diff --git a/rtl/avs96/avs96_step.sv b/rtl/avs96/avs96_step.sv
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..221720ced
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rtl/avs96/avs96_step.sv
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+// Wave 45 lane QQ, S-196 + S-197 + S-200 milestone, anchor phi^2+phi^-2=3,
+// DOI 10.5281/zenodo.19227877. 96 voltage steps, 6250 uV bin width.
+
+module avs96_dac_bank (
+  input  logic clk,
+  input  logic rst_n,
+  input  logic [6:0] step_sel,        // 7-bit selector, valid range 0..95
+  output logic [6:0] dac_out,         // selected step (clamped if out-of-range)
+  output logic       step_valid
+);
+  always_ff @(posedge clk or negedge rst_n) begin
+    if (!rst_n) begin
+      dac_out    <= 7'd0;
+      step_valid <= 1'b0;
+    end else if (step_sel < 7'd96) begin
+      dac_out    <= step_sel;
+      step_valid <= 1'b1;
+    end else begin
+      dac_out    <= 7'd0;
+      step_valid <= 1'b0;
+    end
+  end
+endmodule
+
+module vdd_step_controller (
+  input  logic       clk,
+  input  logic       rst_n,
+  input  logic [6:0] target_step,     // dopamine occupancy bin
+  input  logic       step_request,
+  output logic [6:0] current_step,
+  output logic       transition_done
+);
+  always_ff @(posedge clk or negedge rst_n) begin
+    if (!rst_n) begin
+      current_step   <= 7'd0;
+      transition_done <= 1'b0;
+    end else if (step_request) begin
+      if (current_step < target_step) begin
+        current_step   <= current_step + 7'd1;
+        transition_done <= 1'b0;
+      end else if (current_step > target_step) begin
+        current_step   <= current_step - 7'd1;
+        transition_done <= 1'b0;
+      end else begin
+        transition_done <= 1'b1;
+      end
+    end
+  end
+endmodule
+
+module avs96_step_top (
+  input  logic       clk,
+  input  logic       rst_n,
+  input  logic [6:0] step_sel,
+  input  logic [6:0] target_step,
+  input  logic       step_request,
+  output logic [6:0] dac_out,
+  output logic       step_valid,
+  output logic [6:0] current_step,
+  output logic       transition_done
+);
+
+  avs96_dac_bank u_dac_bank (
+    .clk        (clk),
+    .rst_n      (rst_n),
+    .step_sel   (step_sel),
+    .dac_out    (dac_out),
+    .step_valid (step_valid)
+  );
+
+  vdd_step_controller u_vdd_ctrl (
+    .clk             (clk),
+    .rst_n           (rst_n),
+    .target_step     (target_step),
+    .step_request    (step_request),
+    .current_step    (current_step),
+    .transition_done (transition_done)
+  );
+
+endmodule
diff --git a/rtl/avs96/avs96_step_tb.sv b/rtl/avs96/avs96_step_tb.sv
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c13e93a13
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rtl/avs96/avs96_step_tb.sv
@@ -0,0 +1,129 @@
+// Wave 45 lane QQ testbench for avs96_step_top
+// 7 test cases: TB1-TB7
+
+`timescale 1ns/1ps
+
+module avs96_step_tb;
+
+  logic       clk;
+  logic       rst_n;
+  logic [6:0] step_sel;
+  logic [6:0] target_step;
+  logic       step_request;
+  logic [6:0] dac_out;
+  logic       step_valid;
+  logic [6:0] current_step;
+  logic       transition_done;
+
+  avs96_step_top dut (
+    .clk             (clk),
+    .rst_n           (rst_n),
+    .step_sel        (step_sel),
+    .target_step     (target_step),
+    .step_request    (step_request),
+    .dac_out         (dac_out),
+    .step_valid      (step_valid),
+    .current_step    (current_step),
+    .transition_done (transition_done)
+  );
+
+  initial clk = 0;
+  always #5 clk = ~clk;
+
+  task tick(input int n);
+    repeat (n) @(posedge clk);
+    #1;
+  endtask
+
+  int pass_count;
+  int fail_count;
+
+  task check(input string name, input logic got, input logic exp);
+    if (got === exp) begin
+      $display("PASS %s", name);
+      pass_count++;
+    end else begin
+      $display("FAIL %s: got=%0b exp=%0b", name, got, exp);
+      fail_count++;
+    end
+  endtask
+
+  task check7(input string name, input logic [6:0] got, input logic [6:0] exp);
+    if (got === exp) begin
+      $display("PASS %s", name);
+      pass_count++;
+    end else begin
+      $display("FAIL %s: got=%0d exp=%0d", name, got, exp);
+      fail_count++;
+    end
+  endtask
+
+  initial begin
+    pass_count   = 0;
+    fail_count   = 0;
+    rst_n        = 1'b0;
+    step_sel     = 7'd0;
+    target_step  = 7'd0;
+    step_request = 1'b0;
+
+    // TB1: reset asserted -> dac_out=0, step_valid=0
+    tick(2);
+    check7("TB1_dac_out",    dac_out,    7'd0);
+    check("TB1_step_valid",  step_valid, 1'b0);
+
+    // Release reset
+    rst_n = 1'b1;
+    tick(1);
+
+    // TB2: step_sel=0 -> dac_out=0, step_valid=1
+    step_sel = 7'd0;
+    tick(1);
+    check7("TB2_dac_out",    dac_out,    7'd0);
+    check("TB2_step_valid",  step_valid, 1'b1);
+
+    // TB3: step_sel=95 -> dac_out=95, step_valid=1
+    step_sel = 7'd95;
+    tick(1);
+    check7("TB3_dac_out",    dac_out,    7'd95);
+    check("TB3_step_valid",  step_valid, 1'b1);
+
+    // TB4: step_sel=96 -> dac_out=0, step_valid=0 (out of range)
+    step_sel = 7'd96;
+    tick(1);
+    check7("TB4_dac_out",    dac_out,    7'd0);
+    check("TB4_step_valid",  step_valid, 1'b0);
+
+    // TB5: vdd_step_controller ramp 0->3 over 3 clocks
+    rst_n        = 1'b0;
+    target_step  = 7'd0;
+    step_request = 1'b0;
+    tick(2);
+    rst_n        = 1'b1;
+    tick(1);
+    target_step  = 7'd3;
+    step_request = 1'b1;
+    tick(1); check7("TB5_step1", current_step, 7'd1);
+    tick(1); check7("TB5_step2", current_step, 7'd2);
+    tick(1); check7("TB5_step3", current_step, 7'd3);
+
+    // TB6: vdd_step_controller ramp 3->0 over 3 clocks
+    target_step = 7'd0;
+    tick(1); check7("TB6_step1", current_step, 7'd2);
+    tick(1); check7("TB6_step2", current_step, 7'd1);
+    tick(1); check7("TB6_step3", current_step, 7'd0);
+
+    // TB7: transition_done asserted when current_step == target_step
+    target_step = 7'd0;
+    tick(1);
+    check("TB7_transition_done", transition_done, 1'b1);
+
+    $display("Results: %0d passed, %0d failed", pass_count, fail_count);
+    if (fail_count == 0)
+      $display("ALL TESTS PASSED");
+    else
+      $display("SOME TESTS FAILED");
+
+    $finish;
+  end
+
+endmodule