diff --git a/apps/server/.env.example b/apps/server/.env.example
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6309338
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/server/.env.example
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+# Copy to .env and fill in. The server refuses to start without a strong JWT_SECRET.
+#
+# Generate a strong secret:
+#   openssl rand -hex 32
+JWT_SECRET=
+
+# Optional
+# PORT=3000
+# HOST=0.0.0.0
+# LOG_LEVEL=info
+# DATABASE_URL=./parking.sqlite
diff --git a/apps/server/src/server.ts b/apps/server/src/server.ts
index aa08fb8..b03a988 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/server.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/server.ts
@@ -13,14 +13,34 @@ declare module "@fastify/jwt" {
   }
 }
 
+/**
+ * Resolve the JWT signing secret, refusing to start without a strong one.
+ * There is deliberately no fallback default — a missing, short, or placeholder
+ * secret throws so the server never runs with forgeable tokens.
+ */
+function requireJwtSecret(): string {
+  const secret = process.env.JWT_SECRET;
+  if (!secret || secret.length < 32 || /change.?me|insecure|dev-only/i.test(secret)) {
+    throw new Error(
+      "JWT_SECRET must be set to a strong random value (>=32 chars). " +
+        "Generate one with: openssl rand -hex 32",
+    );
+  }
+  return secret;
+}
+
 export async function buildServer(): Promise<FastifyInstance> {
   const app = Fastify({
     logger: { level: process.env.LOG_LEVEL ?? "info" },
   });
 
   // Local JWT signing with a local secret — no external identity provider.
+  // Fail fast rather than fall back to a known default: a booth machine started
+  // without a real secret would sign tokens anyone could forge (incl. an admin
+  // token), defeating the whole local-auth/anti-fraud model. No insecure default.
   await app.register(jwt, {
-    secret: process.env.JWT_SECRET ?? "dev-only-insecure-secret-change-me",
+    secret: requireJwtSecret(),
+    sign: { expiresIn: "8h" }, // bound to a shift; minted tokens must expire
   });
 
   app.get("/health", async () => ({ status: "ok" }));