diff --git a/packages/eslint-plugin/src/rules/no-var-requires.ts b/packages/eslint-plugin/src/rules/no-var-requires.ts
index b599d4cb87a..1bf51efe810 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-plugin/src/rules/no-var-requires.ts
+++ b/packages/eslint-plugin/src/rules/no-var-requires.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import {
+  ASTUtils,
   AST_NODE_TYPES,
   TSESTree,
 } from '@typescript-eslint/experimental-utils';
@@ -43,10 +44,14 @@ export default util.createRule<Options, MessageIds>({
             AST_NODE_TYPES.VariableDeclarator,
           ].includes(parent.type)
         ) {
-          context.report({
-            node,
-            messageId: 'noVarReqs',
-          });
+          const variable = ASTUtils.findVariable(context.getScope(), 'require');
+
+          if (!variable?.identifiers.length) {
+            context.report({
+              node,
+              messageId: 'noVarReqs',
+            });
+          }
         }
       },
     };
diff --git a/packages/eslint-plugin/tests/rules/no-var-requires.test.ts b/packages/eslint-plugin/tests/rules/no-var-requires.test.ts
index 8c6ef638a16..1e38c482218 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-plugin/tests/rules/no-var-requires.test.ts
+++ b/packages/eslint-plugin/tests/rules/no-var-requires.test.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,11 @@ ruleTester.run('no-var-requires', rule, {
     "import foo = require('foo');",
     "require('foo');",
     "require?.('foo');",
+    `
+import { createRequire } from 'module';
+const require = createRequire('foo');
+const json = require('./some.json');
+    `,
   ],
   invalid: [
     {