diff --git a/PROJECT_GUIDELINES.md b/PROJECT_GUIDELINES.md
index 3c1546f..608bf7f 100644
--- a/PROJECT_GUIDELINES.md
+++ b/PROJECT_GUIDELINES.md
@@ -26,12 +26,13 @@
 ### Frontend & Styling
 - ❌ **NEVER modify backend/API for frontend features without user confirmation**
 - ❌ **NEVER use custom CSS** - TailwindCSS classes only
+  - **⚠️ EXCEPTION**: `templates/error.templ` may have inline CSS because error pages must work when main app fails (404, server errors, CSS fails to load)
 - ❌ **NEVER use JavaScript** - convert all to TypeScript
 - ❌ **NEVER use Object-Oriented Programming** (no classes, inheritance, or this-capture)
 - ✅ **DO use procedural/imperative style** as your default
 - ✅ **DO borrow functional techniques** when they simplify code
 - ✅ **DO avoid ideological purity** - the best paradigm is the one that fits the problem
-- ❌ **NEVER add new Dockerfiles without user confirmation
+- ❌ **NEVER add new Dockerfiles without user confirmation**
 - ❌ **NEVER fetch initial data via AJAX on page load** - use server-side rendering instead
 - ❌ **NEVER break progressive enhancement** - pages must work without JavaScript
 
diff --git a/scripts/verify-guidelines.sh b/scripts/verify-guidelines.sh
index cdd070d..760db8c 100755
--- a/scripts/verify-guidelines.sh
+++ b/scripts/verify-guidelines.sh
@@ -79,13 +79,14 @@ fi
 section "Frontend & Styling: No custom CSS (use TailwindCSS)"
 
 # GUIDELINE: NEVER use custom CSS - TailwindCSS classes only
+# EXCEPTION: templates/error.templ is allowed to have inline CSS for error pages (must work when main app fails)
 echo "Checking for custom CSS in templates (should use TailwindCSS)..."
-STYLE_COUNT=$(grep -l '<style>' templates/*.templ 2>/dev/null | wc -l)
+STYLE_COUNT=$(grep -l '<style>' templates/*.templ 2>/dev/null | grep -v 'templates/error.templ' | wc -l)
 if [ "$STYLE_COUNT" -gt 0 ]; then
     error_msg "Found $STYLE_COUNT templates with <style> tags (violation: custom CSS prohibited)"
-    grep -l '<style>' templates/*.templ 2>/dev/null | head -10
+    grep -l '<style>' templates/*.templ 2>/dev/null | grep -v 'templates/error.templ' | head -10
 else
-    success_msg "No custom CSS in templates (TailwindCSS only)"
+    success_msg "No custom CSS in templates (TailwindCSS only, error.templ excluded)"
 fi
 
 # GUIDELINE: NEVER use JavaScript - convert all to TypeScript