diff --git a/admin/cmd/main.go b/admin/cmd/main.go
index f55b4fb..2e10114 100644
--- a/admin/cmd/main.go
+++ b/admin/cmd/main.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/joho/godotenv"
+	"github.com/mrhid6/vantage/admin/internal/api"
 	"github.com/mrhid6/vantage/admin/internal/auth"
 	"github.com/mrhid6/vantage/admin/internal/config"
 	"github.com/mrhid6/vantage/admin/internal/db"
@@ -72,7 +73,7 @@ func main() {
 
 	srv := &http.Server{
 		Addr:              cfg.Addr,
-		Handler:           http.NotFoundHandler(), // replaced in Task 8
+		Handler:           api.Routes(cfg),
 		ReadHeaderTimeout: 10 * time.Second,
 		ReadTimeout:       20 * time.Second,
 		WriteTimeout:      30 * time.Second,
diff --git a/admin/internal/api/routes.go b/admin/internal/api/routes.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..631cedb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/admin/internal/api/routes.go
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+// Package api mounts admin's HTTP surface.
+//
+// The route table is the single place scoping is guaranteed. Customer routes
+// live behind RequireCustomer and every handler that names an instance calls
+// ownedInstance. A new customer route that skips that helper is a scoping bug,
+// so keep them together and review them together.
+package api
+
+import (
+	"net/http"
+	"slices"
+
+	"github.com/gin-gonic/gin"
+	"github.com/mrhid6/vantage/admin/internal/auth"
+	"github.com/mrhid6/vantage/admin/internal/config"
+)
+
+func Routes(cfg config.Config) http.Handler {
+	r := gin.New()
+	r.Use(gin.Logger(), gin.Recovery())
+	r.Use(cors(cfg.AllowedOrigins))
+
+	if cfg.TrustProxy {
+		_ = r.SetTrustedProxies(nil)
+	}
+
+	r.GET("/healthz", func(c *gin.Context) { c.JSON(http.StatusOK, gin.H{"ok": true}) })
+
+	r.POST("/auth/staff/login", auth.HandleStaffLogin)
+	r.POST("/auth/login", auth.HandleCloudLogin) // falls through to customer login
+	r.POST("/auth/logout", auth.HandleLogout)
+	r.GET("/auth/verify", auth.HandleVerify)
+
+	cust := r.Group("/api")
+	cust.Use(auth.RequireCustomer())
+	{
+		cust.GET("/account", getAccount)
+		cust.POST("/instances/link", linkInstance)
+		cust.POST("/instances/:id/relink", relinkInstance)
+		cust.GET("/instances/:id/license", getInstanceLicense)
+		cust.GET("/instances/:id/license/download", downloadInstanceLicense)
+		cust.GET("/subscriptions", listSubscriptions)
+	}
+
+	staff := r.Group("/api/staff")
+	staff.Use(auth.RequireStaff())
+	{
+		staff.GET("/accounts", staffListAccounts)
+		staff.POST("/accounts", staffCreateAccount)
+		staff.GET("/accounts/:id", staffGetAccount)
+		staff.GET("/instances", staffListInstances)
+		staff.POST("/instances", staffCreateInstance)
+		staff.POST("/instances/:id/issue", staffIssue)
+		staff.POST("/instances/:id/relink", staffRelink)
+		staff.GET("/licenses", staffListLicenses)
+		staff.GET("/plans", staffListPlans)
+		staff.PUT("/plans/:tier", staffUpdatePlan)
+		staff.GET("/audit", staffAudit)
+		staff.GET("/health/injection", staffInjectionHealth)
+	}
+
+	return r
+}
+
+func cors(allowed []string) gin.HandlerFunc {
+	return func(c *gin.Context) {
+		origin := c.GetHeader("Origin")
+		if origin != "" && slices.Contains(allowed, origin) {
+			c.Header("Access-Control-Allow-Origin", origin)
+			c.Header("Access-Control-Allow-Credentials", "true")
+			c.Header("Access-Control-Allow-Headers", "Content-Type")
+			c.Header("Access-Control-Allow-Methods", "GET,POST,PUT,DELETE,OPTIONS")
+		}
+		if c.Request.Method == http.MethodOptions {
+			c.AbortWithStatus(http.StatusNoContent)
+			return
+		}
+		c.Next()
+	}
+}
diff --git a/admin/internal/api/staff.go b/admin/internal/api/staff.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6d78382
--- /dev/null
+++ b/admin/internal/api/staff.go
@@ -0,0 +1,341 @@
+package api
+
+import (
+	"net/http"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/gin-gonic/gin"
+	"github.com/google/uuid"
+	"github.com/mrhid6/vantage/admin/internal/audit"
+	"github.com/mrhid6/vantage/admin/internal/auth"
+	"github.com/mrhid6/vantage/admin/internal/db"
+	"github.com/mrhid6/vantage/admin/internal/licensing"
+	"github.com/mrhid6/vantage/admin/internal/models"
+	"github.com/mrhid6/vantage/shared/license"
+	sharedmodels "github.com/mrhid6/vantage/shared/models"
+	"go.mongodb.org/mongo-driver/v2/bson"
+	"go.mongodb.org/mongo-driver/v2/mongo"
+	"go.mongodb.org/mongo-driver/v2/mongo/options"
+)
+
+func staffListAccounts(c *gin.Context) {
+	filter := bson.M{}
+	if q := c.Query("q"); q != "" {
+		filter["$or"] = []bson.M{
+			{"name": bson.M{"$regex": q, "$options": "i"}},
+			{"billing_email": bson.M{"$regex": q, "$options": "i"}},
+		}
+	}
+	cur, err := db.Admin("accounts").Find(c.Request.Context(), filter,
+		options.Find().SetLimit(200).SetSort(bson.D{{Key: "created_at", Value: -1}}))
+	if err != nil {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, gin.H{"error": err.Error()})
+		return
+	}
+	accounts := []models.Account{}
+	if err := cur.All(c.Request.Context(), &accounts); err != nil {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, gin.H{"error": err.Error()})
+		return
+	}
+	c.JSON(http.StatusOK, accounts)
+}
+
+func staffCreateAccount(c *gin.Context) {
+	var body struct {
+		Name         string `json:"name"`
+		BillingEmail string `json:"billing_email"`
+	}
+	if err := c.ShouldBindJSON(&body); err != nil || body.Name == "" || body.BillingEmail == "" {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusBadRequest, gin.H{"error": "name and billing_email are required"})
+		return
+	}
+	acct := models.Account{
+		AccountID:    uuid.NewString(),
+		Name:         body.Name,
+		BillingEmail: body.BillingEmail,
+		Status:       models.AccountActive,
+		CreatedAt:    time.Now().UTC(),
+	}
+	if _, err := db.Admin("accounts").InsertOne(c.Request.Context(), acct); err != nil {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, gin.H{"error": err.Error()})
+		return
+	}
+	c.JSON(http.StatusCreated, acct)
+}
+
+func staffGetAccount(c *gin.Context) {
+	ctx := c.Request.Context()
+	var acct models.Account
+	if err := db.Admin("accounts").FindOne(ctx, bson.M{"account_id": c.Param("id")}).Decode(&acct); err != nil {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusNotFound, gin.H{"error": "not found"})
+		return
+	}
+	cur, _ := db.Admin("admin_instances").Find(ctx, bson.M{"account_id": acct.AccountID})
+	instances := []models.Instance{}
+	if cur != nil {
+		_ = cur.All(ctx, &instances)
+	}
+	c.JSON(http.StatusOK, gin.H{"account": acct, "instances": instances})
+}
+
+func staffListInstances(c *gin.Context) {
+	filter := bson.M{}
+	for param, field := range map[string]string{
+		"account_id": "account_id",
+		"deployment": "deployment",
+		"status":     "status",
+	} {
+		if v := c.Query(param); v != "" {
+			filter[field] = v
+		}
+	}
+	if c.Query("expiring") == "true" {
+		// Instances whose licence expires within 14 days, for renewal chasing.
+		var ids []string
+		cur, err := db.Admin("licenses").Find(c.Request.Context(), bson.M{
+			"superseded_by": bson.M{"$exists": false},
+			"expires_at":    bson.M{"$lt": time.Now().UTC().Add(14 * 24 * time.Hour)},
+		})
+		if err == nil {
+			var lics []models.License
+			if cur.All(c.Request.Context(), &lics) == nil {
+				for _, l := range lics {
+					ids = append(ids, l.InstanceID)
+				}
+			}
+		}
+		filter["instance_id"] = bson.M{"$in": ids}
+	}
+
+	cur, err := db.Admin("admin_instances").Find(c.Request.Context(), filter,
+		options.Find().SetLimit(500))
+	if err != nil {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, gin.H{"error": err.Error()})
+		return
+	}
+	instances := []models.Instance{}
+	if err := cur.All(c.Request.Context(), &instances); err != nil {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, gin.H{"error": err.Error()})
+		return
+	}
+	c.JSON(http.StatusOK, instances)
+}
+
+// staffCreateInstance attaches an instance to an account.
+//
+// For cloud, this ADOPTS an instance that already exists in the control plane —
+// the control-plane row is the source of truth for its name and slug, and this
+// refuses if no such instance exists, because an admin row pointing at nothing
+// would issue licences nobody can use.
+//
+// For self-hosted it does the same job as the customer-facing link endpoint, so
+// staff can link on a customer's behalf during support.
+//
+// This is how existing cloud instances get licensed: adopt, then issue.
+func staffCreateInstance(c *gin.Context) {
+	var body struct {
+		InstanceID string `json:"instance_id"`
+		AccountID  string `json:"account_id"`
+		Deployment string `json:"deployment"`
+		Name       string `json:"name"`
+	}
+	if err := c.ShouldBindJSON(&body); err != nil || body.InstanceID == "" || body.AccountID == "" {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusBadRequest, gin.H{"error": "instance_id and account_id are required"})
+		return
+	}
+	ctx := c.Request.Context()
+
+	if n, err := db.Admin("accounts").CountDocuments(ctx, bson.M{"account_id": body.AccountID}); err != nil || n == 0 {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusNotFound, gin.H{"error": "no such account"})
+		return
+	}
+
+	inst := models.Instance{
+		InstanceID: body.InstanceID,
+		AccountID:  body.AccountID,
+		Name:       body.Name,
+		Deployment: body.Deployment,
+		Status:     models.StatusActive,
+		CreatedAt:  time.Now().UTC(),
+	}
+
+	if body.Deployment == license.DeploymentCloud {
+		var remote sharedmodels.Instance
+		if err := db.Control("instances").FindOne(ctx,
+			bson.M{"instance_id": body.InstanceID}).Decode(&remote); err != nil {
+			c.JSON(http.StatusNotFound, gin.H{"error": "no such cloud instance in the control plane"})
+			return
+		}
+		inst.Name = remote.Name
+		inst.Slug = remote.Slug
+	}
+
+	if _, err := db.Admin("admin_instances").InsertOne(ctx, inst); err != nil {
+		if mongo.IsDuplicateKeyError(err) {
+			c.JSON(http.StatusConflict, gin.H{"error": "that instance is already attached to an account"})
+			return
+		}
+		c.JSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, gin.H{"error": err.Error()})
+		return
+	}
+
+	s := auth.Current(c)
+	audit.Write(ctx, models.AuditEntry{
+		Actor: s.Email, Action: "instance.attached", AccountID: body.AccountID, Target: body.InstanceID})
+	c.JSON(http.StatusCreated, inst)
+}
+
+func staffIssue(c *gin.Context) {
+	var body struct {
+		Tier   string `json:"tier"`
+		Term   string `json:"term"`
+		Reason string `json:"reason"`
+	}
+	if err := c.ShouldBindJSON(&body); err != nil || body.Tier == "" {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusBadRequest, gin.H{"error": "tier is required"})
+		return
+	}
+	if body.Reason == "" {
+		body.Reason = models.ReasonManual
+	}
+
+	s := auth.Current(c)
+	lic, err := licensing.Issue(c.Request.Context(), licensing.IssueInput{
+		InstanceID: c.Param("id"),
+		Tier:       body.Tier,
+		Term:       body.Term,
+		Reason:     body.Reason,
+		IssuedBy:   s.Email,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusBadRequest, gin.H{"error": err.Error()})
+		return
+	}
+
+	var inst models.Instance
+	if db.Admin("admin_instances").FindOne(c.Request.Context(),
+		bson.M{"instance_id": lic.InstanceID}).Decode(&inst) == nil {
+		deliver(c, &inst, lic)
+	}
+	c.JSON(http.StatusCreated, lic)
+}
+
+// staffRelink has no attempt cap. The customer-facing limit exists to put a
+// human in front of the fourth attempt; this is that human.
+func staffRelink(c *gin.Context) {
+	var body struct {
+		InstanceID string `json:"instance_id"`
+	}
+	if err := c.ShouldBindJSON(&body); err != nil || body.InstanceID == "" {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusBadRequest, gin.H{"error": "instance_id is required"})
+		return
+	}
+	ctx := c.Request.Context()
+
+	var inst models.Instance
+	if err := db.Admin("admin_instances").FindOne(ctx,
+		bson.M{"instance_id": c.Param("id")}).Decode(&inst); err != nil {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusNotFound, gin.H{"error": "not found"})
+		return
+	}
+
+	lic, err := licensing.Relink(ctx, inst.AccountID, inst.InstanceID, body.InstanceID, true)
+	if err != nil {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusBadRequest, gin.H{"error": err.Error()})
+		return
+	}
+	c.JSON(http.StatusOK, lic)
+}
+
+func staffListLicenses(c *gin.Context) {
+	filter := bson.M{}
+	if v := c.Query("instance_id"); v != "" {
+		filter["instance_id"] = v
+	}
+	if v := c.Query("account_id"); v != "" {
+		filter["account_id"] = v
+	}
+	cur, err := db.Admin("licenses").Find(c.Request.Context(), filter,
+		options.Find().SetLimit(500).SetSort(bson.D{{Key: "issued_at", Value: -1}}))
+	if err != nil {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, gin.H{"error": err.Error()})
+		return
+	}
+	lics := []models.License{}
+	if err := cur.All(c.Request.Context(), &lics); err != nil {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, gin.H{"error": err.Error()})
+		return
+	}
+	c.JSON(http.StatusOK, lics)
+}
+
+func staffListPlans(c *gin.Context) {
+	cur, err := db.Admin("plans").Find(c.Request.Context(), bson.M{})
+	if err != nil {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, gin.H{"error": err.Error()})
+		return
+	}
+	plans := []models.Plan{}
+	if err := cur.All(c.Request.Context(), &plans); err != nil {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, gin.H{"error": err.Error()})
+		return
+	}
+	c.JSON(http.StatusOK, plans)
+}
+
+// staffUpdatePlan changes what a tier grants FROM NOW ON. Existing licences
+// snapshotted their plan at issue time and are unaffected — the same rule as
+// workflow_runs.steps_snapshot.
+func staffUpdatePlan(c *gin.Context) {
+	var body models.Plan
+	if err := c.ShouldBindJSON(&body); err != nil {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusBadRequest, gin.H{"error": "invalid plan"})
+		return
+	}
+	set := bson.M{
+		"name":              body.Name,
+		"limits":            body.Limits,
+		"features":          body.Features,
+		"paddle_product_id": body.PaddleProductID,
+		"paddle_price_ids":  body.PaddlePriceIDs,
+		"active":            body.Active,
+	}
+	if _, err := db.Admin("plans").UpdateOne(c.Request.Context(),
+		bson.M{"tier": c.Param("tier")}, bson.M{"$set": set}); err != nil {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, gin.H{"error": err.Error()})
+		return
+	}
+	c.JSON(http.StatusOK, gin.H{"updated": true})
+}
+
+func staffAudit(c *gin.Context) {
+	cur, err := db.Admin("admin_audit").Find(c.Request.Context(), bson.M{},
+		options.Find().SetLimit(500).SetSort(bson.D{{Key: "created_at", Value: -1}}))
+	if err != nil {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, gin.H{"error": err.Error()})
+		return
+	}
+	entries := []models.AuditEntry{}
+	if err := cur.All(c.Request.Context(), &entries); err != nil {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, gin.H{"error": err.Error()})
+		return
+	}
+	c.JSON(http.StatusOK, entries)
+}
+
+// staffInjectionHealth lists instances whose last injection failed. This is the
+// page to look at when a customer says their cloud instance is read-only.
+func staffInjectionHealth(c *gin.Context) {
+	cur, err := db.Admin("admin_instances").Find(c.Request.Context(),
+		bson.M{"inject_failed_at": bson.M{"$exists": true}})
+	if err != nil {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, gin.H{"error": err.Error()})
+		return
+	}
+	failed := []models.Instance{}
+	if err := cur.All(c.Request.Context(), &failed); err != nil {
+		c.JSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, gin.H{"error": err.Error()})
+		return
+	}
+	c.JSON(http.StatusOK, gin.H{"failed": failed, "count": len(failed)})
+}