diff --git a/services/acl/Acl.Api/Program.cs b/services/acl/Acl.Api/Program.cs
index d601366..f220cb1 100644
--- a/services/acl/Acl.Api/Program.cs
+++ b/services/acl/Acl.Api/Program.cs
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ app.MapGet("/health", () => "Healthy");
 // The ACL's single operation, exposed as a service endpoint.
 app.MapPost("/zaken", async (OpenZaakRequest body, AclService acl, CancellationToken ct) =>
 {
-    var zaakUrl = await acl.OpenZaakAsync(new DomainRegistration(body.Bsn), ct);
+    var zaakUrl = await acl.OpenZaakAsync(new DomainRegistration(body.Bsn, body.Reference), ct);
     return Results.Ok(new { zaakUrl = zaakUrl.ToString() });
 });
 
@@ -32,10 +32,20 @@ app.MapPost("/statussen", async (SetStatusRequest body, AclService acl, Cancella
     return Results.NoContent();
 });
 
+// Read a zaak's public-safe reference (its identificatie). The Event Subscriber calls this to enrich
+// the read projection without reading ZGW itself (§8.1, #78).
+app.MapPost("/zaken/reference", async (ZaakReferenceRequest body, AclService acl, CancellationToken ct) =>
+{
+    var reference = await acl.GetZaakReferenceAsync(new Uri(body.ZaakUrl), ct);
+    return Results.Ok(new { reference });
+});
+
 app.Run();
 
-public sealed record OpenZaakRequest(string Bsn);
+public sealed record OpenZaakRequest(string Bsn, string Reference);
 
 public sealed record SetStatusRequest(string ZaakUrl);
 
+public sealed record ZaakReferenceRequest(string ZaakUrl);
+
 public partial class Program;
diff --git a/services/acl/Acl.Application/AclService.cs b/services/acl/Acl.Application/AclService.cs
index f9b866a..a70e7ca 100644
--- a/services/acl/Acl.Application/AclService.cs
+++ b/services/acl/Acl.Application/AclService.cs
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ public sealed class AclService(IZaakGateway gateway, AclDefaults defaults, ICloc
             defaults.VerantwoordelijkeOrganisatie,
             defaults.Vertrouwelijkheidaanduiding,
             defaults.ZaaktypeUrl,
-            clock.Today);
+            clock.Today,
+            registration.Reference);
 
         return gateway.OpenZaakAsync(request, ct);
     }
@@ -28,4 +29,12 @@ public sealed class AclService(IZaakGateway gateway, AclDefaults defaults, ICloc
 
         return gateway.SetZaakToEindstatusAsync(zaakUrl, defaults.ZaaktypeUrl, clock.Today, ct);
     }
+
+    /// <summary>The zaak's reference (its ZGW identificatie), for the read projection (#78).</summary>
+    public Task<string> GetZaakReferenceAsync(Uri zaakUrl, CancellationToken ct = default)
+    {
+        ArgumentNullException.ThrowIfNull(zaakUrl);
+
+        return gateway.GetZaakIdentificatieAsync(zaakUrl, ct);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/services/acl/Acl.Application/DomainRegistration.cs b/services/acl/Acl.Application/DomainRegistration.cs
index de985f0..6773443 100644
--- a/services/acl/Acl.Application/DomainRegistration.cs
+++ b/services/acl/Acl.Application/DomainRegistration.cs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 namespace Acl.Application;
 
-/// <summary>Domain-language payload handed to the ACL. No ZGW concepts here.</summary>
-public sealed record DomainRegistration(string Bsn);
+/// <summary>Domain-language payload handed to the ACL. No ZGW concepts here. <see cref="Reference"/>
+/// is the registration's own id; the ACL records it as the zaak identificatie (adr-proposal #78).</summary>
+public sealed record DomainRegistration(string Bsn, string Reference);
diff --git a/services/acl/Acl.Application/IZaakGateway.cs b/services/acl/Acl.Application/IZaakGateway.cs
index c608c7a..583baf5 100644
--- a/services/acl/Acl.Application/IZaakGateway.cs
+++ b/services/acl/Acl.Application/IZaakGateway.cs
@@ -12,4 +12,8 @@ public interface IZaakGateway
     /// the catalogus and POSTs a status against the zaak, dated <paramref name="datumStatusGezet"/>.
     /// </summary>
     Task SetZaakToEindstatusAsync(Uri zaakUrl, Uri zaaktypeUrl, DateOnly datumStatusGezet, CancellationToken ct = default);
+
+    /// <summary>Read the zaak's <c>identificatie</c> — the public-safe reference the register shows.
+    /// The Event Subscriber calls this through the ACL rather than reading ZGW itself (§8.1, #78).</summary>
+    Task<string> GetZaakIdentificatieAsync(Uri zaakUrl, CancellationToken ct = default);
 }
diff --git a/services/acl/Acl.Application/ZaakRequest.cs b/services/acl/Acl.Application/ZaakRequest.cs
index 875d162..9e49ac1 100644
--- a/services/acl/Acl.Application/ZaakRequest.cs
+++ b/services/acl/Acl.Application/ZaakRequest.cs
@@ -6,4 +6,5 @@ public sealed record ZaakRequest(
     string VerantwoordelijkeOrganisatie,
     string Vertrouwelijkheidaanduiding,
     Uri Zaaktype,
-    DateOnly Startdatum);
+    DateOnly Startdatum,
+    string Identificatie);
diff --git a/services/acl/Acl.Infrastructure/OpenZaakGateway.cs b/services/acl/Acl.Infrastructure/OpenZaakGateway.cs
index 523f215..92d85ea 100644
--- a/services/acl/Acl.Infrastructure/OpenZaakGateway.cs
+++ b/services/acl/Acl.Infrastructure/OpenZaakGateway.cs
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@ public sealed class OpenZaakGateway(HttpClient http, OpenZaakOptions options) :
                 request.Zaaktype.ToString(),
                 request.VerantwoordelijkeOrganisatie,
                 request.Startdatum.ToString("yyyy-MM-dd"),
-                request.Vertrouwelijkheidaanduiding)),
+                request.Vertrouwelijkheidaanduiding,
+                request.Identificatie)),
         };
         message.Headers.Authorization =
             new AuthenticationHeaderValue("Bearer", ZgwToken.Mint(options.ClientId, options.Secret));
@@ -61,6 +62,24 @@ public sealed class OpenZaakGateway(HttpClient http, OpenZaakOptions options) :
             "Setting the zaak status", ct);
     }
 
+    public async Task<string> GetZaakIdentificatieAsync(Uri zaakUrl, CancellationToken ct = default)
+    {
+        ArgumentNullException.ThrowIfNull(zaakUrl);
+
+        using var message = new HttpRequestMessage(HttpMethod.Get, zaakUrl);
+        message.Headers.Authorization =
+            new AuthenticationHeaderValue("Bearer", ZgwToken.Mint(options.ClientId, options.Secret));
+        // The zaak is a geo resource; the Zaken API requires the CRS header even on GET.
+        message.Headers.Add("Accept-Crs", "EPSG:4326");
+
+        using var response = await http.SendAsync(message, ct);
+        await EnsureSuccessAsync(response, "Reading the zaak", ct);
+
+        var zaak = await response.Content.ReadFromJsonAsync<ZaakReadDto>(ct)
+            ?? throw new InvalidOperationException("OpenZaak returned an empty zaak response");
+        return zaak.Identificatie;
+    }
+
     // POSTs a non-geo ZGW resource (resultaat/status — no CRS headers). Buffers the body so uwsgi gets
     // a Content-Length instead of a chunked body (as with zaak-create).
     private async Task PostAsync(string path, object dto, string action, CancellationToken ct)
@@ -132,11 +151,15 @@ public sealed class OpenZaakGateway(HttpClient http, OpenZaakOptions options) :
         [property: JsonPropertyName("zaaktype")] string Zaaktype,
         [property: JsonPropertyName("verantwoordelijkeOrganisatie")] string VerantwoordelijkeOrganisatie,
         [property: JsonPropertyName("startdatum")] string Startdatum,
-        [property: JsonPropertyName("vertrouwelijkheidaanduiding")] string Vertrouwelijkheidaanduiding);
+        [property: JsonPropertyName("vertrouwelijkheidaanduiding")] string Vertrouwelijkheidaanduiding,
+        [property: JsonPropertyName("identificatie")] string Identificatie);
 
     private sealed record ZaakCreatedDto(
         [property: JsonPropertyName("url")] string Url);
 
+    private sealed record ZaakReadDto(
+        [property: JsonPropertyName("identificatie")] string Identificatie);
+
     private sealed record StatusDto(
         [property: JsonPropertyName("zaak")] string Zaak,
         [property: JsonPropertyName("statustype")] string Statustype,
diff --git a/services/acl/Acl.IntegrationTests/OpenZaakGatewayIntegrationTests.cs b/services/acl/Acl.IntegrationTests/OpenZaakGatewayIntegrationTests.cs
index dfe88b2..9cdac3c 100644
--- a/services/acl/Acl.IntegrationTests/OpenZaakGatewayIntegrationTests.cs
+++ b/services/acl/Acl.IntegrationTests/OpenZaakGatewayIntegrationTests.cs
@@ -22,12 +22,14 @@ public sealed class OpenZaakGatewayIntegrationTests(OpenZaakFixture stack)
             "seed it with OZ_PUBLISH=1 (`make integration` does this).");
 
         var gateway = new OpenZaakGateway(stack.Http, stack.Options);
+        var reference = Guid.NewGuid().ToString(); // zaak identificatie must be unique per bronorganisatie
         var request = new ZaakRequest(
             Bronorganisatie: "517439943",
             VerantwoordelijkeOrganisatie: "517439943",
             Vertrouwelijkheidaanduiding: "openbaar",
             Zaaktype: zaaktype!,
-            Startdatum: DateOnly.FromDateTime(DateTime.UtcNow));
+            Startdatum: DateOnly.FromDateTime(DateTime.UtcNow),
+            Identificatie: reference);
 
         var zaakUrl = await gateway.OpenZaakAsync(request);
 
@@ -36,11 +38,12 @@ public sealed class OpenZaakGatewayIntegrationTests(OpenZaakFixture stack)
             new Uri(stack.BaseUrl, "/zaken/api/v1/zaken/").ToString(),
             zaakUrl.ToString());
 
-        // ...and that zaak is really persisted with the default-filled fields.
+        // ...and that zaak is really persisted with the default-filled fields + the reference identificatie.
         var zaak = await stack.GetZaakAsync(zaakUrl);
         Assert.Equal(zaaktype.ToString(), zaak.GetProperty("zaaktype").GetString());
         Assert.Equal("517439943", zaak.GetProperty("bronorganisatie").GetString());
         Assert.Equal("openbaar", zaak.GetProperty("vertrouwelijkheidaanduiding").GetString());
+        Assert.Equal(reference, zaak.GetProperty("identificatie").GetString());
     }
 
     [Fact]
@@ -57,7 +60,8 @@ public sealed class OpenZaakGatewayIntegrationTests(OpenZaakFixture stack)
             VerantwoordelijkeOrganisatie: "517439943",
             Vertrouwelijkheidaanduiding: "openbaar",
             Zaaktype: zaaktype!,
-            Startdatum: DateOnly.FromDateTime(DateTime.UtcNow)));
+            Startdatum: DateOnly.FromDateTime(DateTime.UtcNow),
+            Identificatie: Guid.NewGuid().ToString()));
 
         await gateway.SetZaakToEindstatusAsync(zaakUrl, zaaktype!, DateOnly.FromDateTime(DateTime.UtcNow));
 
diff --git a/services/acl/Acl.Tests/AclServiceTests.cs b/services/acl/Acl.Tests/AclServiceTests.cs
index a51a132..2e74c8f 100644
--- a/services/acl/Acl.Tests/AclServiceTests.cs
+++ b/services/acl/Acl.Tests/AclServiceTests.cs
@@ -22,6 +22,14 @@ public class AclServiceTests
             Approved = (zaakUrl, zaaktypeUrl, datumStatusGezet);
             return Task.CompletedTask;
         }
+
+        public Uri? ReadReferenceFor;
+
+        public Task<string> GetZaakIdentificatieAsync(Uri zaakUrl, CancellationToken ct = default)
+        {
+            ReadReferenceFor = zaakUrl;
+            return Task.FromResult("REG-FROM-ZAAK");
+        }
     }
 
     private static AclDefaults Defaults() => new()
@@ -50,7 +58,7 @@ public class AclServiceTests
         };
         var service = new AclService(gateway, defaults, new FixedClock(new DateOnly(2026, 6, 4)));
 
-        var url = await service.OpenZaakAsync(new DomainRegistration("123456782"));
+        var url = await service.OpenZaakAsync(new DomainRegistration("123456782", "reg-77"));
 
         Assert.Equal(gateway.Result, url);
         var req = Assert.IsType<ZaakRequest>(gateway.Captured);
@@ -59,6 +67,8 @@ public class AclServiceTests
         Assert.Equal("openbaar", req.Vertrouwelijkheidaanduiding);
         Assert.Equal(defaults.ZaaktypeUrl, req.Zaaktype);
         Assert.Equal(new DateOnly(2026, 6, 4), req.Startdatum);
+        // The registration reference becomes the zaak identificatie (#78).
+        Assert.Equal("reg-77", req.Identificatie);
     }
 
     [Fact]
@@ -103,4 +113,27 @@ public class AclServiceTests
         await Assert.ThrowsAsync<ArgumentNullException>(() => service.ApproveZaakAsync(null!));
         Assert.Null(gateway.Approved);
     }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task Reading_a_zaak_reference_returns_the_zaaks_identificatie()
+    {
+        var gateway = new FakeGateway();
+        var service = new AclService(gateway, Defaults(), new FixedClock(new DateOnly(2026, 6, 4)));
+        var zaak = new Uri("http://openzaak/zaken/api/v1/zaken/abc");
+
+        var reference = await service.GetZaakReferenceAsync(zaak);
+
+        Assert.Equal("REG-FROM-ZAAK", reference);
+        Assert.Equal(zaak, gateway.ReadReferenceFor);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task Reading_a_null_zaak_reference_is_rejected()
+    {
+        var gateway = new FakeGateway();
+        var service = new AclService(gateway, Defaults(), new FixedClock(new DateOnly(2026, 6, 4)));
+
+        await Assert.ThrowsAsync<ArgumentNullException>(() => service.GetZaakReferenceAsync(null!));
+        Assert.Null(gateway.ReadReferenceFor);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/services/acl/Acl.Tests/OpenZaakGatewayTests.cs b/services/acl/Acl.Tests/OpenZaakGatewayTests.cs
index 7ca0271..af568c8 100644
--- a/services/acl/Acl.Tests/OpenZaakGatewayTests.cs
+++ b/services/acl/Acl.Tests/OpenZaakGatewayTests.cs
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ public class OpenZaakGatewayTests
 
     private static ZaakRequest SampleRequest() => new(
         "517439943", "517439943", "openbaar",
-        new("http://openzaak/catalogi/api/v1/zaaktypen/big"), new DateOnly(2026, 6, 4));
+        new("http://openzaak/catalogi/api/v1/zaaktypen/big"), new DateOnly(2026, 6, 4), "REG-REF-1");
 
     private static StubHandler Created(out RequestCapture capture)
     {
@@ -67,6 +67,8 @@ public class OpenZaakGatewayTests
         Assert.Contains("\"vertrouwelijkheidaanduiding\":\"openbaar\"", capture.Body);
         Assert.Contains("\"startdatum\":\"2026-06-04\"", capture.Body);
         Assert.Contains("\"zaaktype\":\"http://openzaak/catalogi/api/v1/zaaktypen/big\"", capture.Body);
+        // The registration reference is set as the zaak identificatie (#78).
+        Assert.Contains("\"identificatie\":\"REG-REF-1\"", capture.Body);
     }
 
     [Fact]
@@ -357,6 +359,61 @@ public class OpenZaakGatewayTests
         Assert.Equal(4, rec.Requests.Count);
     }
 
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task Reading_a_zaak_returns_its_identificatie_with_bearer_and_crs()
+    {
+        RequestCapture? capture = null;
+        var handler = new StubHandler(req =>
+        {
+            capture = new RequestCapture { Seen = req };
+            return Task.FromResult(new HttpResponseMessage(HttpStatusCode.OK)
+            {
+                Content = JsonContent.Create(new { identificatie = "REG-XYZ", url = ZaakUrl }),
+            });
+        });
+
+        var reference = await Gateway(handler).GetZaakIdentificatieAsync(new Uri(ZaakUrl));
+
+        Assert.Equal("REG-XYZ", reference);
+        Assert.Equal(HttpMethod.Get, capture!.Seen!.Method);
+        Assert.Equal(ZaakUrl, capture.Seen.RequestUri!.ToString());
+        Assert.Equal("Bearer", capture.Seen.Headers.Authorization!.Scheme);
+        Assert.Equal("EPSG:4326", Assert.Single(capture.Seen.Headers.GetValues("Accept-Crs")));
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task Reading_a_zaak_throws_when_openzaak_rejects_it()
+    {
+        var handler = new StubHandler(_ =>
+            Task.FromResult(new HttpResponseMessage(HttpStatusCode.NotFound) { Content = new StringContent("nope") }));
+
+        var ex = await Assert.ThrowsAsync<HttpRequestException>(
+            () => Gateway(handler).GetZaakIdentificatieAsync(new Uri(ZaakUrl)));
+        Assert.Contains("Reading the zaak", ex.Message);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task Reading_a_zaak_throws_when_openzaak_returns_an_empty_body()
+    {
+        var handler = new StubHandler(_ =>
+            Task.FromResult(new HttpResponseMessage(HttpStatusCode.OK)
+            {
+                Content = new StringContent("null", System.Text.Encoding.UTF8, "application/json"),
+            }));
+
+        var ex = await Assert.ThrowsAsync<InvalidOperationException>(
+            () => Gateway(handler).GetZaakIdentificatieAsync(new Uri(ZaakUrl)));
+        Assert.Contains("empty zaak response", ex.Message);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task Reading_a_null_zaak_is_rejected()
+    {
+        var handler = new StubHandler(_ => throw new InvalidOperationException("should not be sent"));
+
+        await Assert.ThrowsAsync<ArgumentNullException>(() => Gateway(handler).GetZaakIdentificatieAsync(null!));
+    }
+
     [Fact]
     public async Task Approving_rejects_a_null_zaak_or_zaaktype()
     {
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/Steps/EenZaakOpenenSteps.cs b/tests/acceptance/Steps/EenZaakOpenenSteps.cs
index 8c191bc..04780e1 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/Steps/EenZaakOpenenSteps.cs
+++ b/tests/acceptance/Steps/EenZaakOpenenSteps.cs
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ public sealed class EenZaakOpenenSteps
 
     [Given("a domain registration for BSN \"(.*)\"")]
     public void GivenADomainRegistrationForBsn(string bsn)
-        => _registration = new DomainRegistration(bsn);
+        => _registration = new DomainRegistration(bsn, "ACC-REF-1");
 
     [Given("the ACL is configured with these defaults:")]
     public void GivenTheAclIsConfiguredWithTheseDefaults(DataTable defaults)
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/Support/InMemoryZaakGateway.cs b/tests/acceptance/Support/InMemoryZaakGateway.cs
index 683e0d7..09c6414 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/Support/InMemoryZaakGateway.cs
+++ b/tests/acceptance/Support/InMemoryZaakGateway.cs
@@ -24,4 +24,7 @@ public sealed class InMemoryZaakGateway : IZaakGateway
         Approved = (zaakUrl, zaaktypeUrl, datumStatusGezet);
         return Task.CompletedTask;
     }
+
+    public Task<string> GetZaakIdentificatieAsync(Uri zaakUrl, CancellationToken ct = default)
+        => Task.FromResult("ACC-REF-1");
 }