diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e23fd28..c9a4af5 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -391,6 +391,24 @@ APP_DATABASE__HOST=localhost
 APP_DATABASE__PORT=5432
 ```
 
+### Standalone `load_dotenv`
+
+```python
+from msgspec_ext import load_dotenv
+
+# Load .env file into os.environ (does not override existing vars)
+load_dotenv()
+
+# Load from a custom path
+load_dotenv("config/.env")
+
+# Override existing environment variables
+load_dotenv(".env", override=True)
+
+# Custom encoding
+load_dotenv(".env", encoding="latin-1")
+```
+
 ### Nested Configuration
 
 ```python
diff --git a/src/msgspec_ext/__init__.py b/src/msgspec_ext/__init__.py
index ce25982..1a3fc53 100644
--- a/src/msgspec_ext/__init__.py
+++ b/src/msgspec_ext/__init__.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import msgspec
 
+from .fast_dotenv import load_dotenv
 from .settings import BaseSettings, SettingsConfigDict, _dec_hook, _enc_hook
 from .types import (
     AnyUrl,
@@ -69,4 +70,5 @@
     "SettingsConfigDict",
     "dec_hook",
     "enc_hook",
+    "load_dotenv",
 ]