diff --git a/main/CMakeLists.txt b/main/CMakeLists.txt
index 13698bb..e8ed6ae 100644
--- a/main/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/main/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -2,5 +2,6 @@ idf_component_register(SRCS
     "main.c"
     "spi_bus_manager.c"
     "storage_manager.c"
+    "rfid_manager.c"
     INCLUDE_DIRS "."
 )
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/main/main.c b/main/main.c
index ac45d1c..9a16b58 100644
--- a/main/main.c
+++ b/main/main.c
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include "esp_log.h"
 #include "spi_bus_manager.h"
 #include "storage_manager.h"
+#include "rfid_manager.h"
 
 static const char *TAG = "MAIN";
 
@@ -14,7 +15,10 @@ void app_main(void)
     ESP_ERROR_CHECK(spi_bus_manager_init());
     ESP_ERROR_CHECK(storage_manager_init());
 
-    ESP_LOGI(TAG, "Boot sequence complete. Ready for Phase 3+.");
+    ESP_ERROR_CHECK(rfid_manager_init());
+    ESP_ERROR_CHECK(rfid_manager_start());
+
+    ESP_LOGI(TAG, "Boot sequence complete. Ready for Phase 4+.");
 
     while (1) {
         vTaskDelay(pdMS_TO_TICKS(1000));
diff --git a/main/rfid_manager.c b/main/rfid_manager.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..704cfc6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/main/rfid_manager.c
@@ -0,0 +1,133 @@
+/*
+ * MTG RFID Companion - MFRC522 RFID manager (Core 0)
+ */
+
+#include <string.h>
+#include "freertos/FreeRTOS.h"
+#include "freertos/task.h"
+#include "esp_log.h"
+#include "esp_event.h"
+#include "rc522.h"
+#include "rc522_picc.h"
+#include "driver/rc522_spi.h"
+#include "hw_pins.h"
+#include "spi_bus_manager.h"
+#include "rfid_manager.h"
+
+static const char *TAG = "rfid";
+
+#define RC522_TASK_NAME "rc522_polling_task"
+#define RC522_POLL_INTERVAL_MS (100)
+#define RC522_TASK_STACK_SIZE  (6 * 1024)
+#define RC522_TASK_PRIORITY    (4)
+
+static rc522_driver_handle_t s_driver;
+static rc522_handle_t s_scanner;
+
+static char s_last_uid[RFID_UID_STR_MAX_LEN] = {0};
+static bool s_pending_card = false;
+
+static void uid_to_hex_string(const rc522_picc_uid_t *uid, char *out)
+{
+    int i;
+    for (i = 0; i < uid->length && i < RC522_PICC_UID_SIZE_MAX; i++) {
+        snprintf(out + (i * 2), 3, "%02X", uid->value[i]);
+    }
+}
+
+static void on_picc_state_changed(void *arg, esp_event_base_t base, int32_t event_id, void *data)
+{
+    rc522_picc_state_changed_event_t *event = (rc522_picc_state_changed_event_t *)data;
+    rc522_picc_t *picc = event->picc;
+
+    (void)arg;
+    (void)base;
+    (void)event_id;
+
+    if (picc->state == RC522_PICC_STATE_ACTIVE) {
+        uid_to_hex_string(&picc->uid, s_last_uid);
+        s_pending_card = true;
+        ESP_LOGI(TAG, "Card scanned: UID=%s (%d bytes, %s)",
+                 s_last_uid, picc->uid.length, rc522_picc_type_name(picc->type));
+    } else if ((picc->state == RC522_PICC_STATE_IDLE || picc->state == RC522_PICC_STATE_HALT)
+               && event->old_state >= RC522_PICC_STATE_ACTIVE) {
+        ESP_LOGI(TAG, "Card removed");
+    }
+}
+
+esp_err_t rfid_manager_init(void)
+{
+    rc522_spi_config_t driver_config = {
+        .host_id = HW_SPI_HOST,
+        /* Bus already owned by spi_bus_manager: attaching as an extra device. */
+        .bus_config = NULL,
+        .dev_config = {
+            .spics_io_num = HW_RC522_CS_GPIO,
+        },
+        .dma_chan = SPI_DMA_CH_AUTO,
+        .rst_io_num = HW_RC522_RST_GPIO,
+    };
+
+    esp_err_t ret = rc522_spi_create(&driver_config, &s_driver);
+    if (ret != ESP_OK) {
+        ESP_LOGE(TAG, "rc522_spi_create failed: %s", esp_err_to_name(ret));
+        return ret;
+    }
+    ESP_ERROR_CHECK(rc522_driver_install(s_driver));
+
+    rc522_config_t scanner_config = {
+        .driver = s_driver,
+        .poll_interval_ms = RC522_POLL_INTERVAL_MS,
+        .task_stack_size = RC522_TASK_STACK_SIZE,
+        .task_priority = RC522_TASK_PRIORITY,
+    };
+
+    ret = rc522_create(&scanner_config, &s_scanner);
+    if (ret != ESP_OK) {
+        ESP_LOGE(TAG, "rc522_create failed: %s", esp_err_to_name(ret));
+        return ret;
+    }
+
+    ESP_ERROR_CHECK(
+        rc522_register_events(s_scanner, RC522_EVENT_PICC_STATE_CHANGED, on_picc_state_changed, NULL));
+
+    return ESP_OK;
+}
+
+esp_err_t rfid_manager_start(void)
+{
+    esp_err_t ret = rc522_start(s_scanner);
+    if (ret != ESP_OK) {
+        ESP_LOGE(TAG, "rc522_start failed: %s", esp_err_to_name(ret));
+        return ret;
+    }
+
+    /* Pin the library's polling task to Core 0 so that RFID I/O never
+     * competes with the UI renderer on Core 1. */
+    TaskHandle_t task = xTaskGetHandle(RC522_TASK_NAME);
+    if (task != NULL) {
+        vTaskCoreAffinitySet(task, (UBaseType_t)(1U << 0));
+        ESP_LOGI(TAG, "RC522 polling task pinned to Core 0");
+    } else {
+        ESP_LOGW(TAG, "rc522_polling_task handle not found, affinity not set");
+    }
+
+    ESP_LOGI(TAG, "RFID scanner ready (SPI2_HOST, CS=%d, RST=%d)",
+             HW_RC522_CS_GPIO, HW_RC522_RST_GPIO);
+    return ESP_OK;
+}
+
+const char *rfid_manager_last_uid(void)
+{
+    return s_last_uid;
+}
+
+bool rfid_manager_has_pending_card(void)
+{
+    return s_pending_card;
+}
+
+void rfid_manager_consume_card(void)
+{
+    s_pending_card = false;
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/main/rfid_manager.h b/main/rfid_manager.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..26a5872
--- /dev/null
+++ b/main/rfid_manager.h
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+/*
+ * MTG RFID Companion - MFRC522 RFID manager (Core 0)
+ *
+ * Phase 3: Initializes the MFRC522 as a device on the shared SPI2_HOST bus,
+ * registers an ESP event loop listener for card state changes, converts UIDs
+ * to uppercase hex strings, and pins the polling task to Core 0.
+ */
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include "esp_err.h"
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C" {
+#endif
+
+#define RFID_UID_STR_MAX_LEN (24) /* 10 bytes x 2 hex chars */
+
+/**
+ * @brief Initialize the MFRC522 driver and register event listeners.
+ * @return ESP_OK on success.
+ */
+esp_err_t rfid_manager_init(void);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Start polling for cards and pin the polling task to Core 0.
+ * @return ESP_OK on success.
+ */
+esp_err_t rfid_manager_start(void);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Return the most recently scanned UID (uppercase hex, no separators).
+ *        8 chars for 4-byte UIDs, 14 chars for 7-byte UIDs.
+ */
+const char *rfid_manager_last_uid(void);
+
+/**
+ * @brief True once a new card has been scanned since the last poll().
+ */
+bool rfid_manager_has_pending_card(void);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Clear the pending-card flag (call after consuming the UID).
+ */
+void rfid_manager_consume_card(void);
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+}
+#endif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/sdkconfig b/sdkconfig
index e7e9a5e..82e5275 100644
--- a/sdkconfig
+++ b/sdkconfig
@@ -1055,7 +1055,6 @@ CONFIG_ESP_PHY_ENABLE_VERSION_PRINT=y
 # Power Management
 #
 # CONFIG_PM_SLEEP_FUNC_IN_IRAM is not set
-# CONFIG_PM_ENABLE is not set
 # CONFIG_PM_SLP_IRAM_OPT is not set
 # end of Power Management
 
@@ -1314,7 +1313,7 @@ CONFIG_FATFS_DONT_TRUST_LAST_ALLOC=0
 #
 # Kernel
 #
-# CONFIG_FREERTOS_SMP is not set
+CONFIG_FREERTOS_SMP=y
 # CONFIG_FREERTOS_UNICORE is not set
 CONFIG_FREERTOS_HZ=100
 # CONFIG_FREERTOS_CHECK_STACKOVERFLOW_NONE is not set
@@ -1323,6 +1322,7 @@ CONFIG_FREERTOS_CHECK_STACKOVERFLOW_CANARY=y
 CONFIG_FREERTOS_THREAD_LOCAL_STORAGE_POINTERS=1
 CONFIG_FREERTOS_IDLE_TASK_STACKSIZE=1536
 # CONFIG_FREERTOS_USE_IDLE_HOOK is not set
+# CONFIG_FREERTOS_USE_PASSIVE_IDLE_HOOK is not set
 # CONFIG_FREERTOS_USE_TICK_HOOK is not set
 CONFIG_FREERTOS_MAX_TASK_NAME_LEN=16
 # CONFIG_FREERTOS_ENABLE_BACKWARD_COMPATIBILITY is not set
@@ -1331,7 +1331,7 @@ CONFIG_FREERTOS_TIMER_SERVICE_TASK_NAME="Tmr Svc"
 # CONFIG_FREERTOS_TIMER_TASK_AFFINITY_CPU0 is not set
 # CONFIG_FREERTOS_TIMER_TASK_AFFINITY_CPU1 is not set
 CONFIG_FREERTOS_TIMER_TASK_NO_AFFINITY=y
-CONFIG_FREERTOS_TIMER_SERVICE_TASK_CORE_AFFINITY=0x7FFFFFFF
+CONFIG_FREERTOS_TIMER_SERVICE_TASK_CORE_AFFINITY=0xFFFFFFFF
 CONFIG_FREERTOS_TIMER_TASK_PRIORITY=1
 CONFIG_FREERTOS_TIMER_TASK_STACK_DEPTH=2048
 CONFIG_FREERTOS_TIMER_QUEUE_LENGTH=10
@@ -1351,7 +1351,6 @@ CONFIG_FREERTOS_TASK_FUNCTION_WRAPPER=y
 CONFIG_FREERTOS_TLSP_DELETION_CALLBACKS=y
 # CONFIG_FREERTOS_TASK_PRE_DELETION_HOOK is not set
 # CONFIG_FREERTOS_ENABLE_STATIC_TASK_CLEAN_UP is not set
-CONFIG_FREERTOS_CHECK_MUTEX_GIVEN_BY_OWNER=y
 CONFIG_FREERTOS_ISR_STACKSIZE=1536
 CONFIG_FREERTOS_INTERRUPT_BACKTRACE=y
 # CONFIG_FREERTOS_FPU_IN_ISR is not set
@@ -1369,7 +1368,7 @@ CONFIG_FREERTOS_SYSTICK_USES_CCOUNT=y
 # end of Extra
 
 CONFIG_FREERTOS_PORT=y
-CONFIG_FREERTOS_NO_AFFINITY=0x7FFFFFFF
+CONFIG_FREERTOS_NO_AFFINITY=0xFFFFFFFF
 CONFIG_FREERTOS_SUPPORT_STATIC_ALLOCATION=y
 CONFIG_FREERTOS_DEBUG_OCDAWARE=y
 CONFIG_FREERTOS_ENABLE_TASK_SNAPSHOT=y
@@ -1567,7 +1566,7 @@ CONFIG_LWIP_TCPIP_TASK_STACK_SIZE=3072
 CONFIG_LWIP_TCPIP_TASK_AFFINITY_NO_AFFINITY=y
 # CONFIG_LWIP_TCPIP_TASK_AFFINITY_CPU0 is not set
 # CONFIG_LWIP_TCPIP_TASK_AFFINITY_CPU1 is not set
-CONFIG_LWIP_TCPIP_TASK_AFFINITY=0x7FFFFFFF
+CONFIG_LWIP_TCPIP_TASK_AFFINITY=0xFFFFFFFF
 CONFIG_LWIP_IPV6_MEMP_NUM_ND6_QUEUE=3
 CONFIG_LWIP_IPV6_ND6_NUM_NEIGHBORS=5
 CONFIG_LWIP_IPV6_ND6_NUM_PREFIXES=5
@@ -2275,7 +2274,7 @@ CONFIG_TCPIP_TASK_STACK_SIZE=3072
 CONFIG_TCPIP_TASK_AFFINITY_NO_AFFINITY=y
 # CONFIG_TCPIP_TASK_AFFINITY_CPU0 is not set
 # CONFIG_TCPIP_TASK_AFFINITY_CPU1 is not set
-CONFIG_TCPIP_TASK_AFFINITY=0x7FFFFFFF
+CONFIG_TCPIP_TASK_AFFINITY=0xFFFFFFFF
 # CONFIG_PPP_SUPPORT is not set
 CONFIG_NEWLIB_STDOUT_LINE_ENDING_CRLF=y
 # CONFIG_NEWLIB_STDOUT_LINE_ENDING_LF is not set
diff --git a/sdkconfig.defaults b/sdkconfig.defaults
index 87c5fbe..1233692 100644
--- a/sdkconfig.defaults
+++ b/sdkconfig.defaults
@@ -3,4 +3,6 @@ CONFIG_IDF_TARGET="esp32"
 CONFIG_ESPTOOLPY_FLASHSIZE_4MB=y
 CONFIG_PARTITION_TABLE_CUSTOM=y
 CONFIG_PARTITION_TABLE_CUSTOM_FILENAME="partitions.csv"
-CONFIG_ESPTOOLPY_FLASHMODE_DIO=y
\ No newline at end of file
+CONFIG_ESPTOOLPY_FLASHMODE_DIO=y
+CONFIG_VFS_SUPPORT_DIR=y
+CONFIG_FREERTOS_SMP=y
\ No newline at end of file