diff --git a/BlazorApp/Components/Pages/Developers.razor b/BlazorApp/Components/Pages/Developers.razor
index abfaf63..be3fea6 100644
--- a/BlazorApp/Components/Pages/Developers.razor
+++ b/BlazorApp/Components/Pages/Developers.razor
@@ -92,10 +92,14 @@
 
                         <div class="form-group">
                             <label for="username">Desired Username</label>
-                            <InputText id="username" @bind-Value="_application.DesiredUsername" class="form-input" placeholder="janedoe"
-                                       @oninput="OnUsernameInput" />
-                            <span class="form-hint">This will be your handle across SilverLabs services</span>
-                            @if (_usernameCheckState == UsernameCheckState.Checking)
+                            <input id="username" class="form-input" placeholder="janedoe" value="@_application.DesiredUsername"
+                                   @oninput="OnUsernameInput" @onfocusout="OnUsernameBlur" autocomplete="off" />
+                            <span class="form-hint">3–30 characters: letters, numbers, hyphens and underscores</span>
+                            @if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(_usernameFormatError))
+                            {
+                                <span class="username-status username-format-error">@_usernameFormatError</span>
+                            }
+                            else if (_usernameCheckState == UsernameCheckState.Checking)
                             {
                                 <span class="username-status username-checking">Checking availability...</span>
                             }
@@ -213,7 +217,7 @@
                     {
                         <div class="dev-error">@_errorMessage</div>
                     }
-                    <button type="submit" class="dev-btn dev-btn-primary" disabled="@(_submitting || _usernameCheckState == UsernameCheckState.Taken)">
+                    <button type="submit" class="dev-btn dev-btn-primary" disabled="@IsSubmitDisabled">
                         @if (_submitting)
                         {
                             <span class="btn-spinner"></span>
@@ -240,12 +244,19 @@
     private string? _errorMessage;
 
     private UsernameCheckState _usernameCheckState = UsernameCheckState.None;
-    private CancellationTokenSource? _usernameCheckCts;
+    private string? _usernameFormatError;
+    private string? _lastCheckedUsername;
 
     private readonly string[] _availablePlatforms = { "Windows", "macOS", "Linux", "Android", "iOS", "Other" };
 
+    private static readonly System.Text.RegularExpressions.Regex UsernamePattern =
+        new(@"^[a-zA-Z0-9_-]{3,30}$", System.Text.RegularExpressions.RegexOptions.Compiled);
+
     private enum UsernameCheckState { None, Checking, Available, Taken, Error }
 
+    private bool IsSubmitDisabled =>
+        _submitting || _usernameCheckState == UsernameCheckState.Taken || _usernameCheckState == UsernameCheckState.Checking;
+
     private void SelectRole(ApplicationRole role)
     {
         _application.Role = role;
@@ -259,43 +270,55 @@
             _application.Platforms.Add(platform);
     }
 
-    private async Task OnUsernameInput(ChangeEventArgs e)
+    private void OnUsernameInput(ChangeEventArgs e)
     {
         var username = e.Value?.ToString() ?? "";
         _application.DesiredUsername = username;
 
-        _usernameCheckCts?.Cancel();
+        // Reset API check state while typing — we'll check on blur
+        _usernameCheckState = UsernameCheckState.None;
+        _usernameFormatError = null;
 
-        if (username.Length < 3)
+        // Show inline format feedback as they type
+        if (username.Length > 0 && username.Length < 3)
         {
-            _usernameCheckState = UsernameCheckState.None;
-            return;
+            _usernameFormatError = "Username must be at least 3 characters";
         }
+        else if (username.Length > 30)
+        {
+            _usernameFormatError = "Username must be 30 characters or fewer";
+        }
+        else if (username.Length >= 3 && !UsernamePattern.IsMatch(username))
+        {
+            _usernameFormatError = "Only letters, numbers, hyphens and underscores allowed";
+        }
+    }
+
+    private async Task OnUsernameBlur()
+    {
+        var username = _application.DesiredUsername?.Trim() ?? "";
+
+        // Don't check if empty, invalid format, or already checked this exact username
+        if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(username) || !UsernamePattern.IsMatch(username))
+            return;
+
+        if (username == _lastCheckedUsername && _usernameCheckState != UsernameCheckState.Error)
+            return;
 
         _usernameCheckState = UsernameCheckState.Checking;
-        _usernameCheckCts = new CancellationTokenSource();
-        var token = _usernameCheckCts.Token;
+        StateHasChanged();
 
-        try
-        {
-            await Task.Delay(500, token);
-            var available = await ApplicationService.CheckUsernameAsync(username);
+        var available = await ApplicationService.CheckUsernameAsync(username);
+        _lastCheckedUsername = username;
 
-            if (!token.IsCancellationRequested)
-            {
-                _usernameCheckState = available switch
-                {
-                    true => UsernameCheckState.Available,
-                    false => UsernameCheckState.Taken,
-                    null => UsernameCheckState.Error
-                };
-                StateHasChanged();
-            }
-        }
-        catch (TaskCanceledException)
+        _usernameCheckState = available switch
         {
-            // Debounce cancelled — newer keystroke took over
-        }
+            true => UsernameCheckState.Available,
+            false => UsernameCheckState.Taken,
+            null => UsernameCheckState.Error
+        };
+
+        StateHasChanged();
     }
 
     private async Task HandleSubmit()
diff --git a/BlazorApp/wwwroot/developers-styles.css b/BlazorApp/wwwroot/developers-styles.css
index 6519f7c..4772a24 100644
--- a/BlazorApp/wwwroot/developers-styles.css
+++ b/BlazorApp/wwwroot/developers-styles.css
@@ -209,6 +209,10 @@
     color: #fbbf24;
 }
 
+.username-format-error {
+    color: #fb923c;
+}
+
 /* Validation messages */
 .validation-message {
     color: #f87171;