diff --git a/pkg/ciclassifier/classifier.go b/pkg/ciclassifier/classifier.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c2c9eeca8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/ciclassifier/classifier.go
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+package ciclassifier
+
+import "strings"
+
+// Check contains normalized check fields required for CI state classification.
+type Check struct {
+	Status     string
+	Conclusion string
+	Name       string
+	Context    string
+	Details    string
+	Title      string
+	Summary    string
+	Text       string
+}
+
+// Classify maps raw checks into deterministic triage categories.
+func Classify(checks []Check) string {
+	if len(checks) == 0 {
+		return "no checks"
+	}
+
+	pending := false
+	failed := false
+	policyBlocked := false
+
+	for _, check := range checks {
+		status := strings.ToLower(check.Status)
+		conclusion := strings.ToLower(check.Conclusion)
+		summary := strings.ToLower(strings.Join([]string{
+			check.Name,
+			check.Context,
+			check.Details,
+			check.Title,
+			check.Summary,
+			check.Text,
+		}, " "))
+
+		if strings.Contains(summary, "resource not accessible by integration") ||
+			strings.Contains(summary, "insufficient permission") ||
+			strings.Contains(summary, "insufficient permissions") ||
+			strings.Contains(summary, "not authorized") ||
+			strings.Contains(summary, "forbidden") ||
+			strings.Contains(summary, "cla") {
+			policyBlocked = true
+		}
+
+		switch status {
+		case "pending", "queued", "in_progress", "requested", "waiting":
+			pending = true
+		}
+
+		switch conclusion {
+		case "failure", "timed_out", "cancelled", "action_required", "startup_failure", "stale":
+			failed = true
+		}
+	}
+
+	if policyBlocked {
+		return "policy-blocked"
+	}
+	if failed {
+		return "failed"
+	}
+	if pending {
+		return "pending"
+	}
+	return "passed"
+}
diff --git a/pkg/ciclassifier/classifier_test.go b/pkg/ciclassifier/classifier_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..52eb7ba71
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/ciclassifier/classifier_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+package ciclassifier
+
+import "testing"
+
+func TestClassifyNoChecks(t *testing.T) {
+	if got := Classify(nil); got != "no checks" {
+		t.Fatalf("expected no checks, got %q", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestClassifyPending(t *testing.T) {
+	checks := []Check{{Status: "in_progress"}}
+	if got := Classify(checks); got != "pending" {
+		t.Fatalf("expected pending, got %q", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestClassifyFailed(t *testing.T) {
+	checks := []Check{{Conclusion: "failure"}}
+	if got := Classify(checks); got != "failed" {
+		t.Fatalf("expected failed, got %q", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestClassifyPolicyBlockedWins(t *testing.T) {
+	checks := []Check{{Conclusion: "failure", Summary: "Resource not accessible by integration"}}
+	if got := Classify(checks); got != "policy-blocked" {
+		t.Fatalf("expected policy-blocked, got %q", got)
+	}
+}