diff --git a/state-hub/Makefile b/state-hub/Makefile
index 76e2555..3a5ce65 100644
--- a/state-hub/Makefile
+++ b/state-hub/Makefile
@@ -1,10 +1,18 @@
-.PHONY: install db db-tools migrate seed api dashboard check start clean register-project
+.PHONY: install install-cli db db-tools migrate seed api dashboard check start clean register-project
 
 COMPOSE = docker compose -f infra/docker-compose.yml --env-file .env
 
 install:
 	uv sync
 
+## Symlink the custodian CLI into ~/.local/bin so it's on PATH system-wide
+install-cli: install
+	mkdir -p ~/.local/bin
+	ln -sf "$(shell pwd)/.venv/bin/custodian" ~/.local/bin/custodian
+	@echo "Installed: custodian → $$(readlink -f ~/.local/bin/custodian)"
+	@echo "Make sure ~/.local/bin is on your PATH:"
+	@echo "  echo 'export PATH=\"\$$HOME/.local/bin:\$$PATH\"' >> ~/.bashrc && source ~/.bashrc"
+
 db:
 	$(COMPOSE) up -d postgres
 
diff --git a/state-hub/custodian_cli.py b/state-hub/custodian_cli.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cabe266
--- /dev/null
+++ b/state-hub/custodian_cli.py
@@ -0,0 +1,217 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""
+custodian — CLI for the Custodian State Hub.
+
+Usage:
+  custodian register-project [--domain DOMAIN] [--path PATH]
+
+  Run from inside the project directory you want to connect.
+  --domain defaults to auto-detection from the project charter.
+  --path defaults to current working directory.
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import argparse
+import json
+import os
+import re
+import subprocess
+import sys
+import urllib.error
+import urllib.request
+from pathlib import Path
+
+STATE_HUB_DIR = Path(__file__).resolve().parent
+API_BASE = os.environ.get("API_BASE", "http://127.0.0.1:8000")
+TEMPLATE = STATE_HUB_DIR / "scripts" / "project_claude_md.template"
+PATCH_CWD = STATE_HUB_DIR / "scripts" / "patch_mcp_cwd.py"
+
+VALID_DOMAINS = [
+    "custodian", "railiance", "markitect",
+    "coulomb_social", "personhood", "foerster_capabilities",
+]
+
+
+# ── Helpers ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+def _api_get(path: str) -> object:
+    url = API_BASE.rstrip("/") + path
+    try:
+        with urllib.request.urlopen(url, timeout=10) as r:
+            return json.loads(r.read())
+    except urllib.error.URLError as e:
+        print(f"ERROR: Cannot reach API at {API_BASE}: {e}")
+        print(f"  Start it: cd {STATE_HUB_DIR} && make api")
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+
+def _api_post(path: str, body: dict) -> object:
+    url = API_BASE.rstrip("/") + path
+    data = json.dumps({k: v for k, v in body.items() if v is not None}).encode()
+    req = urllib.request.Request(url, data=data, headers={"Content-Type": "application/json"})
+    with urllib.request.urlopen(req, timeout=10) as r:
+        return json.loads(r.read())
+
+
+def _detect_domain(project_path: Path) -> str | None:
+    """Try to read domain from project charter frontmatter."""
+    for charter in project_path.rglob("project_charter_v*.md"):
+        text = charter.read_text()
+        m = re.search(r"^domain:\s*(\S+)", text, re.MULTILINE)
+        if m:
+            return m.group(1).strip('"\'')
+    return None
+
+
+def _check_mcp() -> bool:
+    claude_json = Path.home() / ".claude.json"
+    if not claude_json.exists():
+        return False
+    config = json.loads(claude_json.read_text())
+    return "state-hub" in config.get("mcpServers", {})
+
+
+# ── Subcommands ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+def cmd_register(args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
+    project_path = Path(args.path).resolve()
+    if not project_path.is_dir():
+        print(f"ERROR: {project_path} is not a directory.")
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    project_name = project_path.name
+
+    # ── Step 1: API health ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    print(f"==> Checking API at {API_BASE} ...")
+    _api_get("/state/health")
+    print("    API OK")
+
+    # ── Step 2: Domain ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    domain = args.domain
+    if not domain:
+        print("==> Auto-detecting domain from project charter ...")
+        domain = _detect_domain(project_path)
+        if domain:
+            print(f"    Detected: {domain}")
+        else:
+            print(f"ERROR: Could not auto-detect domain. Pass --domain explicitly.")
+            print(f"  Valid: {', '.join(VALID_DOMAINS)}")
+            sys.exit(1)
+
+    if domain not in VALID_DOMAINS:
+        print(f"ERROR: Unknown domain '{domain}'. Valid: {', '.join(VALID_DOMAINS)}")
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    # ── Step 3: Topic ID lookup ────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    print(f"==> Looking up topic for domain '{domain}' ...")
+    topics = _api_get("/topics/?status=active")
+    match = next((t for t in topics if t.get("domain") == domain), None)
+    if not match:
+        print(f"ERROR: No active topic found for domain '{domain}'.")
+        sys.exit(1)
+    topic_id = match["id"]
+    print(f"    topic_id: {topic_id}")
+
+    # ── Step 4: MCP check ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    print("==> Checking MCP server registration ...")
+    if _check_mcp():
+        print("    MCP OK")
+    else:
+        print("WARNING: 'state-hub' not in ~/.claude.json.")
+        print(f"  See ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md → MCP Server Registration section.")
+
+    # ── Step 5: CLAUDE.md ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    claude_md = project_path / "CLAUDE.md"
+    if claude_md.exists():
+        print(f"==> CLAUDE.md already exists at {claude_md} — skipping.")
+    else:
+        print(f"==> Writing CLAUDE.md to {claude_md} ...")
+        content = TEMPLATE.read_text()
+        content = content.replace("{PROJECT_NAME}", project_name)
+        content = content.replace("{DOMAIN}", domain)
+        content = content.replace("{TOPIC_ID}", topic_id)
+        claude_md.write_text(content)
+        print("    Written.")
+
+    # ── Step 6: Progress event ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    print("==> Recording registration event ...")
+    try:
+        _api_post("/progress/", {
+            "topic_id": topic_id,
+            "event_type": "milestone",
+            "summary": f"Project registered with State Hub: {project_name} ({domain})",
+            "author": "custodian",
+            "detail": {
+                "project_path": str(project_path),
+                "claude_md": str(claude_md),
+                "domain": domain,
+            },
+        })
+        print("    Event recorded.")
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(f"    WARNING: Could not record progress event: {e}")
+
+    print()
+    print("Registration complete!")
+    print(f"  Project:   {project_name}")
+    print(f"  Domain:    {domain}")
+    print(f"  Topic ID:  {topic_id}")
+    print(f"  CLAUDE.md: {claude_md}")
+    print()
+    print("Next: restart Claude Code for the MCP server to be active in this project.")
+
+
+def cmd_status(_args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
+    """Quick status: API health + summary totals."""
+    health = _api_get("/state/health")
+    print(f"API: {health.get('status', '?')}  DB: {health.get('db', '?')}")
+    summary = _api_get("/state/summary")
+    t = summary["totals"]
+    print(f"Topics: {t['topics']['active']} active")
+    print(f"Workstreams: {t['workstreams']['active']} active, {t['workstreams']['blocked']} blocked")
+    print(f"Tasks: {t['tasks']['in_progress']} in-progress, {t['tasks']['todo']} todo, {t['tasks']['blocked']} blocked")
+    print(f"Decisions: {t['decisions']['open']} open, {t['decisions']['escalated']} escalated")
+    blocking = summary.get("blocking_decisions", [])
+    if blocking:
+        print(f"\nBlocking decisions ({len(blocking)}):")
+        for d in blocking:
+            deadline = d.get("deadline") or "no deadline"
+            print(f"  [{deadline}] {d['title']}")
+
+
+# ── Entry point ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+def main() -> None:
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+        prog="custodian",
+        description="Custodian State Hub CLI",
+    )
+    sub = parser.add_subparsers(dest="command", required=True)
+
+    # register-project
+    reg = sub.add_parser("register-project", help="Register a project with the State Hub")
+    reg.add_argument(
+        "--domain",
+        choices=VALID_DOMAINS,
+        default=None,
+        help="Project domain (auto-detected from charter if omitted)",
+    )
+    reg.add_argument(
+        "--path",
+        default=os.getcwd(),
+        help="Project directory (defaults to current directory)",
+    )
+
+    # status
+    sub.add_parser("status", help="Show State Hub health and summary totals")
+
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+
+    if args.command == "register-project":
+        cmd_register(args)
+    elif args.command == "status":
+        cmd_status(args)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
diff --git a/state-hub/pyproject.toml b/state-hub/pyproject.toml
index 55cfd5f..1e04d18 100644
--- a/state-hub/pyproject.toml
+++ b/state-hub/pyproject.toml
@@ -17,12 +17,16 @@ dependencies = [
     "psycopg2-binary>=2.9.0",
 ]
 
+[project.scripts]
+custodian = "custodian_cli:main"
+
 [build-system]
 requires = ["hatchling"]
 build-backend = "hatchling.build"
 
 [tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
 packages = ["api", "mcp_server"]
+artifacts = ["custodian_cli.py"]
 
 [tool.uv]
 dev-dependencies = [