diff --git a/routlin/mod_validation.py b/routlin/mod_validation.py
index 36c775b..d1f0652 100644
--- a/routlin/mod_validation.py
+++ b/routlin/mod_validation.py
@@ -502,11 +502,11 @@ def validate_config(data):
     for idx, bl in enumerate(data.get("dns_blocking", {}).get("blocklists", [])):
         name  = bl.get("name", "")
         label = f"dns_blocking.blocklists[{idx}] '{name}'"
-        for field in ("name", "description", "save_as", "url", "format"):
+        bl_type = bl.get("bl_type", "community")
+        required = ("name", "description", "save_as") + (() if bl_type == "local" else ("url",))
+        for field in required:
             if not bl.get(field):
                 errors.append(f"{label}: missing or empty field '{field}'.")
-        if bl.get("format") and bl["format"] not in VALID_BLOCKLIST_FORMATS:
-            errors.append(f"{label}: format must be one of: {', '.join(sorted(VALID_BLOCKLIST_FORMATS))}.")
         if name:
             err = check_blocklist_name_unique(
                 data.get("dns_blocking", {}).get("blocklists", []), name, exclude_idx=idx