diff --git a/admin/cmd/main.go b/admin/cmd/main.go
index 8c800b1..f55b4fb 100644
--- a/admin/cmd/main.go
+++ b/admin/cmd/main.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/mrhid6/vantage/admin/internal/db"
 	"github.com/mrhid6/vantage/admin/internal/inject"
 	"github.com/mrhid6/vantage/admin/internal/licensing"
+	"github.com/mrhid6/vantage/admin/internal/mail"
 	"github.com/mrhid6/vantage/admin/internal/models"
 )
 
@@ -29,6 +30,15 @@ func main() {
 
 	licensing.SetSigningKey(cfg.SigningKey)
 
+	mail.Init(mail.Config{
+		Host: cfg.SMTPHost, Port: cfg.SMTPPort, From: cfg.SMTPFrom,
+		Username: cfg.SMTPUsername, Password: cfg.SMTPPassword,
+		PublicURL: cfg.PublicURL,
+	})
+	if !mail.Enabled() {
+		log.Println("warning: SMTP not configured; verification and licence emails will fail")
+	}
+
 	auth.InitRedis(cfg.RedisAddr)
 	pingCtx, pingCancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 10*time.Second)
 	if err := auth.Ping(pingCtx); err != nil {
diff --git a/admin/internal/auth/customer.go b/admin/internal/auth/customer.go
index 0e31e84..9081dfa 100644
--- a/admin/internal/auth/customer.go
+++ b/admin/internal/auth/customer.go
@@ -1,12 +1,141 @@
 package auth
 
 import (
+	"context"
+	"crypto/rand"
+	"crypto/sha256"
+	"encoding/hex"
 	"net/http"
+	"strings"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/gin-gonic/gin"
+	"github.com/google/uuid"
+	"github.com/mrhid6/vantage/admin/internal/audit"
+	"github.com/mrhid6/vantage/admin/internal/db"
+	"github.com/mrhid6/vantage/admin/internal/mail"
+	"github.com/mrhid6/vantage/admin/internal/models"
+	"go.mongodb.org/mongo-driver/v2/bson"
+	"golang.org/x/crypto/bcrypt"
 )
 
-// HandleCustomerLogin is replaced by the real self-hosted login in Task 7.
-func HandleCustomerLogin(c *gin.Context) {
-	c.JSON(http.StatusNotImplemented, gin.H{"error": "not implemented yet"})
+// BcryptCost matches the control plane and sitesvc. Changing it here alone would
+// make hashes inconsistent across services that may one day compare them.
+const BcryptCost = 12
+
+// VerifyWindow mirrors sitesvc's proven pattern: 32 random bytes, only the
+// SHA-256 hash stored, 24-hour expiry.
+const VerifyWindow = 24 * time.Hour
+
+// CreateCustomerUser creates an unverified self-hosted customer login and emails
+// the verification link. Called during purchase (spec 5) and by staff.
+func CreateCustomerUser(ctx context.Context, accountID, email, password string) error {
+	hash, err := bcrypt.GenerateFromPassword([]byte(password), BcryptCost)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	raw := make([]byte, 32)
+	if _, err := rand.Read(raw); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	token := hex.EncodeToString(raw)
+	sum := sha256.Sum256([]byte(token))
+	expiry := time.Now().UTC().Add(VerifyWindow)
+
+	u := models.CustomerUser{
+		UserID:            uuid.NewString(),
+		AccountID:         accountID,
+		Email:             strings.ToLower(strings.TrimSpace(email)),
+		PasswordHash:      string(hash),
+		VerifyTokenHash:   hex.EncodeToString(sum[:]),
+		VerifyTokenExpiry: &expiry,
+		CreatedAt:         time.Now().UTC(),
+	}
+	if _, err := db.Admin("customer_users").InsertOne(ctx, u); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return mail.SendVerification(u.Email, token)
+}
+
+// HandleVerify consumes a verification token.
+func HandleVerify(c *gin.Context) {
+	token := c.Query("token")
+	if token == "" {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusBadRequest, gin.H{"error": "missing token"})
+		return
+	}
+	sum := sha256.Sum256([]byte(token))
+	now := time.Now().UTC()
+
+	res, err := db.Admin("customer_users").UpdateOne(c.Request.Context(),
+		bson.M{
+			"verify_token_hash":   hex.EncodeToString(sum[:]),
+			"verify_token_expiry": bson.M{"$gt": now},
+		},
+		bson.M{
+			"$set":   bson.M{"verified_at": now},
+			"$unset": bson.M{"verify_token_hash": "", "verify_token_expiry": ""},
+		})
+	if err != nil || res.MatchedCount == 0 {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusBadRequest, gin.H{"error": "that link is invalid or has expired"})
+		return
+	}
+	c.JSON(http.StatusOK, gin.H{"verified": true})
+}
+
+// HandleCustomerLogin authenticates a self-hosted customer.
+func HandleCustomerLogin(c *gin.Context) {
+	var body struct {
+		Email    string `json:"email"`
+		Password string `json:"password"`
+	}
+	if err := c.ShouldBindJSON(&body); err != nil {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusBadRequest, gin.H{"error": "email and password are required"})
+		return
+	}
+	email := strings.ToLower(strings.TrimSpace(body.Email))
+	ctx := c.Request.Context()
+
+	if !allowAttempt(email, c.ClientIP()) {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusTooManyRequests, gin.H{"error": "too many attempts, try again later"})
+		return
+	}
+
+	reject := func(reason string) {
+		audit.Write(ctx, models.AuditEntry{
+			Actor: email, Action: "customer.login_failed", IP: c.ClientIP(), Detail: reason})
+		c.JSON(http.StatusUnauthorized, gin.H{"error": genericAuthError})
+	}
+
+	var u models.CustomerUser
+	if err := db.Admin("customer_users").FindOne(ctx, bson.M{"email": email}).Decode(&u); err != nil {
+		bcrypt.CompareHashAndPassword([]byte(dummyHash), []byte(body.Password))
+		reject("unknown email")
+		return
+	}
+	if bcrypt.CompareHashAndPassword([]byte(u.PasswordHash), []byte(body.Password)) != nil {
+		reject("bad password")
+		return
+	}
+	if u.VerifiedAt == nil {
+		// Distinct from genericAuthError on purpose: the address is already
+		// known to be theirs, so there is nothing to disclose, and "check your
+		// email" is the only useful thing to say.
+		c.JSON(http.StatusForbidden, gin.H{"error": "verify your email address first"})
+		return
+	}
+
+	id, err := Save(ctx, Session{
+		UserID: u.UserID, Kind: KindCustomer, Email: u.Email, AccountID: u.AccountID,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, gin.H{"error": "session failed"})
+		return
+	}
+	SetCookie(c, id)
+	clearAttempts(email)
+	audit.Write(ctx, models.AuditEntry{
+		Actor: email, Action: "customer.login", AccountID: u.AccountID, IP: c.ClientIP()})
+	c.JSON(http.StatusOK, gin.H{"kind": KindCustomer, "email": u.Email})
 }
diff --git a/admin/internal/mail/mail.go b/admin/internal/mail/mail.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2e69207
--- /dev/null
+++ b/admin/internal/mail/mail.go
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+// Package mail delivers verification links and licence files.
+package mail
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"net/smtp"
+	"strings"
+)
+
+type Config struct {
+	Host, Port, From, Username, Password string
+	PublicURL                            string
+}
+
+var cfg Config
+
+func Init(c Config) { cfg = c }
+
+func Enabled() bool { return cfg.Host != "" && cfg.From != "" }
+
+func send(to, subject, body string) error {
+	if !Enabled() {
+		return fmt.Errorf("SMTP is not configured")
+	}
+	msg := strings.Join([]string{
+		"From: " + cfg.From,
+		"To: " + to,
+		"Subject: " + subject,
+		"MIME-Version: 1.0",
+		"Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8",
+		"", body,
+	}, "\r\n")
+
+	var auth smtp.Auth
+	if cfg.Username != "" {
+		auth = smtp.PlainAuth("", cfg.Username, cfg.Password, cfg.Host)
+	}
+	return smtp.SendMail(cfg.Host+":"+cfg.Port, auth, cfg.From, []string{to}, []byte(msg))
+}
+
+func SendVerification(to, token string) error {
+	link := fmt.Sprintf("%s/verify?token=%s", cfg.PublicURL, token)
+	return send(to, "Verify your Vantage account",
+		"Confirm your email address to finish setting up your Vantage account:\n\n"+
+			link+"\n\nThis link expires in 24 hours.\n")
+}
+
+// SendLicense delivers the blob inline. It is signed public data, not a secret —
+// it is useless on any instance other than the one it names.
+func SendLicense(to, instanceName, blob string) error {
+	return send(to, "Your Vantage licence key",
+		fmt.Sprintf("Your licence for %s is below.\n\n"+
+			"Paste it into Settings → Licence on your Vantage install:\n\n%s\n",
+			instanceName, blob))
+}