diff --git a/cmd/bd/create.go b/cmd/bd/create.go
index eb72d1ca..7dcb23c9 100644
--- a/cmd/bd/create.go
+++ b/cmd/bd/create.go
@@ -128,6 +128,16 @@ var createCmd = &cobra.Command{
 		deps, _ := cmd.Flags().GetStringSlice("deps")
 		forceCreate, _ := cmd.Flags().GetBool("force")
 		repoOverride, _ := cmd.Flags().GetString("repo")
+
+		// Get estimate if provided
+		var estimatedMinutes *int
+		if cmd.Flags().Changed("estimate") {
+			est, _ := cmd.Flags().GetInt("estimate")
+			if est < 0 {
+				FatalError("estimate must be a non-negative number of minutes")
+			}
+			estimatedMinutes = &est
+		}
 		// Use global jsonOutput set by PersistentPreRun
 
 		// Determine target repository using routing logic
@@ -227,6 +237,7 @@ var createCmd = &cobra.Command{
 				AcceptanceCriteria: acceptance,
 				Assignee:           assignee,
 				ExternalRef:        externalRef,
+				EstimatedMinutes:   estimatedMinutes,
 				Labels:             labels,
 				Dependencies:       deps,
 			}
@@ -264,6 +275,7 @@ var createCmd = &cobra.Command{
 			IssueType:          types.IssueType(issueType),
 			Assignee:           assignee,
 			ExternalRef:        externalRefPtr,
+			EstimatedMinutes:   estimatedMinutes,
 		}
 
 		ctx := rootCtx
@@ -402,6 +414,7 @@ func init() {
 	createCmd.Flags().StringSlice("deps", []string{}, "Dependencies in format 'type:id' or 'id' (e.g., 'discovered-from:bd-20,blocks:bd-15' or 'bd-20')")
 	createCmd.Flags().Bool("force", false, "Force creation even if prefix doesn't match database prefix")
 	createCmd.Flags().String("repo", "", "Target repository for issue (overrides auto-routing)")
+	createCmd.Flags().IntP("estimate", "e", 0, "Time estimate in minutes (e.g., 60 for 1 hour)")
 	// Note: --json flag is defined as a persistent flag in main.go, not here
 	rootCmd.AddCommand(createCmd)
 }
diff --git a/cmd/bd/show.go b/cmd/bd/show.go
index 975c7771..ca7fd925 100644
--- a/cmd/bd/show.go
+++ b/cmd/bd/show.go
@@ -506,6 +506,14 @@ var updateCmd = &cobra.Command{
 			externalRef, _ := cmd.Flags().GetString("external-ref")
 			updates["external_ref"] = externalRef
 		}
+		if cmd.Flags().Changed("estimate") {
+			estimate, _ := cmd.Flags().GetInt("estimate")
+			if estimate < 0 {
+				fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Error: estimate must be a non-negative number of minutes\n")
+				os.Exit(1)
+			}
+			updates["estimated_minutes"] = estimate
+		}
 		if cmd.Flags().Changed("add-label") {
 			addLabels, _ := cmd.Flags().GetStringSlice("add-label")
 			updates["add_labels"] = addLabels
@@ -583,9 +591,12 @@ var updateCmd = &cobra.Command{
 				if acceptanceCriteria, ok := updates["acceptance_criteria"].(string); ok {
 					updateArgs.AcceptanceCriteria = &acceptanceCriteria
 				}
-				if externalRef, ok := updates["external_ref"].(string); ok { // NEW: Map external_ref
+				if externalRef, ok := updates["external_ref"].(string); ok {
 					updateArgs.ExternalRef = &externalRef
 				}
+				if estimate, ok := updates["estimated_minutes"].(int); ok {
+					updateArgs.EstimatedMinutes = &estimate
+				}
 				if addLabels, ok := updates["add_labels"].([]string); ok {
 					updateArgs.AddLabels = addLabels
 				}
@@ -1012,6 +1023,7 @@ func init() {
 	updateCmd.Flags().String("notes", "", "Additional notes")
 	updateCmd.Flags().String("acceptance-criteria", "", "DEPRECATED: use --acceptance")
 	_ = updateCmd.Flags().MarkHidden("acceptance-criteria")
+	updateCmd.Flags().IntP("estimate", "e", 0, "Time estimate in minutes (e.g., 60 for 1 hour)")
 	updateCmd.Flags().StringSlice("add-label", nil, "Add labels (repeatable)")
 	updateCmd.Flags().StringSlice("remove-label", nil, "Remove labels (repeatable)")
 	updateCmd.Flags().StringSlice("set-labels", nil, "Set labels, replacing all existing (repeatable)")
diff --git a/internal/rpc/protocol.go b/internal/rpc/protocol.go
index c410fd2f..9f16bd35 100644
--- a/internal/rpc/protocol.go
+++ b/internal/rpc/protocol.go
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ type CreateArgs struct {
 	AcceptanceCriteria string   `json:"acceptance_criteria,omitempty"`
 	Assignee           string   `json:"assignee,omitempty"`
 	ExternalRef        string   `json:"external_ref,omitempty"`  // Link to external issue trackers
+	EstimatedMinutes   *int     `json:"estimated_minutes,omitempty"` // Time estimate in minutes
 	Labels             []string `json:"labels,omitempty"`
 	Dependencies       []string `json:"dependencies,omitempty"`
 }
@@ -84,6 +85,7 @@ type UpdateArgs struct {
 	Notes              *string  `json:"notes,omitempty"`
 	Assignee           *string  `json:"assignee,omitempty"`
 	ExternalRef        *string  `json:"external_ref,omitempty"` // Link to external issue trackers
+	EstimatedMinutes   *int     `json:"estimated_minutes,omitempty"` // Time estimate in minutes
 	AddLabels          []string `json:"add_labels,omitempty"`
 	RemoveLabels       []string `json:"remove_labels,omitempty"`
 	SetLabels          []string `json:"set_labels,omitempty"`
diff --git a/internal/rpc/server_issues_epics.go b/internal/rpc/server_issues_epics.go
index 86abf278..c9441563 100644
--- a/internal/rpc/server_issues_epics.go
+++ b/internal/rpc/server_issues_epics.go
@@ -70,6 +70,9 @@ func updatesFromArgs(a UpdateArgs) map[string]interface{} {
 	if a.ExternalRef != nil {
 		u["external_ref"] = *a.ExternalRef
 	}
+	if a.EstimatedMinutes != nil {
+		u["estimated_minutes"] = *a.EstimatedMinutes
+	}
 	return u
 }
 
@@ -142,6 +145,7 @@ func (s *Server) handleCreate(req *Request) Response {
 		AcceptanceCriteria: strValue(acceptance),
 		Assignee:           strValue(assignee),
 		ExternalRef:        externalRef,
+		EstimatedMinutes:   createArgs.EstimatedMinutes,
 		Status:             types.StatusOpen,
 	}