diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index e6442b2..0787951 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -29,3 +29,4 @@ scrapers/.debug/
 scrapers/raw_scrapes/
 
 compose.override.yml
+config/license.json
diff --git a/app/wizard/tiers.py b/app/wizard/tiers.py
index cd100d4..81c846f 100644
--- a/app/wizard/tiers.py
+++ b/app/wizard/tiers.py
@@ -65,3 +65,32 @@ def tier_label(feature: str) -> str:
     if required is None:
         return ""
     return "🔒 Paid" if required == "paid" else "⭐ Premium"
+
+
+def effective_tier(
+    profile=None,
+    license_path=None,
+    public_key_path=None,
+) -> str:
+    """Return the effective tier for this installation.
+
+    Priority:
+    1. profile.dev_tier_override (developer mode override)
+    2. License JWT verification (offline RS256 check)
+    3. "free" (fallback)
+
+    license_path and public_key_path default to production paths when None.
+    Pass explicit paths in tests to avoid touching real files.
+    """
+    if profile and getattr(profile, "dev_tier_override", None):
+        return profile.dev_tier_override
+
+    from scripts.license import effective_tier as _license_tier
+    from pathlib import Path as _Path
+
+    kwargs = {}
+    if license_path is not None:
+        kwargs["license_path"] = _Path(license_path)
+    if public_key_path is not None:
+        kwargs["public_key_path"] = _Path(public_key_path)
+    return _license_tier(**kwargs)
diff --git a/tests/test_license_tier_integration.py b/tests/test_license_tier_integration.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0b78481
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_license_tier_integration.py
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+import json
+import pytest
+from pathlib import Path
+from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
+from unittest.mock import patch
+from cryptography.hazmat.primitives.asymmetric import rsa
+from cryptography.hazmat.primitives import serialization
+import jwt as pyjwt
+
+
+@pytest.fixture()
+def license_env(tmp_path):
+    """Returns (private_pem, public_path, license_path) for tier integration tests."""
+    private_key = rsa.generate_private_key(public_exponent=65537, key_size=2048)
+    private_pem = private_key.private_bytes(
+        encoding=serialization.Encoding.PEM,
+        format=serialization.PrivateFormat.TraditionalOpenSSL,
+        encryption_algorithm=serialization.NoEncryption(),
+    )
+    public_pem = private_key.public_key().public_bytes(
+        encoding=serialization.Encoding.PEM,
+        format=serialization.PublicFormat.SubjectPublicKeyInfo,
+    )
+    public_path = tmp_path / "public.pem"
+    public_path.write_bytes(public_pem)
+    license_path = tmp_path / "license.json"
+    return private_pem, public_path, license_path
+
+
+def _write_jwt_license(license_path, private_pem, tier="paid", days=30):
+    now = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
+    token = pyjwt.encode({
+        "sub": "CFG-PRNG-TEST", "product": "peregrine", "tier": tier,
+        "iat": now, "exp": now + timedelta(days=days),
+    }, private_pem, algorithm="RS256")
+    license_path.write_text(json.dumps({"jwt": token, "grace_until": None}))
+
+
+def test_effective_tier_free_without_license(tmp_path):
+    from app.wizard.tiers import effective_tier
+    tier = effective_tier(
+        profile=None,
+        license_path=tmp_path / "missing.json",
+        public_key_path=tmp_path / "key.pem",
+    )
+    assert tier == "free"
+
+
+def test_effective_tier_paid_with_valid_license(license_env):
+    private_pem, public_path, license_path = license_env
+    _write_jwt_license(license_path, private_pem, tier="paid")
+    from app.wizard.tiers import effective_tier
+    tier = effective_tier(profile=None, license_path=license_path,
+                          public_key_path=public_path)
+    assert tier == "paid"
+
+
+def test_effective_tier_dev_override_takes_precedence(license_env):
+    """dev_tier_override wins even when a valid license is present."""
+    private_pem, public_path, license_path = license_env
+    _write_jwt_license(license_path, private_pem, tier="paid")
+
+    class FakeProfile:
+        dev_tier_override = "premium"
+
+    from app.wizard.tiers import effective_tier
+    tier = effective_tier(profile=FakeProfile(), license_path=license_path,
+                          public_key_path=public_path)
+    assert tier == "premium"