diff --git a/man_card/templates.py b/man_card/templates.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3c2aeac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/man_card/templates.py
@@ -0,0 +1,193 @@
+"""Template system for card generation."""
+
+import json
+import os
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any, Optional
+from dataclasses import dataclass, field
+
+
+@dataclass
+class Template:
+    """Card template configuration."""
+    name: str
+    layout: dict[str, Any] = field(default_factory=dict)
+    colors: dict[str, str] = field(default_factory=dict)
+    fonts: dict[str, str] = field(default_factory=dict)
+    spacing: dict[str, int] = field(default_factory=dict)
+
+
+class TemplateLoader:
+    """Loader and validator for card templates."""
+
+    DEFAULT_TEMPLATES = {
+        "default": {
+            "layout": {
+                "header_height": 60,
+                "section_spacing": 20,
+                "option_spacing": 10,
+                "margin": 30,
+                "columns": 2
+            },
+            "colors": {
+                "header_bg": "#2E3440",
+                "header_text": "#FFFFFF",
+                "section_title": "#88C0D0",
+                "option_flag": "#A3BE8C",
+                "option_desc": "#ECEFF4",
+                "background": "#FFFFFF",
+                "border": "#4C566A"
+            },
+            "fonts": {
+                "header": ("Helvetica", 24, "B"),
+                "section": ("Helvetica", 14, "B"),
+                "option_flag": ("Courier", 10, "B"),
+                "option_desc": ("Helvetica", 9, ""),
+                "synopsis": ("Courier", 11, ""),
+                "body": ("Helvetica", 10, "")
+            },
+            "spacing": {
+                "line_height": 14,
+                "margin": 20,
+                "section_padding": 15
+            }
+        },
+        "minimal": {
+            "layout": {
+                "header_height": 40,
+                "section_spacing": 15,
+                "option_spacing": 8,
+                "margin": 20,
+                "columns": 2
+            },
+            "colors": {
+                "header_bg": "#FFFFFF",
+                "header_text": "#000000",
+                "section_title": "#666666",
+                "option_flag": "#000000",
+                "option_desc": "#333333",
+                "background": "#FFFFFF",
+                "border": "#CCCCCC"
+            },
+            "fonts": {
+                "header": ("Helvetica", 18, ""),
+                "section": ("Helvetica", 11, "B"),
+                "option_flag": ("Courier", 9, ""),
+                "option_desc": ("Helvetica", 8, ""),
+                "synopsis": ("Courier", 9, ""),
+                "body": ("Helvetica", 8, "")
+            },
+            "spacing": {
+                "line_height": 12,
+                "margin": 15,
+                "section_padding": 10
+            }
+        },
+        "compact": {
+            "layout": {
+                "header_height": 35,
+                "section_spacing": 10,
+                "option_spacing": 5,
+                "margin": 15,
+                "columns": 3
+            },
+            "colors": {
+                "header_bg": "#1A1A2E",
+                "header_text": "#FFFFFF",
+                "section_title": "#00D9FF",
+                "option_flag": "#00FF88",
+                "option_desc": "#AAAAAA",
+                "background": "#16213E",
+                "border": "#0F3460"
+            },
+            "fonts": {
+                "header": ("Helvetica", 14, "B"),
+                "section": ("Helvetica", 10, "B"),
+                "option_flag": ("Courier", 7, "B"),
+                "option_desc": ("Helvetica", 7, ""),
+                "synopsis": ("Courier", 8, ""),
+                "body": ("Helvetica", 7, "")
+            },
+            "spacing": {
+                "line_height": 10,
+                "margin": 10,
+                "section_padding": 8
+            }
+        },
+        "dark": {
+            "layout": {
+                "header_height": 50,
+                "section_spacing": 18,
+                "option_spacing": 12,
+                "margin": 25,
+                "columns": 2
+            },
+            "colors": {
+                "header_bg": "#1E1E1E",
+                "header_text": "#61AFEF",
+                "section_title": "#C678DD",
+                "option_flag": "#98C379",
+                "option_desc": "#ABB2BF",
+                "background": "#282C34",
+                "border": "#3E4451"
+            },
+            "fonts": {
+                "header": ("Helvetica", 20, "B"),
+                "section": ("Helvetica", 12, "B"),
+                "option_flag": ("Courier", 9, "B"),
+                "option_desc": ("Helvetica", 8, ""),
+                "synopsis": ("Courier", 10, ""),
+                "body": ("Helvetica", 9, "")
+            },
+            "spacing": {
+                "line_height": 13,
+                "margin": 18,
+                "section_padding": 12
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    def __init__(self, template_dir: Optional[str] = None):
+        self.template_dir = Path(template_dir) if template_dir else Path(__file__).parent.parent / "templates"
+
+    def list_templates(self) -> list[str]:
+        """List available template names."""
+        templates = list(self.DEFAULT_TEMPLATES.keys())
+        if self.template_dir.exists():
+            for f in self.template_dir.glob("*.json"):
+                if f.stem not in templates:
+                    templates.append(f.stem)
+        return sorted(templates)
+
+    def load(self, name: str) -> Template:
+        """Load a template by name."""
+        if name in self.DEFAULT_TEMPLATES:
+            data = self.DEFAULT_TEMPLATES[name]
+            return Template(name=name, **data)
+
+        template_path = self.template_dir / f"{name}.json"
+        if template_path.exists():
+            with open(template_path, 'r') as f:
+                data = json.load(f)
+            if "fonts" in data:
+                for key in data["fonts"]:
+                    if isinstance(data["fonts"][key], list):
+                        data["fonts"][key] = tuple(data["fonts"][key])
+            return Template(name=name, **data)
+
+        raise ValueError(f"Template '{name}' not found. Available: {', '.join(self.list_templates())}")
+
+    def load_custom(self, path: str) -> Template:
+        """Load a custom template from file path."""
+        with open(path, 'r') as f:
+            data = json.load(f)
+        return Template(name=Path(path).stem, **data)
+
+    def get_template_path(self, name: str) -> Optional[Path]:
+        """Get the file path for a template if it exists."""
+        if name in self.DEFAULT_TEMPLATES:
+            return None
+        template_path = self.template_dir / f"{name}.json"
+        if template_path.exists():
+            return template_path
+        return None