diff --git a/checker/collect.go b/checker/collect.go
index a073206..c239b35 100644
--- a/checker/collect.go
+++ b/checker/collect.go
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ func (p *danglingProvider) Collect(ctx context.Context, opts sdk.CheckerOptions)
 				seen[key] = true
 				classifyExternal(&pt, zoneRegistrable)
 				if skipResolution {
-					pt.Resolution = "skipped"
+					pt.Resolution = ResolutionSkipped
 				} else {
 					pt.Resolution, pt.ResolutionDetail = resolveHost(ctx, pt.Target)
 				}
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ func classifyExternal(pt *Pointer, zoneRegistrable string) {
 func defaultResolveHost(ctx context.Context, target string) (verdict, detail string) {
 	target = strings.TrimSuffix(target, ".")
 	if target == "" {
-		return "skipped", "empty target"
+		return ResolutionSkipped, "empty target"
 	}
 	cctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, resolverTimeout)
 	defer cancel()
@@ -295,25 +295,25 @@ func defaultResolveHost(ctx context.Context, target string) (verdict, detail str
 	ips, err := net.DefaultResolver.LookupHost(cctx, target)
 	if err == nil {
 		if len(ips) == 0 {
-			return "no_answer", ""
+			return ResolutionNoAnswer, ""
 		}
-		return "ok", ""
+		return ResolutionOK, ""
 	}
 
 	var dnsErr *net.DNSError
 	if errors.As(err, &dnsErr) {
 		switch {
 		case dnsErr.IsNotFound:
-			return "nxdomain", dnsErr.Err
+			return ResolutionNXDomain, dnsErr.Err
 		case dnsErr.IsTimeout:
-			return "timeout", dnsErr.Err
+			return ResolutionTimeout, dnsErr.Err
 		case strings.Contains(strings.ToLower(dnsErr.Err), "servfail"):
-			return "servfail", dnsErr.Err
+			return ResolutionServFail, dnsErr.Err
 		default:
-			return "error", dnsErr.Err
+			return ResolutionError, dnsErr.Err
 		}
 	}
-	return "error", err.Error()
+	return ResolutionError, err.Error()
 }
 
 // ownerFQDN returns the record owner FQDN, preferring the service's _domain field over subdomain+apex.
diff --git a/checker/rule.go b/checker/rule.go
index 94eff1b..296ebfa 100644
--- a/checker/rule.go
+++ b/checker/rule.go
@@ -141,19 +141,19 @@ func evaluatePointer(pt *Pointer, whoisByRef map[string]*whoisFacts) []SignalTri
 	var out []SignalTrigger
 
 	switch pt.Resolution {
-	case "nxdomain":
+	case ResolutionNXDomain:
 		out = append(out, SignalTrigger{
 			Rrtype: pt.Rrtype, Target: pt.Target,
 			Reason: "Target does not resolve (NXDOMAIN). The record points at a host that no longer exists.",
 			Detail: pt.ResolutionDetail, Severity: SeverityCrit,
 		})
-	case "servfail":
+	case ResolutionServFail:
 		out = append(out, SignalTrigger{
 			Rrtype: pt.Rrtype, Target: pt.Target,
 			Reason: "Target lookup returned SERVFAIL. The authoritative server may be misconfigured or the delegation broken.",
 			Detail: pt.ResolutionDetail, Severity: SeverityWarn,
 		})
-	case "no_answer":
+	case ResolutionNoAnswer:
 		out = append(out, SignalTrigger{
 			Rrtype: pt.Rrtype, Target: pt.Target,
 			Reason: "Target resolves to no address (NOERROR with empty answer). Rarely the operator's intent for a pointer record.",
diff --git a/checker/types.go b/checker/types.go
index b76882a..4756211 100644
--- a/checker/types.go
+++ b/checker/types.go
@@ -8,6 +8,17 @@ import (
 
 const ObservationKeyDangling = "dangling_records"
 
+// Resolution verdict constants — the shared contract between Collect and Evaluate.
+const (
+	ResolutionOK       = "ok"
+	ResolutionNXDomain = "nxdomain"
+	ResolutionServFail = "servfail"
+	ResolutionNoAnswer = "no_answer"
+	ResolutionTimeout  = "timeout"
+	ResolutionError    = "error"
+	ResolutionSkipped  = "skipped"
+)
+
 // DanglingData is the raw observation payload; one Pointer per (owner, rrtype, target) triple.
 type DanglingData struct {
 	Zone            string    `json:"zone,omitempty"`