diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index e348b798..705bcffc 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ longer requires cloning this repo.
   leads with `bun install -g @fcon-tech/portolan`.
 - Governor-blocked, honestly so: first manual release, npm trusted
   publisher config, registry listing (task 6.2) — `blocked`, not ready.
-  License field decision also pending the Governor (repo declares none).
+  License decided right after merge: MIT (`LICENSE` + `license` field).
 
 ## 0.4.4 — 2026-09-02
 
diff --git a/LICENSE b/LICENSE
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..63212d94
--- /dev/null
+++ b/LICENSE
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+MIT License
+
+Copyright (c) 2026 fcon-tech
+
+Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+
+The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+
+THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
+SOFTWARE.
diff --git a/openspec/changes/archive/2026-09-02-distribution-pass/governor-runbook.md b/openspec/changes/archive/2026-09-02-distribution-pass/governor-runbook.md
index 79f36aa4..5438f812 100644
--- a/openspec/changes/archive/2026-09-02-distribution-pass/governor-runbook.md
+++ b/openspec/changes/archive/2026-09-02-distribution-pass/governor-runbook.md
@@ -16,12 +16,11 @@ checked 2026-09-02 (design.md — Explore findings).
    bun install && npm pack && npm publish --access public
    ```
    The manual release uses your own `npm login` — no OIDC involved
-   (trusted publishing matters only for the later CI job). npm will
-   warn about the missing `license` field — decide BEFORE running: add a
-   LICENSE file + `license` field, or set `"license": "UNLICENSED"`
-   honestly. This is your call, not the agent's.
+   (trusted publishing matters only for the later CI job). RESOLVED
+   2026-09-02: the Governor chose MIT — LICENSE + `"license": "MIT"` are
+   in the tree; no npm license warning is expected.
 3. In the package's npm settings → "Trusted Publisher": link
-   github.com/fcon-tech/portolan, workflow `publish.yml`. (One trusted
+   github.com/fcon-tech/portolan, workflow `ci.yml` (the `publish` job). (One trusted
    publisher per package. The CI job's publish step runs Node 22 +
    npm ≥11.5.1 on a GitHub-hosted runner — nothing for you to install.)
 
@@ -57,6 +56,4 @@ report — that is task 6.2, the last `blocked` item.
 
 ## Deliberately not decided here
 
-- LICENSE choice (repo has none) — your decision; npm needs a `license`
-  field before the publish is clean.
 - Unpublish/rollback procedure — manual, decided if ever needed.
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index d1302044..ba1f4f23 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -29,5 +29,6 @@
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "ajv": "^8.20.0"
-  }
+  },
+  "license": "MIT"
 }