diff --git a/core/physics/identity_action.py b/core/physics/identity_action.py
index 8956bff1..9102a43d 100644
--- a/core/physics/identity_action.py
+++ b/core/physics/identity_action.py
@@ -25,14 +25,19 @@ lawful action: ``d_stab`` is a pass/fail distance, and callers must NOT soft-pro
 Enlarging ``H_id`` is a future, explicit, reviewed pack/policy change — never an
 implicit convenience here.
 
-Pure (numpy + identity_manifold only), deterministic, float64, off-serving. The
-lawful-only path composition and hard-break ledger (§3.4/§3.5) are a separate,
-later unit; this module provides only the per-turn stabilizer defect.
+Pure (numpy + identity_manifold only), deterministic, float64, off-serving. This
+module owns both the per-turn stabilizer defect (``d_stab``) and the lawful-only
+path ledger (§3.4/§3.5): the identity path composes ONLY the induced actions of
+turns certified lawful, refused turns insert break markers (never a soft-projected
+``I``), and a scope change forces a hard break onto a new chain.
 """
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import hashlib
+import json
 from dataclasses import dataclass
+from typing import Any, Sequence
 
 import numpy as np
 
@@ -129,3 +134,199 @@ def stabilizer_defect_for_versor(
     if stabilizer is None:
         stabilizer = IdentityStabilizer.singleton(action.shape[0])
     return stabilizer_defect(action, geometry.gram, stabilizer)
+
+
+# -- ADR-0246 §3.4/§3.5 lawful-only identity-path ledger -----------------------
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class PathBudget:
+    """Two-level lawfulness budget (ADR-0246 §3.4).
+
+    ``epsilon_turn`` bounds a single turn's ``d_stab`` (a large one-turn departure
+    refuses immediately); ``epsilon_session`` bounds the composed lawful path's
+    ``d_stab`` (slow accumulation of individually-lawful turns eventually refuses).
+    """
+
+    epsilon_turn: float
+    epsilon_session: float
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class IdentityChainScope:
+    """The scope that keys an identity-action chain (ADR-0246 §3.5).
+
+    Any change to these forces a **hard break** — a new chain that does NOT
+    continue the previous composed path. The frame, its geometry, the lawfulness
+    policy, the session, and (when explicit) the biography epoch each redefine
+    what "the path" means, so a path may only compose within a single scope.
+    """
+
+    pack_content_digest: str
+    geometry_version: str
+    policy_version: str
+    session_id: str
+    biography_epoch: str | None = None
+
+    def as_dict(self) -> dict[str, Any]:
+        return {
+            "pack_content_digest": self.pack_content_digest,
+            "geometry_version": self.geometry_version,
+            "policy_version": self.policy_version,
+            "session_id": self.session_id,
+            "biography_epoch": self.biography_epoch,
+        }
+
+
+def _chain_id(scope: IdentityChainScope, chain_index: int) -> str:
+    """Deterministic full-SHA-256 chain id (ADR-0245 §2.3 — no truncation).
+
+    Includes ``chain_index`` so a scope that recurs later in a session (e.g. a
+    pack A → B → A cycle) still yields a distinct chain id.
+    """
+    payload = json.dumps(
+        {**scope.as_dict(), "chain_index": int(chain_index)},
+        sort_keys=True,
+        separators=(",", ":"),
+    )
+    return hashlib.sha256(payload.encode("utf-8")).hexdigest()
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class IdentityPathLedger:
+    """Immutable snapshot of the lawful-only identity path (ADR-0246 §4.2).
+
+    ``a_path_lawful`` is the time-forward product of the induced actions of the
+    turns certified lawful within this chain (``I`` for an empty chain). Refused
+    turns are counted in ``break_count`` and excluded from the product — never
+    composed as ``I`` (that would be the soft-projection §3.4 forbids).
+    """
+
+    chain_id: str
+    scope: IdentityChainScope
+    chain_index: int
+    dimension: int
+    a_path_lawful: np.ndarray
+    d_stab_path: float
+    composed_turn_count: int
+    break_count: int
+    session_admit: bool
+
+    def ledger_digest(self) -> str:
+        """Full-SHA-256 content id over the path state (LE f64 byte-order)."""
+        digest = hashlib.sha256()
+        digest.update(self.chain_id.encode("utf-8"))
+        digest.update(
+            np.ascontiguousarray(self.a_path_lawful, dtype=np.dtype("<f8")).tobytes()
+        )
+        digest.update(
+            json.dumps(
+                [self.chain_index, self.composed_turn_count, self.break_count],
+                sort_keys=True,
+                separators=(",", ":"),
+            ).encode("utf-8")
+        )
+        return digest.hexdigest()
+
+    def as_dict(self) -> dict[str, Any]:
+        return {
+            "schema_version": "identity_path_v1",
+            "chain_id": self.chain_id,
+            "scope": self.scope.as_dict(),
+            "chain_index": self.chain_index,
+            "dimension": self.dimension,
+            "a_path_lawful": [
+                [float(x) for x in row] for row in self.a_path_lawful
+            ],
+            "d_stab_path": float(self.d_stab_path),
+            "composed_turn_count": self.composed_turn_count,
+            "break_count": self.break_count,
+            "session_admit": self.session_admit,
+            "ledger_digest": self.ledger_digest(),
+        }
+
+
+def advance_identity_path(
+    ledger: IdentityPathLedger | None,
+    scope: IdentityChainScope,
+    action: np.ndarray,
+    gram: np.ndarray,
+    budget: PathBudget,
+) -> tuple[IdentityPathLedger, dict[str, Any]]:
+    """Fold one turn's raw induced action into the lawful-only path (§3.4/§3.5).
+
+    Returns ``(new_ledger, turn_record)``. ``turn_record`` reports this turn's
+    ``lawful`` / ``d_stab_turn`` / ``path_break`` / ``hard_break``. A turn is
+    lawful iff ``d_stab(action) ≤ epsilon_turn`` under the locked singleton
+    ``H_id={I}``; only lawful turns compose. A scope change (or an absent prior
+    ledger) is a hard break that starts a fresh chain — the previous path is NOT
+    continued. Immutable: ``ledger`` is never mutated.
+    """
+    action = np.asarray(action, dtype=np.float64)
+    if action.ndim != 2 or action.shape[0] != action.shape[1]:
+        raise ValueError(
+            f"induced action must be a square matrix, got shape {action.shape}"
+        )
+    dimension = action.shape[0]
+    stabilizer = IdentityStabilizer.singleton(dimension)
+    d_stab_turn = stabilizer_defect(action, gram, stabilizer)
+    lawful = d_stab_turn <= budget.epsilon_turn
+
+    hard_break = ledger is None or ledger.scope != scope
+    if hard_break:
+        chain_index = 0 if ledger is None else ledger.chain_index + 1
+        a_path = np.eye(dimension, dtype=np.float64)
+        composed = 0
+        breaks = 0
+    else:
+        assert ledger is not None  # not a hard break ⇒ prior ledger exists
+        chain_index = ledger.chain_index
+        a_path = ledger.a_path_lawful
+        composed = ledger.composed_turn_count
+        breaks = ledger.break_count
+
+    if lawful:
+        # time-forward: later turns act on the left of the accumulated frame action
+        a_path = action @ a_path
+        composed += 1
+        path_break = False
+    else:
+        # break marker — excluded from the product; NOT composed as identity
+        breaks += 1
+        path_break = True
+
+    d_stab_path = stabilizer_defect(a_path, gram, stabilizer)
+    new_ledger = IdentityPathLedger(
+        chain_id=_chain_id(scope, chain_index),
+        scope=scope,
+        chain_index=chain_index,
+        dimension=dimension,
+        a_path_lawful=a_path,
+        d_stab_path=d_stab_path,
+        composed_turn_count=composed,
+        break_count=breaks,
+        session_admit=(d_stab_path <= budget.epsilon_session),
+    )
+    turn_record = {
+        "lawful": lawful,
+        "d_stab_turn": d_stab_turn,
+        "path_break": path_break,
+        "hard_break": hard_break,
+    }
+    return new_ledger, turn_record
+
+
+def raw_path_product(actions: Sequence[np.ndarray]) -> np.ndarray:
+    """Time-forward product of ALL actions, lawful or not — **forensic only**.
+
+    This is the category error §3.4 forbids for the live path (it mixes refused,
+    ill-conditioned, and leaked actions into a fake "holonomy"). It exists solely
+    so tests and forensics can demonstrate that the lawful-only product differs
+    from the naive raw product. Never use it to admit a turn.
+    """
+    if not actions:
+        raise ValueError("raw_path_product requires at least one action")
+    result = np.eye(np.asarray(actions[0]).shape[0], dtype=np.float64)
+    for action in actions:
+        result = np.asarray(action, dtype=np.float64) @ result
+    return result
diff --git a/docs/briefs/ADR-0246-induced-identity-action-and-path-integrity-preflight.md b/docs/briefs/ADR-0246-induced-identity-action-and-path-integrity-preflight.md
index 26f26c67..64be36a5 100644
--- a/docs/briefs/ADR-0246-induced-identity-action-and-path-integrity-preflight.md
+++ b/docs/briefs/ADR-0246-induced-identity-action-and-path-integrity-preflight.md
@@ -53,8 +53,8 @@ structure is stabilized would instrument lawfulness on a frame the dynamics igno
 | Unit | Scope | Status |
 |------|-------|--------|
 | **Slice 0** — mismatch diagnostic | evidence-only classification of the benign mismatch (foreign leakage vs in-span-unlawful vs numerical vs path vs semantic-coupling-absent) | **merged** `main` (quarantined diagnostic artifact); found: structural e4/e5 foreign leakage, declared frame dynamically unspecial |
-| **§3 primitives** (this unit) | pure `A(F)`, `d_orth`, `d_stab` vs locked `H_id={I}`, typed residual channels in `core/physics/identity_manifold.py` + `identity_action.py`; slice-0 eval rewired to consume them (single source of truth) | in progress — RED→GREEN, off-serving, flag untouched |
-| §3.4/§3.5 path ledger | lawful-only composition + hard breaks | next unit |
+| **§3 primitives** | pure `A(F)`, `d_orth`, `d_stab` vs locked `H_id={I}`, typed residual channels in `core/physics/identity_manifold.py` + `identity_action.py`; slice-0 eval rewired to consume them (single source of truth) | **committed** `feat/adr-0246-induced-action-primitives` (RED→GREEN, off-serving, flag untouched) — awaiting review |
+| **§3.4/§3.5 path ledger** (this unit) | lawful-only composition + hard breaks: `PathBudget`, `IdentityChainScope`, `IdentityPathLedger`, `advance_identity_path` in `identity_action.py`; refused turns = break markers (never soft-projected `I`); scope change = hard break onto new chain | in progress — RED→GREEN, off-serving; stacked on the primitives branch |
 | §3.7 gate admit surface | wire d_orth/d_stab/typed channels into `IdentityScore` (flag default-off) | after ledger |
 | §6 eval matrix + §11 feasibility | synthetic + path suites + discrimination report; the invariant/semantic-grounding feasibility study runs here as the **first consumer** of the §3 primitives (fixed cohort splits, synthetic recovery controls, typed e4/e5 generator analysis, precision pairs, adversarial discrimination) | after gate surface |
 | ADR-0246 body + acceptance packet | §10 criteria; no self-Accept | last |
diff --git a/tests/test_adr_0246_path_ledger.py b/tests/test_adr_0246_path_ledger.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..21308177
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_adr_0246_path_ledger.py
@@ -0,0 +1,229 @@
+"""ADR-0246 §3.4/§3.5 — lawful-only identity-path ledger pins (§6.2 path suite).
+
+The path ledger composes ONLY the induced actions of turns that were individually
+certified lawful (``d_stab ≤ ε_turn`` under the locked singleton ``H_id={I}``).
+Refused turns insert a break marker and are excluded from the product — never a
+soft-projected identity matrix masquerading as a pass (brief §3.4 / non-goal #11).
+A scope change (pack digest / geometry / policy / session / biography epoch) forces
+a hard break: a new ``chain_id`` and a fresh path (§3.5). Pure, off-serving.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import numpy as np
+import pytest
+
+from algebra.cl41 import N_COMPONENTS
+from core.physics.identity_manifold import IdentityManifoldGeometry
+from core.physics.identity_action import (
+    IdentityChainScope,
+    PathBudget,
+    advance_identity_path,
+    raw_path_product,
+)
+
+_E12, _E13 = 6, 7
+
+
+def _rotor(biv: int, theta: float) -> np.ndarray:
+    r = np.zeros(N_COMPONENTS, dtype=np.float64)
+    r[0] = np.cos(theta / 2.0)
+    r[biv] = np.sin(theta / 2.0)
+    return r
+
+
+def _identity_versor() -> np.ndarray:
+    v = np.zeros(N_COMPONENTS, dtype=np.float64)
+    v[0] = 1.0
+    return v
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="module")
+def geometry() -> IdentityManifoldGeometry:
+    return IdentityManifoldGeometry.from_directions(
+        ((1.0, 0.0, 0.0), (0.0, 1.0, 0.0), (0.0, 0.0, 1.0))
+    )
+
+
+def _scope(pack="packA", geom="geomV1", policy="polV1", session="sess1", bio=None):
+    return IdentityChainScope(
+        pack_content_digest=pack,
+        geometry_version=geom,
+        policy_version=policy,
+        session_id=session,
+        biography_epoch=bio,
+    )
+
+
+_BUDGET = PathBudget(epsilon_turn=0.1, epsilon_session=0.3)
+
+
+def _action(geometry, versor):
+    return geometry.induced_action(versor)
+
+
+def test_first_lawful_turn_starts_chain_near_identity(geometry):
+    ledger, rec = advance_identity_path(
+        None, _scope(), _action(geometry, _identity_versor()), geometry.gram, _BUDGET
+    )
+    assert rec["hard_break"] is True
+    assert rec["lawful"] is True and rec["path_break"] is False
+    assert ledger.composed_turn_count == 1 and ledger.break_count == 0
+    assert np.allclose(ledger.a_path_lawful, np.eye(3), atol=1e-12)
+    assert ledger.d_stab_path < 1e-12
+    assert ledger.session_admit is True
+
+
+def test_lawful_identity_sequence_stays_admitted(geometry):
+    ledger = None
+    for _ in range(20):
+        ledger, _ = advance_identity_path(
+            ledger, _scope(), _action(geometry, _identity_versor()), geometry.gram, _BUDGET
+        )
+    assert ledger.composed_turn_count == 20 and ledger.break_count == 0
+    assert np.allclose(ledger.a_path_lawful, np.eye(3), atol=1e-12)
+    assert ledger.session_admit is True
+
+
+def test_small_rotations_accumulate_to_session_refusal(geometry):
+    small = _action(geometry, _rotor(_E12, 0.05))  # each turn is lawful (small d_stab)
+    ledger = None
+    admitted_turns = 0
+    for _ in range(40):
+        ledger, rec = advance_identity_path(ledger, _scope(), small, geometry.gram, _BUDGET)
+        assert rec["lawful"] is True  # each small step passes ε_turn
+        admitted_turns += 1
+        if not ledger.session_admit:
+            break
+    # per-turn always lawful, but the composed path eventually breaches ε_session
+    assert ledger.session_admit is False
+    assert ledger.d_stab_path > _BUDGET.epsilon_session
+    assert ledger.composed_turn_count == admitted_turns
+
+
+def test_refused_turn_is_break_and_excluded(geometry):
+    ledger, _ = advance_identity_path(
+        None, _scope(), _action(geometry, _identity_versor()), geometry.gram, _BUDGET
+    )
+    before = ledger.a_path_lawful.copy()
+    big = _action(geometry, _rotor(_E12, np.pi / 2.0))  # 90° rotation: d_stab huge
+    ledger, rec = advance_identity_path(ledger, _scope(), big, geometry.gram, _BUDGET)
+    assert rec["lawful"] is False and rec["path_break"] is True
+    assert ledger.break_count == 1 and ledger.composed_turn_count == 1
+    # the refused action does NOT compose (no soft-projected I either): path unchanged
+    assert np.allclose(ledger.a_path_lawful, before, atol=1e-12)
+
+
+def test_interleaved_refuse_admit_records_raw(geometry):
+    ident = _action(geometry, _identity_versor())
+    big = _action(geometry, _rotor(_E12, np.pi / 2.0))
+    seq = [ident, big, ident, big, ident]
+    ledger = None
+    records = []
+    for a in seq:
+        ledger, rec = advance_identity_path(ledger, _scope(), a, geometry.gram, _BUDGET)
+        records.append(rec)
+    assert ledger.composed_turn_count == 3 and ledger.break_count == 2
+    assert [r["path_break"] for r in records] == [False, True, False, True, False]
+
+
+def test_hard_break_on_pack_digest_change(geometry):
+    ident = _action(geometry, _identity_versor())
+    ledger, _ = advance_identity_path(None, _scope(pack="packA"), ident, geometry.gram, _BUDGET)
+    id_a = ledger.chain_id
+    # drift the path a little so "not continued" is observable
+    small = _action(geometry, _rotor(_E12, 0.05))
+    ledger, _ = advance_identity_path(ledger, _scope(pack="packA"), small, geometry.gram, _BUDGET)
+    drifted = ledger.a_path_lawful.copy()
+    # pack change → hard break
+    ledger, rec = advance_identity_path(ledger, _scope(pack="packB"), ident, geometry.gram, _BUDGET)
+    assert rec["hard_break"] is True
+    assert ledger.chain_id != id_a
+    assert ledger.composed_turn_count == 1 and ledger.break_count == 0  # fresh chain
+    assert not np.allclose(ledger.a_path_lawful, drifted)  # old path not continued
+    assert np.allclose(ledger.a_path_lawful, np.eye(3), atol=1e-12)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "changed",
+    [
+        {"geom": "geomV2"},
+        {"policy": "polV2"},
+        {"session": "sess2"},
+        {"bio": "epoch2"},
+    ],
+)
+def test_hard_break_on_each_scope_dimension(geometry, changed):
+    ident = _action(geometry, _identity_versor())
+    ledger, _ = advance_identity_path(None, _scope(), ident, geometry.gram, _BUDGET)
+    base_id = ledger.chain_id
+    ledger, rec = advance_identity_path(ledger, _scope(**changed), ident, geometry.gram, _BUDGET)
+    assert rec["hard_break"] is True
+    assert ledger.chain_id != base_id
+
+
+def test_raw_product_differs_from_lawful_product(geometry):
+    ident = _action(geometry, _identity_versor())
+    big = _action(geometry, _rotor(_E12, np.pi / 2.0))
+    seq = [ident, big, ident]
+    ledger = None
+    for a in seq:
+        ledger, _ = advance_identity_path(ledger, _scope(), a, geometry.gram, _BUDGET)
+    # forensic pin: composing ALL raw actions (incl. the refused 90°) gives a very
+    # different result than the lawful-only product — the category error §3.4 forbids.
+    raw = raw_path_product(seq)
+    assert not np.allclose(raw, ledger.a_path_lawful)
+    assert np.allclose(ledger.a_path_lawful, np.eye(3), atol=1e-12)  # lawful excludes the big turn
+
+
+def test_chain_id_is_deterministic_full_sha256(geometry):
+    ident = _action(geometry, _identity_versor())
+    l1, _ = advance_identity_path(None, _scope(), ident, geometry.gram, _BUDGET)
+    l2, _ = advance_identity_path(None, _scope(), ident, geometry.gram, _BUDGET)
+    assert l1.chain_id == l2.chain_id
+    assert len(l1.chain_id) == 64
+    int(l1.chain_id, 16)  # valid hex
+
+
+def test_ledger_digest_deterministic_and_path_sensitive(geometry):
+    ident = _action(geometry, _identity_versor())
+    small = _action(geometry, _rotor(_E13, 0.05))
+    l1, _ = advance_identity_path(None, _scope(), ident, geometry.gram, _BUDGET)
+    l1b, _ = advance_identity_path(None, _scope(), ident, geometry.gram, _BUDGET)
+    assert l1.ledger_digest() == l1b.ledger_digest()
+    assert len(l1.ledger_digest()) == 64
+    l2, _ = advance_identity_path(l1, _scope(), small, geometry.gram, _BUDGET)
+    assert l2.ledger_digest() != l1.ledger_digest()
+
+
+def test_advance_is_immutable(geometry):
+    ident = _action(geometry, _identity_versor())
+    ledger, _ = advance_identity_path(None, _scope(), ident, geometry.gram, _BUDGET)
+    snapshot = ledger.a_path_lawful.copy()
+    count_before = ledger.composed_turn_count
+    _new, _ = advance_identity_path(
+        ledger, _scope(), _action(geometry, _rotor(_E12, 0.05)), geometry.gram, _BUDGET
+    )
+    assert ledger.composed_turn_count == count_before  # original untouched
+    assert np.allclose(ledger.a_path_lawful, snapshot)
+
+
+def test_as_dict_shape(geometry):
+    ledger, _ = advance_identity_path(
+        None, _scope(), _action(geometry, _identity_versor()), geometry.gram, _BUDGET
+    )
+    d = ledger.as_dict()
+    assert d["schema_version"] == "identity_path_v1"
+    assert d["chain_id"] == ledger.chain_id
+    assert d["composed_turn_count"] == 1
+    assert d["break_count"] == 0
+    assert d["session_admit"] is True
+    assert "a_path_lawful" in d and "d_stab_path" in d and "ledger_digest" in d
+
+
+def test_module_is_pure_offserving():
+    import core.physics.identity_action as a
+
+    with open(a.__file__, encoding="utf-8") as fh:
+        src = fh.read()
+    assert "chat.runtime" not in src and "import chat" not in src