diff --git a/doc/source/conf.py b/doc/source/conf.py
index 49e138a8..35052cd9 100644
--- a/doc/source/conf.py
+++ b/doc/source/conf.py
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
 # The short X.Y version.
 version = '1.16'
 # The full version, including alpha/beta/rc tags.
-release = '1.16.0rc2'
+release = '1.16.0'
 
 # The language for content autogenerated by Sphinx. Refer to documentation
 # for a list of supported languages.
diff --git a/doc/source/whatsnew.rst b/doc/source/whatsnew.rst
index e4b63bfd..76751bc4 100644
--- a/doc/source/whatsnew.rst
+++ b/doc/source/whatsnew.rst
@@ -2,14 +2,9 @@
 What's New
 ======================
 
-v1.16.0rc2
-==========
 
-* Fix module packaging issue; move project source under ``src/`` so packaging tests can catch
-  similar failures in the future.
-
-v1.16.0rc1
-==========
+v1.16.0
+=======
 
 * Add support for Python 3.12. With the removal of ``distutils`` from Python 3.12, projects
   using CFFI features that depend on ``distutils`` at runtime must add a dependency on
@@ -19,6 +14,8 @@ v1.16.0rc1
 * Add support for PEP517 builds; ``setuptools`` is now a required build dependency.
 * Declare ``python_requires`` metadata for Python 3.8+. This allows unsupported Pythons
   to continue using previously released sdists and wheels.
+* Move project source under ``src/``; a more standard layout that also enables CI to more easily
+  catch packaging errors.
 
 v1.15.1
 =======
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index d68268ab..f9cabaad 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ def has_ext_modules(self):
 
 `Mailing list <https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/python-cffi>`_
 """,
-        version='1.16.0rc2',
+        version='1.16.0',
         python_requires='>=3.8',
         packages=['cffi'] if cpython else [],
         package_dir={"": "src"},
diff --git a/src/c/_cffi_backend.c b/src/c/_cffi_backend.c
index ef423bbf..537271fb 100644
--- a/src/c/_cffi_backend.c
+++ b/src/c/_cffi_backend.c
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #include <Python.h>
 #include "structmember.h"
 
-#define CFFI_VERSION  "1.16.0rc2"
+#define CFFI_VERSION  "1.16.0"
 
 #ifdef MS_WIN32
 #include <windows.h>
diff --git a/src/c/test_c.py b/src/c/test_c.py
index b9ccc83a..ef44e0b4 100644
--- a/src/c/test_c.py
+++ b/src/c/test_c.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ def _testfunc(num):
 # ____________________________________________________________
 
 import sys
-assert __version__ == "1.16.0rc2", ("This test_c.py file is for testing a version"
+assert __version__ == "1.16.0", ("This test_c.py file is for testing a version"
                                  " of cffi that differs from the one that we"
                                  " get from 'import _cffi_backend'")
 if sys.version_info < (3,):
diff --git a/src/cffi/__init__.py b/src/cffi/__init__.py
index 3e0e17e7..90dedf43 100644
--- a/src/cffi/__init__.py
+++ b/src/cffi/__init__.py
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@
 from .error import CDefError, FFIError, VerificationError, VerificationMissing
 from .error import PkgConfigError
 
-__version__ = "1.16.0rc2"
-__version_info__ = (1, 16, 0, 'rc2')
+__version__ = "1.16.0"
+__version_info__ = (1, 16, 0)
 
 # The verifier module file names are based on the CRC32 of a string that
 # contains the following version number.  It may be older than __version__
diff --git a/src/cffi/_embedding.h b/src/cffi/_embedding.h
index 34ec0a17..1cb66f23 100644
--- a/src/cffi/_embedding.h
+++ b/src/cffi/_embedding.h
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ static int _cffi_initialize_python(void)
 
         if (f != NULL && f != Py_None) {
             PyFile_WriteString("\nFrom: " _CFFI_MODULE_NAME
-                               "\ncompiled with cffi version: 1.16.0rc2"
+                               "\ncompiled with cffi version: 1.16.0"
                                "\n_cffi_backend module: ", f);
             modules = PyImport_GetModuleDict();
             mod = PyDict_GetItemString(modules, "_cffi_backend");