diff --git a/nora-registry/src/error.rs b/nora-registry/src/error.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7b33030
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nora-registry/src/error.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,121 @@
+//! Application error handling with HTTP response conversion
+//!
+//! Provides a unified error type that can be converted to HTTP responses
+//! with appropriate status codes and JSON error bodies.
+
+use axum::{
+    http::StatusCode,
+    response::{IntoResponse, Response},
+    Json,
+};
+use serde::Serialize;
+use thiserror::Error;
+
+use crate::storage::StorageError;
+use crate::validation::ValidationError;
+
+/// Application-level errors with HTTP response conversion
+#[derive(Debug, Error)]
+pub enum AppError {
+    #[error("Not found: {0}")]
+    NotFound(String),
+
+    #[error("Bad request: {0}")]
+    BadRequest(String),
+
+    #[error("Unauthorized: {0}")]
+    Unauthorized(String),
+
+    #[error("Internal error: {0}")]
+    Internal(String),
+
+    #[error("Storage error: {0}")]
+    Storage(#[from] StorageError),
+
+    #[error("Validation error: {0}")]
+    Validation(#[from] ValidationError),
+}
+
+/// JSON error response body
+#[derive(Serialize)]
+struct ErrorResponse {
+    error: String,
+    #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+    request_id: Option<String>,
+}
+
+impl IntoResponse for AppError {
+    fn into_response(self) -> Response {
+        let (status, message) = match &self {
+            AppError::NotFound(msg) => (StatusCode::NOT_FOUND, msg.clone()),
+            AppError::BadRequest(msg) => (StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST, msg.clone()),
+            AppError::Unauthorized(msg) => (StatusCode::UNAUTHORIZED, msg.clone()),
+            AppError::Internal(msg) => (StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR, msg.clone()),
+            AppError::Storage(e) => match e {
+                StorageError::NotFound => (StatusCode::NOT_FOUND, "Resource not found".to_string()),
+                StorageError::Validation(v) => (StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST, v.to_string()),
+                _ => (StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR, e.to_string()),
+            },
+            AppError::Validation(e) => (StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST, e.to_string()),
+        };
+
+        (
+            status,
+            Json(ErrorResponse {
+                error: message,
+                request_id: None,
+            }),
+        )
+            .into_response()
+    }
+}
+
+impl AppError {
+    /// Create a not found error
+    pub fn not_found(msg: impl Into<String>) -> Self {
+        Self::NotFound(msg.into())
+    }
+
+    /// Create a bad request error
+    pub fn bad_request(msg: impl Into<String>) -> Self {
+        Self::BadRequest(msg.into())
+    }
+
+    /// Create an unauthorized error
+    pub fn unauthorized(msg: impl Into<String>) -> Self {
+        Self::Unauthorized(msg.into())
+    }
+
+    /// Create an internal error
+    pub fn internal(msg: impl Into<String>) -> Self {
+        Self::Internal(msg.into())
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_app_error_from_storage_error() {
+        let storage_err = StorageError::NotFound;
+        let app_err: AppError = storage_err.into();
+        assert!(matches!(app_err, AppError::Storage(StorageError::NotFound)));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_app_error_from_validation_error() {
+        let val_err = ValidationError::EmptyInput;
+        let app_err: AppError = val_err.into();
+        assert!(matches!(
+            app_err,
+            AppError::Validation(ValidationError::EmptyInput)
+        ));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_error_display() {
+        let err = AppError::NotFound("image not found".to_string());
+        assert_eq!(err.to_string(), "Not found: image not found");
+    }
+}