diff --git a/COMMANDS.md b/COMMANDS.md
index 5e34521..8c99963 100644
--- a/COMMANDS.md
+++ b/COMMANDS.md
@@ -352,6 +352,14 @@ fable-agent plinius godmode "improve explanation quality"
   - `--require <label:evidence>`
   - `--context <text>`
   - `--out <path>`
+- `fable5 governance <task>`
+  - `--proposer <id>`
+  - `--approver <id>`
+  - `--quorum <n>`
+  - `--tie-break <id>`
+  - `--fallback <text>`
+  - `--risk <risk>`
+  - `--out <path>`
 - `fable5 spec <task>`
   - `--repo <path>`
   - `--out <file>`
diff --git a/src/fable5/governance-contract.test.ts b/src/fable5/governance-contract.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4e96e08
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/fable5/governance-contract.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+import * as fs from "node:fs";
+import * as os from "node:os";
+import * as path from "node:path";
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { createGovernanceContract, writeGovernanceContract } from "./governance-contract.js";
+
+const now = new Date("2026-06-28T00:00:00.000Z");
+
+describe("governance contract", () => {
+  it("marks a complete quorum contract ready", () => {
+    const receipt = createGovernanceContract({
+      task: "label Forgejo issue",
+      proposer: "agent:fable",
+      approvers: ["human:art", "human:sassi"],
+      quorum: 2,
+      tieBreak: "human:art",
+      fallback: "stop-and-request-human-review",
+      now,
+    });
+
+    expect(receipt.schema).toBe("fable.governance.contract.v1");
+    expect(receipt.decision).toBe("ready");
+    expect(receipt.reasons).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it("requires independent approvers for quorum", () => {
+    const receipt = createGovernanceContract({ task: "deploy", proposer: "agent:fable", approvers: ["agent:fable"], quorum: 1, risk: "high", now });
+
+    expect(receipt.decision).toBe("blocked");
+    expect(receipt.reasons).toContain("proposer cannot approve own task");
+  });
+
+  it("writes a receipt", () => {
+    const dir = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "governance-"));
+    const file = path.join(dir, "contract.json");
+
+    writeGovernanceContract(file, createGovernanceContract({ task: "triage", proposer: "agent:fable", approvers: ["human:art"], quorum: 1, now }));
+
+    expect(fs.readFileSync(file, "utf-8")).toContain("fable.governance.contract.v1");
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/fable5/governance-contract.ts b/src/fable5/governance-contract.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aa5ab5d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/fable5/governance-contract.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+import * as fs from "node:fs";
+import * as path from "node:path";
+
+export type GovernanceDecision = "ready" | "needs_approval" | "blocked";
+
+export interface GovernanceContractOptions {
+  task: string;
+  proposer: string;
+  approvers?: string[];
+  quorum?: number;
+  tieBreak?: string;
+  fallback?: string;
+  risk?: "low" | "review" | "high";
+  now?: Date;
+}
+
+export interface GovernanceContractReceipt {
+  schema: "fable.governance.contract.v1";
+  createdAt: string;
+  task: string;
+  proposer: string;
+  approvers: string[];
+  quorum: number;
+  tieBreak: string;
+  fallback: string;
+  risk: "low" | "review" | "high";
+  decision: GovernanceDecision;
+  reasons: string[];
+}
+
+export function createGovernanceContract(opts: GovernanceContractOptions): GovernanceContractReceipt {
+  const approvers = [...new Set(opts.approvers ?? [])].filter(Boolean);
+  const quorum = opts.quorum ?? (opts.risk === "low" ? 1 : 2);
+  const tieBreak = opts.tieBreak ?? "human-owner";
+  const fallback = opts.fallback ?? "stop-and-request-human-review";
+  const risk = opts.risk ?? "review";
+  const reasons: string[] = [];
+
+  if (!opts.task.trim()) reasons.push("missing task");
+  if (!opts.proposer.trim()) reasons.push("missing proposer");
+  if (approvers.includes(opts.proposer)) reasons.push("proposer cannot approve own task");
+  if (quorum < 1) reasons.push("quorum must be at least 1");
+  if (approvers.length < quorum) reasons.push("not enough approvers for quorum");
+  if (!tieBreak.trim()) reasons.push("missing tie-break");
+  if (!fallback.trim()) reasons.push("missing fallback");
+
+  return {
+    schema: "fable.governance.contract.v1",
+    createdAt: (opts.now ?? new Date()).toISOString(),
+    task: opts.task,
+    proposer: opts.proposer,
+    approvers,
+    quorum,
+    tieBreak,
+    fallback,
+    risk,
+    decision: reasons.length ? (risk === "high" ? "blocked" : "needs_approval") : "ready",
+    reasons,
+  };
+}
+
+export function writeGovernanceContract(file: string, receipt: GovernanceContractReceipt): string {
+  fs.mkdirSync(path.dirname(file), { recursive: true });
+  fs.writeFileSync(file, `${JSON.stringify(receipt, null, 2)}\n`);
+  return file;
+}
diff --git a/src/fable5/index.ts b/src/fable5/index.ts
index ab54bd7..8b10376 100644
--- a/src/fable5/index.ts
+++ b/src/fable5/index.ts
@@ -96,6 +96,9 @@ export type { ModelAccessProbe, ModelAccessReceipt, ModelAccessReceiptOptions, M
 export { createPlanReceipt, writePlanReceipt } from "./plan-receipt.js";
 export type { PlanPhase, PlanReceipt, PlanReceiptOptions } from "./plan-receipt.js";
 
+export { createGovernanceContract, writeGovernanceContract } from "./governance-contract.js";
+export type { GovernanceContractOptions, GovernanceContractReceipt, GovernanceDecision } from "./governance-contract.js";
+
 export { createContextWorkspaceReceipt, writeContextWorkspaceReceipt } from "./context-workspace-receipt.js";
 export type { ContextLayer, ContextStageContract, ContextWorkspaceReceipt, ContextWorkspaceReceiptOptions } from "./context-workspace-receipt.js";
 
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index e63323d..edf04c4 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -2269,6 +2269,35 @@ fable
     if (receipt.status === "rejected") process.exit(1);
   });
 
+fable
+  .command("governance <task>")
+  .description("Create a governance contract receipt with proposer, approvers, quorum, tie-break, and fallback")
+  .requiredOption("--proposer <id>", "Proposer id, e.g. agent:fable")
+  .option("--approver <id>", "Approver id; repeatable", (v, p: string[] = []) => [...p, v], [])
+  .option("--quorum <n>", "Required approval count", (v) => Number(v))
+  .option("--tie-break <id>", "Tie-break authority")
+  .option("--fallback <text>", "Fallback when quorum/policy fails")
+  .option("--risk <risk>", "low|review|high", "review")
+  .option("--out <path>", "Receipt output path")
+  .action(async (task: string, opts: { proposer: string; approver?: string[]; quorum?: number; tieBreak?: string; fallback?: string; risk?: "low" | "review" | "high"; out?: string }) => {
+    const { createGovernanceContract, writeGovernanceContract } = await import("./fable5/governance-contract.js");
+    const receipt = createGovernanceContract({
+      task,
+      proposer: opts.proposer,
+      approvers: opts.approver,
+      quorum: opts.quorum,
+      tieBreak: opts.tieBreak,
+      fallback: opts.fallback,
+      risk: opts.risk,
+    });
+    const stamp = new Date().toISOString().replace(/[:.]/g, "-");
+    const out = opts.out ?? path.join(".fable", "governance", stamp + ".json");
+    writeGovernanceContract(out, receipt);
+    console.log(JSON.stringify(receipt, null, 2));
+    console.log("\n  Receipt: " + out + "\n");
+    if (receipt.decision === "blocked") process.exit(1);
+  });
+
 fable
   .command("spec <task>")
   .description("Generate a six-section anti-hallucination spec with verifier gates")