diff --git a/apps/edr-freight-web/portal/src/components/onboarding/RoleLicenseStep.tsx b/apps/edr-freight-web/portal/src/components/onboarding/RoleLicenseStep.tsx
index 451222841..fa1061622 100644
--- a/apps/edr-freight-web/portal/src/components/onboarding/RoleLicenseStep.tsx
+++ b/apps/edr-freight-web/portal/src/components/onboarding/RoleLicenseStep.tsx
@@ -70,6 +70,8 @@ interface RoleLicenseStepProps {
   /** Newly-selected files per profile id (not yet uploaded). */
   value: Record<string, File[]>;
   onChange: (value: Record<string, File[]>) => void;
+  /** "Business license is required" style error, keyed by profile id. */
+  errors?: Record<string, string>;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -82,6 +84,7 @@ export default function RoleLicenseStep({
   profiles,
   value,
   onChange,
+  errors,
 }: RoleLicenseStepProps) {
   const setFiles = (profileId: string, files: File[]) => {
     onChange({ ...value, [profileId]: files });
@@ -123,6 +126,11 @@ export default function RoleLicenseStep({
               file={buildLicenseSetting(profile.id, label)}
               value={{ [LICENSE_FILE_KEY]: selected }}
               uploadedKeys={hasExisting ? [LICENSE_FILE_KEY] : undefined}
+              errors={
+                errors?.[profile.id]
+                  ? { [LICENSE_FILE_KEY]: errors[profile.id] }
+                  : undefined
+              }
               onChange={(v) => {
                 const next = v[LICENSE_FILE_KEY];
                 const files = Array.isArray(next) ? next : next ? [next] : [];
diff --git a/apps/edr-freight-web/portal/src/pages/accounts/CompanyProfileForm.tsx b/apps/edr-freight-web/portal/src/pages/accounts/CompanyProfileForm.tsx
index d7c3b913b..cc9f81a29 100644
--- a/apps/edr-freight-web/portal/src/pages/accounts/CompanyProfileForm.tsx
+++ b/apps/edr-freight-web/portal/src/pages/accounts/CompanyProfileForm.tsx
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import type { ProfileResponse, UpdateProfilePayload } from "@/types/profile";
 import type { CompanyRegistrationData } from "@edr/types";
 import { ControlledPhoneField, toEthiopianE164 } from "@/components/PhoneField";
 import { SmartFileInput } from "@edr/ui-common";
+import { getMinFiles } from "@/types/fileUploadSettings";
 import { api } from "@/services/api";
 import RoleLicenseStep, {
   type RoleLicenseProfile,
@@ -358,6 +359,72 @@ export default function CompanyProfileForm({
 
   const hasDocuments = Boolean(uploadSetting?.fields?.length);
 
+  // Hard verification for the documents step: required company-level
+  // documents and a business license per operational profile must both be
+  // present before the user can continue.
+  const [documentFieldErrors, setDocumentFieldErrors] = useState<
+    Record<string, string>
+  >({});
+  const [licenseFieldErrors, setLicenseFieldErrors] = useState<
+    Record<string, string>
+  >({});
+
+  const validateRequiredDocuments = (): Record<string, string> => {
+    const errs: Record<string, string> = {};
+    for (const field of uploadSetting?.fields ?? []) {
+      const min = getMinFiles(field);
+      if (min <= 0) continue;
+      if ((uploadedDocumentKeys ?? []).includes(field.fileKey)) continue;
+      const v = documentFiles[field.fileKey];
+      const count = Array.isArray(v) ? v.length : v ? 1 : 0;
+      if (count < min) {
+        errs[field.fileKey] = `${field.fileLabel} is required`;
+      }
+    }
+    return errs;
+  };
+
+  // Every role needs at least one license file (existing or newly selected).
+  const validateLicenses = (): Record<string, string> => {
+    const errs: Record<string, string> = {};
+    for (const p of roleProfiles ?? []) {
+      const hasNew = (licenseFiles?.[p.id]?.length ?? 0) > 0;
+      const hasExisting = p.existingFiles.length > 0;
+      if (!hasNew && !hasExisting) {
+        errs[p.id] = "Business license is required";
+      }
+    }
+    return errs;
+  };
+
+  const handleDocumentFilesChange = (
+    next: Record<string, File | File[] | null>,
+  ) => {
+    setDocumentFiles(next);
+    setDocumentFieldErrors((prev) => {
+      if (Object.keys(prev).length === 0) return prev;
+      const updated = { ...prev };
+      for (const key of Object.keys(updated)) {
+        const v = next[key];
+        const hasValue = Array.isArray(v) ? v.length > 0 : v != null;
+        if (hasValue) delete updated[key];
+      }
+      return updated;
+    });
+  };
+
+  const handleLicenseFilesChange = (next: Record<string, File[]>) => {
+    onLicenseChange?.(next);
+    setLicenseFieldErrors((prev) => {
+      if (Object.keys(prev).length === 0) return prev;
+      const updated = { ...prev };
+      for (const id of Object.keys(updated)) {
+        if ((next[id]?.length ?? 0) > 0) delete updated[id];
+      }
+      return updated;
+    });
+  };
+
   // The registration/license details come straight from the eTrade lookup and
   // are not user-editable — shown as a read-only confirmation once a TIN lookup
   // (or rehydration) has filled them in. The address fields below are separate:
@@ -402,18 +469,21 @@ export default function CompanyProfileForm({
     }
   };
 
-  // Every role needs at least one license file (existing or newly selected).
-  const licenseComplete = (roleProfiles ?? []).every(
-    (p) =>
-      (licenseFiles?.[p.id]?.length ?? 0) > 0 || p.existingFiles.length > 0,
-  );
-
   const nextStep = async () => {
     userNavigatedRef.current = true;
-    // The documents step auto-uploads whatever the user selected as they
-    // continue (partial uploads are allowed — required-doc completeness is
-    // re-checked on resume). A failed upload holds them on the step.
+    // The documents step hard-blocks on required company documents and a
+    // business license per operational profile before it auto-uploads and
+    // submits — no partial-completion path forward.
     if (step === "documents") {
+      const docErrors = validateRequiredDocuments();
+      const licenseErrors = validateLicenses();
+      if (Object.keys(docErrors).length > 0 || Object.keys(licenseErrors).length > 0) {
+        setDocumentFieldErrors(docErrors);
+        setLicenseFieldErrors(licenseErrors);
+        setSaveError("Please upload all required documents before continuing.");
+        return;
+      }
+
       if (onUploadDocuments) {
         setSaving(true);
         try {
@@ -427,12 +497,6 @@ export default function CompanyProfileForm({
         }
       }
 
-      if (!licenseComplete) {
-        setSaveError(
-          "Please upload a business license for each of your operational profiles.",
-        );
-        return;
-      }
       setSaveError(null);
       handleSubmit((data) => onSubmit(buildPayload(data, user)))();
       return;
@@ -749,15 +813,17 @@ export default function CompanyProfileForm({
                   file={uploadSetting}
                   value={documentFiles}
                   uploadedKeys={uploadedDocumentKeys}
+                  errors={documentFieldErrors}
                   containerClassName="lg:grid grid-cols-2 items-stretch"
-                  onChange={setDocumentFiles}
+                  onChange={handleDocumentFilesChange}
                 />
               )}
 
               <RoleLicenseStep
                 profiles={roleProfiles ?? []}
                 value={licenseFiles ?? {}}
-                onChange={onLicenseChange ?? (() => { })}
+                onChange={handleLicenseFilesChange}
+                errors={licenseFieldErrors}
               />
             </>
           )}