diff --git a/src/app/api/v1/admin/tenancies-module/disable/route.ts b/src/app/api/v1/admin/tenancies-module/disable/route.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..66fc313a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/api/v1/admin/tenancies-module/disable/route.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import { NextResponse } from 'next/server';
+
+import { withAuth, withPermission } from '@/lib/api/helpers';
+import { errorResponse } from '@/lib/errors';
+import { disableTenanciesModule } from '@/lib/services/tenancies-module.service';
+
+/**
+ * POST /api/v1/admin/tenancies-module/disable — admin-driven disable.
+ * Data is preserved; only the rendering surfaces hide. Frontend warns
+ * the operator about the row count before calling this.
+ */
+export const POST = withAuth(
+  withPermission('admin', 'manage_settings', async (_req, ctx) => {
+    try {
+      await disableTenanciesModule(ctx.portId);
+      return new NextResponse(null, { status: 204 });
+    } catch (error) {
+      return errorResponse(error);
+    }
+  }),
+);
diff --git a/src/app/api/v1/admin/tenancies-module/enable/route.ts b/src/app/api/v1/admin/tenancies-module/enable/route.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7b6d192e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/api/v1/admin/tenancies-module/enable/route.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+import { NextResponse } from 'next/server';
+
+import { withAuth, withPermission } from '@/lib/api/helpers';
+import { errorResponse } from '@/lib/errors';
+import { enableTenanciesModule } from '@/lib/services/tenancies-module.service';
+
+/**
+ * POST /api/v1/admin/tenancies-module/enable — admin-driven enable.
+ * Idempotent; flipping an already-enabled module is a no-op.
+ */
+export const POST = withAuth(
+  withPermission('admin', 'manage_settings', async (_req, ctx) => {
+    try {
+      await enableTenanciesModule(ctx.portId);
+      return new NextResponse(null, { status: 204 });
+    } catch (error) {
+      return errorResponse(error);
+    }
+  }),
+);
diff --git a/src/app/api/v1/admin/tenancies-module/status/route.ts b/src/app/api/v1/admin/tenancies-module/status/route.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b2b70d78
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/api/v1/admin/tenancies-module/status/route.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import { NextResponse } from 'next/server';
+
+import { withAuth, withPermission } from '@/lib/api/helpers';
+import { errorResponse } from '@/lib/errors';
+import { isTenanciesModuleEnabled } from '@/lib/services/tenancies-module.service';
+
+/**
+ * GET /api/v1/admin/tenancies-module/status — surface whether the module
+ * is currently enabled (via setting OR lazy "any row exists" sentinel)
+ * so the admin Operations page can render the toggle in the correct state.
+ */
+export const GET = withAuth(
+  withPermission('admin', 'manage_settings', async (_req, ctx) => {
+    try {
+      const enabled = await isTenanciesModuleEnabled(ctx.portId);
+      return NextResponse.json({ data: { enabled } });
+    } catch (error) {
+      return errorResponse(error);
+    }
+  }),
+);
diff --git a/src/lib/services/tenancies-module.service.ts b/src/lib/services/tenancies-module.service.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3c8bc4b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/services/tenancies-module.service.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+/**
+ * Tenancies module gate. The entire Tenancies surface (sidebar entry,
+ * entity tabs, top-level page, dashboard widgets, webhook auto-create
+ * branch) is hidden by default and only surfaces when EITHER:
+ *
+ *   (a) at least one `berth_reservations` row exists for the port
+ *       (lazy auto-enable on first creation), OR
+ *   (b) an admin has explicitly enabled the module via
+ *       `system_settings.tenancies_module_enabled` (default false).
+ *
+ * Per the locked decision (2026-05-25): a sold berth stays sold without
+ * any tenancy data — the platform does not assume tenancies exist for
+ * sold berths. The module only surfaces when one of the two conditions
+ * above is true.
+ *
+ * See `docs/tenancies-design.md` for the full rationale + UX flow.
+ */
+
+import { and, eq, isNull, or } from 'drizzle-orm';
+
+import { db } from '@/lib/db';
+import { systemSettings } from '@/lib/db/schema/system';
+import { berthReservations } from '@/lib/db/schema/reservations';
+import { NotFoundError } from '@/lib/errors';
+
+/**
+ * Resolve whether the Tenancies module is currently active for the
+ * given port. Honors both the explicit admin setting AND the lazy
+ * "any row exists" sentinel.
+ *
+ * Performance: two indexed reads; the row-exists check uses `LIMIT 1`
+ * so it stops at the first match. Cached at the service boundary via
+ * react-query in the UI; never called inside tight loops on the server.
+ */
+export async function isTenanciesModuleEnabled(portId: string): Promise<boolean> {
+  // 1. Admin setting check (port-scoped row first, fall back to global).
+  const settingRow = await db
+    .select({ value: systemSettings.value })
+    .from(systemSettings)
+    .where(
+      and(
+        eq(systemSettings.key, 'tenancies_module_enabled'),
+        or(eq(systemSettings.portId, portId), isNull(systemSettings.portId)),
+      ),
+    )
+    .limit(1);
+  if (settingRow[0]?.value === true) return true;
+
+  // 2. Lazy auto-enable: any row in the table flips the module on for
+  //    the rest of the app, even when the admin setting is still false.
+  //    Once any port has a tenancy, the module's UX is justified.
+  const rowCheck = await db
+    .select({ id: berthReservations.id })
+    .from(berthReservations)
+    .where(eq(berthReservations.portId, portId))
+    .limit(1);
+  return rowCheck.length > 0;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Idempotent helper for the webhook auto-create branch + admin-driven
+ * enables to call. Inserts/updates the system_settings row to true.
+ * Safe to call when already enabled (UPSERT on key+port).
+ */
+export async function enableTenanciesModule(portId: string): Promise<void> {
+  await db
+    .insert(systemSettings)
+    .values({
+      key: 'tenancies_module_enabled',
+      portId,
+      value: true,
+    })
+    .onConflictDoUpdate({
+      target: [systemSettings.key, systemSettings.portId],
+      set: { value: true, updatedAt: new Date() },
+    });
+}
+
+/**
+ * Admin-driven disable. Does NOT delete any tenancies rows — those
+ * remain in the database and surface again when the module is re-enabled.
+ * The frontend warns the operator about the row count before calling
+ * this, so by the time it lands here the intent is confirmed.
+ */
+export async function disableTenanciesModule(portId: string): Promise<void> {
+  await db
+    .insert(systemSettings)
+    .values({
+      key: 'tenancies_module_enabled',
+      portId,
+      value: false,
+    })
+    .onConflictDoUpdate({
+      target: [systemSettings.key, systemSettings.portId],
+      set: { value: false, updatedAt: new Date() },
+    });
+}
+
+/**
+ * Convenience throw-on-disabled helper for route handlers and services
+ * that should hard-fail (404 / NotFound) when the module is off. Most
+ * Tenancies-scoped routes wrap their handler body in this.
+ */
+export async function assertTenanciesModuleEnabled(portId: string): Promise<void> {
+  const enabled = await isTenanciesModuleEnabled(portId);
+  if (!enabled) {
+    // Route handlers map NotFoundError to 404; the sidebar + entity tabs
+    // independently gate so the rep never sees a link that would 404.
+    throw new NotFoundError('Tenancies module is not enabled for this port.');
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/lib/settings/registry.ts b/src/lib/settings/registry.ts
index d96fa1a4..aba52898 100644
--- a/src/lib/settings/registry.ts
+++ b/src/lib/settings/registry.ts
@@ -600,6 +600,24 @@ export const REGISTRY: SettingEntry[] = [
     placeholder: 'Cold',
   },
 
+  // ─── Operations - Tenancies module ────────────────────────────────────────
+  // Platform-wide gate for the Tenancies (occupancy-record) surface area.
+  // Disabled by default. A first row INSERT on the `tenancies` table flips
+  // this on automatically (`pg_advisory_xact_lock` per port keeps the flip
+  // race-safe). Admins can also enable explicitly from Admin -> Operations,
+  // and disabling with existing rows is a soft hide (data is preserved but
+  // invisible until re-enabled).
+  {
+    key: 'tenancies_module_enabled',
+    section: 'operations.tenancies',
+    label: 'Tenancies module',
+    description:
+      'When enabled, the platform tracks who occupies each berth (Tenancies). Without it, sold berths stay sold but the platform does not model the occupancy record. Auto-enables on the first tenancy created (e.g. via a signed Reservation Agreement).',
+    type: 'boolean',
+    scope: 'port',
+    defaultValue: false,
+  },
+
   // ─── Residential - partner forwarding ──────────────────────────────────────
   {
     key: 'residential_partner_recipients',