diff --git a/archive/build.sh b/archive/build.sh
index 721a515..266d19f 100755
--- a/archive/build.sh
+++ b/archive/build.sh
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ concat_files \
   "js/app.js" \
   "../shared/help.js" \
   "../shared/elevation.js" \
+  "../shared/cap.js" \
   > "$js_raw"
 
 # Escape '</' in inlined JS so the HTML parser cannot mistake string contents
diff --git a/browse/build.sh b/browse/build.sh
index 1a0927f..937c6de 100755
--- a/browse/build.sh
+++ b/browse/build.sh
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ concat_files \
     "../shared/preview-lib.js" \
     "../shared/context-menu.js" \
     "../shared/elevation.js" \
+    "../shared/cap.js" \
     "../shared/icons.js" \
     "../shared/zddc-source.js" \
     "js/init.js" \
diff --git a/browse/js/loader.js b/browse/js/loader.js
index dd51bf6..04b6e00 100644
--- a/browse/js/loader.js
+++ b/browse/js/loader.js
@@ -40,8 +40,16 @@
             // Server-computed write authority — true if the policy
             // decider would allow a PUT for the calling principal.
             // Absent / false means "save will 403"; preview editors
-            // read this to mount in read-only mode.
+            // read this to mount in read-only mode. Superseded by
+            // verbs (below); kept in lockstep during the transition.
             writable: !!e.writable,
+            // Server-computed verb set: canonical "rwcda" subset the
+            // calling principal holds at this entry's URL. Per-entry
+            // gating in the context menu (Rename/Delete) reads this
+            // through zddc.cap.has(node, 'w'|'d'). Empty string is the
+            // explicit-deny case; absence (offline FS-API mode) makes
+            // zddc.cap.has fall back to the writable bit for 'w'.
+            verbs: typeof e.verbs === 'string' ? e.verbs : '',
             // FS-API specific (null in server mode):
             handle: null
         };
diff --git a/browse/js/tree.js b/browse/js/tree.js
index ed6e804..bdeeaf1 100644
--- a/browse/js/tree.js
+++ b/browse/js/tree.js
@@ -49,7 +49,14 @@
             // whether to mount read-only. Dropping the field here
             // silently makes every node read-only — the actual root
             // cause behind "I'm admin but the editor says read-only".
-            writable: !!raw.writable
+            writable: !!raw.writable,
+            // Server-computed verb set (canonical "rwcda" subset).
+            // Per-entry permission gating in the context menu reads
+            // this via zddc.cap.has(node, verb). Empty string = no
+            // verbs known / explicit deny; offline FS-API listings
+            // leave it empty and gating falls back to the writable
+            // bit through cap.has's transition shim.
+            verbs: typeof raw.verbs === 'string' ? raw.verbs : ''
         };
         state.nodes.set(id, node);
         return node;
diff --git a/classifier/build.sh b/classifier/build.sh
index 20d066a..14b41c1 100755
--- a/classifier/build.sh
+++ b/classifier/build.sh
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ concat_files \
   "js/excel.js" \
   "../shared/help.js" \
   "../shared/elevation.js" \
+  "../shared/cap.js" \
   > "$js_raw"
 
 # Escape '</' in inlined JS so the HTML parser cannot mistake string contents
diff --git a/form/build.sh b/form/build.sh
index 8f03208..4dcab94 100755
--- a/form/build.sh
+++ b/form/build.sh
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ concat_files \
   "../shared/logo.js" \
   "../shared/help.js" \
   "../shared/elevation.js" \
+  "../shared/cap.js" \
   "js/app.js" \
   "js/context.js" \
   "js/util.js" \
diff --git a/landing/build.sh b/landing/build.sh
index 267d605..72d32f7 100755
--- a/landing/build.sh
+++ b/landing/build.sh
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ concat_files \
   "../shared/logo.js" \
   "../shared/help.js" \
   "../shared/elevation.js" \
+  "../shared/cap.js" \
   "js/landing.js" \
   > "$js_raw"
 
diff --git a/shared/cap.js b/shared/cap.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..369b960
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shared/cap.js
@@ -0,0 +1,154 @@
+// shared/cap.js — client-side capability helpers for permission gating.
+//
+// Three small helpers, exposed under window.zddc.cap, that wrap the
+// server's verbs / /.profile/access?path / 403 missing_verb surface:
+//
+//   zddc.cap.at(path)            — Promise<AccessView|null>. Fetches
+//                                  /.profile/access?path=<urlpath> and
+//                                  memoises per-path for the session.
+//                                  Used by tools to gate top-of-page
+//                                  affordances (Publish, +Add row,
+//                                  +New folder) on PathVerbs.
+//   zddc.cap.has(node, verb)     — boolean. Reads node.verbs (string
+//                                  "rwcda"-subset) for the listed verb.
+//                                  Transition: falls back to
+//                                  node.writable for 'w' when verbs
+//                                  is absent, so the legacy field still
+//                                  drives gating on old listings.
+//   zddc.cap.handleForbidden(resp, opts) — given a 403 fetch Response,
+//                                  parses the JSON body for
+//                                  missing_verb and renders a toast.
+//                                  Offers "Elevate" when the path's
+//                                  /.profile/access?path= reports a
+//                                  path_can_elevate_grant covering the
+//                                  missing verb.
+//
+// Tools using this module must concat shared/cap.js AFTER shared/
+// toast.js (toast dependency) and shared/elevation.js (cookie shape).
+(function () {
+    'use strict';
+
+    if (!window.zddc) window.zddc = {};
+    if (window.zddc.cap) return;
+
+    var pathCache = new Map(); // path → AccessView (or null sentinel)
+
+    async function fetchAccess(path) {
+        try {
+            var url = '/.profile/access';
+            if (path) url += '?path=' + encodeURIComponent(path);
+            var resp = await fetch(url, {
+                headers: { 'Accept': 'application/json' },
+                credentials: 'same-origin',
+                cache: 'no-cache'
+            });
+            if (!resp.ok) return null;
+            return await resp.json();
+        } catch (_e) {
+            return null;
+        }
+    }
+
+    // at(path) — fetch path-scoped access view, memoised per path
+    // within the page session. Cache is page-scoped: any elevation
+    // toggle forces a hard reload (see shared/elevation.js), which
+    // resets the cache so stale-after-elevation isn't a concern. Pass
+    // null/undefined for the global view (no ?path=).
+    async function at(path) {
+        var key = path || '';
+        if (pathCache.has(key)) return pathCache.get(key);
+        var view = await fetchAccess(path);
+        pathCache.set(key, view);
+        return view;
+    }
+
+    // has(node, verb) — check a per-entry verbs string for a single
+    // verb. Verb is a one-character string ('r'|'w'|'c'|'d'|'a').
+    // Transition shim: when node.verbs is absent, fall back to
+    // node.writable for 'w' so the legacy field keeps editor save
+    // buttons working on old listings — drop this fallback once every
+    // tool's loader sets node.verbs unconditionally.
+    function has(node, verb) {
+        if (!node) return false;
+        if (typeof node.verbs === 'string') {
+            return node.verbs.indexOf(verb) !== -1;
+        }
+        if (verb === 'w' && typeof node.writable === 'boolean') {
+            return node.writable;
+        }
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    // VERB_LABELS — human-readable phrases for the 403 toast. "create"
+    // covers both new-file PUT and mkdir; "admin" includes .zddc edits.
+    var VERB_LABELS = {
+        r: 'read',
+        w: 'write',
+        c: 'create',
+        d: 'delete',
+        a: 'edit access rules'
+    };
+
+    // handleForbidden(resp, opts) — render a 403 toast naming the
+    // missing verb. opts.path (optional) is the URL the failed request
+    // hit; when provided, the helper consults /.profile/access?path= to
+    // decide whether to offer an Elevate action. opts.context is an
+    // optional string prefix shown before the verb message ("Save",
+    // "Delete", etc.) — purely cosmetic.
+    //
+    // Best-effort: when the body isn't JSON or missing_verb is
+    // absent, falls back to a plain "Forbidden" toast. Returns the
+    // Promise so callers can await before chaining.
+    async function handleForbidden(resp, opts) {
+        opts = opts || {};
+        var missing = '';
+        try {
+            var body = await resp.clone().json();
+            if (body && typeof body.missing_verb === 'string') {
+                missing = body.missing_verb;
+            }
+        } catch (_e) { /* non-JSON body */ }
+
+        var prefix = opts.context ? (opts.context + ': ') : '';
+        var verbLabel = VERB_LABELS[missing] || missing || '';
+        var msg;
+        if (verbLabel) {
+            msg = prefix + 'You do not have ' + verbLabel + ' access here.';
+        } else {
+            msg = prefix + 'Forbidden.';
+        }
+
+        // Optional elevate offer: only when the caller supplied a
+        // path AND the path-scoped access view reports an elevation
+        // grant covering the missing verb. Render as a clickable
+        // action appended to the toast message; clicking sets the
+        // elevation cookie and reloads, matching the header toggle.
+        var canOffer = false;
+        if (opts.path && missing) {
+            var view = await at(opts.path);
+            if (view && typeof view.path_can_elevate_grant === 'string'
+                && view.path_can_elevate_grant.indexOf(missing) !== -1) {
+                canOffer = true;
+            }
+        }
+
+        var toastFn = (window.zddc && window.zddc.toast) || function () {};
+        var el = toastFn(msg, 'error', { durationMs: 8000 });
+        if (canOffer && el && el.appendChild) {
+            var btn = document.createElement('button');
+            btn.type = 'button';
+            btn.className = 'zddc-toast__action';
+            btn.textContent = 'Elevate';
+            btn.addEventListener('click', function (ev) {
+                ev.stopPropagation(); // don't dismiss the toast
+                if (window.zddc.elevation && window.zddc.elevation.setElevated) {
+                    window.zddc.elevation.setElevated(true);
+                    window.location.reload();
+                }
+            });
+            el.appendChild(btn);
+        }
+    }
+
+    window.zddc.cap = { at: at, has: has, handleForbidden: handleForbidden };
+})();
diff --git a/shared/toast.css b/shared/toast.css
index 449adc9..fdd3fac 100644
--- a/shared/toast.css
+++ b/shared/toast.css
@@ -38,3 +38,22 @@
     from { transform: translateX(0);    opacity: 1; }
     to   { transform: translateX(100%); opacity: 0; }
 }
+
+/* Inline action button appended to a toast by zddc.cap.handleForbidden
+   when an Elevate path is offered. Stops click propagation on its own
+   so clicking the button doesn't also dismiss the toast. */
+.zddc-toast__action {
+    display: inline-block;
+    margin-left: 0.75rem;
+    padding: 0.25rem 0.75rem;
+    background: var(--accent, var(--text));
+    color: var(--bg);
+    border: none;
+    border-radius: var(--radius);
+    font-size: 0.8125rem;
+    font-weight: 600;
+    cursor: pointer;
+}
+.zddc-toast__action:hover {
+    filter: brightness(1.1);
+}
diff --git a/tables/build.sh b/tables/build.sh
index 2b2a667..d0dbfba 100755
--- a/tables/build.sh
+++ b/tables/build.sh
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ concat_files \
   "../shared/logo.js" \
   "../shared/help.js" \
   "../shared/elevation.js" \
+  "../shared/cap.js" \
   "../shared/context-menu.js" \
   "js/mode.js" \
   "js/app.js" \
diff --git a/transmittal/build.sh b/transmittal/build.sh
index 544134e..9a3da19 100755
--- a/transmittal/build.sh
+++ b/transmittal/build.sh
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ concat_files \
   "js/focus.js" \
   "../shared/help.js" \
   "../shared/elevation.js" \
+  "../shared/cap.js" \
   "js/main.js" \
   > "$js_raw"