diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index fa3ce51..69d2d5b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -211,6 +211,12 @@ The project includes a lightweight production deployment workflow:
 
 ---
 
+## 🩺 Health Check
+
+A lightweight endpoint used for uptime monitoring and deployment verification:
+
+`GET /api/health → { "status": "ok", "timestamp": "..." }`
+
 ## 🔄 Message Pipeline (RabbitMQ)
 
 This project implements a production-grade message pipeline:
diff --git a/app/DTOs/RegisterDTO.php b/app/DTOs/RegisterDTO.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ca2303f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/DTOs/RegisterDTO.php
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace App\DTOs;
+
+class RegisterDTO
+{
+    public function __construct(
+        public string $name,
+        public string $email,
+        public string $password
+    ) {}
+
+    /**
+     * @param array{
+     *     name: string,
+     *     email: string,
+     *     password: string
+     * } $data
+     */
+    public static function fromArray(array $data): self
+    {
+        return new self(
+            name: $data['name'],
+            email: $data['email'],
+            password: $data['password']
+        );
+    }
+}
diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/AuthController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/AuthController.php
index 212cc27..43abbee 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/AuthController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/AuthController.php
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 
 namespace App\Http\Controllers;
 
+use App\Http\Requests\RegisterRequest;
+use App\Http\Resources\UserResource;
+use App\Http\Services\AuthService;
 use Illuminate\Http\JsonResponse;
 use Illuminate\Http\Request;
 use Illuminate\Http\Response;
@@ -9,6 +12,14 @@
 
 class AuthController extends Controller
 {
+    public function register(RegisterRequest $request, AuthService $service): JsonResponse
+    {
+        $dto  = $request->toDTO();
+        $data = $service->register($dto);
+
+        return response()->json($data, 201);
+    }
+
     public function login(Request $request): JsonResponse
     {
         /** @var JWTGuard $guard */
@@ -56,11 +67,11 @@ public function logout(): Response
         return response()->noContent();
     }
 
-    public function me(): JsonResponse
+    public function me(): UserResource
     {
         /** @var JWTGuard $guard */
         $guard = auth('api');
 
-        return response()->json($guard->user());
+        return UserResource::make($guard->user());
     }
 }
diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/HealthController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/HealthController.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..238a14b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/HealthController.php
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace App\Http\Controllers;
+
+use Illuminate\Http\JsonResponse;
+
+class HealthController extends Controller
+{
+    public function __invoke(): JsonResponse
+    {
+        return response()->json([
+            'status'    => 'ok',
+            'timestamp' => now()->toISOString(),
+        ]);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/app/Http/Requests/RegisterRequest.php b/app/Http/Requests/RegisterRequest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6325c4f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/Http/Requests/RegisterRequest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace App\Http\Requests;
+
+use App\DTOs\RegisterDTO;
+use Illuminate\Foundation\Http\FormRequest;
+
+class RegisterRequest extends FormRequest
+{
+    /**
+     * Determine if the user is authorized to make this request.
+     */
+    public function authorize(): bool
+    {
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get the validation rules that apply to the request.
+     *
+     * @return array<string, \Illuminate\Contracts\Validation\ValidationRule|array<mixed>|string>
+     */
+    public function rules(): array
+    {
+        return [
+            'name'                  => ['required', 'string', 'max:80'],
+            'email'                 => ['required', 'string', 'email', 'max:255', 'unique:users,email'],
+            'password'              => ['required', 'string', 'min:8'],
+            'password_confirmation' => ['required', 'same:password'],
+        ];
+    }
+
+    public function toDTO(): RegisterDTO
+    {
+        return RegisterDTO::fromArray($this->validated());
+    }
+}
diff --git a/app/Http/Resources/UserResource.php b/app/Http/Resources/UserResource.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9331fcb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/Http/Resources/UserResource.php
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace App\Http\Resources;
+
+use App\Models\User;
+use Illuminate\Http\Request;
+use Illuminate\Http\Resources\Json\JsonResource;
+
+/**
+ * @mixin User
+ */
+class UserResource extends JsonResource
+{
+    /**
+     * Transform the resource into an array.
+     *
+     * @return array<string, mixed>
+     */
+    public function toArray(Request $request): array
+    {
+        return [
+            'id'         => $this->id,
+            'name'       => $this->name,
+            'email'      => $this->email,
+            'avatar_url' => $this->avatar_url,
+        ];
+    }
+}
diff --git a/app/Http/Services/AuthService.php b/app/Http/Services/AuthService.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ce93d31
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/Http/Services/AuthService.php
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace App\Http\Services;
+
+use App\DTOs\RegisterDTO;
+use App\Http\Resources\UserResource;
+use App\Models\User;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Hash;
+use PHPOpenSourceSaver\JWTAuth\JWTGuard;
+
+class AuthService
+{
+    /**
+     * @return array<string, mixed>
+     */
+    public function register(RegisterDTO $dto): array
+    {
+        $user = User::create([
+            'name'     => $dto->name,
+            'email'    => $dto->email,
+            'password' => Hash::make($dto->password),
+        ]);
+
+        /** @var JWTGuard $guard */
+        $guard = auth('api');
+        $token = $guard->login($user);
+
+        return [
+            'token'      => $token,
+            'token_type' => 'Bearer',
+            'expires_in' => (int) config('jwt.ttl', 60) * 60,
+            'user'       => UserResource::make($guard->user()),
+        ];
+    }
+}
diff --git a/docs/api-examples.md b/docs/api-examples.md
index a4aeb70..03fe6ce 100644
--- a/docs/api-examples.md
+++ b/docs/api-examples.md
@@ -6,7 +6,20 @@ This document contains practical examples showing how to interact with the Task
 
 ## Authentication
 
+### Register
+
+```bash
+POST /api/auth/register
+{
+  "name": "Demo",
+  "email": "demo@example.com",
+  "password": "secret123",
+  "password_confirmation": "secret123"
+}
+```
+
 ### Login
+
 ```bash
 POST /api/auth/login
 {
diff --git a/docs/openapi/openapi.yaml b/docs/openapi/openapi.yaml
index 8bb6a48..bd0aa58 100644
--- a/docs/openapi/openapi.yaml
+++ b/docs/openapi/openapi.yaml
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ tags:
     description: Add comments to tasks.
   - name: Task Labels
     description: Attach/detach labels to tasks.
+  - name: System
+    description: Lightweight system endpoints for health and uptime checks.
 
 security:
   - bearerAuth: []  # default: all endpoints require JWT unless overridden per-path
@@ -215,6 +217,43 @@ components:
       required: [data]
 
 paths:
+  /api/auth/register:
+    post:
+      operationId: auth_register
+      tags: [Auth]
+      security: []
+      summary: Register a new user
+      description: Create a new user account and automatically return a JWT access token.
+      requestBody:
+        required: true
+        content:
+          application/json:
+            schema:
+              type: object
+              properties:
+                name: { type: string, example: John Doe }
+                email: { type: string, format: email, example: john@example.com }
+                password: { type: string, format: password, minLength: 8, example: password123 }
+                password_confirmation: { type: string, format: password, minLength: 8, example: password123 }
+              required: [ name, email, password, password_confirmation ]
+      responses:
+        '201':
+          description: User registered successfully
+          content:
+            application/json:
+              schema:
+                type: object
+                properties:
+                  token: { type: string }
+                  token_type: { type: string, example: Bearer }
+                  expires_in: { type: integer, example: 3600 }
+                  user: { $ref: '#/components/schemas/User' }
+        '422':
+          description: Validation error
+          content:
+            application/json:
+              schema: { $ref: '#/components/schemas/ApiError' }
+
   /api/auth/login:
     post:
       operationId: auth_login
@@ -265,7 +304,11 @@ paths:
           description: OK
           content:
             application/json:
-              schema: { $ref: '#/components/schemas/User' }
+              schema:
+                type: object
+                properties:
+                  data:
+                    $ref: '#/components/schemas/User'
         '401':
           description: Unauthorized
 
@@ -815,3 +858,21 @@ paths:
         '403': { description: Forbidden }
         '404': { description: Not Found }
         '409': { description: Conflict (cross-project) }
+
+  /api/health:
+    get:
+      operationId: health_check
+      tags: [System]
+      security: []
+      summary: Health check endpoint
+      description: Lightweight health probe used by load balancers, uptime monitoring and deployment checks. Does not touch external dependencies and always returns quickly.
+      responses:
+        '200':
+          description: Service is healthy
+          content:
+            application/json:
+              schema:
+                type: object
+                properties:
+                  status: { type: string, example: ok }
+                  timestamp: { type: string, format: date-time, example: 2025-12-08T12:34:56Z }
diff --git a/docs/postman/task_manager_api.postman_collection.json b/docs/postman/task_manager_api.postman_collection.json
index 93f7225..2e5cb0f 100644
--- a/docs/postman/task_manager_api.postman_collection.json
+++ b/docs/postman/task_manager_api.postman_collection.json
@@ -17,6 +17,34 @@
     {
       "name": "Auth",
       "item": [
+        {
+          "name": "Register",
+          "request": {
+            "method": "POST",
+            "header": [
+              { "key": "Accept", "value": "application/json" },
+              { "key": "Content-Type", "value": "application/json" }
+            ],
+            "body": {
+              "mode": "raw",
+              "raw": "{\n  \"name\": \"{{$randomFullName}}\",\n  \"email\": \"{{$randomEmail}}\",\n  \"password\": \"secret123\",\n  \"password_confirmation\": \"secret123\"\n}"
+            },
+            "url": "{{base_url}}/api/auth/register"
+          },
+          "event": [
+            {
+              "listen": "test",
+              "script": {
+                "exec": [
+                  "pm.test('Status 201', () => pm.response.to.have.status(201));",
+                  "const json = pm.response.json();",
+                  "pm.expect(json).to.have.property('token');",
+                  "pm.environment.set('token', json.token);"
+                ]
+              }
+            }
+          ]
+        },
         {
           "name": "Login",
           "request": {
@@ -483,6 +511,20 @@
           }
         }
       ]
+    },
+    {
+      "name": "System",
+      "item": [
+        {
+          "name": "Health Check",
+          "request": {
+            "method": "GET",
+            "header": [],
+            "url": "{{base_url}}/api/health"
+          },
+          "response": []
+        }
+      ]
     }
   ]
 }
diff --git a/public/openapi/openapi.yaml b/public/openapi/openapi.yaml
index 8bb6a48..bd0aa58 100644
--- a/public/openapi/openapi.yaml
+++ b/public/openapi/openapi.yaml
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ tags:
     description: Add comments to tasks.
   - name: Task Labels
     description: Attach/detach labels to tasks.
+  - name: System
+    description: Lightweight system endpoints for health and uptime checks.
 
 security:
   - bearerAuth: []  # default: all endpoints require JWT unless overridden per-path
@@ -215,6 +217,43 @@ components:
       required: [data]
 
 paths:
+  /api/auth/register:
+    post:
+      operationId: auth_register
+      tags: [Auth]
+      security: []
+      summary: Register a new user
+      description: Create a new user account and automatically return a JWT access token.
+      requestBody:
+        required: true
+        content:
+          application/json:
+            schema:
+              type: object
+              properties:
+                name: { type: string, example: John Doe }
+                email: { type: string, format: email, example: john@example.com }
+                password: { type: string, format: password, minLength: 8, example: password123 }
+                password_confirmation: { type: string, format: password, minLength: 8, example: password123 }
+              required: [ name, email, password, password_confirmation ]
+      responses:
+        '201':
+          description: User registered successfully
+          content:
+            application/json:
+              schema:
+                type: object
+                properties:
+                  token: { type: string }
+                  token_type: { type: string, example: Bearer }
+                  expires_in: { type: integer, example: 3600 }
+                  user: { $ref: '#/components/schemas/User' }
+        '422':
+          description: Validation error
+          content:
+            application/json:
+              schema: { $ref: '#/components/schemas/ApiError' }
+
   /api/auth/login:
     post:
       operationId: auth_login
@@ -265,7 +304,11 @@ paths:
           description: OK
           content:
             application/json:
-              schema: { $ref: '#/components/schemas/User' }
+              schema:
+                type: object
+                properties:
+                  data:
+                    $ref: '#/components/schemas/User'
         '401':
           description: Unauthorized
 
@@ -815,3 +858,21 @@ paths:
         '403': { description: Forbidden }
         '404': { description: Not Found }
         '409': { description: Conflict (cross-project) }
+
+  /api/health:
+    get:
+      operationId: health_check
+      tags: [System]
+      security: []
+      summary: Health check endpoint
+      description: Lightweight health probe used by load balancers, uptime monitoring and deployment checks. Does not touch external dependencies and always returns quickly.
+      responses:
+        '200':
+          description: Service is healthy
+          content:
+            application/json:
+              schema:
+                type: object
+                properties:
+                  status: { type: string, example: ok }
+                  timestamp: { type: string, format: date-time, example: 2025-12-08T12:34:56Z }
diff --git a/routes/api.php b/routes/api.php
index 2493f8b..7454947 100644
--- a/routes/api.php
+++ b/routes/api.php
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 <?php
 
 use App\Http\Controllers\AuthController;
+use App\Http\Controllers\HealthController;
 use App\Http\Controllers\LabelController;
 use App\Http\Controllers\ProjectController;
 use App\Http\Controllers\ProjectMemberController;
@@ -9,8 +10,11 @@
 use App\Http\Controllers\TaskLabelController;
 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Route;
 
+Route::get('/health', HealthController::class);
+
 Route::middleware('jwt.auth')->group(function () {
     Route::scopeBindings()->group(function () {
+        Route::post('/auth/register', [AuthController::class, 'register'])->withoutMiddleware('jwt.auth');
         Route::post('/auth/login', [AuthController::class, 'login'])->withoutMiddleware('jwt.auth');
         Route::post('/auth/refresh', [AuthController::class, 'refresh']);
         Route::post('/auth/logout', [AuthController::class, 'logout']);
diff --git a/tests/Feature/Api/AuthApiTest.php b/tests/Feature/Api/AuthApiTest.php
index 8804369..98405f7 100644
--- a/tests/Feature/Api/AuthApiTest.php
+++ b/tests/Feature/Api/AuthApiTest.php
@@ -2,12 +2,76 @@
 
 use App\Models\User;
 
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Hash;
+use Illuminate\Testing\Fluent\AssertableJson;
+
+use function Pest\Laravel\assertDatabaseHas;
 use function Pest\Laravel\getJson;
 use function Pest\Laravel\postJson;
 use function Pest\Laravel\withHeaders;
 
 use PHPOpenSourceSaver\JWTAuth\JWTGuard;
 
+it('registers a new user and returns token + user resource', function () {
+    $payload = [
+        'name'                  => 'John Doe',
+        'email'                 => 'john@example.com',
+        'password'              => 'secret123',
+        'password_confirmation' => 'secret123',
+    ];
+
+    $response = postJson('/api/auth/register', $payload);
+
+    $response->assertCreated();
+
+    $response->assertJson(fn (AssertableJson $json) => $json->has('token')
+        ->where('token_type', 'Bearer')
+        ->has('expires_in')
+        ->has('user', fn ($json) => $json->where('name', 'John Doe')
+            ->where('email', 'john@example.com')
+            ->etc()
+        )
+    );
+
+    assertDatabaseHas('users', [
+        'name'  => 'John Doe',
+        'email' => 'john@example.com',
+    ]);
+
+    $user = User::firstWhere('email', 'john@example.com');
+    expect(Hash::check('secret123', $user->password))->toBeTrue();
+});
+
+it('fails if email already exists', function () {
+    User::factory()->create(['email' => 'dup@example.com']);
+
+    $payload = [
+        'name'                  => 'Test',
+        'email'                 => 'dup@example.com',
+        'password'              => 'password123',
+        'password_confirmation' => 'password123',
+    ];
+
+    $response = postJson('/api/auth/register', $payload);
+
+    $response->assertUnprocessable()
+        ->assertJsonValidationErrors(['email']);
+});
+
+it('fails when validation rules are not met', function () {
+    $payload = [
+        'name'                  => '',
+        'email'                 => 'not-an-email',
+        'password'              => '123',
+        'password_confirmation' => '456',
+    ];
+
+    $response = postJson('/api/auth/register', $payload);
+
+    $response->assertUnprocessable()
+        ->assertJsonValidationErrors(['name', 'email', 'password']);
+});
+
 it('login works and returns bearer token', function () {
     $pwd  = 'secret123';
     $user = User::factory()->create(['password' => bcrypt($pwd)]);
@@ -40,7 +104,7 @@
 
     requestAs($user, 'GET', '/api/auth/me')
         ->assertOk()
-        ->assertJson(['id' => $user->id]);
+        ->assertJsonPath('data.id', $user->id);
 
     requestAs($user, 'POST', '/api/auth/refresh')
         ->assertOk()
diff --git a/tests/Feature/Api/HealthCheckTest.php b/tests/Feature/Api/HealthCheckTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..29efb9d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Feature/Api/HealthCheckTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+<?php
+
+use Illuminate\Testing\Fluent\AssertableJson;
+
+use function Pest\Laravel\getJson;
+
+it('returns ok for health check', function () {
+    $response = getJson('/api/health');
+
+    $response->assertOk()
+        ->assertJson(fn (AssertableJson $json) => $json->where('status', 'ok')
+            ->has('timestamp')
+        );
+});