diff --git a/teressa-copeland-homes/src/app/api/documents/[id]/file/route.ts b/teressa-copeland-homes/src/app/api/documents/[id]/file/route.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6728176
--- /dev/null
+++ b/teressa-copeland-homes/src/app/api/documents/[id]/file/route.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+import { auth } from '@/lib/auth';
+import { db } from '@/lib/db';
+import { documents } from '@/lib/db/schema';
+import { eq } from 'drizzle-orm';
+import { readFile } from 'node:fs/promises';
+import path from 'node:path';
+
+const UPLOADS_BASE = path.join(process.cwd(), 'uploads');
+
+export async function GET(
+  _req: Request,
+  { params }: { params: Promise<{ id: string }> }
+) {
+  const session = await auth();
+  if (!session) return new Response('Unauthorized', { status: 401 });
+
+  const { id } = await params;
+
+  const doc = await db.query.documents.findFirst({
+    where: eq(documents.id, id),
+  });
+  if (!doc || !doc.filePath) return new Response('Not found', { status: 404 });
+
+  const filePath = path.join(UPLOADS_BASE, doc.filePath);
+
+  // Path traversal guard — critical security check
+  if (!filePath.startsWith(UPLOADS_BASE)) {
+    return new Response('Forbidden', { status: 403 });
+  }
+
+  try {
+    const buffer = await readFile(filePath);
+    return new Response(buffer, {
+      headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/pdf' },
+    });
+  } catch {
+    return new Response('File not found', { status: 404 });
+  }
+}
diff --git a/teressa-copeland-homes/src/app/api/documents/route.ts b/teressa-copeland-homes/src/app/api/documents/route.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f7f4170
--- /dev/null
+++ b/teressa-copeland-homes/src/app/api/documents/route.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+import { auth } from '@/lib/auth';
+import { db } from '@/lib/db';
+import { documents, formTemplates } from '@/lib/db/schema';
+import { eq } from 'drizzle-orm';
+import { copyFile, mkdir, writeFile } from 'node:fs/promises';
+import path from 'node:path';
+
+const SEEDS_DIR = path.join(process.cwd(), 'seeds', 'forms');
+const UPLOADS_DIR = path.join(process.cwd(), 'uploads');
+
+export async function POST(req: Request) {
+  const session = await auth();
+  if (!session) return new Response('Unauthorized', { status: 401 });
+
+  const contentType = req.headers.get('content-type') ?? '';
+
+  let clientId: string;
+  let name: string;
+  let formTemplateId: string | undefined;
+  let fileBuffer: ArrayBuffer | undefined;
+
+  if (contentType.includes('multipart/form-data')) {
+    // File picker path — custom PDF upload
+    const formData = await req.formData();
+    clientId = formData.get('clientId') as string;
+    name = formData.get('name') as string;
+    const file = formData.get('file') as File;
+    fileBuffer = await file.arrayBuffer();
+  } else {
+    // Library path — copy from seed template
+    const body = await req.json();
+    clientId = body.clientId;
+    name = body.name;
+    formTemplateId = body.formTemplateId;
+  }
+
+  if (!clientId || !name) {
+    return Response.json({ error: 'clientId and name are required' }, { status: 400 });
+  }
+
+  const docId = crypto.randomUUID();
+  const destDir = path.join(UPLOADS_DIR, 'clients', clientId);
+  const destPath = path.join(destDir, `${docId}.pdf`);
+  const relPath = `clients/${clientId}/${docId}.pdf`;
+
+  // Path traversal guard
+  if (!destPath.startsWith(UPLOADS_DIR)) {
+    return new Response('Forbidden', { status: 403 });
+  }
+
+  await mkdir(destDir, { recursive: true });
+
+  if (fileBuffer !== undefined) {
+    // Custom upload
+    await writeFile(destPath, Buffer.from(fileBuffer));
+  } else {
+    // Template copy
+    const template = await db.query.formTemplates.findFirst({
+      where: eq(formTemplates.id, formTemplateId!),
+    });
+    if (!template) return Response.json({ error: 'Template not found' }, { status: 404 });
+
+    const srcPath = path.join(SEEDS_DIR, template.filename);
+    await copyFile(srcPath, destPath);
+  }
+
+  const [doc] = await db.insert(documents).values({
+    id: docId,
+    clientId,
+    name,
+    formTemplateId: formTemplateId ?? null,
+    filePath: relPath,
+    status: 'Draft',
+  }).returning();
+
+  return Response.json(doc, { status: 201 });
+}