diff --git a/.pre-commit-config.yaml b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
index 3e98c9c..bc1a0ea 100644
--- a/.pre-commit-config.yaml
+++ b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
@@ -48,6 +48,18 @@ repos:
     hooks:
       - id: shellcheck
 
+  # Laravel Pint (PHP code style)
+  # CRITICAL: Uses --dirty to auto-fix only changed files (fast)
+  # Preflight script will verify with --test flag for CI parity
+  - repo: local
+    hooks:
+      - id: pint
+        name: Laravel Pint
+        entry: bash -c 'if [ -x vendor/bin/pint ]; then vendor/bin/pint --dirty; fi'
+        language: system
+        types: [php]
+        pass_filenames: false
+
   # Git hooks
   - repo: https://github.com/pre-commit/pre-commit-hooks
     rev: v6.0.0
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 3fdfad4..1d3155d 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### Added
 
+- Pint `--test --dirty` workflow in preflight script for CI parity
+- Pre-commit hook for Laravel Pint auto-formatting
+- CHANGELOG validation in preflight script
 - Initial Laravel 12 setup with PostgreSQL support
 - PEST testing framework integration
 - PHPStan static analysis with Larastan
diff --git a/scripts/preflight.sh b/scripts/preflight.sh
index ac8d816..01b7e28 100755
--- a/scripts/preflight.sh
+++ b/scripts/preflight.sh
@@ -46,10 +46,18 @@ fi
 # Helper functions to reduce code duplication
 run_pint() {
   local cmd_prefix="$1"
-  # Run Laravel Pint to auto-fix code style issues
-  # Uses --dirty flag to only process modified files for performance
+  # Run Laravel Pint with check-first workflow (see SELF_REVIEW_CHECKLIST.md)
+  # CRITICAL: Always check before fixing to ensure CI parity
+  # --test: check-only mode (no auto-fix, matches CI behavior)
+  # --dirty: only process modified files (fast, focused)
   if [ -x ./vendor/bin/pint ]; then
-    ${cmd_prefix} ./vendor/bin/pint --dirty
+    echo "→ Checking code style (pint --test --dirty)..."
+    if ! ${cmd_prefix} ./vendor/bin/pint --test --dirty; then
+      echo "→ Auto-fixing code style issues (pint --dirty)..."
+      ${cmd_prefix} ./vendor/bin/pint --dirty
+      echo "→ Verifying fix matches CI requirements (pint --test --dirty)..."
+      ${cmd_prefix} ./vendor/bin/pint --test --dirty
+    fi
   fi
 }
 
@@ -161,7 +169,45 @@ if [ -f docs/openapi.yaml ] && command -v npx >/dev/null 2>&1; then
   npx --yes @stoplight/spectral-cli lint docs/openapi.yaml
 fi
 
-# 4) Check PR size locally (against BASE)
+# 4) CHANGELOG validation (for non-docs branches)
+# Branch prefixes that are exempt from CHANGELOG updates (configuration)
+CHANGELOG_EXEMPT_PREFIXES="^(docs|chore|ci|test)/"
+# Minimum lines in [Unreleased] to consider it non-empty
+# Typically: 3 lines = one line each for Added, Changed, Fixed sections
+MIN_CHANGELOG_LINES=3
+
+CURRENT_BRANCH=$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD 2>/dev/null || echo "")
+if [ -f CHANGELOG.md ] && [ "$CURRENT_BRANCH" != "main" ] && [[ ! "$CURRENT_BRANCH" =~ $CHANGELOG_EXEMPT_PREFIXES ]]; then
+  # Check if CHANGELOG has [Unreleased] section
+  if ! grep -q "## \[Unreleased\]" CHANGELOG.md; then
+    echo "❌ CHANGELOG.md missing [Unreleased] section" >&2
+    echo "Tip: Every feature/fix/refactor branch must update CHANGELOG.md" >&2
+    echo "Exempt branches: docs/*, chore/*, ci/*, test/*" >&2
+    exit 1
+  fi
+
+  # Check if there's actual content after [Unreleased] (robust to last/only section)
+  # Find line number of [Unreleased], then extract content up to next heading or EOF
+  UNRELEASED_START=$(grep -n '^## \[Unreleased\]' CHANGELOG.md | cut -d: -f1)
+  if [ -n "$UNRELEASED_START" ]; then
+    # Find next heading after [Unreleased], or use EOF if none found
+    UNRELEASED_END=$(tail -n +"$((UNRELEASED_START + 1))" CHANGELOG.md | grep -n '^## ' | head -1 | cut -d: -f1)
+    if [ -n "$UNRELEASED_END" ]; then
+      # Extract content between [Unreleased] and next heading
+      UNRELEASED_CONTENT=$(sed -n "$((UNRELEASED_START + 1)),$((UNRELEASED_START + UNRELEASED_END - 1))p" CHANGELOG.md | grep -v '^##' | grep -v '^$' | grep -v '^<!--' | grep -v '^-->' | wc -l)
+    else
+      # [Unreleased] is the last section, extract all remaining content
+      UNRELEASED_CONTENT=$(tail -n +"$((UNRELEASED_START + 1))" CHANGELOG.md | grep -v '^##' | grep -v '^$' | grep -v '^<!--' | grep -v '^-->' | wc -l)
+    fi
+
+    if [ "$UNRELEASED_CONTENT" -lt "$MIN_CHANGELOG_LINES" ]; then
+      echo "⚠️  Warning: [Unreleased] section appears empty in CHANGELOG.md" >&2
+      echo "Did you forget to document your changes?" >&2
+    fi
+  fi
+fi
+
+# 5) Check PR size locally (against BASE)
 if ! git rev-parse -q --verify "origin/$BASE" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
   echo "Warning: Cannot verify base branch origin/$BASE - skipping PR size check." >&2
   echo "Tip: Run 'git fetch origin $BASE' to enable PR size checking." >&2