diff --git a/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md b/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md
index 4b0487c..10bc14c 100644
--- a/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md
+++ b/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md
@@ -1,7 +1,28 @@
 ## Summary
 
-<!-- What does this PR do? -->
+<!-- What changed and why. If it fixes a bug, say what was broken and how this fixes it. -->
+
+## Type of change
+
+- [ ] Bug fix (no breaking change)
+- [ ] New feature (no breaking change)
+- [ ] Breaking change (existing callers must update)
+- [ ] Docs, tests, or internal maintenance only
+
+## Public API
+
+<!-- Any change to exported types, function signatures, wire formats, or response shapes.
+     Write "none" if nothing exported changed. If something did, note the migration a
+     caller has to make. -->
 
 ## Test plan
 
-<!-- How was this tested? -->
+<!-- How this was verified: which tests were added or changed, and how to reproduce the
+     result locally. New behavior ships with tests in the same change. -->
+
+## Checklist
+
+- [ ] Tests cover the new behavior, and the suite passes locally
+- [ ] Lint, format, and type checks pass
+- [ ] Docs and README examples updated if the public surface changed
+- [ ] No secrets, credentials, or personal data in the diff or the tests