diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 816a6c4..f05e6e5 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -331,6 +331,22 @@ misconfigured range specs in CI. Use `--allow-empty` to exit 0 instead:
 commit-guard --range origin/main..HEAD --allow-empty
 ```
 
+### Quiet mode
+
+Use `--quiet` (or `-q`) to suppress output for commits that have nothing to
+report — only commits with errors or warnings are printed. On a long range
+this leaves exactly the offending commits in the output; a fully compliant
+range prints nothing and exits 0:
+
+```bash
+commit-guard --range origin/main..HEAD --quiet
+```
+
+Quiet mode applies to single-commit and range mode, in both text and
+`--output jsonl` formats. Exit codes are unchanged, so it composes with CI
+gating. `--output-file` is not affected — the file always receives the
+complete record stream.
+
 ### Machine-readable output
 
 Use `--output jsonl` to emit one JSON line per commit to stdout instead of the
diff --git a/docs/index.html b/docs/index.html
index 4df4546..4153732 100644
--- a/docs/index.html
+++ b/docs/index.html
@@ -551,6 +551,15 @@ <h2>Output <a href="#output" class="anchor">#</a></h2>
           readable logs and structured results for downstream steps:
         </p>
         <pre><code class="language-bash">commit-guard --range origin/main..HEAD --output-file results.jsonl</code></pre>
+        <p>
+          Use <code>--quiet</code> (or <code>-q</code>) to suppress output for
+          commits that have nothing to report — only commits with errors or
+          warnings are printed, in both text and JSONL formats. A fully
+          compliant range prints nothing and exits 0. Exit codes are unchanged,
+          and <code>--output-file</code> always receives the complete record
+          stream:
+        </p>
+        <pre><code class="language-bash">commit-guard --range origin/main..HEAD --quiet</code></pre>
       </section>
 
       <section id="github-actions">
diff --git a/src/git_commit_guard/__init__.py b/src/git_commit_guard/__init__.py
index 3966ae8..8199f65 100644
--- a/src/git_commit_guard/__init__.py
+++ b/src/git_commit_guard/__init__.py
@@ -146,6 +146,10 @@ def info(self, msg, check=None):
     def ok(self):
         return not any(lvl == Level.ERROR for _, lvl, _ in self.errors)
 
+    @property
+    def noteworthy(self):
+        return any(lvl in (Level.ERROR, Level.WARN) for _, lvl, _ in self.errors)
+
 
 def _ensure_nltk_data():
     _download_if_missing("taggers/averaged_perceptron_tagger_eng")
@@ -565,6 +569,7 @@ class Args:
     subject_pattern: re.Pattern | None
     output: OutputFormat
     output_file: Path | None
+    quiet: bool
 
 
 def _resolve_enabled(args, config, parser):
@@ -662,7 +667,7 @@ def _parse_checks(parser, value):
         parser.error(str(e))
 
 
-def _parse_args():  # noqa: PLR0915 Too many statements (59 > 50)
+def _parse_args():  # noqa: PLR0915 Too many statements (60 > 50)
     checks_list = ",".join(sorted(Check))
     parser = ArgumentParser(description="conventional commit checker")
     parser.add_argument("rev", nargs="?", default=None)
@@ -761,6 +766,13 @@ def _parse_args():  # noqa: PLR0915 Too many statements (59 > 50)
         metavar="FILE",
         help="write JSONL results to FILE (text still goes to stdout)",
     )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "-q",
+        "--quiet",
+        action="store_true",
+        default=False,
+        help="suppress output for commits without errors or warnings",
+    )
     args = parser.parse_args()
     config = _load_config()
     enabled = _resolve_enabled(args, config, parser)
@@ -823,6 +835,7 @@ def _parse_args():  # noqa: PLR0915 Too many statements (59 > 50)
         subject_pattern=subject_pattern,
         output=OutputFormat(args.output),
         output_file=args.output_file,
+        quiet=args.quiet,
     )
 
 
@@ -838,7 +851,9 @@ def _jsonl_record(result, sha, subject):
     }
 
 
-def _report_jsonl(result, sha, subject):
+def _report_jsonl(result, sha, subject, *, quiet=False):
+    if quiet and not result.noteworthy:
+        return 0
     print(json.dumps(_jsonl_record(result, sha, subject)))
     return 0 if result.ok else 1
 
@@ -847,7 +862,9 @@ def _write_jsonl_record(result, sha, subject, file):
     file.write(json.dumps(_jsonl_record(result, sha, subject)) + "\n")
 
 
-def _report_text(result):
+def _report_text(result, *, quiet=False):
+    if quiet and not result.noteworthy:
+        return 0
     color = sys.stdout.isatty()
     for check, level, msg in result.errors:
         prefix = f"[{check}] " if check else ""
@@ -892,6 +909,14 @@ def _run_checks(args, rev, message, result):
         check_signature(rev, result)
 
 
+def _report_commit(args, result, sha, subject):
+    if args.output == OutputFormat.JSONL:
+        return _report_jsonl(result, sha, subject, quiet=args.quiet)
+    if args.rev_range and (not args.quiet or result.noteworthy):
+        print(f"{sha[:7]} {subject}")
+    return _report_text(result, quiet=args.quiet)
+
+
 def main():
     args = _parse_args()
 
@@ -911,13 +936,8 @@ def main():
                 subject = message.split("\n")[0]
                 result = Result()
                 _run_checks(args, rev, message, result)
-                if args.output == OutputFormat.JSONL:
-                    if _report_jsonl(result, rev, subject) != 0:
-                        failed = True
-                else:
-                    print(f"{rev[:7]} {subject}")
-                    if _report_text(result) != 0:
-                        failed = True
+                if _report_commit(args, result, rev, subject) != 0:
+                    failed = True
                 if out_file:
                     _write_jsonl_record(result, rev, subject, out_file)
             return 1 if failed else 0
@@ -927,6 +947,4 @@ def main():
         _run_checks(args, args.rev, args.message, result)
         if out_file:
             _write_jsonl_record(result, args.rev, subject, out_file)
-        if args.output == OutputFormat.JSONL:
-            return _report_jsonl(result, args.rev, subject)
-        return _report_text(result)
+        return _report_commit(args, result, args.rev, subject)
diff --git a/tests/test_git_commit_guard.py b/tests/test_git_commit_guard.py
index 4435964..bec990a 100644
--- a/tests/test_git_commit_guard.py
+++ b/tests/test_git_commit_guard.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
     GIT_TIMEOUT,
     MAX_SUBJECT_LEN,
     TYPES,
+    OutputFormat,
     Result,
     _download_if_missing,
     _ensure_nltk_data,
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@
     _parse_checks,
     _parse_config_checks,
     _parse_noreply_username,
+    _report_commit,
     _report_jsonl,
     _report_text,
     _resolve_max_subject_length,
@@ -1493,6 +1495,33 @@ def test_ok_no_ansi_when_not_tty(self, capsys):
             _report_text(r)
         assert "\033[" not in capsys.readouterr().out
 
+    def test_quiet_suppresses_clean_result(self, capsys):
+        r = Result()
+        ret = _report_text(r, quiet=True)
+        assert ret == 0
+        assert capsys.readouterr().out == ""
+
+    def test_quiet_suppresses_info_only_result(self, capsys):
+        r = Result()
+        r.info("signature type: SSH", check="signature")
+        ret = _report_text(r, quiet=True)
+        assert ret == 0
+        assert capsys.readouterr().out == ""
+
+    def test_quiet_shows_warning(self, capsys):
+        r = Result()
+        r.warn("heads up")
+        ret = _report_text(r, quiet=True)
+        assert ret == 0
+        assert "heads up" in capsys.readouterr().out
+
+    def test_quiet_shows_error(self, capsys):
+        r = Result()
+        r.error("something broke")
+        ret = _report_text(r, quiet=True)
+        assert ret == 1
+        assert "something broke" in capsys.readouterr().out
+
 
 class TestReportJsonl:
     def test_ok_commit(self, capsys):
@@ -1522,6 +1551,19 @@ def test_failed_commit(self, capsys):
             "message": "missing body",
         }
 
+    def test_quiet_suppresses_ok_commit(self, capsys):
+        r = Result()
+        ret = _report_jsonl(r, "abc1234567890", "fix: add thing", quiet=True)
+        assert ret == 0
+        assert capsys.readouterr().out == ""
+
+    def test_quiet_shows_failed_commit(self, capsys):
+        r = Result()
+        r.error("missing body", check="body")
+        ret = _report_jsonl(r, "abc1234567890", "fix: add thing", quiet=True)
+        assert ret == 1
+        assert json.loads(capsys.readouterr().out)["ok"] is False
+
     def test_null_sha(self, capsys):
         r = Result()
         ret = _report_jsonl(r, None, "fix: add thing")
@@ -1545,6 +1587,40 @@ def test_output_is_single_line(self, capsys):
         assert out.count("\n") == 1
 
 
+class TestReportCommit:
+    def test_range_text_prints_sha_header(self, capsys):
+        args = Namespace(output=OutputFormat.TEXT, rev_range="a..b", quiet=False)
+        ret = _report_commit(args, Result(), "abc1234567890", "fix: add thing")
+        assert ret == 0
+        out = capsys.readouterr().out
+        assert out.startswith("abc1234 fix: add thing")
+        assert "all checks passed" in out
+
+    def test_single_commit_text_has_no_header(self, capsys):
+        args = Namespace(output=OutputFormat.TEXT, rev_range=None, quiet=False)
+        ret = _report_commit(args, Result(), None, "fix: add thing")
+        assert ret == 0
+        out = capsys.readouterr().out
+        assert "fix: add thing" not in out
+        assert "all checks passed" in out
+
+    def test_jsonl_dispatch(self, capsys):
+        args = Namespace(output=OutputFormat.JSONL, rev_range="a..b", quiet=False)
+        r = Result()
+        r.error("missing body", check="body")
+        ret = _report_commit(args, r, "abc1234567890", "fix: add thing")
+        assert ret == 1
+        data = json.loads(capsys.readouterr().out)
+        assert data["sha"] == "abc1234567890"
+        assert data["ok"] is False
+
+    def test_quiet_range_suppresses_header_for_clean_commit(self, capsys):
+        args = Namespace(output=OutputFormat.TEXT, rev_range="a..b", quiet=True)
+        ret = _report_commit(args, Result(), "abc1234567890", "fix: add thing")
+        assert ret == 0
+        assert capsys.readouterr().out == ""
+
+
 _VALID_MSG = "fix: add thing\n\nbody text\n\nSigned-off-by: A User <a@b.com>"
 
 
@@ -2452,3 +2528,141 @@ def test_failed_commit_written_to_file(self, tmp_path):
             assert main() == 1
         data = json.loads(out_file.read_text())
         assert data["ok"] is False
+
+
+class TestQuiet:
+    def test_range_text_shows_only_failing_commits(self, capsys):
+        messages = {"aaa1234": _VALID_MSG, "bbb5678": "bad message"}
+        with (
+            patch(
+                "sys.argv",
+                [
+                    "cg",
+                    "--range",
+                    "HEAD~2..HEAD",
+                    "--disable",
+                    "signature,body,signed-off,imperative",
+                    "--quiet",
+                ],
+            ),
+            patch(
+                "git_commit_guard._get_range_revs",
+                return_value=["aaa1234", "bbb5678"],
+            ),
+            patch(
+                "git_commit_guard._get_message",
+                side_effect=lambda rev: messages[rev],
+            ),
+        ):
+            assert main() == 1
+        out = capsys.readouterr().out
+        assert "bbb5678" in out
+        assert "aaa1234" not in out
+
+    def test_range_text_all_pass_prints_nothing(self, capsys):
+        with (
+            patch(
+                "sys.argv",
+                ["cg", "--range", "HEAD~2..HEAD", "--disable", "signature", "-q"],
+            ),
+            patch(
+                "git_commit_guard._get_range_revs",
+                return_value=["aaa1234", "bbb5678"],
+            ),
+            patch("git_commit_guard._get_message", return_value=_VALID_MSG),
+        ):
+            assert main() == 0
+        assert capsys.readouterr().out == ""
+
+    def test_single_commit_pass_prints_nothing(self, capsys, tmp_path):
+        msg_file = tmp_path / "msg"
+        msg_file.write_text(_VALID_MSG)
+        with patch(
+            "sys.argv",
+            [
+                "cg",
+                "--message-file",
+                str(msg_file),
+                "--disable",
+                "signature,imperative",
+                "--quiet",
+            ],
+        ):
+            assert main() == 0
+        assert capsys.readouterr().out == ""
+
+    def test_single_commit_failure_still_printed(self, capsys, tmp_path):
+        msg_file = tmp_path / "msg"
+        msg_file.write_text("fix: add thing")
+        with patch(
+            "sys.argv",
+            [
+                "cg",
+                "--message-file",
+                str(msg_file),
+                "--disable",
+                "signature,imperative",
+                "--quiet",
+            ],
+        ):
+            assert main() == 1
+        assert "body" in capsys.readouterr().out
+
+    def test_range_jsonl_emits_only_failing_records(self, capsys):
+        messages = {"aaa1234": _VALID_MSG, "bbb5678": "bad message"}
+        with (
+            patch(
+                "sys.argv",
+                [
+                    "cg",
+                    "--range",
+                    "HEAD~2..HEAD",
+                    "--disable",
+                    "signature,body,signed-off,imperative",
+                    "--output",
+                    "jsonl",
+                    "--quiet",
+                ],
+            ),
+            patch(
+                "git_commit_guard._get_range_revs",
+                return_value=["aaa1234", "bbb5678"],
+            ),
+            patch(
+                "git_commit_guard._get_message",
+                side_effect=lambda rev: messages[rev],
+            ),
+        ):
+            assert main() == 1
+        lines = capsys.readouterr().out.strip().splitlines()
+        assert len(lines) == 1
+        data = json.loads(lines[0])
+        assert data["sha"] == "bbb5678"
+        assert data["ok"] is False
+
+    def test_output_file_still_receives_all_records(self, capsys, tmp_path):
+        out_file = tmp_path / "results.jsonl"
+        with (
+            patch(
+                "sys.argv",
+                [
+                    "cg",
+                    "--range",
+                    "HEAD~2..HEAD",
+                    "--disable",
+                    "signature",
+                    "--quiet",
+                    "--output-file",
+                    str(out_file),
+                ],
+            ),
+            patch(
+                "git_commit_guard._get_range_revs",
+                return_value=["aaa1234", "bbb5678"],
+            ),
+            patch("git_commit_guard._get_message", return_value=_VALID_MSG),
+        ):
+            assert main() == 0
+        assert capsys.readouterr().out == ""
+        lines = out_file.read_text().strip().splitlines()
+        assert len(lines) == 2