diff --git a/.github/workflows/independent-node.yml b/.github/workflows/independent-node.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6afb8b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/independent-node.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+name: Independent Node Program
+on:
+  pull_request:
+    paths:
+      - 'independent-node/**'
+      - '.github/workflows/independent-node.yml'
+  push:
+    branches: [main]
+    paths:
+      - 'independent-node/**'
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
+jobs:
+  test:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        with:
+          python-version: '3.11'
+      - name: Run Independent Node tests
+        run: python -m unittest discover -s independent-node/tests -v
+      - name: CLI smoke test
+        run: |
+          python independent-node/node.py --help
+          python independent-node/node.py init
+          python independent-node/node.py status
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index cafca9d..55c68a8 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -15,6 +15,14 @@ ENTITY is Blackmore Technology Group's open-source protocol and reference implem
 
 [**15-minute first-run audit**](https://github.com/blackmore-technology-group/ENTITY/issues/80) · [**ENTITY v3.4.3 Release**](https://github.com/blackmore-technology-group/ENTITY/releases/tag/v3.4.3) · [**External Qualification**](https://github.com/blackmore-technology-group/ENTITY/issues/55) · [**ERQ Campaign**](https://github.com/blackmore-technology-group/ENTITY/issues/78) · [**Documentation**](https://blackmore-technology-group.github.io/ENTITY-DOCS/) · [**Conformance Kit**](https://github.com/blackmore-technology-group/ENTITY-Protocol-1.0-Conformance-Kit) · [**Interoperability Challenge**](docs/INTEROPERABILITY_CHALLENGE.md)
 
+## Independent Node Program — device-to-device testing
+
+Run an independently operated ENTITY test node and exchange lineage-preserving test objects with another device.
+
+[**Install / participate**](independent-node/README.md) · [**Test campaign**](independent-node/TEST_CAMPAIGN.md) · [**Privacy & safety**](independent-node/PRIVACY.md)
+
+The program distinguishes BTG-controlled tests, external reproduction, and independently operated multi-node interoperability evidence. Participation does not create automatic ownership, payment, endorsement, or economic entitlement.
+
 ## Developer entry points
 
 You do **not** need to understand all of ENTITY before building with it.
diff --git a/independent-node/PRIVACY.md b/independent-node/PRIVACY.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1e629a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/independent-node/PRIVACY.md
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+# Independent Node Program — Privacy and Safety
+
+The Independent Node Program is designed for voluntary interoperability testing with pseudonymous node identifiers.
+
+## Data minimization
+
+The reference harness stores test state locally by default. Receipt records contain test identifiers, timestamps, SHA-256 hashes, lineage hops, endpoint role and PASS/FAIL information. The harness does not require a participant's real name, email address, GitHub account, hardware serial number, private signing key, personal files or machine inventory.
+
+## Network safety
+
+The listener binds to `127.0.0.1` by default. Binding to `0.0.0.0` is an explicit operator choice. Use a trusted LAN, VPN, isolated test network or other controlled environment. Do not port-forward the reference listener to the public Internet.
+
+The reference listener limits request size and accepts only the Independent Node test endpoint. It is not a production server.
+
+## Public evidence
+
+Before posting receipts or logs, remove IP addresses, local usernames, absolute paths, access tokens, private keys, secrets and personal information. Public participation is voluntary.
+
+## Claim boundary
+
+A receipt establishes what the harness observed. It does not establish legal ownership, external-world truth, regulatory compliance, monetary value, payment, endorsement, or full protocol conformance unless separately demonstrated.
diff --git a/independent-node/README.md b/independent-node/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..62fa60f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/independent-node/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+# ENTITY Independent Node Program
+
+Run an independently operated ENTITY test node and help test device-to-device communication, lineage preservation, multi-hop transfer, tamper detection, and recovery behavior.
+
+> This is a **test network harness**, not a production trust network. A successful transport receipt proves that the participating test nodes exchanged the recorded bytes and hashes. It does not by itself prove external-world truth, legal ownership, economic value, or independent conformance with every ENTITY protocol requirement.
+
+## Fast start — Windows
+
+Requirements: Windows 10/11, PowerShell, Python 3.11+.
+
+```powershell
+git clone https://github.com/blackmore-technology-group/ENTITY.git
+cd ENTITY
+git checkout v3.4.3
+powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File independent-node/install.ps1
+python independent-node/node.py init
+python independent-node/node.py status
+python independent-node/node.py serve
+```
+
+The listener defaults to `127.0.0.1:8343`. To accept another device on your LAN, explicitly bind to an interface you control:
+
+```powershell
+python independent-node/node.py serve --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8343
+```
+
+Only expose the test listener on a network you trust. Do not expose it directly to the public Internet.
+
+On a second machine:
+
+```powershell
+python independent-node/node.py init
+python independent-node/node.py send --to http://DEVICE_A_IP:8343 --file independent-node/examples/sample-object.json
+```
+
+The sender and receiver each record privacy-minimized JSONL receipts under `.entity-independent-node/receipts/`.
+
+## What is recorded
+
+The harness creates a random pseudonymous test-node ID and records only protocol/test metadata needed for reproducibility: node ID, timestamps, receipt IDs, SHA-256 object hashes, origin hash, prior lineage hops, sender-declared node ID, receiver node ID, and verification outcome.
+
+It does **not** intentionally collect usernames, passwords, private keys, machine inventory, browser history, personal documents, or unrelated files.
+
+## Campaign
+
+1. **Install / node identity** — initialize a fresh independent test node.
+2. **A → B** — send an object and compare the sender/receiver receipts.
+3. **A → B → C** — forward the received envelope and verify the origin hash survives every hop.
+4. **Tamper test** — change the object after the envelope is created; the receiver must reject the mismatch.
+5. **Restart** — stop/restart the node and verify its pseudonymous node ID and local receipt history persist.
+6. **Offline handoff** — copy an envelope by removable media and use `verify` before forwarding.
+7. **Cross-platform** — repeat across Windows/Linux/macOS where available.
+
+See [TEST_CAMPAIGN.md](TEST_CAMPAIGN.md) and [PRIVACY.md](PRIVACY.md).
+
+## Commands
+
+```text
+node.py init
+node.py status
+node.py serve [--host HOST] [--port PORT]
+node.py send --to URL --file FILE
+node.py verify --envelope FILE
+node.py make-envelope --file FILE --out FILE
+```
+
+## Evidence boundary
+
+This harness deliberately separates three claims:
+
+- **BTG-controlled test:** BTG runs both endpoints.
+- **External reproduction:** another operator runs the published harness and reproduces the expected result.
+- **Independent interoperability evidence:** unrelated operators control different endpoints and exchange test objects.
+
+Do not describe one category as another.
+
+## Report a result
+
+Open the Independent Node Program participation issue in the ENTITY repository and include:
+
+- operating system (no serial numbers);
+- ENTITY release/tag;
+- test(s) attempted;
+- node IDs if you are comfortable publishing them;
+- receipt hashes;
+- PASS/FAIL and the first reproducible failure;
+- whether both endpoints were controlled by the same operator.
+
+A failure is useful evidence. Please redact IP addresses, usernames, filesystem paths, tokens, keys, and personal data before posting.
diff --git a/independent-node/TEST_CAMPAIGN.md b/independent-node/TEST_CAMPAIGN.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5af34f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/independent-node/TEST_CAMPAIGN.md
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+# ENTITY Independent Node Test Campaign v1
+
+Target: current supported ENTITY release. Historical releases may be tested only when clearly labelled.
+
+## INP-01 — Installation and persistence
+
+Initialize a fresh node, record its pseudonymous node ID, restart the process, and confirm `status` reports the same ID.
+
+Expected: PASS with persistent local state.
+
+## INP-02 — Two-device exchange
+
+Operator A starts a listener. Operator B sends the sample object.
+
+Expected: B receives an HTTP 200 receipt; A records the same object SHA-256 and origin SHA-256; receiver lineage contains the new A/B hop as appropriate.
+
+Record whether A and B are independently controlled.
+
+## INP-03 — Three-device lineage
+
+A creates an envelope, B receives/verifies it, then B forwards the received envelope to C.
+
+Expected: the original `origin_sha256` is unchanged and each hop appends rather than rewrites prior lineage.
+
+## INP-04 — Tamper rejection
+
+Create an envelope, then alter `object` without updating `object_sha256`.
+
+Expected: `verify` fails and a receiver rejects the envelope.
+
+## INP-05 — Restart/recovery
+
+Exchange at least one object, restart the receiving node, and inspect status/receipts.
+
+Expected: node identity and locally written evidence remain available.
+
+## INP-06 — Offline handoff
+
+Use `make-envelope` to write an envelope to disk, move it to another device without network transport, and run `verify`.
+
+Expected: hash and lineage verification PASS.
+
+## INP-07 — Cross-platform
+
+Repeat INP-02 across different operating systems.
+
+Expected: byte/hash semantics remain identical.
+
+## Evidence classification
+
+Every published result must state one of:
+
+- `BTG_CONTROLLED`
+- `EXTERNAL_REPRODUCTION`
+- `INDEPENDENT_MULTI_OPERATOR`
+
+The classification describes operator independence, not correctness.
+
+## Suggested result record
+
+```json
+{
+  "campaign": "ENTITY-INP-v1",
+  "test": "INP-02",
+  "entity_release": "v3.4.3",
+  "classification": "INDEPENDENT_MULTI_OPERATOR",
+  "platform_a": "Windows 11",
+  "platform_b": "Linux",
+  "receipt_sha256": "...",
+  "result": "PASS"
+}
+```
+
+Do not include secrets, IP addresses, serial numbers, personal identifiers, or private filesystem paths.
diff --git a/independent-node/examples/sample-object.json b/independent-node/examples/sample-object.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..39a437e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/independent-node/examples/sample-object.json
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+{
+  "schema": "entity-independent-node/sample/v1",
+  "kind": "lineage-test-object",
+  "message": "Hello from an independently operated ENTITY test node.",
+  "rights_notice": "TEST_ONLY_NO_ECONOMIC_ENTITLEMENT"
+}
diff --git a/independent-node/install.ps1 b/independent-node/install.ps1
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..89b9b6f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/independent-node/install.ps1
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+$ErrorActionPreference = "Stop"
+Write-Host "ENTITY Independent Node Program v1"
+$py = Get-Command python -ErrorAction Stop
+& python --version
+if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) { throw "Python is not available." }
+& python independent-node/node.py --help | Out-Null
+if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) { throw "Independent Node harness self-check failed." }
+Write-Host "Harness ready. Initialize with:"
+Write-Host "  python independent-node/node.py init"
+Write-Host "No service was installed and no network listener was started automatically."
diff --git a/independent-node/node.py b/independent-node/node.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..233374d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/independent-node/node.py
@@ -0,0 +1,120 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""ENTITY Independent Node Program v1 — minimal test transport and lineage harness.
+
+Standard-library only. This is not a production network service or a replacement
+for ENTITY protocol qualification. It records reproducible transport/hash lineage.
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
+import argparse, hashlib, json, os, sys, uuid
+from datetime import datetime, timezone
+from http.server import BaseHTTPRequestHandler, ThreadingHTTPServer
+from pathlib import Path
+from urllib.request import Request, urlopen
+
+SCHEMA="entity-independent-node/envelope/v1"
+STATE=Path(os.environ.get("ENTITY_INP_HOME", ".entity-independent-node"))
+MAX_BODY=2*1024*1024
+
+def now(): return datetime.now(timezone.utc).isoformat()
+def canon(v): return json.dumps(v,sort_keys=True,separators=(",",":"),ensure_ascii=False).encode()
+def sha(v): return hashlib.sha256(v if isinstance(v,bytes) else canon(v)).hexdigest()
+def paths():
+    STATE.mkdir(parents=True,exist_ok=True); (STATE/"receipts").mkdir(exist_ok=True)
+    return STATE/"node.json", STATE/"receipts"
+def load_node():
+    p,_=paths()
+    if not p.exists(): raise SystemExit("Node not initialized. Run: node.py init")
+    return json.loads(p.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+def init():
+    p,_=paths()
+    if p.exists():
+        n=json.loads(p.read_text(encoding="utf-8")); print(n["node_id"]); return
+    n={"schema":"entity-independent-node/node/v1","node_id":"ent-test-"+uuid.uuid4().hex[:16],"created_at":now()}
+    p.write_text(json.dumps(n,indent=2)+"\n",encoding="utf-8"); print(n["node_id"])
+def make_envelope(obj,node_id):
+    h=sha(obj)
+    return {"schema":SCHEMA,"origin_sha256":h,"object_sha256":h,"object":obj,"lineage":[],"sender_node_id":node_id,"created_at":now()}
+def verify_env(e):
+    if e.get("schema")!=SCHEMA: return False,"wrong schema"
+    actual=sha(e.get("object"))
+    if actual!=e.get("object_sha256"): return False,"object hash mismatch"
+    if not e.get("origin_sha256"): return False,"missing origin hash"
+    lineage=e.get("lineage")
+    if not isinstance(lineage,list): return False,"lineage is not a list"
+    return True,"verified"
+def receipt(event,env,receiver,result):
+    r={"schema":"entity-independent-node/receipt/v1","receipt_id":"inp-"+uuid.uuid4().hex,
+       "event":event,"timestamp":now(),"receiver_node_id":receiver,
+       "sender_node_id":env.get("sender_node_id"),"object_sha256":env.get("object_sha256"),
+       "origin_sha256":env.get("origin_sha256"),"lineage_depth":len(env.get("lineage",[])),
+       "result":result}
+    r["receipt_sha256"]=sha(r)
+    _,d=paths(); (d/(r["receipt_id"]+".json")).write_text(json.dumps(r,indent=2)+"\n",encoding="utf-8")
+    return r
+def receive(env,node_id):
+    ok,msg=verify_env(env)
+    if not ok: return 400,receipt("REJECT",env,node_id,"FAIL: "+msg),None
+    hop={"from_node_id":env.get("sender_node_id"),"to_node_id":node_id,"received_at":now(),
+         "object_sha256":env["object_sha256"],"origin_sha256":env["origin_sha256"]}
+    out=dict(env); out["lineage"]=list(env["lineage"])+[hop]; out["sender_node_id"]=node_id
+    r=receipt("RECEIVE",out,node_id,"PASS")
+    out["last_receipt_sha256"]=r["receipt_sha256"]
+    return 200,r,out
+
+class Handler(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
+    server_version="ENTITY-INP/1"
+    def do_POST(self):
+        if self.path!="/entity-test/v1/receive": self.send_error(404); return
+        try:
+            n=int(self.headers.get("Content-Length","0"))
+            if n<=0 or n>MAX_BODY: self.send_error(413); return
+            env=json.loads(self.rfile.read(n).decode("utf-8"))
+            status,r,out=receive(env,self.server.node_id)
+            body=canon({"receipt":r,"envelope":out})
+            self.send_response(status); self.send_header("Content-Type","application/json")
+            self.send_header("Content-Length",str(len(body))); self.end_headers(); self.wfile.write(body)
+        except Exception as ex:
+            body=canon({"error":type(ex).__name__})
+            self.send_response(400); self.send_header("Content-Type","application/json")
+            self.send_header("Content-Length",str(len(body))); self.end_headers(); self.wfile.write(body)
+    def log_message(self,fmt,*args): sys.stderr.write("%s - %s\n"%(self.address_string(),fmt%args))
+
+def serve(host,port):
+    node=load_node(); srv=ThreadingHTTPServer((host,port),Handler); srv.node_id=node["node_id"]
+    print(f"ENTITY INP node {srv.node_id} listening on http://{host}:{port}")
+    try: srv.serve_forever()
+    except KeyboardInterrupt: pass
+def read_obj(path): return json.loads(Path(path).read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+def cmd_make(file,out):
+    e=make_envelope(read_obj(file),load_node()["node_id"])
+    Path(out).write_text(json.dumps(e,indent=2)+"\n",encoding="utf-8"); print(out)
+def cmd_verify(path):
+    ok,msg=verify_env(read_obj(path)); print(("PASS: " if ok else "FAIL: ")+msg); raise SystemExit(0 if ok else 2)
+def cmd_send(target,file):
+    node=load_node(); raw=read_obj(file)
+    env=raw if isinstance(raw,dict) and raw.get("schema")==SCHEMA else make_envelope(raw,node["node_id"])
+    ok,msg=verify_env(env)
+    if not ok: raise SystemExit("Refusing invalid envelope: "+msg)
+    env["sender_node_id"]=node["node_id"]
+    req=Request(target.rstrip("/")+"/entity-test/v1/receive",data=canon(env),headers={"Content-Type":"application/json"},method="POST")
+    with urlopen(req,timeout=10) as res: reply=json.loads(res.read().decode())
+    r=reply["receipt"]; _,d=paths(); (d/(r["receipt_id"]+"-remote.json")).write_text(json.dumps(r,indent=2)+"\n",encoding="utf-8")
+    print(json.dumps(reply,indent=2))
+def status():
+    n=load_node(); _,d=paths(); print(json.dumps({**n,"local_receipts":len(list(d.glob("*.json")))},indent=2))
+def main():
+    p=argparse.ArgumentParser(description="ENTITY Independent Node Program v1")
+    s=p.add_subparsers(dest="cmd",required=True)
+    s.add_parser("init"); s.add_parser("status")
+    q=s.add_parser("serve"); q.add_argument("--host",default="127.0.0.1"); q.add_argument("--port",type=int,default=8343)
+    q=s.add_parser("send"); q.add_argument("--to",required=True); q.add_argument("--file",required=True)
+    q=s.add_parser("verify"); q.add_argument("--envelope",required=True)
+    q=s.add_parser("make-envelope"); q.add_argument("--file",required=True); q.add_argument("--out",required=True)
+    a=p.parse_args()
+    if a.cmd=="init": init()
+    elif a.cmd=="status": status()
+    elif a.cmd=="serve": serve(a.host,a.port)
+    elif a.cmd=="send": cmd_send(a.to,a.file)
+    elif a.cmd=="verify": cmd_verify(a.envelope)
+    elif a.cmd=="make-envelope": cmd_make(a.file,a.out)
+if __name__=="__main__": main()
diff --git a/independent-node/tests/test_node.py b/independent-node/tests/test_node.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d98949e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/independent-node/tests/test_node.py
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+import importlib.util, json, tempfile, unittest
+from pathlib import Path
+
+P=Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1]/"node.py"
+spec=importlib.util.spec_from_file_location("inp",P); inp=importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec); spec.loader.exec_module(inp)
+
+class TestINP(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_hash_is_canonical(self):
+        self.assertEqual(inp.sha({"b":2,"a":1}),inp.sha({"a":1,"b":2}))
+    def test_tamper_rejected(self):
+        e=inp.make_envelope({"x":1},"node-a"); e["object"]["x"]=2
+        ok,msg=inp.verify_env(e); self.assertFalse(ok); self.assertIn("hash",msg)
+    def test_receive_preserves_origin_and_appends_hop(self):
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as t:
+            old=inp.STATE; inp.STATE=Path(t)
+            try:
+                e=inp.make_envelope({"x":1},"node-a"); origin=e["origin_sha256"]
+                status,r,out=inp.receive(e,"node-b")
+                self.assertEqual(status,200); self.assertEqual(r["result"],"PASS")
+                self.assertEqual(out["origin_sha256"],origin); self.assertEqual(len(out["lineage"]),1)
+            finally: inp.STATE=old
+
+if __name__=="__main__": unittest.main()