.append(os.path.normpath(path))
     for filename in utils.find_files(args.pop('paths', []),
-                                     args.pop('extension', [])):
+                                     args.pop('extension', []),
+                                     ignored_paths):
         files.append(file_parser.parse(filename))
 
     ignoreables = frozenset(args.pop('ignore', []))
diff --git a/doc8/utils.py b/doc8/utils.py
index 0a8587d..c508523 100644
--- a/doc8/utils.py
+++ b/doc8/utils.py
@@ -17,22 +17,29 @@
 import os
 
 
-def find_files(paths, extensions):
+def find_files(paths, extensions, ignored_paths):
     extensions = set(extensions)
 
     def extension_matches(path):
         _base, ext = os.path.splitext(path)
         return ext in extensions
 
+    def path_ignored(path):
+        return os.path.normpath(path) in ignored_paths
+
     for path in paths:
+        if path_ignored(path):
+            continue
         if os.path.isfile(path):
             if extension_matches(path):
                 yield path
         elif os.path.isdir(path):
             for root, dirnames, filenames in os.walk(path):
+                if path_ignored(root):
+                    continue
                 for filename in filenames:
                     path = os.path.join(root, filename)
-                    if extension_matches(path):
+                    if extension_matches(path) and not path_ignored(path):
                         yield path
         else:
             raise IOError('Invalid path: %s' % path)