diff --git a/src/specify_cli/__init__.py b/src/specify_cli/__init__.py
index 5651ac722..d9bfe0627 100644
--- a/src/specify_cli/__init__.py
+++ b/src/specify_cli/__init__.py
@@ -487,8 +487,21 @@ def show_banner():
     console.print(Align.center(Text(TAGLINE, style="italic bright_yellow")))
     console.print()
 
+def _version_callback(value: bool):
+    """Print CLI version and exit."""
+    if value:
+        ver = get_speckit_version()
+        print(f"specify {ver}")
+        raise typer.Exit()
+
+
 @app.callback()
-def callback(ctx: typer.Context):
+def callback(
+    ctx: typer.Context,
+    version: Optional[bool] = typer.Option(
+        None, "--version", "-V", help="Show version and exit.", callback=_version_callback, is_eager=True
+    ),
+):
     """Show banner when no subcommand is provided."""
     if ctx.invoked_subcommand is None and "--help" not in sys.argv and "-h" not in sys.argv:
         show_banner()
diff --git a/tests/test_ai_skills.py b/tests/test_ai_skills.py
index 3eec4a419..26a3cbf0c 100644
--- a/tests/test_ai_skills.py
+++ b/tests/test_ai_skills.py
@@ -632,6 +632,49 @@ def test_ai_skills_flag_appears_in_help(self):
         assert "agent skills" in plain.lower()
 
 
+class TestVersionFlag:
+    """Test --version flag (GitHub issue #486)."""
+
+    def test_version_flag_exits_zero(self):
+        """--version should exit with code 0."""
+        from typer.testing import CliRunner
+
+        runner = CliRunner()
+        result = runner.invoke(app, ["--version"])
+
+        assert result.exit_code == 0
+
+    def test_version_flag_prints_version(self):
+        """--version should print 'specify <version>'."""
+        from typer.testing import CliRunner
+
+        runner = CliRunner()
+        result = runner.invoke(app, ["--version"])
+
+        assert result.output.strip().startswith("specify ")
+
+    def test_short_version_flag(self):
+        """-V should behave the same as --version."""
+        from typer.testing import CliRunner
+
+        runner = CliRunner()
+        result = runner.invoke(app, ["-V"])
+
+        assert result.exit_code == 0
+        assert result.output.strip().startswith("specify ")
+
+    def test_version_flag_appears_in_help(self):
+        """--version and -V should appear in the help output."""
+        from typer.testing import CliRunner
+
+        runner = CliRunner()
+        result = runner.invoke(app, ["--help"])
+
+        plain = re.sub(r'\x1b\[[0-9;]*m', '', result.output)
+        assert "--version" in plain
+        assert "-V" in plain
+
+
 class TestParameterOrderingIssue:
     """Test fix for GitHub issue #1641: parameter ordering issues."""