diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/Api/TicketController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/Api/TicketController.php
index 9646e01..ca4c746 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/Api/TicketController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/Api/TicketController.php
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ class TicketController extends Controller
             'customer_email' => ['nullable', 'email', 'max:255'],
             'priority' => ['nullable', 'string', 'in:'.implode(',', array_keys(config('qms.ticket_priorities')))],
             'source' => ['nullable', 'string', 'in:'.implode(',', array_keys(config('qms.ticket_sources')))],
+            'metadata' => ['nullable', 'array'],
         ]);
 
         $queue = ServiceQueue::where('uuid', $validated['service_queue_id'])->firstOrFail();
@@ -66,6 +67,7 @@ class TicketController extends Controller
             ...$validated,
             'source' => $validated['source'] ?? 'api',
             'actor_ref' => $owner,
+            'metadata' => $validated['metadata'] ?? null,
         ]);
 
         return response()->json(['data' => TicketPresenter::toArray($ticket)], 201);
diff --git a/routes/api.php b/routes/api.php
index 5e5393a..243008d 100644
--- a/routes/api.php
+++ b/routes/api.php
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ Route::middleware(['auth.service:qms', 'qms.integration'])->prefix('v1')->group(
     Route::post('/queues/{serviceQueue}/call-next', [TicketController::class, 'callNext'])->name('api.service.queues.call-next');
 
     Route::get('/tickets', [TicketController::class, 'index'])->name('api.service.tickets.index');
+    Route::post('/tickets', [TicketController::class, 'store'])->name('api.service.tickets.store');
     Route::post('/tickets/{ticket}/action', [TicketController::class, 'action'])->name('api.service.tickets.action');
 
     Route::get('/counters', [CounterController::class, 'index'])->name('api.service.counters.index');
diff --git a/tests/Feature/CareIntegrationTest.php b/tests/Feature/CareIntegrationTest.php
index d16cf7e..1fa5ffa 100644
--- a/tests/Feature/CareIntegrationTest.php
+++ b/tests/Feature/CareIntegrationTest.php
@@ -208,4 +208,35 @@ class CareIntegrationTest extends TestCase
 
         $this->assertSame(1, Branch::owned($owner)->count());
     }
+
+    public function test_care_can_issue_ticket_via_service_api(): void
+    {
+        $owner = 'care-owner-uuid';
+        $headers = $this->careHeaders($owner);
+        $this->provisionCareOrg($owner);
+
+        $queueUuid = $this->postJson('/api/v1/queues', [
+            'owner' => $owner,
+            'name' => 'Consultation',
+            'prefix' => 'C',
+            'branch_name' => 'Main',
+            'external_key' => 'care:dept:consultation:queue:1',
+            'strategy' => 'fifo',
+        ], $headers)->assertCreated()->json('data.uuid');
+
+        $this->postJson('/api/v1/tickets', [
+            'owner' => $owner,
+            'service_queue_id' => $queueUuid,
+            'customer_name' => 'Ada Patient',
+            'source' => 'appointment',
+            'metadata' => [
+                'care_entity' => 'appointment',
+                'care_entity_id' => 42,
+            ],
+        ], $headers)
+            ->assertCreated()
+            ->assertJsonPath('data.ticket_number', 'C001')
+            ->assertJsonPath('data.status', 'waiting')
+            ->assertJsonPath('data.customer_name', 'Ada Patient');
+    }
 }