diff --git a/src/app/(protected)/vendors/_components/use-vendor-roster-form.ts b/src/app/(protected)/vendors/_components/use-vendor-roster-form.ts
index 96f5e3b7..82ae4333 100644
--- a/src/app/(protected)/vendors/_components/use-vendor-roster-form.ts
+++ b/src/app/(protected)/vendors/_components/use-vendor-roster-form.ts
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ export interface VendorRosterForm {
   roster: VendorCompanyRoster | undefined;
   companies: VendorFacetCompany[];
   trades: string[];
+  tradesLoading: boolean;
   selectedCompanyId: string | number | null;
   selectCompany: (company: VendorFacetCompany | null) => Promise<void>;
   clearSelectedCompany: (nextName?: string) => void;
@@ -110,7 +111,7 @@ export function useVendorRosterForm({
     mode === "update" ? vendorId : undefined,
     mode === "update" ? companyId : undefined,
   );
-  const { data: facets } = useVendorFacets();
+  const { data: facets, isLoading: facetsLoading } = useVendorFacets();
   const save = useSaveVendorCompanyRoster();
   const [conflict, setConflict] = useState<VendorRosterConflict | null>(null);
 
@@ -223,6 +224,7 @@ export function useVendorRosterForm({
     roster: routeRoster,
     companies,
     trades,
+    tradesLoading: facetsLoading,
     selectedCompanyId: selection.selectedCompanyId,
     selectCompany: selection.selectCompany,
     clearSelectedCompany: selection.clearSelectedCompany,
diff --git a/src/app/(protected)/vendors/_components/vendor-create-modal.tsx b/src/app/(protected)/vendors/_components/vendor-create-modal.tsx
index 31804a3c..002a81bf 100644
--- a/src/app/(protected)/vendors/_components/vendor-create-modal.tsx
+++ b/src/app/(protected)/vendors/_components/vendor-create-modal.tsx
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ export function VendorCreateModal({ open, onClose }: VendorCreateModalProps) {
               errors={form.errors}
               companies={form.companies}
               tradeOptions={form.trades}
+              tradeOptionsLoading={form.tradesLoading}
               selectedCompanyId={form.selectedCompanyId}
               onSelectCompany={form.selectCompany}
               onClearSelectedCompany={form.clearSelectedCompany}
diff --git a/src/app/(protected)/vendors/_components/vendor-detail-drawer.tsx b/src/app/(protected)/vendors/_components/vendor-detail-drawer.tsx
index b1a24c3c..62d65f15 100644
--- a/src/app/(protected)/vendors/_components/vendor-detail-drawer.tsx
+++ b/src/app/(protected)/vendors/_components/vendor-detail-drawer.tsx
@@ -299,6 +299,7 @@ function DrawerEditor({
           control={form.control}
           errors={form.errors}
           tradeOptions={form.trades}
+          tradeOptionsLoading={form.tradesLoading}
           showTechnicianStatus={false}
         />
         {selectedIndex >= 0 && (
diff --git a/src/app/(protected)/vendors/_components/vendor-roster-form-fields.tsx b/src/app/(protected)/vendors/_components/vendor-roster-form-fields.tsx
index d6d5cbf7..93a10fd9 100644
--- a/src/app/(protected)/vendors/_components/vendor-roster-form-fields.tsx
+++ b/src/app/(protected)/vendors/_components/vendor-roster-form-fields.tsx
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ interface VendorRosterFormFieldsProps {
   errors: FieldErrors<VendorCompanyRosterFormValues>;
   companies?: VendorFacetCompany[];
   tradeOptions?: string[];
+  tradeOptionsLoading?: boolean;
   selectedCompanyId?: string | number | null;
   onSelectCompany?: (company: VendorFacetCompany | null) => Promise<void>;
   onClearSelectedCompany?: (nextName?: string) => void;
@@ -236,6 +237,7 @@ interface TechnicianRowProps {
   onRemove: () => void;
   canRemove: boolean;
   tradeOptions: string[];
+  tradeOptionsLoading?: boolean;
   showStatus: boolean;
 }
 
@@ -246,6 +248,7 @@ function TechnicianRow({
   onRemove,
   canRemove,
   tradeOptions,
+  tradeOptionsLoading,
   showStatus,
 }: TechnicianRowProps) {
   return (
@@ -315,7 +318,12 @@ function TechnicianRow({
           )}
         />
       </Stack>
-      <VendorTradeSpecialtiesField control={control} index={index} tradeOptions={tradeOptions} />
+      <VendorTradeSpecialtiesField
+        control={control}
+        index={index}
+        tradeOptions={tradeOptions}
+        tradeOptionsLoading={tradeOptionsLoading}
+      />
       {showStatus && (
         <Controller
           control={control}
@@ -341,11 +349,13 @@ function TechniciansFieldArray({
   control,
   errors,
   tradeOptions,
+  tradeOptionsLoading,
   showStatus,
 }: {
   control: Control<VendorCompanyRosterFormValues>;
   errors: FieldErrors<VendorCompanyRosterFormValues>;
   tradeOptions: string[];
+  tradeOptionsLoading?: boolean;
   showStatus: boolean;
 }) {
   const { fields, append, remove } = useFieldArray({ control, name: "technicians" });
@@ -389,6 +399,7 @@ function TechniciansFieldArray({
               onRemove={() => remove(index)}
               canRemove
               tradeOptions={tradeOptions}
+              tradeOptionsLoading={tradeOptionsLoading}
               showStatus={showStatus}
             />
           ))
@@ -399,7 +410,13 @@ function TechniciansFieldArray({
 }
 
 export function VendorRosterFormFields(props: VendorRosterFormFieldsProps) {
-  const { control, errors, tradeOptions = [], showTechnicianStatus = true } = props;
+  const {
+    control,
+    errors,
+    tradeOptions = [],
+    tradeOptionsLoading = false,
+    showTechnicianStatus = true,
+  } = props;
   return (
     <Stack spacing={3}>
       <CompanyFields {...props} />
@@ -408,6 +425,7 @@ export function VendorRosterFormFields(props: VendorRosterFormFieldsProps) {
         control={control}
         errors={errors}
         tradeOptions={tradeOptions}
+        tradeOptionsLoading={tradeOptionsLoading}
         showStatus={showTechnicianStatus}
       />
     </Stack>
diff --git a/src/app/(protected)/vendors/_components/vendor-roster-page.tsx b/src/app/(protected)/vendors/_components/vendor-roster-page.tsx
index f0316957..45f1bb19 100644
--- a/src/app/(protected)/vendors/_components/vendor-roster-page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/(protected)/vendors/_components/vendor-roster-page.tsx
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ export default function VendorRosterPage({ vendorId, companyId }: VendorRosterPa
             control={form.control}
             errors={form.errors}
             tradeOptions={form.trades}
+            tradeOptionsLoading={form.tradesLoading}
             {...companySelectionProps}
           />
 
diff --git a/src/app/(protected)/vendors/_components/vendor-trade-specialties-field.tsx b/src/app/(protected)/vendors/_components/vendor-trade-specialties-field.tsx
index ff63ef4c..11a7ea4b 100644
--- a/src/app/(protected)/vendors/_components/vendor-trade-specialties-field.tsx
+++ b/src/app/(protected)/vendors/_components/vendor-trade-specialties-field.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { useState } from "react";
+import { useRef, useState } from "react";
 import { Controller, type Control } from "react-hook-form";
 import AddIcon from "@mui/icons-material/Add";
 import ArrowDownwardIcon from "@mui/icons-material/ArrowDownward";
@@ -14,8 +14,43 @@ import {
   TextField,
   Typography,
 } from "@mui/material";
+import { Text } from "@/components/ui/text";
 import type { VendorCompanyRosterFormValues } from "@/domain/vendors/schemas/vendor-roster-schema";
 
+/**
+ * `Text variant="feedback"` stays mounted when silent so the aria-live region can announce later.
+ * An empty paragraph still claims a line box, which would add a permanent gap under the trades
+ * input and shift the approved drawer layout. Collapse the box while keeping the node in the DOM
+ * (never `display: none`, which would stop announcements).
+ */
+function collapsedWhenSilent(visible: boolean) {
+  return visible ? undefined : { height: 0, margin: 0, overflow: "hidden" as const };
+}
+
+function TradeFeedbackRegions({
+  listUnavailable,
+  message,
+}: {
+  listUnavailable: boolean;
+  message: string | null;
+}) {
+  return (
+    <>
+      <Text
+        variant="feedback"
+        tone="warning"
+        when={listUnavailable}
+        sx={collapsedWhenSilent(listUnavailable)}
+      >
+        Trade list is unavailable right now — you can still type a trade manually.
+      </Text>
+      <Text variant="feedback" when={Boolean(message)} sx={collapsedWhenSilent(Boolean(message))}>
+        {message}
+      </Text>
+    </>
+  );
+}
+
 function splitTrades(value: string | undefined): string[] {
   return (value ?? "")
     .split(",")
@@ -23,18 +58,59 @@ function splitTrades(value: string | undefined): string[] {
     .filter(Boolean);
 }
 
+function dedupeTrades(options: string[], current: string[]): string[] {
+  const seen = new Set<string>();
+  const merged: string[] = [];
+  for (const trade of [...options, ...current]) {
+    const key = trade.toLowerCase();
+    if (seen.has(key)) continue;
+    seen.add(key);
+    merged.push(trade);
+  }
+  return merged;
+}
+
+function matchTradeOption(input: string, options: string[]): string | null {
+  const exact = options.find((option) => option === input);
+  if (exact) return exact;
+  const normalized = input.toLowerCase();
+  return options.find((option) => option.toLowerCase() === normalized) ?? null;
+}
+
 interface VendorTradeSpecialtiesFieldProps {
   control: Control<VendorCompanyRosterFormValues>;
   index: number;
   tradeOptions: string[];
+  tradeOptionsLoading?: boolean;
+}
+
+/**
+ * SH-249: an empty tradeOptions array means two different things. While the facets
+ * query is in flight it means "not loaded yet"; only once it settles does it mean
+ * "vocabulary genuinely unavailable". Failing open during the cold-fetch window let
+ * free text through the canonical gate permanently, because anything committed there
+ * is added to knownTradesRef and stays selectable after the real list arrives.
+ *
+ * SH-249: why a typed trade was refused. Extracted to module scope so the field
+ * component stays inside the maintainability gate's function-length cap.
+ */
+function resolveRejectionMessage(value: string, loading: boolean): string {
+  return loading
+    ? "Trades are still loading. Wait for the list, then pick a trade."
+    : `"${value}" is not in the trades list. Pick a trade from the list.`;
 }
 
 export function VendorTradeSpecialtiesField({
   control,
   index,
   tradeOptions,
+  tradeOptionsLoading = false,
 }: VendorTradeSpecialtiesFieldProps) {
   const [tradeInput, setTradeInput] = useState("");
+  const [feedbackMessage, setFeedbackMessage] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  const knownTradesRef = useRef<Set<string>>(new Set());
+  const tradeListUnavailable = !tradeOptionsLoading && tradeOptions.length === 0;
+  const gateActive = tradeOptions.length > 0 || tradeOptionsLoading;
 
   return (
     <Box>
@@ -47,10 +123,28 @@ export function VendorTradeSpecialtiesField({
         name={`technicians.${index}.tradeSpecialties`}
         render={({ field }) => {
           const trades = splitTrades(field.value);
+          for (const trade of trades) knownTradesRef.current.add(trade);
+          const selectableTrades = dedupeTrades(tradeOptions, [...knownTradesRef.current]);
           const commit = (next: string[]) => field.onChange(next.join(", "));
           const add = (value: string) => {
             const normalized = value.trim();
-            if (normalized && !trades.includes(normalized)) commit([...trades, normalized]);
+            setFeedbackMessage(null);
+            if (!normalized) {
+              setTradeInput("");
+              return;
+            }
+            const canonical = matchTradeOption(normalized, selectableTrades);
+            if (gateActive && !canonical) {
+              setFeedbackMessage(resolveRejectionMessage(normalized, tradeOptionsLoading));
+              return;
+            }
+            const trade = canonical ?? normalized;
+            if (trades.some((existing) => existing.toLowerCase() === trade.toLowerCase())) {
+              setFeedbackMessage(`${trade} is already on this technician.`);
+              setTradeInput("");
+              return;
+            }
+            commit([...trades, trade]);
             setTradeInput("");
           };
           const move = (tradeIndex: number, direction: -1 | 1) => {
@@ -64,31 +158,31 @@ export function VendorTradeSpecialtiesField({
           return (
             <Stack spacing={1} className="mt-2">
               <Box className="flex flex-wrap gap-1.5">
-                {trades.length === 0 ? (
-                  <Typography variant="body2" sx={{ color: "text.secondary" }}>
-                    No trades selected.
-                  </Typography>
-                ) : (
-                  trades.map((trade, tradeIndex) => (
-                    <Chip
-                      key={`${trade}-${tradeIndex}`}
-                      label={tradeIndex === 0 ? `${trade} (primary)` : trade}
-                      onDelete={() =>
-                        commit(trades.filter((_, itemIndex) => itemIndex !== tradeIndex))
-                      }
-                      deleteIcon={<CloseIcon data-testid={`remove-trade-${trade}`} />}
-                    />
-                  ))
-                )}
+                <Text variant="description" tone="muted" when={trades.length === 0}>
+                  No trades selected.
+                </Text>
+                {trades.map((trade, tradeIndex) => (
+                  <Chip
+                    key={`${trade}-${tradeIndex}`}
+                    label={tradeIndex === 0 ? `${trade} (primary)` : trade}
+                    onDelete={() =>
+                      commit(trades.filter((_, itemIndex) => itemIndex !== tradeIndex))
+                    }
+                    deleteIcon={<CloseIcon data-testid={`remove-trade-${trade}`} />}
+                  />
+                ))}
               </Box>
               <Stack direction="row" spacing={1} sx={{ alignItems: "center" }}>
                 <Autocomplete
                   freeSolo
-                  options={tradeOptions}
+                  options={selectableTrades}
                   value={null}
                   inputValue={tradeInput}
                   onInputChange={(_event, value, reason) => {
-                    if (reason === "input") setTradeInput(value);
+                    if (reason === "input") {
+                      setTradeInput(value);
+                      setFeedbackMessage(null);
+                    }
                   }}
                   onChange={(_event, value) => {
                     if (typeof value === "string") add(value);
@@ -147,6 +241,9 @@ export function VendorTradeSpecialtiesField({
           );
         }}
       />
+      {/* Outside the spaced Stack: an always-mounted live region would otherwise inherit Stack
+          spacing and add a permanent gap under the trades input, shifting the approved layout. */}
+      <TradeFeedbackRegions listUnavailable={tradeListUnavailable} message={feedbackMessage} />
     </Box>
   );
 }
diff --git a/src/test/app/(protected)/vendors/vendor-trade-specialties-field.test.tsx b/src/test/app/(protected)/vendors/vendor-trade-specialties-field.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..03990707
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/app/(protected)/vendors/vendor-trade-specialties-field.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,192 @@
+import { fireEvent, screen } from "@testing-library/react";
+import { useEffect } from "react";
+import { useForm, useWatch, type Control } from "react-hook-form";
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { VendorTradeSpecialtiesField } from "@/app/(protected)/vendors/_components/vendor-trade-specialties-field";
+import {
+  emptyRosterTechnician,
+  emptyVendorCompanyRosterForm,
+  type VendorCompanyRosterFormValues,
+} from "@/domain/vendors/schemas/vendor-roster-schema";
+import { renderWithProviders } from "@/test/test-utils";
+
+function TradeSpecialtiesSpy({
+  control,
+  valuesRef,
+}: {
+  control: Control<VendorCompanyRosterFormValues>;
+  valuesRef: { current: string };
+}) {
+  const value = useWatch({ control, name: "technicians.0.tradeSpecialties" }) ?? "";
+  useEffect(() => {
+    valuesRef.current = value;
+  }, [value, valuesRef]);
+  return null;
+}
+
+function TradeSpecialtiesHarness({
+  tradeOptions,
+  tradeOptionsLoading = false,
+  initialTradeSpecialties = "",
+  valuesRef,
+}: {
+  tradeOptions: string[];
+  tradeOptionsLoading?: boolean;
+  initialTradeSpecialties?: string;
+  valuesRef: { current: string };
+}) {
+  const { control } = useForm<VendorCompanyRosterFormValues>({
+    defaultValues: {
+      ...emptyVendorCompanyRosterForm,
+      technicians: [{ ...emptyRosterTechnician, tradeSpecialties: initialTradeSpecialties }],
+    },
+  });
+  return (
+    <>
+      <VendorTradeSpecialtiesField
+        control={control}
+        index={0}
+        tradeOptions={tradeOptions}
+        tradeOptionsLoading={tradeOptionsLoading}
+      />
+      <TradeSpecialtiesSpy control={control} valuesRef={valuesRef} />
+    </>
+  );
+}
+
+function getAddTradeInput(): HTMLElement {
+  return screen.getByRole("combobox", { name: "Add Trade" });
+}
+
+function typeAndCommitTrade(input: HTMLElement, value: string, commit: "enter" | "button") {
+  fireEvent.change(input, { target: { value } });
+  if (commit === "enter") {
+    fireEvent.keyDown(input, { key: "Enter" });
+  } else {
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Add trade" }));
+  }
+}
+
+describe("VendorTradeSpecialtiesField", () => {
+  it("offers facet trades as selectable options when the facets query is populated", async () => {
+    const valuesRef = { current: "" };
+    renderWithProviders(
+      <TradeSpecialtiesHarness
+        tradeOptions={["Plumbing", "HVAC", "Electrical"]}
+        valuesRef={valuesRef}
+      />,
+    );
+
+    const input = getAddTradeInput();
+    fireEvent.change(input, { target: { value: "H" } });
+
+    fireEvent.click(await screen.findByRole("option", { name: "HVAC" }));
+
+    expect(await screen.findByText("HVAC (primary)")).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(valuesRef.current).toBe("HVAC");
+  });
+
+  it("does not fail open while the trades facet is still loading", () => {
+    const valuesRef = { current: "" };
+    renderWithProviders(
+      <TradeSpecialtiesHarness tradeOptions={[]} tradeOptionsLoading valuesRef={valuesRef} />,
+    );
+
+    // A cold fetch must not look like an outage.
+    expect(screen.queryByText(/trade list is unavailable right now/i)).toBeNull();
+
+    const input = getAddTradeInput();
+    typeAndCommitTrade(input, "Plumbing", "enter");
+
+    expect(screen.getByText(/trades are still loading/i)).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.queryByText("Plumbing (primary)")).toBeNull();
+    expect(valuesRef.current).toBe("");
+  });
+
+  it("has no selectable options when the trades facet is empty, warns, and still accepts typed trades", () => {
+    const valuesRef = { current: "" };
+    renderWithProviders(<TradeSpecialtiesHarness tradeOptions={[]} valuesRef={valuesRef} />);
+
+    expect(screen.getByText(/trade list is unavailable right now/i)).toBeInTheDocument();
+
+    const input = getAddTradeInput();
+    fireEvent.change(input, { target: { value: "P" } });
+    expect(screen.queryByRole("listbox")).toBeNull();
+    expect(screen.queryAllByRole("option")).toHaveLength(0);
+
+    typeAndCommitTrade(input, "Plumbing", "enter");
+
+    expect(screen.getByText("Plumbing (primary)")).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(valuesRef.current).toBe("Plumbing");
+  });
+
+  it("rejects trades outside the canonical list with visible feedback and keeps the draft", () => {
+    const valuesRef = { current: "" };
+    renderWithProviders(
+      <TradeSpecialtiesHarness tradeOptions={["Plumbing", "HVAC"]} valuesRef={valuesRef} />,
+    );
+
+    const input = getAddTradeInput();
+    typeAndCommitTrade(input, "Sprinkler Fitting", "button");
+
+    expect(screen.getByText(/is not in the trades list/i)).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.queryByText("Sprinkler Fitting (primary)")).toBeNull();
+    expect(valuesRef.current).toBe("");
+    expect(input).toHaveValue("Sprinkler Fitting");
+  });
+
+  it("commits the canonical casing when a typed trade matches case-insensitively", () => {
+    const valuesRef = { current: "" };
+    renderWithProviders(
+      <TradeSpecialtiesHarness tradeOptions={["Plumbing", "HVAC"]} valuesRef={valuesRef} />,
+    );
+
+    const input = getAddTradeInput();
+    typeAndCommitTrade(input, "hvac", "enter");
+
+    expect(screen.getByText("HVAC (primary)")).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(valuesRef.current).toBe("HVAC");
+  });
+
+  it("keeps legacy free-text trades visible, removable, and re-selectable", async () => {
+    const valuesRef = { current: "" };
+    renderWithProviders(
+      <TradeSpecialtiesHarness
+        tradeOptions={["Plumbing", "HVAC"]}
+        initialTradeSpecialties="Backflow Testing, HVAC"
+        valuesRef={valuesRef}
+      />,
+    );
+
+    expect(screen.getByText("Backflow Testing (primary)")).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.getByText("HVAC")).toBeInTheDocument();
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByTestId("remove-trade-Backflow Testing"));
+    expect(screen.queryByText(/Backflow Testing/)).toBeNull();
+    expect(valuesRef.current).toBe("HVAC");
+
+    const input = getAddTradeInput();
+    fireEvent.change(input, { target: { value: "Back" } });
+    fireEvent.click(await screen.findByRole("option", { name: "Backflow Testing" }));
+
+    expect(await screen.findByText("Backflow Testing")).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(valuesRef.current).toBe("HVAC, Backflow Testing");
+  });
+
+  it("flags duplicate trades instead of silently doing nothing", () => {
+    const valuesRef = { current: "" };
+    renderWithProviders(
+      <TradeSpecialtiesHarness
+        tradeOptions={["Plumbing"]}
+        initialTradeSpecialties="Plumbing"
+        valuesRef={valuesRef}
+      />,
+    );
+
+    const input = getAddTradeInput();
+    typeAndCommitTrade(input, "plumbing", "enter");
+
+    expect(screen.getByText(/is already on this technician/i)).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(valuesRef.current).toBe("Plumbing");
+  });
+});