diff --git a/api/dependecyInjection.go b/api/dependecyInjection.go
index c866698..6367f4b 100644
--- a/api/dependecyInjection.go
+++ b/api/dependecyInjection.go
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ func getUseCases(repos *Repositories, settings config.Settings) *UseCases {
 		UpdateArticleUseCase:    useCases.NewUpdateArticleUseCase(repos.ArticleRepo),
 		DeleteArticleUseCase:    useCases.NewDeleteArticleUseCase(repos.ArticleRepo, repos.ImageRepo),
 		GetUserUseCase:          useCases.NewGetUserUseCase(repos.UserRepo),
-		CreateUserUseCase:       useCases.NewCreateUserUseCase(repos.UserRepo, hasher),
+		CreateUserUseCase:       useCases.NewCreateUserUseCase(repos.UserRepo, hasher, repos.MailRepo, settings.PublicURL),
 		UpdateUserUseCase:       useCases.NewUpdateUserUseCase(repos.UserRepo, hasher),
 		AuthenticateUserUseCase: useCases.NewAuthenticateUserUseCase(repos.UserRepo, hasher),
 		DeleteUserUseCase:       useCases.NewDeleteUserUseCase(repos.UserRepo),
diff --git a/api/handlers/auth/authHandler.go b/api/handlers/auth/authHandler.go
index c199b03..b613107 100644
--- a/api/handlers/auth/authHandler.go
+++ b/api/handlers/auth/authHandler.go
@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@ package auth
 import (
 	"RenewCMS/api/pkg/apperr"
 	validator "RenewCMS/api/pkg/validator"
+	"RenewCMS/internal/domain/user"
 	"RenewCMS/internal/infrastructure/useCases"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
 	"net/http"
 	"time"
 
@@ -70,16 +72,6 @@ func (h *Handler) SetJwtCookie(w *http.ResponseWriter, userId uint32) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (h *Handler) SomeUsersVerified() bool {
-	users := h.ListUseCase.ListUsers()
-	for _, localUser := range users {
-		if localUser.IsVerified {
-			return true
-		}
-	}
-	return false
-}
-
 func (h *Handler) IsUserTableEmpty() bool {
 	users := h.ListUseCase.ListUsers()
 	return len(users) == 0
@@ -138,11 +130,6 @@ func (h *Handler) Login(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 }
 
 func (h *Handler) Register(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
-	if h.SomeUsersVerified() {
-		http.Error(w, "You are not allowed to create a user. Log in or reset database.", http.StatusForbidden)
-		return
-	}
-
 	var credentials RegisterCredentials
 	err := json.NewDecoder(r.Body).Decode(&credentials)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -162,7 +149,11 @@ func (h *Handler) Register(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		Email:    credentials.Email,
 	})
 	if err != nil {
-		http.Error(w, err.Error(), http.StatusInternalServerError)
+		if errors.Is(err, user.ErrRegistrationClosed) {
+			http.Error(w, apperr.RegistrationClosedErrorMessage, http.StatusForbidden)
+			return
+		}
+		http.Error(w, apperr.RegistrationFailedErrorMessage, http.StatusInternalServerError)
 		return
 	}
 
diff --git a/api/pkg/apperr/messages.go b/api/pkg/apperr/messages.go
index 0f84a72..cf12b27 100644
--- a/api/pkg/apperr/messages.go
+++ b/api/pkg/apperr/messages.go
@@ -5,3 +5,5 @@ const BodyErrorMessage = "The request cannot be processed due to a mismatch in t
 const IdUint32ErrorMessage = "The server expects the ID to be in the format of an unsigned 32-bit integer (uint32)."
 const ArticleNotFoundErrorMessage = "Article not found"
 const ArticleTitleErrorMessage = "Article title must be between 3 and 200 characters."
+const RegistrationClosedErrorMessage = "You are not allowed to create a user. Log in or reset database."
+const RegistrationFailedErrorMessage = "Registration failed. Please try again later."
diff --git a/features/registration_gate_and_verification_email.feature b/features/registration_gate_and_verification_email.feature
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ef3023c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features/registration_gate_and_verification_email.feature
@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+Feature: Registration is only open while no verified account exists, and it sends a time-limited verification email
+
+  As the maintainer of RenewCMS
+  I want the "is registration still open" rule enforced by the create-user use case instead of the
+    auth handler, and a verification email sent on every successful registration whose link uses the
+    configured public URL and whose code expires two hours after creation
+  So that the business rule is testable independently of HTTP, and a newly registered user always
+    receives a working, time-limited verification link built from the server's own configuration
+
+  Background:
+    Given POST /v1/auth/register is public, decodes RegisterCredentials (username, password, email)
+      and validates them with validator.Validate.Struct before anything else
+    And today, the gate lives in api/handlers/auth.Handler.SomeUsersVerified, which calls
+      ListUsersUseCase.ListUsers and loops over IsVerified before the body is even decoded; this slice
+      moves that check into CreateUserUseCase.CreateUser, which consults user.Repository.GetAll itself
+      and returns the sentinel user.ErrRegistrationClosed when at least one existing user already has
+      IsVerified true
+    And the handler stops performing the check itself and stops calling ListUsersUseCase for this
+      purpose: it calls CreateUserUseCase.CreateUser unconditionally and maps user.ErrRegistrationClosed
+      to a 403 response with the same text it returns today, "You are not allowed to create a user. Log
+      in or reset database.", now defined as a named constant in api/pkg/apperr (e.g.
+      apperr.RegistrationClosedErrorMessage) instead of an inline literal in the handler
+    And CreateUserUseCase.CreateUser already sets VerificationExpiration to time.Now().Add(2 * time.Hour)
+      and returns the raw (unhashed) verification code while storing only its hash; this slice does not
+      change that expiry computation
+    And the email send moves into CreateUserUseCase itself: NewCreateUserUseCase gains a mail.Repository
+      (the existing domain interface) and the configured public URL string as constructor parameters,
+      both injected from config.Settings.PublicURL in api/dependecyInjection.go; the handler no longer
+      sends mail and no longer holds a SendMailUseCase or PublicURL itself
+    And after user.Repository.Create succeeds, CreateUserUseCase.CreateUser calls
+      mail.Repository.Send with the user's email, template "mailValidation"
+      (internal/infrastructure/mailer/templates/mailValidation.html, which renders a link from
+      "{{.Host}}/register/validate?c={{.VerificationCode}}"), and data whose Host is the injected public
+      URL and whose VerificationCode is the raw (unhashed) code
+    And if mail.Repository.Send returns an error, CreateUserUseCase.CreateUser deletes the
+      just-created user through user.Repository.Delete and returns an error wrapping the send failure,
+      so no half-registered user is left behind and the same username and email can be used to register
+      again
+    And the handler maps that CreateUser error to a 500 response and never sets the jwt cookie in that
+      case, since CreateUser itself never returned a created user
+
+  Scenario: Registration succeeds when no verified user exists and sends the verification email
+    Given the user repository is empty
+    When the client sends POST /v1/auth/register with username "alice", password "hunter2example12",
+      email "alice@example.com"
+    Then the response status is 200
+    And a jwt cookie is set
+    And exactly one email was sent to "alice@example.com" using template "mailValidation"
+    And that email's data has VerificationCode equal to the raw code returned by CreateUser, not its
+      stored hash
+
+  Scenario: The verification email's Host reflects the injected public URL
+    Given a config.Settings value with PublicURL "https://cms.example.com"
+    And the registration flow is built from that settings value
+    When the client sends POST /v1/auth/register with username "alice", password "hunter2example12",
+      email "alice@example.com"
+    Then the email sent to "alice@example.com" has data.Host equal to "https://cms.example.com"
+    And changing the process environment variable PUBLIC_URL afterward does not change that value on a
+      second registration built from the same settings value
+
+  Scenario: The stored verification code expires two hours after creation
+    Given the user repository is empty
+    When the client sends POST /v1/auth/register with username "alice", password "hunter2example12",
+      email "alice@example.com"
+    Then the created user's VerificationExpiration is within 5 seconds of time.Now().Add(2 * time.Hour)
+
+  Scenario: Registration is rejected once a verified user exists, and no email is sent
+    Given the user repository contains a user "alice" with IsVerified true
+    When the client sends POST /v1/auth/register with username "bob", password "hunter2example12",
+      email "bob@example.com"
+    Then the response status is 403
+    And the response body is "You are not allowed to create a user. Log in or reset database."
+    And the user repository still contains only "alice"
+    And no email was sent
+
+  Scenario: A failed verification email rolls back the just-created user
+    Given the user repository is empty
+    And the mail repository is set to fail on its next Send call
+    When the client sends POST /v1/auth/register with username "alice", password "hunter2example12",
+      email "alice@example.com"
+    Then the response status is 500
+    And no jwt cookie is set
+    And the user repository no longer contains a user named "alice"
+    When the client then sends POST /v1/auth/register again with username "alice",
+      password "hunter2example12", email "alice@example.com", and the mail repository now succeeds
+    Then the response status is 200
+    And a jwt cookie is set
+
+  Scenario: The create-user use case itself enforces the gate, independently of any handler
+    Given a user.Repository fake containing one user with IsVerified true
+    And a CreateUserUseCase built directly over that fake, a hasher and a mail.Repository fake
+    When CreateUser is called with username "bob", password "hunter2example12", email "bob@example.com"
+    Then the call returns user.ErrRegistrationClosed, asserted with errors.Is
+    And the fake repository's Create method was never invoked
+    And no email was sent
+
+  Scenario: The create-user use case allows registration while every existing user is unverified
+    Given a user.Repository fake containing two users, both with IsVerified false
+    And a CreateUserUseCase built directly over that fake, a hasher and a mail.Repository fake
+    When CreateUser is called with username "carol", password "hunter2example12",
+      email "carol@example.com"
+    Then the call succeeds and returns a user with IsVerified false
+    And exactly one email was sent to "carol@example.com" using template "mailValidation"
+
+  Scenario: The create-user use case rolls back the user when the mail repository fails
+    Given an empty user.Repository fake
+    And a CreateUserUseCase built directly over that fake, a hasher and a mail.Repository fake set to
+      fail on its next Send call
+    When CreateUser is called with username "alice", password "hunter2example12",
+      email "alice@example.com"
+    Then the call returns an error wrapping the mail repository's failure
+    And the fake repository no longer contains a user named "alice"
diff --git a/features/registration_gate_and_verification_email.qa.md b/features/registration_gate_and_verification_email.qa.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ef7a94b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features/registration_gate_and_verification_email.qa.md
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+# QA procedure: registration_gate_and_verification_email
+
+Package: `test` (black-box), extending `test/user_test.go` (mockUserRepo, stubHasher) and
+`test/mail_test.go` (mockMailRepo, recordedMail, failSwitch).
+
+## Setup shared by every case
+1. Call `validator.InitValidator()` once.
+2. Use-case-level checks build:
+   `useCases.NewCreateUserUseCase(repo, &stubHasher{}, mailRepo, "https://cms.example.com")`
+   where `repo` is a `mockUserRepo` and `mailRepo` is a `mockMailRepo`. Use `mailRepo.fail.failNext("Send")`
+   to force the next `Send` call to fail for the rollback cases.
+3. HTTP-level checks wire `mockUserRepo`, `mockMailRepo`,
+   `useCases.NewCreateUserUseCase(repo, &stubHasher{}, mailRepo, publicURL)`,
+   `useCases.NewListUsersUseCase(repo)`, `useCases.NewGetUserUseCase(repo)`,
+   `useCases.NewAuthenticateUserUseCase(repo, ...)` into `auth.NewHandler(...)` (which no longer takes a
+   mail use case or a public URL) with a test `jwtauth.New("HS256", []byte("test-secret"), nil)`. Mount
+   `POST /v1/auth/register` unprotected on a fresh `chi.NewRouter()` mirroring `api/router.go`. No live
+   server, no real SMTP. Default `publicURL` for cases that don't care about its value is
+   `"https://cms.example.com"`.
+
+## Use-case-level checks (no HTTP)
+4. Repository pre-populated with one verified user (`IsVerified: true`). Call `CreateUser` with a new
+   username/email/password. Assert `errors.Is(err, user.ErrRegistrationClosed)`. Assert the repository's
+   `Create` was never called (e.g. repo's user count is unchanged, or a `fail.failNext("Create")`
+   sentinel that would only trip if reached). Assert `mailRepo.SentEmails` is empty.
+5. Repository pre-populated with two unverified users. Call `CreateUser` with a new username. Assert
+   `err == nil`, the returned user has `IsVerified == false`, and `mailRepo.SentEmails` has exactly one
+   entry for the new user's email with `Template == "mailValidation"`.
+6. On an empty repository, call `CreateUser`. Assert `err == nil` and
+   `abs(result.VerificationExpiration.Sub(time.Now().Add(2*time.Hour))) < 5*time.Second`.
+7. On an empty repository, set `mailRepo.fail.failNext("Send")`. Call `CreateUser` with
+   username "alice"/email "alice@example.com". Assert `err != nil` (wrapping the mail repository's
+   failure, e.g. `errors.Is(err, errRepositoryFailure)` per the existing `failSwitch` convention). Assert
+   `repo.GetByUsername("alice")` returns `user.ErrUserNotFound` (the created row was deleted). Then clear
+   the failure and call `CreateUser` again with the same username/email → assert `err == nil`.
+
+## HTTP-level checks (fakes, per the shared setup above)
+8. `POST /v1/auth/register` with `{"username":"alice","password":"hunter2example12","email":"alice@example.com"}`
+   against an empty `mockUserRepo` → assert status `200`, a `Set-Cookie: jwt=...` header present.
+   Assert `mailRepo.SentEmails` has exactly one entry with `Address == "alice@example.com"` and
+   `Template == "mailValidation"`.
+9. Inspect that entry's `Data` and assert it carries the raw verification code (compare against the
+   `VerificationCode` field on the user returned by `CreateUser`/stored via the mock repo lookup) — not
+   the hashed value the repository stores.
+10. Build the handler from a `CreateUserUseCase` constructed with `publicURL = "https://cms.example.com"`.
+    Repeat the registration call. Assert the recorded mail data's `Host` field equals
+    `"https://cms.example.com"`. Then set the process env var `PUBLIC_URL` to a different value and
+    register a second user with the same handler instance; assert the second email's `Host` is still
+    `"https://cms.example.com"` (construction-time value, not read again from the environment).
+11. Seed `mockUserRepo` with one user having `IsVerified: true`. `POST /v1/auth/register` with a new
+    username/email → assert status `403`, body exactly
+    `"You are not allowed to create a user. Log in or reset database."` (the value of the new
+    `apperr` constant), `mockUserRepo` still holds only the original user, and `mailRepo.SentEmails` is
+    still empty.
+12. On an empty `mockUserRepo`, set `mailRepo.fail.failNext("Send")`. `POST /v1/auth/register` with
+    `{"username":"alice","password":"hunter2example12","email":"alice@example.com"}` → assert status
+    `500`, no `Set-Cookie: jwt=...` header present, and `mockUserRepo` does not contain a user named
+    "alice". Then, without re-arming the failure, `POST /v1/auth/register` again with the same body →
+    assert status `200` and a `Set-Cookie: jwt=...` header present (the username and email are free
+    again).
+
+## Manual verification (not exercised by the Go test)
+- The real SMTP send (`internal/infrastructure/mailer.MailRepository.Send` actually dialing a server) is
+  never exercised automatically; verify by hand against a real or sandboxed SMTP server that the
+  rendered `mailValidation.html` link matches `PUBLIC_URL` from the deployed `.env` and that clicking it
+  reaches the SPA's `/register/validate` route.
+- The SPA's handling of an expired or already-used verification code (any UI/UX around
+  `/register/validate?c=...`) is out of scope for this slice and not covered here.
diff --git a/internal/domain/user/userDomain.go b/internal/domain/user/userDomain.go
index 97c03be..81e1361 100644
--- a/internal/domain/user/userDomain.go
+++ b/internal/domain/user/userDomain.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 
 var ErrUserNotFound = errors.New("user not found")
 var ErrInvalidCredentials = errors.New("invalid credentials")
+var ErrRegistrationClosed = errors.New("registration closed")
 
 type User struct {
 	ID                     uint32    `json:"id"`
diff --git a/internal/infrastructure/useCases/CreateUser.go b/internal/infrastructure/useCases/CreateUser.go
index c35373a..f5d3f97 100644
--- a/internal/infrastructure/useCases/CreateUser.go
+++ b/internal/infrastructure/useCases/CreateUser.go
@@ -2,7 +2,10 @@ package useCases
 
 import (
 	"RenewCMS/internal/domain/hash"
+	"RenewCMS/internal/domain/mail"
 	"RenewCMS/internal/domain/user"
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
@@ -11,6 +14,8 @@ import (
 type CreateUserUseCase struct {
 	userRepository user.Repository
 	hasher         hash.Hasher
+	mailRepository mail.Repository
+	publicURL      string
 }
 
 type CreateUserCommand struct {
@@ -19,11 +24,20 @@ type CreateUserCommand struct {
 	Email    string
 }
 
-func NewCreateUserUseCase(userRepository user.Repository, hasher hash.Hasher) *CreateUserUseCase {
-	return &CreateUserUseCase{userRepository, hasher}
+type MailValidationData struct {
+	Host             string
+	VerificationCode string
+}
+
+func NewCreateUserUseCase(userRepository user.Repository, hasher hash.Hasher, mailRepository mail.Repository, publicURL string) *CreateUserUseCase {
+	return &CreateUserUseCase{userRepository, hasher, mailRepository, publicURL}
 }
 
 func (g *CreateUserUseCase) CreateUser(createUser CreateUserCommand) (user.User, error) {
+	if g.registrationClosed() {
+		return user.User{}, user.ErrRegistrationClosed
+	}
+
 	rawUuid := uuid.NewString()
 
 	hashedPassword, err := g.hasher.Hash(createUser.Password)
@@ -50,5 +64,26 @@ func (g *CreateUserUseCase) CreateUser(createUser CreateUserCommand) (user.User,
 	}
 
 	createdUser.VerificationCode = rawUuid
+
+	if err := g.mailRepository.Send(createdUser.Email, "mailValidation", MailValidationData{
+		Host:             g.publicURL,
+		VerificationCode: rawUuid,
+	}); err != nil {
+		sendErr := fmt.Errorf("failed to send verification email: %w", err)
+		if deleteErr := g.userRepository.Delete(createdUser.ID); deleteErr != nil {
+			return user.User{}, errors.Join(sendErr, deleteErr)
+		}
+		return user.User{}, sendErr
+	}
+
 	return createdUser, nil
 }
+
+func (g *CreateUserUseCase) registrationClosed() bool {
+	for _, existingUser := range g.userRepository.GetAll() {
+		if existingUser.IsVerified {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
diff --git a/test/hasher_test.go b/test/hasher_test.go
index 7eaa0b2..9e9d5f6 100644
--- a/test/hasher_test.go
+++ b/test/hasher_test.go
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ func (s *spyHasher) Compare(hashed string, value string) error {
 func TestCreateUserUseCaseHashesPasswordAndVerificationCode(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Run("stores hashed password and hashed verification code, returns raw code", func(t *testing.T) {
 		repo := newMockUserRepo()
-		uc := useCases.NewCreateUserUseCase(repo, &stubHasher{})
+		uc := useCases.NewCreateUserUseCase(repo, &stubHasher{}, newMockMailRepo(), "https://cms.example.com")
 
 		result, err := uc.CreateUser(useCases.CreateUserCommand{
 			Username: "alice",
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ func TestCreateUserUseCaseHashesPasswordAndVerificationCode(t *testing.T) {
 
 	t.Run("a hashing failure persists nothing", func(t *testing.T) {
 		repo := newMockUserRepo()
-		uc := useCases.NewCreateUserUseCase(repo, &stubHasher{hashErr: errStubHashFailure})
+		uc := useCases.NewCreateUserUseCase(repo, &stubHasher{hashErr: errStubHashFailure}, newMockMailRepo(), "https://cms.example.com")
 
 		_, err := uc.CreateUser(useCases.CreateUserCommand{
 			Username: "alice",
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ func newHasherRouter(userRepo *mockUserRepo, hasher *stubHasher) *chi.Mux {
 		token,
 		useCases.NewGetUserUseCase(userRepo),
 		useCases.NewListUsersUseCase(userRepo),
-		useCases.NewCreateUserUseCase(userRepo, hasher),
+		useCases.NewCreateUserUseCase(userRepo, hasher, newMockMailRepo(), "https://cms.example.com"),
 		useCases.NewAuthenticateUserUseCase(userRepo, hasher),
 		true,
 	)
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ func newRealHasherRouter(userRepo *mockUserRepo) *chi.Mux {
 		token,
 		useCases.NewGetUserUseCase(userRepo),
 		useCases.NewListUsersUseCase(userRepo),
-		useCases.NewCreateUserUseCase(userRepo, hasher),
+		useCases.NewCreateUserUseCase(userRepo, hasher, newMockMailRepo(), "https://cms.example.com"),
 		useCases.NewAuthenticateUserUseCase(userRepo, hasher),
 		true,
 	)
diff --git a/test/not_found_errors_test.go b/test/not_found_errors_test.go
index f765f14..ad42172 100644
--- a/test/not_found_errors_test.go
+++ b/test/not_found_errors_test.go
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ func newNotFoundErrorsRouter(articleRepo *mockArticleRepo, userRepo *mockUserRep
 		token,
 		useCases.NewGetUserUseCase(userRepo),
 		useCases.NewListUsersUseCase(userRepo),
-		useCases.NewCreateUserUseCase(userRepo, hasher),
+		useCases.NewCreateUserUseCase(userRepo, hasher, newMockMailRepo(), "https://cms.example.com"),
 		useCases.NewAuthenticateUserUseCase(userRepo, hasher),
 		true,
 	)
diff --git a/test/registration_gate_and_verification_email_test.go b/test/registration_gate_and_verification_email_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b697172
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/registration_gate_and_verification_email_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,336 @@
+package test
+
+import (
+	"RenewCMS/api/handlers/auth"
+	"RenewCMS/api/pkg/apperr"
+	validator "RenewCMS/api/pkg/validator"
+	"RenewCMS/internal/domain/user"
+	"RenewCMS/internal/infrastructure/useCases"
+	"bytes"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/go-chi/chi/v5"
+	"github.com/go-chi/jwtauth/v5"
+)
+
+type sequentialHasher struct {
+	calls int
+}
+
+func (s *sequentialHasher) Hash(value string) (string, error) {
+	s.calls++
+	if s.calls == 2 {
+		return "", errStubHashFailure
+	}
+	return "hashed:" + value, nil
+}
+
+func (s *sequentialHasher) Compare(hashed string, value string) error {
+	if hashed == "hashed:"+value {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return errors.New("hash mismatch")
+}
+
+func newRegistrationGateRouter(userRepo *mockUserRepo, mailRepo *mockMailRepo, publicURL string) *chi.Mux {
+	token := jwtauth.New("HS256", []byte("test-secret"), nil)
+	hasher := &stubHasher{}
+	authHandler := auth.NewHandler(
+		token,
+		useCases.NewGetUserUseCase(userRepo),
+		useCases.NewListUsersUseCase(userRepo),
+		useCases.NewCreateUserUseCase(userRepo, hasher, mailRepo, publicURL),
+		useCases.NewAuthenticateUserUseCase(userRepo, hasher),
+		true,
+	)
+
+	r := chi.NewRouter()
+	r.Route("/v1/auth", func(r chi.Router) {
+		r.Post("/register", authHandler.Register)
+	})
+	return r
+}
+
+func registerRequest(t *testing.T, router *chi.Mux, username, password, email string) *httptest.ResponseRecorder {
+	t.Helper()
+	body, err := json.Marshal(map[string]string{"username": username, "password": password, "email": email})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to marshal body: %v", err)
+	}
+	req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodPost, "/v1/auth/register", bytes.NewReader(body))
+	req.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	router.ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+	return rec
+}
+
+func TestRegistrationGateAndVerificationEmailHttp(t *testing.T) {
+	validator.InitValidator()
+
+	t.Run("Registration succeeds when no verified user exists and sends the verification email", func(t *testing.T) {
+		userRepo := newMockUserRepo()
+		mailRepo := newMockMailRepo()
+		router := newRegistrationGateRouter(userRepo, mailRepo, "https://cms.example.com")
+
+		rec := registerRequest(t, router, "alice", "hunter2example12", "alice@example.com")
+
+		if rec.Code != http.StatusOK {
+			t.Fatalf("expected status 200, got %d: %s", rec.Code, rec.Body.String())
+		}
+		if rec.Header().Get("Set-Cookie") == "" {
+			t.Errorf("expected a jwt cookie to be set")
+		}
+		if len(mailRepo.SentEmails) != 1 {
+			t.Fatalf("expected exactly one email to be sent, got %d", len(mailRepo.SentEmails))
+		}
+		sent := mailRepo.SentEmails[0]
+		if sent.Address != "alice@example.com" {
+			t.Errorf("expected email sent to alice@example.com, got %q", sent.Address)
+		}
+		if sent.Template != "mailValidation" {
+			t.Errorf("expected template mailValidation, got %q", sent.Template)
+		}
+
+		storedUser, err := userRepo.GetByUsername("alice")
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("expected alice to be stored: %v", err)
+		}
+
+		data, ok := sent.Data.(useCases.MailValidationData)
+		if !ok {
+			t.Fatalf("unexpected mail data type %T", sent.Data)
+		}
+		if data.VerificationCode == "" || data.VerificationCode == storedUser.VerificationCode {
+			t.Errorf("expected the raw verification code, not the stored hash, got %q vs stored %q", data.VerificationCode, storedUser.VerificationCode)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("The verification email's Host reflects the injected public URL", func(t *testing.T) {
+		userRepo := newMockUserRepo()
+		mailRepo := newMockMailRepo()
+		router := newRegistrationGateRouter(userRepo, mailRepo, "https://cms.example.com")
+
+		rec := registerRequest(t, router, "alice", "hunter2example12", "alice@example.com")
+		if rec.Code != http.StatusOK {
+			t.Fatalf("expected status 200, got %d: %s", rec.Code, rec.Body.String())
+		}
+
+		data := mailRepo.SentEmails[0].Data.(useCases.MailValidationData)
+		if data.Host != "https://cms.example.com" {
+			t.Errorf("expected Host https://cms.example.com, got %q", data.Host)
+		}
+
+		t.Setenv("PUBLIC_URL", "https://attacker.example.com")
+
+		secondRec := registerRequest(t, router, "bob", "hunter2example12", "bob@example.com")
+		if secondRec.Code != http.StatusOK {
+			t.Fatalf("expected status 200 for bob, got %d: %s", secondRec.Code, secondRec.Body.String())
+		}
+		secondData := mailRepo.SentEmails[1].Data.(useCases.MailValidationData)
+		if secondData.Host != "https://cms.example.com" {
+			t.Errorf("expected Host to remain https://cms.example.com after env change, got %q", secondData.Host)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("The stored verification code expires two hours after creation", func(t *testing.T) {
+		userRepo := newMockUserRepo()
+		mailRepo := newMockMailRepo()
+		router := newRegistrationGateRouter(userRepo, mailRepo, "https://cms.example.com")
+
+		rec := registerRequest(t, router, "alice", "hunter2example12", "alice@example.com")
+		if rec.Code != http.StatusOK {
+			t.Fatalf("expected status 200, got %d: %s", rec.Code, rec.Body.String())
+		}
+
+		storedUser, err := userRepo.GetByUsername("alice")
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("expected alice to be stored: %v", err)
+		}
+
+		expected := time.Now().Add(2 * time.Hour)
+		diff := storedUser.VerificationExpiration.Sub(expected)
+		if diff < -5*time.Second || diff > 5*time.Second {
+			t.Errorf("expected VerificationExpiration within 5 seconds of %v, got %v", expected, storedUser.VerificationExpiration)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("Registration is rejected once a verified user exists, and no email is sent", func(t *testing.T) {
+		userRepo := newMockUserRepo()
+		userRepo.users[1] = user.User{ID: 1, Username: "alice", Email: "alice@example.com", IsVerified: true}
+		userRepo.nextID = 1
+		mailRepo := newMockMailRepo()
+		router := newRegistrationGateRouter(userRepo, mailRepo, "https://cms.example.com")
+
+		rec := registerRequest(t, router, "bob", "hunter2example12", "bob@example.com")
+
+		if rec.Code != http.StatusForbidden {
+			t.Fatalf("expected status 403, got %d: %s", rec.Code, rec.Body.String())
+		}
+		if rec.Body.String() != apperr.RegistrationClosedErrorMessage+"\n" {
+			t.Errorf("unexpected body %q", rec.Body.String())
+		}
+		if len(userRepo.users) != 1 {
+			t.Errorf("expected the user repository to still hold only alice, got %d users", len(userRepo.users))
+		}
+		if len(mailRepo.SentEmails) != 0 {
+			t.Errorf("expected no email to be sent, got %d", len(mailRepo.SentEmails))
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("A failed verification email rolls back the just-created user", func(t *testing.T) {
+		userRepo := newMockUserRepo()
+		mailRepo := newMockMailRepo()
+		mailRepo.fail.failNext("Send")
+		router := newRegistrationGateRouter(userRepo, mailRepo, "https://cms.example.com")
+
+		rec := registerRequest(t, router, "alice", "hunter2example12", "alice@example.com")
+
+		if rec.Code != http.StatusInternalServerError {
+			t.Fatalf("expected status 500, got %d: %s", rec.Code, rec.Body.String())
+		}
+		if rec.Body.String() != apperr.RegistrationFailedErrorMessage+"\n" {
+			t.Errorf("unexpected body %q", rec.Body.String())
+		}
+		if rec.Header().Get("Set-Cookie") != "" {
+			t.Errorf("expected no jwt cookie to be set")
+		}
+		if _, err := userRepo.GetByUsername("alice"); !errors.Is(err, user.ErrUserNotFound) {
+			t.Errorf("expected alice to no longer exist, got %v", err)
+		}
+
+		secondRec := registerRequest(t, router, "alice", "hunter2example12", "alice@example.com")
+		if secondRec.Code != http.StatusOK {
+			t.Fatalf("expected status 200 on retry, got %d: %s", secondRec.Code, secondRec.Body.String())
+		}
+		if secondRec.Header().Get("Set-Cookie") == "" {
+			t.Errorf("expected a jwt cookie to be set on the successful retry")
+		}
+	})
+}
+
+func TestRegistrationGateAndVerificationEmailUseCase(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("The create-user use case itself enforces the gate, independently of any handler", func(t *testing.T) {
+		userRepo := newMockUserRepo()
+		userRepo.users[1] = user.User{ID: 1, Username: "alice", Email: "alice@example.com", IsVerified: true}
+		userRepo.nextID = 1
+		userRepo.fail.failNext("Create")
+		mailRepo := newMockMailRepo()
+		uc := useCases.NewCreateUserUseCase(userRepo, &stubHasher{}, mailRepo, "https://cms.example.com")
+
+		_, err := uc.CreateUser(useCases.CreateUserCommand{
+			Username: "bob",
+			Password: "hunter2example12",
+			Email:    "bob@example.com",
+		})
+
+		if !errors.Is(err, user.ErrRegistrationClosed) {
+			t.Fatalf("expected user.ErrRegistrationClosed, got %v", err)
+		}
+		if len(mailRepo.SentEmails) != 0 {
+			t.Errorf("expected no email to be sent, got %d", len(mailRepo.SentEmails))
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("The create-user use case allows registration while every existing user is unverified", func(t *testing.T) {
+		userRepo := newMockUserRepo()
+		userRepo.users[1] = user.User{ID: 1, Username: "alice", Email: "alice@example.com", IsVerified: false}
+		userRepo.users[2] = user.User{ID: 2, Username: "bob", Email: "bob@example.com", IsVerified: false}
+		userRepo.nextID = 2
+		mailRepo := newMockMailRepo()
+		uc := useCases.NewCreateUserUseCase(userRepo, &stubHasher{}, mailRepo, "https://cms.example.com")
+
+		result, err := uc.CreateUser(useCases.CreateUserCommand{
+			Username: "carol",
+			Password: "hunter2example12",
+			Email:    "carol@example.com",
+		})
+
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("expected no error, got %v", err)
+		}
+		if result.IsVerified {
+			t.Errorf("expected the new user to be unverified")
+		}
+		if len(mailRepo.SentEmails) != 1 {
+			t.Fatalf("expected exactly one email sent, got %d", len(mailRepo.SentEmails))
+		}
+		if mailRepo.SentEmails[0].Address != "carol@example.com" {
+			t.Errorf("expected email sent to carol@example.com, got %q", mailRepo.SentEmails[0].Address)
+		}
+		if mailRepo.SentEmails[0].Template != "mailValidation" {
+			t.Errorf("expected template mailValidation, got %q", mailRepo.SentEmails[0].Template)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("A failure hashing the verification code persists nothing", func(t *testing.T) {
+		userRepo := newMockUserRepo()
+		mailRepo := newMockMailRepo()
+		uc := useCases.NewCreateUserUseCase(userRepo, &sequentialHasher{}, mailRepo, "https://cms.example.com")
+
+		_, err := uc.CreateUser(useCases.CreateUserCommand{
+			Username: "alice",
+			Password: "hunter2example12",
+			Email:    "alice@example.com",
+		})
+
+		if !errors.Is(err, errStubHashFailure) {
+			t.Fatalf("expected the hashing error, got %v", err)
+		}
+		if len(userRepo.users) != 0 {
+			t.Errorf("expected no user stored, got %d", len(userRepo.users))
+		}
+		if len(mailRepo.SentEmails) != 0 {
+			t.Errorf("expected no email to be sent, got %d", len(mailRepo.SentEmails))
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("The create-user use case rolls back the user when the mail repository fails", func(t *testing.T) {
+		userRepo := newMockUserRepo()
+		mailRepo := newMockMailRepo()
+		mailRepo.fail.failNext("Send")
+		uc := useCases.NewCreateUserUseCase(userRepo, &stubHasher{}, mailRepo, "https://cms.example.com")
+
+		_, err := uc.CreateUser(useCases.CreateUserCommand{
+			Username: "alice",
+			Password: "hunter2example12",
+			Email:    "alice@example.com",
+		})
+
+		if !errors.Is(err, errRepositoryFailure) {
+			t.Fatalf("expected an error wrapping errRepositoryFailure, got %v", err)
+		}
+		if _, err := userRepo.GetByUsername("alice"); !errors.Is(err, user.ErrUserNotFound) {
+			t.Errorf("expected alice to no longer exist, got %v", err)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("The create-user use case reports both failures when the rollback delete also fails", func(t *testing.T) {
+		userRepo := newMockUserRepo()
+		mailRepo := newMockMailRepo()
+		mailRepo.fail.failNext("Send")
+		userRepo.fail.failNext("Delete")
+		uc := useCases.NewCreateUserUseCase(userRepo, &stubHasher{}, mailRepo, "https://cms.example.com")
+
+		_, err := uc.CreateUser(useCases.CreateUserCommand{
+			Username: "alice",
+			Password: "hunter2example12",
+			Email:    "alice@example.com",
+		})
+
+		if !errors.Is(err, errRepositoryFailure) {
+			t.Fatalf("expected an error wrapping errRepositoryFailure, got %v", err)
+		}
+		joined, ok := err.(interface{ Unwrap() []error })
+		if !ok {
+			t.Fatalf("expected a joined error, got %T: %v", err, err)
+		}
+		if len(joined.Unwrap()) != 2 {
+			t.Fatalf("expected the joined error to wrap both the send and delete failures, got %v", err)
+		}
+	})
+}
diff --git a/test/runtime_settings_injection_http_test.go b/test/runtime_settings_injection_http_test.go
index 7eb2071..1c37dce 100644
--- a/test/runtime_settings_injection_http_test.go
+++ b/test/runtime_settings_injection_http_test.go
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ func newSecureCookieAuthRouter(t *testing.T, isProduction bool) (*chi.Mux, *mock
 		token,
 		useCases.NewGetUserUseCase(userRepo),
 		useCases.NewListUsersUseCase(userRepo),
-		useCases.NewCreateUserUseCase(userRepo, hasher),
+		useCases.NewCreateUserUseCase(userRepo, hasher, newMockMailRepo(), "https://cms.example.com"),
 		useCases.NewAuthenticateUserUseCase(userRepo, hasher),
 		isProduction,
 	)
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ func newRuntimeSettingsContainer(t *testing.T) *api.UseCases {
 		UpdateArticleUseCase:    useCases.NewUpdateArticleUseCase(articleRepo),
 		DeleteArticleUseCase:    useCases.NewDeleteArticleUseCase(articleRepo, imageRepo),
 		GetUserUseCase:          useCases.NewGetUserUseCase(userRepo),
-		CreateUserUseCase:       useCases.NewCreateUserUseCase(userRepo, hasher),
+		CreateUserUseCase:       useCases.NewCreateUserUseCase(userRepo, hasher, mailRepo, "https://cms.example.com"),
 		UpdateUserUseCase:       useCases.NewUpdateUserUseCase(userRepo, hasher),
 		AuthenticateUserUseCase: useCases.NewAuthenticateUserUseCase(userRepo, hasher),
 		DeleteUserUseCase:       useCases.NewDeleteUserUseCase(userRepo),
diff --git a/test/unverified_users_and_reregistration_test.go b/test/unverified_users_and_reregistration_test.go
index bc9b731..5c4965e 100644
--- a/test/unverified_users_and_reregistration_test.go
+++ b/test/unverified_users_and_reregistration_test.go
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ func newUnverifiedRegistrationRouter(userRepo *mockUserRepo, token *jwtauth.JWTA
 		token,
 		useCases.NewGetUserUseCase(userRepo),
 		useCases.NewListUsersUseCase(userRepo),
-		useCases.NewCreateUserUseCase(userRepo, hasher),
+		useCases.NewCreateUserUseCase(userRepo, hasher, newMockMailRepo(), "https://cms.example.com"),
 		useCases.NewAuthenticateUserUseCase(userRepo, hasher),
 		true,
 	)
diff --git a/test/use_case_baseline_test.go b/test/use_case_baseline_test.go
index 56dd4ae..b551a76 100644
--- a/test/use_case_baseline_test.go
+++ b/test/use_case_baseline_test.go
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@ func TestDeleteImageRequiresExistence(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestCreateUserAssignsVerificationCode(t *testing.T) {
 	repo := newMockUserRepo()
-	uc := useCases.NewCreateUserUseCase(repo, &stubHasher{})
+	uc := useCases.NewCreateUserUseCase(repo, &stubHasher{}, newMockMailRepo(), "https://cms.example.com")
 
 	before := time.Now()
 	result, err := uc.CreateUser(useCases.CreateUserCommand{
@@ -487,7 +487,7 @@ func TestCreateUserAssignsVerificationCode(t *testing.T) {
 func TestCreateUserPropagatesRepositoryFailure(t *testing.T) {
 	repo := newMockUserRepo()
 	repo.fail.failNext("Create")
-	uc := useCases.NewCreateUserUseCase(repo, &stubHasher{})
+	uc := useCases.NewCreateUserUseCase(repo, &stubHasher{}, newMockMailRepo(), "https://cms.example.com")
 
 	_, err := uc.CreateUser(useCases.CreateUserCommand{
 		Username: "alice",
diff --git a/test/user_test.go b/test/user_test.go
index b2eaf30..57f03f9 100644
--- a/test/user_test.go
+++ b/test/user_test.go
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ var _ user.Repository = &mockUserRepo{}
 
 func TestCreateUser(t *testing.T) {
 	repo := newMockUserRepo()
-	uc := useCases.NewCreateUserUseCase(repo, &stubHasher{})
+	uc := useCases.NewCreateUserUseCase(repo, &stubHasher{}, newMockMailRepo(), "https://cms.example.com")
 
 	cmd := useCases.CreateUserCommand{
 		Username: "testuser",