diff --git a/cmd/policy/registeredResources.go b/cmd/policy/registeredResources.go
index 5a882f4a..011b7ca9 100644
--- a/cmd/policy/registeredResources.go
+++ b/cmd/policy/registeredResources.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ func policyCreateRegisteredResource(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 	defer h.Close()
 
 	name := c.Flags.GetRequiredString("name")
-	namespace := c.Flags.GetRequiredString("namespace")
+	namespace := c.Flags.GetOptionalString("namespace")
 	registeredResourceValues = c.Flags.GetStringSlice("value", registeredResourceValues, cli.FlagsStringSliceOptions{})
 	metadataLabels = c.Flags.GetStringSlice("label", metadataLabels, cli.FlagsStringSliceOptions{Min: 0})
 
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ func policyCreateRegisteredResource(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 	rows := [][]string{
 		{"Id", resource.GetId()},
 		{"Name", resource.GetName()},
+		{"Namespace", resource.GetNamespace().GetFqn()},
 		{"Values", cli.CommaSeparated(simpleRegResValues)},
 	}
 
@@ -83,6 +84,7 @@ func policyGetRegisteredResource(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 	rows := [][]string{
 		{"Id", resource.GetId()},
 		{"Name", resource.GetName()},
+		{"Namespace", resource.GetNamespace().GetFqn()},
 		{"Values", cli.CommaSeparated(simpleRegResValues)},
 	}
 	if mdRows := getMetadataRows(resource.GetMetadata()); mdRows != nil {
@@ -110,17 +112,17 @@ func policyListRegisteredResources(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 	t := cli.NewTable(
 		cli.NewUUIDColumn(),
 		table.NewFlexColumn("name", "Name", cli.FlexColumnWidthFour),
+		table.NewFlexColumn("namespace", "Namespace", cli.FlexColumnWidthFour),
 		table.NewFlexColumn("values", "Values", cli.FlexColumnWidthTwo),
-		// todo: do we need to show metadata labels and created/updated at?
 	)
 	rows := []table.Row{}
 	for _, r := range resp.GetResources() {
 		simpleRegResValues := cli.GetSimpleRegisteredResourceValues(r.GetValues())
 		rows = append(rows, table.NewRow(table.RowData{
-			"id":     r.GetId(),
-			"name":   r.GetName(),
-			"values": cli.CommaSeparated(simpleRegResValues),
-			// todo: do we need to show metadata labels and created/updated at?
+			"id":        r.GetId(),
+			"name":      r.GetName(),
+			"namespace": r.GetNamespace().GetFqn(),
+			"values":    cli.CommaSeparated(simpleRegResValues),
 		}))
 	}
 	t = t.WithRows(rows)
@@ -151,6 +153,7 @@ func policyUpdateRegisteredResource(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 	rows := [][]string{
 		{"Id", id},
 		{"Name", updated.GetName()},
+		{"Namespace", updated.GetNamespace().GetFqn()},
 	}
 	if mdRows := getMetadataRows(updated.GetMetadata()); mdRows != nil {
 		rows = append(rows, mdRows...)
@@ -186,6 +189,7 @@ func policyDeleteRegisteredResource(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 	rows := [][]string{
 		{"Id", id},
 		{"Name", resource.GetName()},
+		{"Namespace", resource.GetNamespace().GetFqn()},
 	}
 	if mdRows := getMetadataRows(resource.GetMetadata()); mdRows != nil {
 		rows = append(rows, mdRows...)
diff --git a/docs/man/policy/registered-resources/create.md b/docs/man/policy/registered-resources/create.md
index 374bc58d..cb9d085c 100644
--- a/docs/man/policy/registered-resources/create.md
+++ b/docs/man/policy/registered-resources/create.md
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ command:
     - name: namespace
       shorthand: s
       description: Namespace ID or FQN
-      required: true
     - name: value
       shorthand: v
       description: Value of the registered resource (i.e. 'value1', must be unique within the Registered Resource)
diff --git a/e2e/registered-resources.bats b/e2e/registered-resources.bats
index 20c009da..4a39609f 100644
--- a/e2e/registered-resources.bats
+++ b/e2e/registered-resources.bats
@@ -67,9 +67,11 @@ teardown_file() {
 }
 
 @test "Create a registered resource - Good" {
+  # with a namespace
   run_otdfctl_reg_res create --name test_create_rr --namespace "$NS_ID"
     assert_output --partial "SUCCESS"
     assert_line --regexp "Name.*test_create_rr"
+    assert_line --regexp "Namespace.*https://$NS_NAME"
     assert_output --partial "Id"
     assert_output --partial "Created At"
     assert_line --partial "Updated At"
@@ -77,6 +79,16 @@ teardown_file() {
   # cleanup
   created_id=$(echo "$output" | grep Id | awk -F'│' '{print $3}' | xargs)
   run_otdfctl_reg_res delete --id $created_id --force
+
+  # without a namespace (should default to un-namespaced)
+  run_otdfctl_reg_res create --name test_create_rr_no_ns --json
+    assert_success
+    [ "$(echo "$output" | jq -r '.name')" = "test_create_rr_no_ns" ]
+    # ensure namespace is empty for un-namespaced resources
+    [ "$(echo "$output" | jq -r '.namespace.fqn // empty')" = "" ]
+
+  created_id=$(echo "$output" | jq -r '.id')
+  run_otdfctl_reg_res delete --id $created_id --force
 }
 
 @test "Create a registered resource - Bad" {
@@ -92,9 +104,6 @@ teardown_file() {
   run_otdfctl_reg_res create
     assert_failure
     assert_output --partial "Flag '--name' is required"
-  run_otdfctl_reg_res create --name test_no_namespace
-    assert_failure
-    assert_output --partial "Flag '--namespace' is required"
 
   # conflict
   run_otdfctl_reg_res create --name test_create_rr_conflict --namespace "$NS_ID"
@@ -131,6 +140,7 @@ teardown_file() {
     assert_success
     [ "$(echo "$output" | jq -r '.id')" = "$created_id" ]
     [ "$(echo "$output" | jq -r '.name')" = "test_get_rr" ]
+    [ "$(echo "$output" | jq -r '.namespace.fqn')" = "https://$NS_NAME" ]
 
   # get by name + namespace FQN
   run_otdfctl_reg_res get --name test_get_rr --namespace "https://$NS_NAME" --json
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 6585ae67..c56621ad 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/opentdf/platform/lib/flattening v0.1.3
 	github.com/opentdf/platform/lib/identifier v0.3.0
 	github.com/opentdf/platform/lib/ocrypto v0.10.0
-	github.com/opentdf/platform/protocol/go v0.20.0
+	github.com/opentdf/platform/protocol/go v0.21.0
 	github.com/opentdf/platform/sdk v0.15.0
 	github.com/spf13/cobra v1.10.2
 	github.com/stretchr/testify v1.11.1
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index b6ce451a..cb4b04cd 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -180,8 +180,8 @@ github.com/opentdf/platform/lib/identifier v0.3.0 h1:kLVRVC8wE0kmuEIdodEhqIRym5O
 github.com/opentdf/platform/lib/identifier v0.3.0/go.mod h1:3RlXYY9sxH/VnMkgm/M6zryUrtBL0lnsOVyqb0hYYvs=
 github.com/opentdf/platform/lib/ocrypto v0.10.0 h1:7dn/z/1qH3p+gWCrfOoU7hj9XF/p5N+b2JBJuWF9aK0=
 github.com/opentdf/platform/lib/ocrypto v0.10.0/go.mod h1:WASkoHreqgTFImB/gJW42VTdpi9AkgkmaW19y/fU+Ew=
-github.com/opentdf/platform/protocol/go v0.20.0 h1:ZmKTkCyYl/pvylIiih2krKtuEUMEPXtsscmmqXFQaZg=
-github.com/opentdf/platform/protocol/go v0.20.0/go.mod h1:jeDa0o2jce1yELNxZ92hscz0mxxqq7GtqC9EoYCpNW0=
+github.com/opentdf/platform/protocol/go v0.21.0 h1:OZo/GqdIDQMbICx0tVdFHaFjl8CpILTIt8dS9bLYSRI=
+github.com/opentdf/platform/protocol/go v0.21.0/go.mod h1:ufSzLVpcGv368L++kni7fzbN4ugtxmstcifmwI/o4T0=
 github.com/opentdf/platform/sdk v0.15.0 h1:TAZJzC4RDlHLuMN562OhoVGykKxyEp+C1c5o9F31080=
 github.com/opentdf/platform/sdk v0.15.0/go.mod h1:0u/1tDFkt2eL9W/2DzbHIF0ziel5F7Sn/OJp5EkbeRg=
 github.com/pmezard/go-difflib v1.0.0/go.mod h1:iKH77koFhYxTK1pcRnkKkqfTogsbg7gZNVY4sRDYZ/4=