diff --git a/backend/app/utils/tag_prefix.py b/backend/app/utils/tag_prefix.py
index 67ad90b..ccdf38f 100644
--- a/backend/app/utils/tag_prefix.py
+++ b/backend/app/utils/tag_prefix.py
@@ -10,15 +10,18 @@ KNOWN_KINDS keeps its colon as literal text.
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 # Kinds the user can type as a prefix at the input boundary.
-# `general` is intentionally excluded — it's the default for un-prefixed
-# input. `archive` and `post` are system-managed and never user-typed.
+# Exclusions:
+#   - `general` is the default for un-prefixed input (never typed as prefix)
+#   - `archive`, `post` are system-managed
+#   - `artist` was retired in FC-2d-vii-c — artists are first-class
+#     entities (Artist row + ImageRecord.artist_id), browsed via the
+#     provenance axis rather than as tags. See project_provenance_separation.
+#   - `meta`, `rating` retired as user-typeable per operator 2026-05-26 —
+#     content classification only needs character/fandom/series.
 KNOWN_KINDS: frozenset[str] = frozenset({
-    "artist",
     "character",
     "fandom",
     "series",
-    "meta",
-    "rating",
 })
 
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/modal/TagAutocomplete.vue b/frontend/src/components/modal/TagAutocomplete.vue
index 5516cc7..e074488 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/modal/TagAutocomplete.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/modal/TagAutocomplete.vue
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   <div class="fc-tag-autocomplete">
     <v-text-field
       v-model="query"
-      placeholder="Add tag (or kind:name — artist/character/fandom/series/meta/rating)"
+      placeholder="Add tag (or kind:name — character/fandom/series)"
       density="compact" hide-details
       @keydown.down.prevent="moveHighlight(1)"
       @keydown.up.prevent="moveHighlight(-1)"
@@ -71,12 +71,11 @@ const fandomDialog = ref(false)
 let pendingNewName = null
 
 const KNOWN_KINDS = new Set([
-  'artist', 'character', 'fandom', 'series', 'meta', 'rating',
+  'character', 'fandom', 'series',
 ])
 const KIND_ICONS = {
-  general: 'mdi-tag', artist: 'mdi-palette', character: 'mdi-account-circle',
+  general: 'mdi-tag', character: 'mdi-account-circle',
   fandom: 'mdi-book-open-page-variant', series: 'mdi-bookshelf',
-  meta: 'mdi-cog-outline', rating: 'mdi-shield-check-outline',
 }
 function iconFor (k) { return KIND_ICONS[k] || 'mdi-tag' }
 
diff --git a/tests/test_tag_prefix.py b/tests/test_tag_prefix.py
index 0547386..192dca5 100644
--- a/tests/test_tag_prefix.py
+++ b/tests/test_tag_prefix.py
@@ -4,11 +4,12 @@ from backend.app.utils.tag_prefix import KNOWN_KINDS, parse_kind_prefix
 
 
 def test_recognized_kinds_match_user_input_set():
-    # System-managed kinds (archive, post) and the default (general)
-    # are intentionally excluded — the user can't type those at the
-    # input boundary.
+    # Excluded: archive + post (system-managed), general (default for
+    # un-prefixed input), artist (retired in FC-2d-vii-c — first-class
+    # entities now), meta + rating (retired as user-typeable per
+    # operator 2026-05-26).
     assert KNOWN_KINDS == frozenset({
-        "artist", "character", "fandom", "series", "meta", "rating",
+        "character", "fandom", "series",
     })
 
 
@@ -30,8 +31,17 @@ def test_unknown_prefix_kept_as_literal():
     assert parse_kind_prefix("http://example.com") == (None, "http://example.com")
 
 
+def test_retired_prefixes_kept_as_literal():
+    # `artist:`, `meta:`, `rating:` are no longer recognized — they
+    # parse as literal text so the operator's input is preserved (and
+    # serves as a nudge to use the appropriate dedicated UI instead).
+    assert parse_kind_prefix("artist:Eric") == (None, "artist:Eric")
+    assert parse_kind_prefix("meta:wide") == (None, "meta:wide")
+    assert parse_kind_prefix("rating:safe") == (None, "rating:safe")
+
+
 def test_whitespace_stripped():
-    assert parse_kind_prefix("artist: Eric ") == ("artist", "Eric")
+    assert parse_kind_prefix("series: Bleach ") == ("series", "Bleach")
     assert parse_kind_prefix("  sunset  ") == (None, "sunset")