diff --git a/tests/Umbraco.Tests.Integration/Umbraco.Infrastructure/Services/ContentServiceRefactoringTests.cs b/tests/Umbraco.Tests.Integration/Umbraco.Infrastructure/Services/ContentServiceRefactoringTests.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3e20c00eae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Umbraco.Tests.Integration/Umbraco.Infrastructure/Services/ContentServiceRefactoringTests.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,157 @@
+// Copyright (c) Umbraco.
+// See LICENSE for more details.
+
+using NUnit.Framework;
+using Umbraco.Cms.Core;
+using Umbraco.Cms.Core.Events;
+using Umbraco.Cms.Core.Models;
+using Umbraco.Cms.Core.Models.Entities;
+using Umbraco.Cms.Core.Notifications;
+using Umbraco.Cms.Core.Services;
+using Umbraco.Cms.Tests.Common.Builders;
+using Umbraco.Cms.Tests.Common.Testing;
+using Umbraco.Cms.Tests.Integration.Testing;
+
+namespace Umbraco.Cms.Tests.Integration.Umbraco.Infrastructure.Services;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Integration tests specifically for validating ContentService refactoring.
+/// These tests establish behavioral baselines that must pass throughout the refactoring phases.
+/// </summary>
+[TestFixture]
+[NonParallelizable] // Required: static notification handler state is shared across tests
+[Category("Refactoring")] // v1.2: Added for easier test filtering during refactoring
+[UmbracoTest(
+    Database = UmbracoTestOptions.Database.NewSchemaPerTest,
+    PublishedRepositoryEvents = true,
+    WithApplication = true,
+    Logger = UmbracoTestOptions.Logger.Console)]
+internal sealed class ContentServiceRefactoringTests : UmbracoIntegrationTestWithContent
+{
+    private IContentTypeService ContentTypeService => GetRequiredService<IContentTypeService>();
+    private IUserService UserService => GetRequiredService<IUserService>();
+
+    protected override void CustomTestSetup(IUmbracoBuilder builder) => builder
+        .AddNotificationHandler<ContentSavingNotification, RefactoringTestNotificationHandler>()
+        .AddNotificationHandler<ContentSavedNotification, RefactoringTestNotificationHandler>()
+        .AddNotificationHandler<ContentPublishingNotification, RefactoringTestNotificationHandler>()
+        .AddNotificationHandler<ContentPublishedNotification, RefactoringTestNotificationHandler>()
+        .AddNotificationHandler<ContentUnpublishingNotification, RefactoringTestNotificationHandler>()
+        .AddNotificationHandler<ContentUnpublishedNotification, RefactoringTestNotificationHandler>()
+        .AddNotificationHandler<ContentMovingNotification, RefactoringTestNotificationHandler>()
+        .AddNotificationHandler<ContentMovedNotification, RefactoringTestNotificationHandler>()
+        .AddNotificationHandler<ContentMovingToRecycleBinNotification, RefactoringTestNotificationHandler>()
+        .AddNotificationHandler<ContentMovedToRecycleBinNotification, RefactoringTestNotificationHandler>()
+        .AddNotificationHandler<ContentSortingNotification, RefactoringTestNotificationHandler>()
+        .AddNotificationHandler<ContentSortedNotification, RefactoringTestNotificationHandler>()
+        .AddNotificationHandler<ContentDeletingNotification, RefactoringTestNotificationHandler>()
+        .AddNotificationHandler<ContentDeletedNotification, RefactoringTestNotificationHandler>();
+
+    [SetUp]
+    public override void Setup()
+    {
+        base.Setup();
+        RefactoringTestNotificationHandler.Reset();
+    }
+
+    [TearDown]
+    public void Teardown()
+    {
+        RefactoringTestNotificationHandler.Reset();
+    }
+
+    #region Notification Ordering Tests
+
+    // Tests 1-2 will be added in Task 2
+
+    #endregion
+
+    #region Sort Operation Tests
+
+    // Tests 3-5 will be added in Task 3
+
+    #endregion
+
+    #region DeleteOfType Tests
+
+    // Tests 6-8 will be added in Task 4
+
+    #endregion
+
+    #region Permission Tests
+
+    // Tests 9-12 will be added in Task 5
+
+    #endregion
+
+    #region Transaction Boundary Tests
+
+    // Tests 13-15 will be added in Task 6
+
+    #endregion
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Notification handler that tracks the order of notifications for test verification.
+    /// </summary>
+    internal sealed class RefactoringTestNotificationHandler :
+        INotificationHandler<ContentSavingNotification>,
+        INotificationHandler<ContentSavedNotification>,
+        INotificationHandler<ContentPublishingNotification>,
+        INotificationHandler<ContentPublishedNotification>,
+        INotificationHandler<ContentUnpublishingNotification>,
+        INotificationHandler<ContentUnpublishedNotification>,
+        INotificationHandler<ContentMovingNotification>,
+        INotificationHandler<ContentMovedNotification>,
+        INotificationHandler<ContentMovingToRecycleBinNotification>,
+        INotificationHandler<ContentMovedToRecycleBinNotification>,
+        INotificationHandler<ContentSortingNotification>,
+        INotificationHandler<ContentSortedNotification>,
+        INotificationHandler<ContentDeletingNotification>,
+        INotificationHandler<ContentDeletedNotification>
+    {
+        private static readonly List<string> _notificationOrder = new();
+        private static readonly object _lock = new();
+
+        public static IReadOnlyList<string> NotificationOrder
+        {
+            get
+            {
+                lock (_lock)
+                {
+                    return _notificationOrder.ToList();
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        public static void Reset()
+        {
+            lock (_lock)
+            {
+                _notificationOrder.Clear();
+            }
+        }
+
+        private static void Record(string notificationType)
+        {
+            lock (_lock)
+            {
+                _notificationOrder.Add(notificationType);
+            }
+        }
+
+        public void Handle(ContentSavingNotification notification) => Record(nameof(ContentSavingNotification));
+        public void Handle(ContentSavedNotification notification) => Record(nameof(ContentSavedNotification));
+        public void Handle(ContentPublishingNotification notification) => Record(nameof(ContentPublishingNotification));
+        public void Handle(ContentPublishedNotification notification) => Record(nameof(ContentPublishedNotification));
+        public void Handle(ContentUnpublishingNotification notification) => Record(nameof(ContentUnpublishingNotification));
+        public void Handle(ContentUnpublishedNotification notification) => Record(nameof(ContentUnpublishedNotification));
+        public void Handle(ContentMovingNotification notification) => Record(nameof(ContentMovingNotification));
+        public void Handle(ContentMovedNotification notification) => Record(nameof(ContentMovedNotification));
+        public void Handle(ContentMovingToRecycleBinNotification notification) => Record(nameof(ContentMovingToRecycleBinNotification));
+        public void Handle(ContentMovedToRecycleBinNotification notification) => Record(nameof(ContentMovedToRecycleBinNotification));
+        public void Handle(ContentSortingNotification notification) => Record(nameof(ContentSortingNotification));
+        public void Handle(ContentSortedNotification notification) => Record(nameof(ContentSortedNotification));
+        public void Handle(ContentDeletingNotification notification) => Record(nameof(ContentDeletingNotification));
+        public void Handle(ContentDeletedNotification notification) => Record(nameof(ContentDeletedNotification));
+    }
+}