diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/set-cinder-api-v3-option-true-1b3e61e3129b7c00.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/set-cinder-api-v3-option-true-1b3e61e3129b7c00.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6959ca7da2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/set-cinder-api-v3-option-true-1b3e61e3129b7c00.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+upgrade:
+  - |
+    The volume config option 'api_v3' default is changed to
+    ``True`` because the volume v3 API is CURRENT.
diff --git a/tempest/config.py b/tempest/config.py
index f5b2f0dff3..c694dc5d7f 100644
--- a/tempest/config.py
+++ b/tempest/config.py
@@ -821,7 +821,7 @@ VolumeFeaturesGroup = [
                 default=True,
                 help="Is the v2 volume API enabled"),
     cfg.BoolOpt('api_v3',
-                default=False,
+                default=True,
                 help="Is the v3 volume API enabled")
 ]
 
diff --git a/tempest/tests/cmd/test_verify_tempest_config.py b/tempest/tests/cmd/test_verify_tempest_config.py
index 98bf1453b5..36062e7a16 100644
--- a/tempest/tests/cmd/test_verify_tempest_config.py
+++ b/tempest/tests/cmd/test_verify_tempest_config.py
@@ -199,7 +199,9 @@ class TestDiscovery(base.TestCase):
         with mock.patch.object(verify_tempest_config,
                                'print_and_or_update') as print_mock:
             verify_tempest_config.verify_cinder_api_versions(fake_os, True)
-        print_mock.assert_not_called()
+        print_mock.assert_any_call('api_v3', 'volume-feature-enabled',
+                                   False, True)
+        self.assertEqual(1, print_mock.call_count)
 
     @mock.patch('tempest.lib.common.http.ClosingHttp.request')
     def test_verify_cinder_api_versions_no_v2(self, mock_request):
@@ -215,9 +217,7 @@ class TestDiscovery(base.TestCase):
             verify_tempest_config.verify_cinder_api_versions(fake_os, True)
         print_mock.assert_any_call('api_v2', 'volume-feature-enabled',
                                    False, True)
-        print_mock.assert_any_call('api_v3', 'volume-feature-enabled',
-                                   True, True)
-        self.assertEqual(2, print_mock.call_count)
+        self.assertEqual(1, print_mock.call_count)
 
     @mock.patch('tempest.lib.common.http.ClosingHttp.request')
     def test_verify_cinder_api_versions_no_v1(self, mock_request):
@@ -231,9 +231,7 @@ class TestDiscovery(base.TestCase):
         with mock.patch.object(verify_tempest_config,
                                'print_and_or_update') as print_mock:
             verify_tempest_config.verify_cinder_api_versions(fake_os, True)
-        print_mock.assert_any_call('api_v3', 'volume-feature-enabled',
-                                   True, True)
-        self.assertEqual(1, print_mock.call_count)
+        print_mock.assert_not_called()
 
     def test_verify_glance_version_no_v2_with_v1_1(self):
         def fake_get_versions():