diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/lint.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/lint.ts
index 990901d9..867dc3cb 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/lint.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/lint.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 // limitations under the License.
 
 import { defineCommand } from 'citty';
-import { lint } from '../linter/index.js';
+import { colorBlindContrastRule, DEFAULT_RULE_DESCRIPTORS, lint } from '../linter/index.js';
 import { readInput, formatOutput } from '../utils.js';
 
 export default defineCommand({
@@ -32,10 +32,17 @@ export default defineCommand({
       description: 'Output format: json or text',
       default: 'json',
     },
+    cvd: {
+      type: 'boolean',
+      description: 'Also run the opt-in color-blind (CVD) contrast check',
+      default: false,
+    },
   },
   async run({ args }) {
     const content = await readInput(args.file);
-    const report = lint(content);
+    const report = args.cvd
+      ? lint(content, { rules: [...DEFAULT_RULE_DESCRIPTORS, colorBlindContrastRule] })
+      : lint(content);
 
     const output = {
       findings: report.findings,
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/linter/index.ts b/packages/cli/src/linter/index.ts
index 2cf5037c..8c1e32fb 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/linter/index.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/linter/index.ts
@@ -33,13 +33,15 @@ export type { DtcgEmitterResult, DtcgTokenFile } from './dtcg/spec.js';
 
 // ── Advanced linting ───────────────────────────────────────────────
 export { runLinter, preEvaluate } from './linter/runner.js';
-export { DEFAULT_RULES } from './linter/rules/index.js';
+export { DEFAULT_RULES, DEFAULT_RULE_DESCRIPTORS } from './linter/rules/index.js';
 export type { LintRule } from './linter/rules/types.js';
 export type { GradedTokenEdits, TokenEditEntry } from './linter/spec.js';
 export {
   brokenRef,
   missingPrimary,
   contrastCheck,
+  colorBlindContrastCheck,
+  colorBlindContrastRule,
   orphanedTokens,
   tokenSummary,
   missingSections,
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/linter/lint.ts b/packages/cli/src/linter/lint.ts
index b25dbfd8..d746decb 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/linter/lint.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/linter/lint.ts
@@ -19,12 +19,12 @@ import { runLinter } from './linter/runner.js';
 import { TailwindEmitterHandler } from './tailwind/handler.js';
 import type { DesignSystemState } from './model/spec.js';
 import type { Finding } from './linter/spec.js';
-import type { LintRule } from './linter/rules/types.js';
+import type { LintRule, RuleDescriptor } from './linter/rules/types.js';
 import type { TailwindEmitterResult } from './tailwind/spec.js';
 
 export interface LintOptions {
   /** Custom lint rules. Defaults to DEFAULT_RULES if omitted. */
-  rules?: LintRule[];
+  rules?: LintRule[] | RuleDescriptor[];
 }
 
 export interface LintReport {
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/linter/linter/rules/color-blind-contrast.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/linter/linter/rules/color-blind-contrast.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..19c69407
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/src/linter/linter/rules/color-blind-contrast.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+// Copyright 2026 Google LLC
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+import { describe, it, expect } from 'bun:test';
+import { colorBlindContrastCheck, colorBlindContrastRule } from './color-blind-contrast.js';
+import { DEFAULT_RULE_DESCRIPTORS } from './index.js';
+import { buildState } from './test-helpers.js';
+
+describe('colorBlindContrastCheck', () => {
+  it('emits warnings for low simulated contrast pairs', () => {
+    const state = buildState({
+      components: {
+        'button-danger': { backgroundColor: '#FFFFFF', textColor: '#E44001' },
+      },
+    });
+
+    const findings = colorBlindContrastCheck(state);
+
+    expect(findings.some(finding => finding.message.includes('under protanopia simulation'))).toBe(true);
+    expect(findings.some(finding => finding.message.includes('under deuteranopia simulation'))).toBe(true);
+    expect(findings.every(finding => finding.path === 'components.button-danger')).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('returns empty for CVD-safe contrast pairs', () => {
+    const state = buildState({
+      components: {
+        'button-good': { backgroundColor: '#FFFFFF', textColor: '#000000' },
+      },
+    });
+
+    const findings = colorBlindContrastCheck(state);
+
+    expect(findings.length).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  it('is not present in default rule descriptors', () => {
+    expect(DEFAULT_RULE_DESCRIPTORS.some(rule => rule.name === colorBlindContrastRule.name)).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/linter/linter/rules/color-blind-contrast.ts b/packages/cli/src/linter/linter/rules/color-blind-contrast.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4ab4ce15
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/src/linter/linter/rules/color-blind-contrast.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+// Copyright 2026 Google LLC
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+import type { DesignSystemState, ResolvedColor, ResolvedValue } from '../../model/spec.js';
+import { contrastRatio, parseColor } from '../../model/handler.js';
+import type { RuleDescriptor, RuleFinding } from './types.js';
+
+const CVD_CONTRAST_MINIMUM = 3;
+
+type SimulationMatrix = readonly [
+  readonly [number, number, number],
+  readonly [number, number, number],
+  readonly [number, number, number],
+];
+
+const COLOR_BLIND_SIMULATIONS: Array<{ name: string; matrix: SimulationMatrix }> = [
+  {
+    name: 'protanopia',
+    matrix: [
+      [0.567, 0.433, 0],
+      [0.558, 0.442, 0],
+      [0, 0.242, 0.758],
+    ],
+  },
+  {
+    name: 'deuteranopia',
+    matrix: [
+      [0.625, 0.375, 0],
+      [0.7, 0.3, 0],
+      [0, 0.3, 0.7],
+    ],
+  },
+  {
+    name: 'tritanopia',
+    matrix: [
+      [0.95, 0.05, 0],
+      [0, 0.433, 0.567],
+      [0, 0.475, 0.525],
+    ],
+  },
+];
+
+/**
+ * Color-blind contrast — warns when simulated component backgroundColor/textColor
+ * pairs fall below the 3:1 floor.
+ */
+export function colorBlindContrastCheck(state: DesignSystemState): RuleFinding[] {
+  const findings: RuleFinding[] = [];
+  for (const [compName, comp] of state.components) {
+    const bgValue = comp.properties.get('backgroundColor');
+    const textValue = comp.properties.get('textColor');
+    if (!bgValue || !textValue) continue;
+
+    const bgColor = resolveToColor(bgValue);
+    const textColor = resolveToColor(textValue);
+    if (!bgColor || !textColor) continue;
+
+    for (const { name, matrix } of COLOR_BLIND_SIMULATIONS) {
+      const simBg = simulate(bgColor, matrix);
+      const simText = simulate(textColor, matrix);
+      const ratio = contrastRatio(simBg, simText);
+      if (ratio < CVD_CONTRAST_MINIMUM) {
+        findings.push({
+          path: `components.${compName}`,
+          message: `component '${compName}' contrast ${ratio.toFixed(2)}:1 under ${name} simulation (bg ${simBg.hex} on fg ${simText.hex}) is below the 3:1 floor`,
+        });
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  return findings;
+}
+
+function simulate(color: ResolvedColor, matrix: SimulationMatrix): ResolvedColor {
+  const r = color.r / 255;
+  const g = color.g / 255;
+  const b = color.b / 255;
+
+  const simR = matrix[0][0] * r + matrix[0][1] * g + matrix[0][2] * b;
+  const simG = matrix[1][0] * r + matrix[1][1] * g + matrix[1][2] * b;
+  const simB = matrix[2][0] * r + matrix[2][1] * g + matrix[2][2] * b;
+
+  return parseColor(toHex(simR, simG, simB));
+}
+
+function toHex(r: number, g: number, b: number): string {
+  return `#${toHexChannel(r)}${toHexChannel(g)}${toHexChannel(b)}`;
+}
+
+function toHexChannel(value: number): string {
+  return Math.round(clamp(value) * 255)
+    .toString(16)
+    .padStart(2, '0');
+}
+
+function clamp(value: number): number {
+  return Math.min(1, Math.max(0, value));
+}
+
+function resolveToColor(value: ResolvedValue): ResolvedColor | null {
+  if (typeof value === 'object' && value !== null && 'type' in value && value.type === 'color') {
+    return value as ResolvedColor;
+  }
+  return null;
+}
+
+export const colorBlindContrastRule: RuleDescriptor = {
+  name: 'color-blind-contrast',
+  severity: 'warning',
+  description: 'Color-blind contrast — warns when simulated component backgroundColor/textColor pairs fall below the 3:1 floor.',
+  run: colorBlindContrastCheck,
+};
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/linter/linter/rules/index.ts b/packages/cli/src/linter/linter/rules/index.ts
index 92a525ab..5dc1e44d 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/linter/linter/rules/index.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/linter/linter/rules/index.ts
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ export const DEFAULT_RULES: LintRule[] = DEFAULT_RULE_DESCRIPTORS.map(toLintRule
 export { brokenRef } from './broken-ref.js';
 export { missingPrimary } from './missing-primary.js';
 export { contrastCheck } from './contrast-ratio.js';
+export { colorBlindContrastCheck, colorBlindContrastRule } from './color-blind-contrast.js';
 export { orphanedTokens } from './orphaned-tokens.js';
 export { tokenSummary } from './token-summary.js';
 export { missingSections } from './missing-sections.js';