diff --git a/backend/app/User/UseCases/PromoteUserToAdmin/PromoteUserToAdmin.php b/backend/app/User/UseCases/PromoteUserToAdmin/PromoteUserToAdmin.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..23e6dee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/app/User/UseCases/PromoteUserToAdmin/PromoteUserToAdmin.php
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace App\User\UseCases\PromoteUserToAdmin;
+
+use App\Exceptions\BadRequestException;
+use App\Exceptions\ForbiddenException;
+use App\User\User;
+use App\User\UserRepository;
+use DomainException;
+
+class PromoteUserToAdmin
+{
+    public function __construct(
+        private UserRepository $userRepo,
+    ) {}
+
+    /**
+     * @throws BadRequestException
+     * @throws ForbiddenException
+     * @throws DomainException
+     */
+    public function execute(PromoteUserToAdminRequest $request): User
+    {
+        if (! $request->requesterIsAdmin) {
+            throw new ForbiddenException(
+                'only admins can promote users'
+            );
+        }
+        if ($request->targetUserId <= 0) {
+            throw new BadRequestException(
+                'targetUserId must be positive'
+            );
+        }
+
+        $target = $this->userRepo->find($request->targetUserId);
+        if ($target === null) {
+            throw new DomainException('user not found');
+        }
+
+        if ($target->isAdmin()) {
+            return $target;
+        }
+
+        return $this->userRepo->update(new User(
+            id: $target->getId(),
+            email: $target->getEmail(),
+            displayName: $target->getDisplayName(),
+            passwordHash: $target->getPasswordHash(),
+            isAdmin: true,
+            emailConfirmedAt: $target->getEmailConfirmedAt(),
+        ));
+    }
+}
diff --git a/backend/app/User/UseCases/PromoteUserToAdmin/PromoteUserToAdminRequest.php b/backend/app/User/UseCases/PromoteUserToAdmin/PromoteUserToAdminRequest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8728ea3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/app/User/UseCases/PromoteUserToAdmin/PromoteUserToAdminRequest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace App\User\UseCases\PromoteUserToAdmin;
+
+class PromoteUserToAdminRequest
+{
+    public function __construct(
+        public int $targetUserId,
+        public bool $requesterIsAdmin,
+    ) {}
+}