diff --git a/contracts/README.md b/contracts/README.md
index 2f6b5209..842cb06e 100644
--- a/contracts/README.md
+++ b/contracts/README.md
@@ -37,3 +37,6 @@ verified integrity, dependencies, tool paths and attachment requirements.
 `attach(resolved, runtime, operation)` returns a recorded attachment. Removal must
 not alter the language image or delete project data. Feature 002 tests one real
 Bundledock artifact after examining its upstream documentation and format.
+
+## CLI contracts
+- [`cli/exit-codes.json`](cli/exit-codes.json): frozen `whr` exit-code table, proposed in [ADR 0013](../docs/adr/0013-whr-exit-codes.md) (H15:b).
diff --git a/contracts/cli/exit-codes.json b/contracts/cli/exit-codes.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..abbd424a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contracts/cli/exit-codes.json
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+{
+  "schema_version": 1,
+  "contract": "whr-exit-codes",
+  "decision": "H15:b",
+  "adr": "docs/adr/0013-whr-exit-codes.md",
+  "status": "proposed",
+  "cli_range": { "min": 64, "max": 79, "reserved_unassigned": [75, 76, 77, 78, 79] },
+  "codes": [
+    { "code": 0, "name": "ok", "category": "success" },
+    { "code": 64, "name": "usage", "category": "usage" },
+    { "code": 65, "name": "not_found", "category": "not-found", "note": "includes a missing session interface" },
+    { "code": 66, "name": "unauthenticated", "category": "authentication" },
+    { "code": 67, "name": "forbidden", "category": "authorization" },
+    { "code": 68, "name": "conflict", "category": "conflict-or-wrong-state" },
+    { "code": 69, "name": "incompatible_contract", "category": "incompatible-contract-version", "note": "both versions named; a missing interface is 65" },
+    { "code": 70, "name": "needs_human", "category": "needs-human" },
+    { "code": 71, "name": "timeout", "category": "timeout" },
+    { "code": 72, "name": "interrupted", "category": "interrupted" },
+    { "code": 73, "name": "partial_failure", "category": "partial-failure" },
+    { "code": 74, "name": "internal", "category": "unclassified-failure" }
+  ],
+  "remote_status": {
+    "commands": ["shell", "console", "ssh", "agent attach"],
+    "passthrough_range": { "min": 0, "max": 255 },
+    "ambiguity": "A remote status may equal a CLI code in 64-79; with --json (not available for ssh) the exit kind disambiguates; for ssh a status in 64-79 is ambiguous by design.",
+    "json_exit_event_kind": ["cli", "remote"],
+    "human_mode_cli_failure": "stderr line prefixed 'whr:' (FR-017)",
+    "transport_loss": 72
+  },
+  "freeze": {
+    "test_file": "apps/whr/internal/exitcode/table_test.go",
+    "test_ids": [
+      "TestExitTableMatchesContract",
+      "TestExitTableCodesUniqueAndInRange",
+      "TestEveryExitPathMapsToCode",
+      "TestRemoteStatusPassthrough0_1_255",
+      "TestCLIFailureAnnouncedOnStderrAndKindCLI"
+    ],
+    "offline": true
+  }
+}
diff --git a/docs/adr/0013-whr-exit-codes.md b/docs/adr/0013-whr-exit-codes.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cddaba8b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/adr/0013-whr-exit-codes.md
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+# 0013-whr-exit-codes: A fresh `whr` exit-code table
+
+Date: 2026-10-14
+Status: Proposed; owner decision H15:b recorded 2026-10-13
+
+## Context
+
+Feature 006 requires one published, frozen exit-code table (FR-018) and
+pass-through of remote statuses 0-255 for interactive commands (FR-019).
+[ADR 0010](0010-go-whr-cli-layout.md) defers the numbers to this ADR. Owner
+decision H15:b: start fresh. The legacy `whr` table (0-10) and the development
+script tables of features 003 and 004 are reference only and are not inherited.
+Related: [ADR 0006](0006-optional-ai-execution.md),
+[ADR 0009](0009-in-container-ai-agents.md),
+[ADR 0011](0011-readonly-spec-dashboard.md),
+[ADR 0012](0012-persistent-workspace-console.md). The `whr` feature spec is
+[006](../../specs/006-whr-cli/spec.md).
+
+## Decision
+
+### Table
+
+CLI-owned codes live in 64-79 (the BSD sysexits neighbourhood, clear of the
+ubiquitous 1 and 2, shell-reserved 126-127 and signal statuses 128+n). 75-79 stay
+reserved and unassigned; any change to this table needs a new ADR that supersedes it.
+
+| Code | Name | Category and use |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| 0 | ok | Success |
+| 64 | usage | Bad arguments, flags or unsupported `--json` |
+| 65 | not_found | Workspace, host, agent, operation, session or session interface absent; a missing interface uses 65, not 69 |
+| 66 | unauthenticated | No, expired or revoked credential; remediation hint issued |
+| 67 | forbidden | Authenticated but not authorized, including foreign workspaces |
+| 68 | conflict | Conflict or wrong state, including idempotency-key mismatch |
+| 69 | incompatible_contract | Incompatible session/contract version; both versions named (FR-029, US5-4) |
+| 70 | needs_human | Required human decision refused in unattended or answer-file mode, or not given (FR-013) |
+| 71 | timeout | Deadline exceeded; operation neither cancelled nor reported complete; operation id printed |
+| 72 | interrupted | User interrupt, or transport lost during an interactive command |
+| 73 | partial_failure | Multi-step command stopped midway; completed and remaining steps listed |
+| 74 | internal | Unclassified failure; never used where a category above applies |
+
+### Relation to remote status passthrough
+
+`shell`, `console`, `ssh` and `agent attach` exit with the remote status 0-255
+unchanged when the remote side exits (FR-019); on transport loss they exit 72.
+Remote statuses are not remapped or clamped, because passthrough must stay faithful
+for scripts. Overlap with 64-79 is therefore possible and is accepted. Instead of a
+second channel that scripts would have to learn, the CLI keeps itself
+distinguishable by two existing signals:
+
+1. Every CLI-owned failure also writes a `whr:` line to standard error. This is
+   advisory in human mode: remote stderr is relayed, so a remote program
+   (including `whr` inside the workspace) can print a similar line.
+2. With `--json` (not available for `ssh`), the exit event carries `kind` of `cli`
+   or `remote`, plus the code.
+
+For `ssh`, a status in 64-79 is ambiguous by design, including a remote 72 versus
+transport-loss 72. Scripts needing certainty use `shell` or `console` with `--json`.
+
+Choosing 64-79 keeps the common remote statuses (0, 1, 2, 126, 127, 130, 255)
+collision-free. Scripts that must tell the two apart in the rare overlap read the
+JSON `kind` (not for `ssh`). Non-interactive commands only ever use the table above.
+
+### Freeze test plan
+
+The table is frozen by the language-neutral contract
+[`contracts/cli/exit-codes.json`](../../contracts/cli/exit-codes.json). Planned Go
+tests in `apps/whr/internal/exitcode/table_test.go` (offline, no network, no
+credentials, per [ADR 0007](0007-explicit-ci-acceptance.md); they must be listed
+in the CI acceptance manifest when implemented):
+
+- `TestExitTableMatchesContract`: the Go table equals the contract file entry by
+  entry (code, name, category); any difference fails.
+- `TestExitTableCodesUniqueAndInRange`: codes are unique, 0 or within 64-74, and
+  reserved codes 75-79 are unassigned.
+- `TestEveryExitPathMapsToCode`: each failure category, including missing and
+  incompatible session interface and unattended refusals, maps to its code (SC-012).
+- `TestRemoteStatusPassthrough0_1_255`: `shell`, `console`, `ssh` and
+  `agent attach` return remote statuses 0, 1 and 255 unchanged, and 72 on
+  transport loss.
+- `TestCLIFailureAnnouncedOnStderrAndKindCLI`: CLI failures print `whr:` and mark
+  `kind: cli`; remote statuses mark `kind: remote` and print no `whr:` line.
+
+A change to the contract file or these tests needs a new ADR that supersedes this
+table, not a silent edit.
+
+## Owner confirmation requested
+
+The 64-79 range, the 74 internal catch-all and the accepted passthrough overlap.
+
+## Consequences
+
+Release documentation publishes this table (FR-018). Nothing is implemented and no
+check has run for this ADR; the tests above are a plan only.
diff --git a/docs/index.md b/docs/index.md
index 22a8b7d5..815e4c91 100644
--- a/docs/index.md
+++ b/docs/index.md
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 - [Go product code and whr CLI layout (proposed)](adr/0010-go-whr-cli-layout.md)
 - [Read-only Spec Kit dashboard (proposed)](adr/0011-readonly-spec-dashboard.md)
 - [Persistent workspace console (proposed)](adr/0012-persistent-workspace-console.md)
+- [Fresh whr exit-code table (proposed)](adr/0013-whr-exit-codes.md)
 
 ## Background and references