diff --git a/.goreleaser.yaml b/.goreleaser.yaml
index b066d069..8adb1ebe 100644
--- a/.goreleaser.yaml
+++ b/.goreleaser.yaml
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+before:
+  hooks:
+    - go generate ./cmd/quill/cli/commands
+
 release:
   # If set to auto, will mark the release as not ready for production in case there is an indicator for this in the
   # tag e.g. v1.0.0-rc1 .If set to true, will mark the release as not ready for production.
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 9beeeff5..14b0489f 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ bootstrap-go:
 	go mod download
 
 .PHONY: bootstrap
-bootstrap: $(RESULTS_DIR) bootstrap-go bootstrap-tools ## Download and install all go dependencies (+ prep tooling in the ./tmp dir)
+bootstrap: $(RESULTS_DIR) bootstrap-go bootstrap-tools generate ## Download and install all go dependencies (+ prep tooling in the ./tmp dir)
 	$(call title,Bootstrapping dependencies)
 
 
@@ -187,11 +187,23 @@ install-test-cache-load: $(SNAPSHOT_DIR)
 
 
 ## Code generation targets #################################
+#
+# Note: generate and update-apple-certs are intentionally separate targets.
+# - generate: Creates test fixtures/binaries (used by bootstrap and goreleaser)
+# - update-apple-certs: Downloads fresh Apple certs (run manually when Apple releases new CAs)
+#
+# Apple certs are checked into git and rarely change. Release builds should use
+# committed certs for reproducibility, not download fresh ones as a side effect.
+
+.PHONY: generate
+generate:  ## Generate test fixtures and binaries (does not update Apple certs)
+	$(call title,Running code generation)
+	go generate ./cmd/quill/cli/commands
 
 .PHONY: update-apple-certs
 update-apple-certs:  ## Update the apple certs checked into the repo
 	$(call title,Updating Apple certs)
-	go generate ./...
+	go generate ./quill/pki/apple
 
 
 ## Build-related targets #################################
diff --git a/cmd/quill/cli/cli.go b/cmd/quill/cli/cli.go
index 32111a18..4559ad02 100644
--- a/cmd/quill/cli/cli.go
+++ b/cmd/quill/cli/cli.go
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ func New(id clio.Identification) clio.Application {
 	root.AddCommand(commands.Sign(app))
 	root.AddCommand(commands.Notarize(app))
 	root.AddCommand(commands.SignAndNotarize(app))
+	root.AddCommand(commands.TestNotarize(app))
 	root.AddCommand(commands.Describe(app))
 	root.AddCommand(commands.EmbeddedCerts(app))
 	root.AddCommand(submission)
diff --git a/cmd/quill/cli/commands/test_notarize.go b/cmd/quill/cli/commands/test_notarize.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ccdf39ed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/quill/cli/commands/test_notarize.go
@@ -0,0 +1,148 @@
+package commands
+
+import (
+	_ "embed"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"strings"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+
+	"github.com/anchore/clio"
+	"github.com/anchore/fangs"
+	"github.com/anchore/quill/cmd/quill/cli/options"
+	"github.com/anchore/quill/internal/bus"
+	"github.com/anchore/quill/internal/log"
+)
+
+//go:generate ./testdata/generate.sh
+
+//go:embed test_notarize_hello.macho
+var embeddedTestBinary []byte
+
+const (
+	testNotarizePollSeconds    = 5
+	testNotarizeTimeoutSeconds = 300 // 5 minutes
+)
+
+var _ fangs.FlagAdder = (*testNotarizeConfig)(nil)
+
+type testNotarizeConfig struct {
+	options.Signing `yaml:"sign" json:"sign" mapstructure:"sign"`
+	options.Notary  `yaml:"notary" json:"notary" mapstructure:"notary"`
+}
+
+func (o *testNotarizeConfig) AddFlags(_ fangs.FlagSet) {
+	// All flags provided by embedded Signing and Notary options
+}
+
+func TestNotarize(app clio.Application) *cobra.Command {
+	opts := &testNotarizeConfig{
+		Signing: options.DefaultSigning(),
+	}
+
+	return app.SetupCommand(&cobra.Command{
+		Use:   "test-notarize",
+		Short: "test Apple notarization credentials by signing and notarizing a minimal test binary",
+		Long: `Test Apple notarization credentials by signing and notarizing a minimal test binary.
+
+This command is useful for verifying that your Apple credentials are valid and that you have
+accepted all required agreements before running a full release pipeline. Common errors this
+command helps identify:
+
+- Missing or expired Apple Developer agreements (FORBIDDEN.REQUIRED_AGREEMENTS_MISSING_OR_EXPIRED)
+- Invalid credentials (authentication errors)
+- Expired certificates or keys
+
+The test waits for full notarization completion (5 minute timeout) to validate the entire
+end-to-end workflow.`,
+		Args: cobra.NoArgs,
+		RunE: func(_ *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
+			defer bus.Exit()
+			return runTestNotarize(opts)
+		},
+	}, opts)
+}
+
+func validateNotarizeCredentials(opts *testNotarizeConfig) error {
+	if opts.Notary.Issuer == "" || opts.Notary.PrivateKeyID == "" || opts.Notary.PrivateKey == "" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("notarization credentials required: provide --notary-issuer, --notary-key-id, and --notary-key")
+	}
+
+	if opts.Signing.AdHoc {
+		return fmt.Errorf("ad-hoc signing cannot be used for notarization; provide a valid p12 certificate via --p12")
+	}
+
+	if opts.Signing.P12 == "" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("signing certificate required: provide a valid p12 certificate via --p12")
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func prepareTestBinary(decoded []byte) (string, error) {
+	tmpFile, err := os.CreateTemp("", "quill-test-*.macho")
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to create temporary file: %w", err)
+	}
+	defer tmpFile.Close()
+
+	if _, err := tmpFile.Write(decoded); err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to write test binary: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	log.WithFields("path", tmpFile.Name()).Debug("created temporary test binary")
+	return tmpFile.Name(), nil
+}
+
+func handleNotarizationError(err error) error {
+	errStr := err.Error()
+
+	if strings.Contains(errStr, "FORBIDDEN.REQUIRED_AGREEMENTS_MISSING_OR_EXPIRED") {
+		return fmt.Errorf("required Apple Developer agreement must be accepted: visit https://appstoreconnect.apple.com/ to accept pending agreements: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	if strings.Contains(errStr, "403") || strings.Contains(errStr, "401") {
+		return fmt.Errorf("authentication failed (check --notary-issuer, --notary-key-id, and --notary-key): %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return fmt.Errorf("notarization test failed: %w", err)
+}
+
+func runTestNotarize(opts *testNotarizeConfig) error {
+	log.Info("testing Apple notarization credentials")
+
+	if err := validateNotarizeCredentials(opts); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	tmpPath, err := prepareTestBinary(embeddedTestBinary)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer os.Remove(tmpPath)
+
+	if err := sign(tmpPath, opts.Signing); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to sign test binary: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	statusCfg := options.Status{
+		Wait:           true,
+		PollSeconds:    testNotarizePollSeconds,
+		TimeoutSeconds: testNotarizeTimeoutSeconds,
+	}
+
+	_, err = notarize(tmpPath, opts.Notary, statusCfg)
+	if err != nil {
+		return handleNotarizationError(err)
+	}
+
+	successMsg := `
+Apple notarization credentials verified successfully.
+
+Your credentials are valid and all required agreements are signed.
+You can proceed with notarizing your releases.`
+
+	bus.Report(strings.TrimSpace(successMsg))
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/cmd/quill/cli/commands/test_notarize_hello.macho b/cmd/quill/cli/commands/test_notarize_hello.macho
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..3d99b88f
Binary files /dev/null and b/cmd/quill/cli/commands/test_notarize_hello.macho differ
diff --git a/cmd/quill/cli/commands/testdata/generate.sh b/cmd/quill/cli/commands/testdata/generate.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..018dbaf0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/quill/cli/commands/testdata/generate.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+# Build a minimal macOS binary for testing notarization
+# This script is called by `go generate` from test_notarize.go
+
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+OUTPUT_DIR="$(dirname "$SCRIPT_DIR")"
+OUTPUT_FILE="$OUTPUT_DIR/test_notarize_hello.macho"
+
+echo "Building test hello world binary..."
+
+# Build for darwin/arm64 (Apple Silicon)
+cd "$SCRIPT_DIR/hello"
+GOOS=darwin GOARCH=arm64 go build -o "$OUTPUT_FILE" -ldflags="-s -w" .
+
+echo "Generated test_notarize_hello.macho ($(wc -c < "$OUTPUT_FILE") bytes)"
diff --git a/cmd/quill/cli/commands/testdata/hello/main.go b/cmd/quill/cli/commands/testdata/hello/main.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a3dd973f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/quill/cli/commands/testdata/hello/main.go
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+package main
+
+import "fmt"
+
+func main() {
+	fmt.Println("Hello, World!")
+}
diff --git a/test/cli/test_notarize_test.go b/test/cli/test_notarize_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..34370602
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/cli/test_notarize_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+package cli
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/anchore/quill/test/trait"
+)
+
+func Test_TestNotarizeCommand(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name       string
+		command    string
+		assertions []trait.Assertion
+	}{
+		{
+			name:    "help output",
+			command: "test-notarize --help",
+			assertions: []trait.Assertion{
+				trait.AssertInStdout("Test Apple notarization credentials"),
+				trait.AssertInStdout("FORBIDDEN.REQUIRED_AGREEMENTS_MISSING_OR_EXPIRED"),
+				trait.AssertInStdout("5 minute timeout"),
+				trait.AssertSuccessfulReturnCode,
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "missing notary credentials fails early",
+			command: "test-notarize --ad-hoc",
+			assertions: []trait.Assertion{
+				trait.AssertInStderr("notarization credentials required"),
+				trait.AssertFailingReturnCode,
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "missing notary credentials fails before p12 check",
+			command: "test-notarize --p12 /nonexistent/file.p12",
+			assertions: []trait.Assertion{
+				trait.AssertInStderr("notarization credentials required"),
+				trait.AssertFailingReturnCode,
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "rejects unexpected arguments",
+			command: "test-notarize extra-arg",
+			assertions: []trait.Assertion{
+				trait.AssertInStderr("unknown command"),
+				trait.AssertFailingReturnCode,
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, test := range tests {
+		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			stdout, stderr, err := runQuill(t, test.command)
+			checkAssertions(t, stdout, stderr, err, test.assertions...)
+		})
+	}
+}