diff --git a/test/test_transforms_v2.py b/test/test_transforms_v2.py
index 3743581794f..ca78e667b83 100644
--- a/test/test_transforms_v2.py
+++ b/test/test_transforms_v2.py
@@ -1613,12 +1613,12 @@ def test_detection_preset(image_type, data_augmentation, to_tensor, sanitize):
     assert out["boxes"].shape[0] == out["masks"].shape[0] == out["label"].shape[0] == num_boxes_expected
 
 
-@pytest.mark.parametrize("min_size", (1, 10))
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("min_size,min_area", [(1, 1), (10, 1), (10, 101)])
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "labels_getter", ("default", "labels", lambda inputs: inputs["labels"], None, lambda inputs: None)
 )
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("sample_type", (tuple, dict))
-def test_sanitize_bounding_boxes(min_size, labels_getter, sample_type):
+def test_sanitize_bounding_boxes(min_size, min_area, labels_getter, sample_type):
 
     if sample_type is tuple and not isinstance(labels_getter, str):
         # The "lambda inputs: inputs["labels"]" labels_getter used in this test
@@ -1634,12 +1634,13 @@ def test_sanitize_bounding_boxes(min_size, labels_getter, sample_type):
         ([0, 0, 10, min_size - 1], False),  # W < min_size
         ([0, 0, 10, H + 1], False),  # Y2 > H
         ([0, 0, W + 1, 10], False),  # X2 > W
-        ([-1, 1, 10, 20], False),  # any < 0
-        ([0, 0, -1, 20], False),  # any < 0
-        ([0, 0, -10, -1], False),  # any < 0
-        ([0, 0, min_size, 10], True),  # H < min_size
-        ([0, 0, 10, min_size], True),  # W < min_size
-        ([0, 0, W, H], True),  # TODO: Is that actually OK?? Should it be -1?
+        ([-1, 1, 10, 20], False),  # X1 < 0
+        ([0, -1, 10, 20], False),  # Y1 < 0
+        ([0, 0, -1, 20], False),  # X2 < 0
+        ([0, 0, 10, -1], False),  # Y2 < 0
+        ([0, 0, min_size, 10], min_area / 10 <= min_size),  # H >= min_size
+        ([0, 0, 10, min_size], min_area / 10 <= min_size),  # W >= min_size
+        ([0, 0, W, H], True),
         ([1, 1, 30, 20], True),
         ([0, 0, 10, 10], True),
         ([1, 1, 30, 20], True),
@@ -1674,7 +1675,7 @@ def test_sanitize_bounding_boxes(min_size, labels_getter, sample_type):
         img = sample.pop("image")
         sample = (img, sample)
 
-    out = transforms.SanitizeBoundingBox(min_size=min_size, labels_getter=labels_getter)(sample)
+    out = transforms.SanitizeBoundingBox(min_size=min_size, min_area=min_area, labels_getter=labels_getter)(sample)
 
     if sample_type is tuple:
         out_image = out[0]
@@ -1730,6 +1731,8 @@ def test_sanitize_bounding_boxes_errors():
 
     with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="min_size must be >= 1"):
         transforms.SanitizeBoundingBox(min_size=0)
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="min_area must be >= 1"):
+        transforms.SanitizeBoundingBox(min_area=0)
     with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="labels_getter should either be a str"):
         transforms.SanitizeBoundingBox(labels_getter=12)
 
diff --git a/torchvision/transforms/v2/_misc.py b/torchvision/transforms/v2/_misc.py
index 90741c4ec7d..f138664bbbb 100644
--- a/torchvision/transforms/v2/_misc.py
+++ b/torchvision/transforms/v2/_misc.py
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ class SanitizeBoundingBox(Transform):
 
     This transform removes bounding boxes and their associated labels/masks that:
 
-    - are below a given ``min_size``: by default this also removes degenerate boxes that have e.g. X2 <= X1.
+    - are below a given ``min_size`` or ``min_area``: by default this also removes degenerate boxes that have e.g. X2 <= X1.
     - have any coordinate outside of their corresponding image. You may want to
       call :class:`~torchvision.transforms.v2.ClampBoundingBox` first to avoid undesired removals.
 
@@ -277,6 +277,7 @@ class SanitizeBoundingBox(Transform):
 
     Args:
         min_size (float, optional) The size below which bounding boxes are removed. Default is 1.
+        min_area (float, optional) The area below which bounding boxes are removed. Default is 1.
         labels_getter (callable or str or None, optional): indicates how to identify the labels in the input.
             It can be a str in which case the input is expected to be a dict, and ``labels_getter`` then specifies
             the key whose value corresponds to the labels. It can also be a callable that takes the same input
@@ -289,6 +290,7 @@ class SanitizeBoundingBox(Transform):
     def __init__(
         self,
         min_size: float = 1.0,
+        min_area: float = 1.0,
         labels_getter: Union[Callable[[Any], Optional[torch.Tensor]], str, None] = "default",
     ) -> None:
         super().__init__()
@@ -297,6 +299,10 @@ def __init__(
             raise ValueError(f"min_size must be >= 1, got {min_size}.")
         self.min_size = min_size
 
+        if min_area < 1:
+            raise ValueError(f"min_area must be >= 1, got {min_area}.")
+        self.min_area = min_area
+
         self.labels_getter = labels_getter
         self._labels_getter: Optional[Callable[[Any], Optional[torch.Tensor]]]
         if labels_getter == "default":
@@ -381,10 +387,11 @@ def forward(self, *inputs: Any) -> Any:
             ),
         )
         ws, hs = boxes[:, 2] - boxes[:, 0], boxes[:, 3] - boxes[:, 1]
-        valid = (ws >= self.min_size) & (hs >= self.min_size) & (boxes >= 0).all(dim=-1)
+        valid = (ws >= self.min_size) & (hs >= self.min_size) & (ws * hs >= self.min_area)
         # TODO: Do we really need to check for out of bounds here? All
         # transforms should be clamping anyway, so this should never happen?
         image_h, image_w = boxes.spatial_size
+        valid &= (boxes >= 0).all(dim=-1)
         valid &= (boxes[:, 0] <= image_w) & (boxes[:, 2] <= image_w)
         valid &= (boxes[:, 1] <= image_h) & (boxes[:, 3] <= image_h)