diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index d8a729174..efe836a21 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -632,6 +632,7 @@ GO_GENERATE_PACKAGES := \
 	./submitqueue/extension/changeprovider/... \
 	./submitqueue/extension/conflict/... \
 	./submitqueue/extension/queueconfig/... \
+	./submitqueue/extension/queuepause/... \
 	./submitqueue/extension/speculation/... \
 	./submitqueue/extension/storage/... \
 	./submitqueue/extension/validator/... \
diff --git a/submitqueue/entity/BUILD.bazel b/submitqueue/entity/BUILD.bazel
index d3fcf8eb0..6e1561ab1 100644
--- a/submitqueue/entity/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/submitqueue/entity/BUILD.bazel
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ go_library(
         "path_build.go",
         "queue_batch_state.go",
         "queue_config.go",
+        "queue_pause.go",
         "request.go",
         "request_batch.go",
         "request_history.go",
diff --git a/submitqueue/entity/queue_pause.go b/submitqueue/entity/queue_pause.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ca1264378
--- /dev/null
+++ b/submitqueue/entity/queue_pause.go
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2026 Uber Technologies, Inc.
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+package entity
+
+// QueuePause is a point-in-time snapshot of the pause switches of a single
+// queue. The two switches are independent, and the zero value means the queue
+// is not paused.
+type QueuePause struct {
+	// RejectLands is true while the queue refuses new land requests.
+	RejectLands bool
+
+	// FreezeProcessing is true while the queue's accepted requests are not advanced.
+	FreezeProcessing bool
+
+	// Reason is the operator's free-text explanation for the pause. Empty when none was given.
+	Reason string
+}
diff --git a/submitqueue/extension/queuepause/BUILD.bazel b/submitqueue/extension/queuepause/BUILD.bazel
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6aa6ee319
--- /dev/null
+++ b/submitqueue/extension/queuepause/BUILD.bazel
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+load("@rules_go//go:def.bzl", "go_library")
+
+go_library(
+    name = "go_default_library",
+    srcs = ["queuepause.go"],
+    importpath = "github.com/uber/submitqueue/submitqueue/extension/queuepause",
+    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
+    deps = ["//submitqueue/entity:go_default_library"],
+)
diff --git a/submitqueue/extension/queuepause/README.md b/submitqueue/extension/queuepause/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..61b714d78
--- /dev/null
+++ b/submitqueue/extension/queuepause/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+# Queue Pause Extension
+
+Vendor-agnostic source of per-queue pause state. See [the pause and unpause RFC](../../../doc/rfc/submitqueue/queue-pause-and-unpause.md) for the design.
+
+## Interfaces
+
+### Store
+
+Returns the pause state of a queue by name. The state is two independent switches: reject new land requests, and freeze processing of accepted requests. A queue with no entry is not paused, and an error means the backend could not be read.
+
+The store only reports state. The gateway and orchestrator enforce it, so every deployment runs the same rejection and freezing logic and only the source of the state differs.
+
+## Entities
+
+`QueuePause` lives in `submitqueue/entity/queue_pause.go`.
diff --git a/submitqueue/extension/queuepause/mock/BUILD.bazel b/submitqueue/extension/queuepause/mock/BUILD.bazel
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..08356e56a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/submitqueue/extension/queuepause/mock/BUILD.bazel
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+load("@rules_go//go:def.bzl", "go_library")
+
+go_library(
+    name = "go_default_library",
+    srcs = ["queuepause_mock.go"],
+    importpath = "github.com/uber/submitqueue/submitqueue/extension/queuepause/mock",
+    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
+    deps = [
+        "//submitqueue/entity:go_default_library",
+        "@org_uber_go_mock//gomock:go_default_library",
+    ],
+)
diff --git a/submitqueue/extension/queuepause/mock/queuepause_mock.go b/submitqueue/extension/queuepause/mock/queuepause_mock.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..90a0b682f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/submitqueue/extension/queuepause/mock/queuepause_mock.go
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+// Code generated by MockGen. DO NOT EDIT.
+// Source: queuepause.go
+//
+// Generated by this command:
+//
+//	mockgen -source=queuepause.go -destination=mock/queuepause_mock.go -package=mock
+//
+
+// Package mock is a generated GoMock package.
+package mock
+
+import (
+	context "context"
+	reflect "reflect"
+
+	entity "github.com/uber/submitqueue/submitqueue/entity"
+	gomock "go.uber.org/mock/gomock"
+)
+
+// MockStore is a mock of Store interface.
+type MockStore struct {
+	ctrl     *gomock.Controller
+	recorder *MockStoreMockRecorder
+	isgomock struct{}
+}
+
+// MockStoreMockRecorder is the mock recorder for MockStore.
+type MockStoreMockRecorder struct {
+	mock *MockStore
+}
+
+// NewMockStore creates a new mock instance.
+func NewMockStore(ctrl *gomock.Controller) *MockStore {
+	mock := &MockStore{ctrl: ctrl}
+	mock.recorder = &MockStoreMockRecorder{mock}
+	return mock
+}
+
+// EXPECT returns an object that allows the caller to indicate expected use.
+func (m *MockStore) EXPECT() *MockStoreMockRecorder {
+	return m.recorder
+}
+
+// Get mocks base method.
+func (m *MockStore) Get(ctx context.Context, queue string) (entity.QueuePause, error) {
+	m.ctrl.T.Helper()
+	ret := m.ctrl.Call(m, "Get", ctx, queue)
+	ret0, _ := ret[0].(entity.QueuePause)
+	ret1, _ := ret[1].(error)
+	return ret0, ret1
+}
+
+// Get indicates an expected call of Get.
+func (mr *MockStoreMockRecorder) Get(ctx, queue any) *gomock.Call {
+	mr.mock.ctrl.T.Helper()
+	return mr.mock.ctrl.RecordCallWithMethodType(mr.mock, "Get", reflect.TypeOf((*MockStore)(nil).Get), ctx, queue)
+}
diff --git a/submitqueue/extension/queuepause/queuepause.go b/submitqueue/extension/queuepause/queuepause.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d4f2b17b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/submitqueue/extension/queuepause/queuepause.go
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2026 Uber Technologies, Inc.
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+package queuepause
+
+//go:generate mockgen -source=queuepause.go -destination=mock/queuepause_mock.go -package=mock
+
+import (
+	"context"
+
+	"github.com/uber/submitqueue/submitqueue/entity"
+)
+
+// Store is the source of per-queue pause state. It reports the switches and
+// decides nothing; enforcement lives in the services that resolve it.
+type Store interface {
+	// Get returns the current pause state of a queue. A queue with no entry
+	// returns the zero state (not paused) and no error. A non-nil error means
+	// the backend could not be read, not that the queue is unpaused; a caller
+	// that enforces a switch must not fail open on it. Implementations must be
+	// safe for concurrent use.
+	Get(ctx context.Context, queue string) (entity.QueuePause, error)
+}