diff --git a/frontend/src/composables/identifierSettings.js b/frontend/src/composables/identifierSettings.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1e7fd87
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/composables/identifierSettings.js
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+// Global enable/disable flags for optional asset identifiers, read from the
+// settings table. Loaded once and shared across components. Defaults to
+// enabled when a flag is missing so a fresh install shows the identifiers.
+import { reactive } from 'vue'
+import { settingsApi } from '../api'
+
+const identifierflags = reactive({
+  gaugelabreference: true,
+  maintenancereference: true,
+  fqdn: true,
+  loaded: false
+})
+
+let inflight = null
+
+export function useIdentifierFlags() {
+  if (!identifierflags.loaded && !inflight) {
+    inflight = settingsApi.list()
+      .then(({ data }) => {
+        const map = {}
+        ;(data.data || []).forEach(s => { map[s.key] = s.value })
+        if ('identifier_gaugelabreference_enabled' in map) {
+          identifierflags.gaugelabreference = map.identifier_gaugelabreference_enabled !== false
+        }
+        if ('identifier_maintenancereference_enabled' in map) {
+          identifierflags.maintenancereference = map.identifier_maintenancereference_enabled !== false
+        }
+        if ('identifier_fqdn_enabled' in map) {
+          identifierflags.fqdn = map.identifier_fqdn_enabled !== false
+        }
+        identifierflags.loaded = true
+      })
+      .catch(() => { identifierflags.loaded = true })
+  }
+  return identifierflags
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/views/settings/SystemSettings.vue b/frontend/src/views/settings/SystemSettings.vue
index 95c0671..9e0cd03 100644
--- a/frontend/src/views/settings/SystemSettings.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/views/settings/SystemSettings.vue
@@ -375,6 +375,60 @@
         </router-link>
       </div>
     </div>
+
+    <!-- Asset Identifiers Section -->
+    <div class="section-card">
+      <h2 class="section-title">Asset Identifiers</h2>
+
+      <div class="setting-group">
+        <p class="setting-description">
+          Enable or disable optional asset identifiers. When disabled, the identifier
+          is hidden from asset forms and detail pages across the system.
+        </p>
+
+        <div class="setting-row">
+          <label class="toggle-label">
+            <span>Gauge Lab Reference</span>
+            <button
+              class="toggle-btn"
+              :class="{ active: settings.identifier_gaugelabreference_enabled }"
+              @click="toggleSetting('identifier_gaugelabreference_enabled')"
+              :disabled="saving"
+            >
+              <span class="toggle-slider"></span>
+            </button>
+          </label>
+        </div>
+
+        <div class="setting-row">
+          <label class="toggle-label">
+            <span>Maintenance Reference</span>
+            <button
+              class="toggle-btn"
+              :class="{ active: settings.identifier_maintenancereference_enabled }"
+              @click="toggleSetting('identifier_maintenancereference_enabled')"
+              :disabled="saving"
+            >
+              <span class="toggle-slider"></span>
+            </button>
+          </label>
+        </div>
+
+        <div class="setting-row">
+          <label class="toggle-label">
+            <span>FQDN / Hostname</span>
+            <button
+              class="toggle-btn"
+              :class="{ active: settings.identifier_fqdn_enabled }"
+              @click="toggleSetting('identifier_fqdn_enabled')"
+              :disabled="saving"
+            >
+              <span class="toggle-slider"></span>
+            </button>
+          </label>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    </div>
   </div>
 
   <div v-if="error" class="error-message">{{ error }}</div>
@@ -409,7 +463,11 @@ const settings = reactive({
   saml_acs_url: '',
   saml_allow_local_login: true,
   saml_auto_create_users: true,
-  saml_admin_group: ''
+  saml_admin_group: '',
+  // Asset identifiers
+  identifier_gaugelabreference_enabled: true,
+  identifier_maintenancereference_enabled: true,
+  identifier_fqdn_enabled: true
 })
 
 const loading = ref(true)
diff --git a/migrations/versions/7b02_gaugelabreference.py b/migrations/versions/7b02_gaugelabreference.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..165b98b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migrations/versions/7b02_gaugelabreference.py
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+"""Add Asset.gaugelabreference and Asset.maintenancereference
+
+Adds dedicated external-reference columns to assets, distinct from
+assetnumber. Equipment commonly carries an authoritative gauge lab reference
+and a maintenance system reference; assetnumber stays the generic asset tag
+and name the layperson label.
+
+Revision ID: 7b02_gaugelabref
+Revises: 7a01_adr001_position
+Create Date: 2026-06-25
+
+"""
+from alembic import op
+import sqlalchemy as sa
+
+
+revision = '7b02_gaugelabref'
+down_revision = '7a01_adr001_position'
+branch_labels = None
+depends_on = None
+
+
+def upgrade():
+    with op.batch_alter_table('assets') as batch_op:
+        batch_op.add_column(sa.Column(
+            'gaugelabreference', sa.String(length=50), nullable=True,
+            comment='Gauge lab asset reference (authoritative tag the gauge '
+                    'lab assigns to equipment); distinct from assetnumber'))
+        batch_op.add_column(sa.Column(
+            'maintenancereference', sa.String(length=50), nullable=True,
+            comment='Maintenance system asset reference; distinct from '
+                    'assetnumber'))
+        batch_op.create_index('ix_assets_gaugelabreference',
+                              ['gaugelabreference'])
+        batch_op.create_index('ix_assets_maintenancereference',
+                              ['maintenancereference'])
+
+
+def downgrade():
+    with op.batch_alter_table('assets') as batch_op:
+        batch_op.drop_index('ix_assets_maintenancereference')
+        batch_op.drop_index('ix_assets_gaugelabreference')
+        batch_op.drop_column('maintenancereference')
+        batch_op.drop_column('gaugelabreference')
diff --git a/shopdb/core/api/settings.py b/shopdb/core/api/settings.py
index 8d41844..023246f 100644
--- a/shopdb/core/api/settings.py
+++ b/shopdb/core/api/settings.py
@@ -134,6 +134,28 @@ def create_setting():
 def seed_default_settings():
     """Seed default settings if they don't exist."""
     defaults = [
+        # Asset identifier feature toggles (global, per identifier)
+        {
+            'key': 'identifier_gaugelabreference_enabled',
+            'value': 'true',
+            'valuetype': 'boolean',
+            'category': 'identifiers',
+            'description': 'Show the Gauge Lab Reference identifier on assets'
+        },
+        {
+            'key': 'identifier_maintenancereference_enabled',
+            'value': 'true',
+            'valuetype': 'boolean',
+            'category': 'identifiers',
+            'description': 'Show the Maintenance Reference identifier on assets'
+        },
+        {
+            'key': 'identifier_fqdn_enabled',
+            'value': 'true',
+            'valuetype': 'boolean',
+            'category': 'identifiers',
+            'description': 'Show the FQDN / hostname identifier on assets'
+        },
         # Zabbix integration
         {
             'key': 'zabbix_enabled',
diff --git a/shopdb/core/models/asset.py b/shopdb/core/models/asset.py
index c76cf79..4b82ac2 100644
--- a/shopdb/core/models/asset.py
+++ b/shopdb/core/models/asset.py
@@ -74,6 +74,17 @@ class Asset(BaseModel, SoftDeleteMixin, AuditMixin):
         db.String(100),
         comment='Display name/alias'
     )
+    gaugelabreference = db.Column(
+        db.String(50),
+        index=True,
+        comment='Gauge lab asset reference (authoritative tag the gauge lab '
+                'assigns to equipment); distinct from assetnumber'
+    )
+    maintenancereference = db.Column(
+        db.String(50),
+        index=True,
+        comment='Maintenance system asset reference; distinct from assetnumber'
+    )
     serialnumber = db.Column(
         db.String(100),
         index=True,