diff --git a/rust/agents/validator/src/submit.rs b/rust/agents/validator/src/submit.rs
index d9b3e7b99..f16154c2c 100644
--- a/rust/agents/validator/src/submit.rs
+++ b/rust/agents/validator/src/submit.rs
@@ -46,9 +46,10 @@ impl ValidatorSubmitter {
     async fn main_task(self) -> Result<()> {
         // Sign and post the validator announcement
         let announcement = Announcement {
+            validator: self.signer.eth_address(),
             mailbox_address: self.mailbox.address(),
             mailbox_domain: self.mailbox.domain().id(),
-            storage_metadata: self.checkpoint_syncer.announcement_metadata(),
+            storage_location: self.checkpoint_syncer.announcement_location(),
         };
         let signed_announcement = self.signer.sign(announcement).await?;
         self.checkpoint_syncer
diff --git a/rust/config/test/test_config.json b/rust/config/test/test_config.json
index d3ca42d93..93b191a47 100644
--- a/rust/config/test/test_config.json
+++ b/rust/config/test/test_config.json
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@
       "domain": "13371",
       "addresses": {
         "mailbox": "0xa513E6E4b8f2a923D98304ec87F64353C4D5C853",
-        "interchainGasPaymaster": "0x5FC8d32690cc91D4c39d9d3abcBD16989F875707"
+        "interchainGasPaymaster": "0x5FC8d32690cc91D4c39d9d3abcBD16989F875707",
+        "validatorAnnounce": "0x2279B7A0a67DB372996a5FaB50D91eAA73d2eBe6"
       },
       "signer": null,
       "protocol": "ethereum",
@@ -23,8 +24,9 @@
       "name": "test2",
       "domain": "13372",
       "addresses": {
-        "mailbox": "0x0B306BF915C4d645ff596e518fAf3F9669b97016",
-        "interchainGasPaymaster": "0x0DCd1Bf9A1b36cE34237eEaFef220932846BCD82"
+        "mailbox": "0x959922bE3CAee4b8Cd9a407cc3ac1C251C2007B1",
+        "interchainGasPaymaster": "0x9A676e781A523b5d0C0e43731313A708CB607508",
+        "validatorAnnounce": "0x9A9f2CCfdE556A7E9Ff0848998Aa4a0CFD8863AE"
       },
       "signer": null,
       "protocol": "ethereum",
@@ -34,15 +36,16 @@
         "url": ""
       },
       "index": {
-        "from": "12"
+        "from": "13"
       }
     },
     "test3": {
       "name": "test3",
       "domain": "13373",
       "addresses": {
-        "mailbox": "0x322813Fd9A801c5507c9de605d63CEA4f2CE6c44",
-        "interchainGasPaymaster": "0x59b670e9fA9D0A427751Af201D676719a970857b"
+        "mailbox": "0x4A679253410272dd5232B3Ff7cF5dbB88f295319",
+        "interchainGasPaymaster": "0x322813Fd9A801c5507c9de605d63CEA4f2CE6c44",
+        "validatorAnnounce": "0x7a2088a1bFc9d81c55368AE168C2C02570cB814F"
       },
       "signer": null,
       "protocol": "ethereum",
@@ -52,7 +55,7 @@
         "url": ""
       },
       "index": {
-        "from": "20"
+        "from": "23"
       }
     }
   },
@@ -61,4 +64,4 @@
     "level": "debug",
     "fmt": "json"
   }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/rust/hyperlane-base/src/traits/checkpoint_syncer.rs b/rust/hyperlane-base/src/traits/checkpoint_syncer.rs
index 88d8f1bf6..d3d5e002b 100644
--- a/rust/hyperlane-base/src/traits/checkpoint_syncer.rs
+++ b/rust/hyperlane-base/src/traits/checkpoint_syncer.rs
@@ -16,6 +16,6 @@ pub trait CheckpointSyncer: Debug + Send + Sync {
     async fn write_checkpoint(&self, signed_checkpoint: &SignedCheckpoint) -> Result<()>;
     /// Write the signed announcement to this syncer
     async fn write_announcement(&self, signed_announcement: &SignedAnnouncement) -> Result<()>;
-    /// Return the announcement storage metadata for this syncer
-    fn announcement_metadata(&self) -> String;
+    /// Return the announcement storage location for this syncer
+    fn announcement_location(&self) -> String;
 }
diff --git a/rust/hyperlane-base/src/types/local_storage.rs b/rust/hyperlane-base/src/types/local_storage.rs
index 7b78e48a2..1039b03f4 100644
--- a/rust/hyperlane-base/src/types/local_storage.rs
+++ b/rust/hyperlane-base/src/types/local_storage.rs
@@ -101,9 +101,9 @@ impl CheckpointSyncer for LocalStorage {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    fn announcement_metadata(&self) -> String {
-        let mut metadata: String = "file://".to_owned();
-        metadata.push_str(self.announcement_file_path().as_ref());
-        metadata
+    fn announcement_location(&self) -> String {
+        let mut location: String = "file://".to_owned();
+        location.push_str(self.announcement_file_path().as_ref());
+        location
     }
 }
diff --git a/rust/hyperlane-base/src/types/s3_storage.rs b/rust/hyperlane-base/src/types/s3_storage.rs
index 6875138f6..d0e061bca 100644
--- a/rust/hyperlane-base/src/types/s3_storage.rs
+++ b/rust/hyperlane-base/src/types/s3_storage.rs
@@ -188,11 +188,11 @@ impl CheckpointSyncer for S3Storage {
             .await?;
         Ok(())
     }
-    fn announcement_metadata(&self) -> String {
-        let mut metadata: String = "s3://".to_owned();
-        metadata.push_str(self.bucket.as_ref());
-        metadata.push('/');
-        metadata.push_str(self.region.name());
-        metadata
+    fn announcement_location(&self) -> String {
+        let mut location: String = "s3://".to_owned();
+        location.push_str(self.bucket.as_ref());
+        location.push('/');
+        location.push_str(self.region.name());
+        location
     }
 }
diff --git a/rust/hyperlane-core/src/types/announcement.rs b/rust/hyperlane-core/src/types/announcement.rs
index 57868abf5..cc46b3491 100644
--- a/rust/hyperlane-core/src/types/announcement.rs
+++ b/rust/hyperlane-core/src/types/announcement.rs
@@ -2,25 +2,27 @@ use async_trait::async_trait;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use sha3::{digest::Update, Digest, Keccak256};
 
-use crate::{utils::domain_hash, Signable, SignedType, H256};
+use crate::{utils::domain_hash, Signable, SignedType, H160, H256};
 
 /// An Hyperlane checkpoint
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Eq, PartialEq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub struct Announcement {
+    /// The validator address
+    pub validator: H160,
     /// The mailbox address
     pub mailbox_address: H256,
     /// The mailbox chain
     pub mailbox_domain: u32,
-    /// The checkpointed root
-    pub storage_metadata: String,
+    /// The location of signed checkpoints
+    pub storage_location: String,
 }
 
 impl std::fmt::Display for Announcement {
     fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
         write!(
             f,
-            "Announcement(domain: {}, mailbox: {:x}, metadata: {})",
-            self.mailbox_domain, self.mailbox_address, self.storage_metadata
+            "Announcement(domain: {}, mailbox: {:x}, location: {})",
+            self.mailbox_domain, self.mailbox_address, self.storage_location
         )
     }
 }
@@ -33,7 +35,7 @@ impl Signable for Announcement {
         H256::from_slice(
             Keccak256::new()
                 .chain(domain_hash(self.mailbox_address, self.mailbox_domain))
-                .chain(&self.storage_metadata)
+                .chain(&self.storage_location)
                 .finalize()
                 .as_slice(),
         )
diff --git a/rust/utils/run-locally/src/main.rs b/rust/utils/run-locally/src/main.rs
index 0114c03f7..694d79f36 100644
--- a/rust/utils/run-locally/src/main.rs
+++ b/rust/utils/run-locally/src/main.rs
@@ -313,6 +313,31 @@ fn main() -> ExitCode {
     }));
     state.validator = Some(validator);
 
+    // Rebuild the SDK to pick up the deployed contracts
+    println!("Rebuilding sdk...");
+    build_cmd(
+        &["yarn", "build"],
+        &build_log,
+        log_all,
+        Some("../typescript/sdk"),
+    );
+
+    // Register the validator announcement
+    println!("Announcing validator...");
+    let mut announce = Command::new("yarn");
+    announce.arg("announce");
+    announce.args([
+        "--checkpointsdir",
+        checkpoints_dir.path().to_str().unwrap(),
+        "--chain",
+        "test1",
+    ]);
+    announce
+        .current_dir("../typescript/infra")
+        .stdout(Stdio::piped())
+        .spawn()
+        .expect("Failed to announce validator");
+
     println!("Setup complete! Agents running in background...");
     println!("Ctrl+C to end execution...");
 
diff --git a/typescript/infra/hardhat.config.ts b/typescript/infra/hardhat.config.ts
index cc2a5ab3a..42694202c 100644
--- a/typescript/infra/hardhat.config.ts
+++ b/typescript/infra/hardhat.config.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 import '@nomiclabs/hardhat-etherscan';
 import '@nomiclabs/hardhat-waffle';
+import { ethers } from 'ethers';
+import { readFileSync } from 'fs';
 import { task } from 'hardhat/config';
 import { HardhatRuntimeEnvironment } from 'hardhat/types';
+import * as path from 'path';
 
 import { TestSendReceiver__factory } from '@hyperlane-xyz/core';
 import {
@@ -35,6 +38,45 @@ const chainSummary = async <Chain extends ChainName>(
   return summary;
 };
 
+task('announce', 'Registers validator announcement')
+  .addParam('checkpointsdir', 'Directory containing announcement json file')
+  .addParam('chain', 'Chain to announce on')
+  .setAction(
+    async (
+      taskArgs: { checkpointsdir: string; chain: ChainName },
+      hre: HardhatRuntimeEnvironment,
+    ) => {
+      const environment = 'test';
+      const config = getCoreEnvironmentConfig(environment);
+      const [signer] = await hre.ethers.getSigners();
+      const multiProvider = getTestMultiProvider(
+        signer,
+        config.transactionConfigs,
+      );
+      const core = HyperlaneCore.fromEnvironment(environment, multiProvider);
+      const announcementFilepath = path.join(
+        taskArgs.checkpointsdir,
+        'announcement.json',
+      );
+      const announcement = JSON.parse(
+        readFileSync(announcementFilepath, 'utf-8'),
+      );
+      const signature = ethers.utils.hexConcat([
+        announcement.signature.r,
+        announcement.signature.s,
+        ethers.utils.hexValue(announcement.signature.v),
+      ]);
+      const tx = await core
+        .getContracts(taskArgs.chain)
+        .validatorAnnounce.announce(
+          announcement.announcement.validator,
+          announcement.announcement.storage_location,
+          signature,
+        );
+      await tx.wait();
+    },
+  );
+
 task('kathy', 'Dispatches random hyperlane messages')
   .addParam(
     'rounds',
diff --git a/typescript/infra/package.json b/typescript/infra/package.json
index b0df28384..c5ed4aae9 100644
--- a/typescript/infra/package.json
+++ b/typescript/infra/package.json
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@
     "clean": "rm -rf ./dist ./cache",
     "check": "tsc --noEmit",
     "kathy": "hardhat kathy --network localhost",
+    "announce": "hardhat announce --network localhost",
     "node": "hardhat node",
     "prettier": "prettier --write *.ts ./src ./config ./scripts ./test",
     "test": "hardhat test"
diff --git a/typescript/infra/src/config/agent.ts b/typescript/infra/src/config/agent.ts
index 78c5395c6..235b0dfa1 100644
--- a/typescript/infra/src/config/agent.ts
+++ b/typescript/infra/src/config/agent.ts
@@ -251,6 +251,7 @@ export type RustConnection =
 export type RustCoreAddresses = {
   mailbox: types.Address;
   interchainGasPaymaster: types.Address;
+  validatorAnnounce: types.Address;
 };
 
 export type RustChainSetup = {
diff --git a/typescript/infra/src/core/deploy.ts b/typescript/infra/src/core/deploy.ts
index 479137327..7ff62a20e 100644
--- a/typescript/infra/src/core/deploy.ts
+++ b/typescript/infra/src/core/deploy.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import {
   InterchainGasPaymaster,
   Mailbox,
   ProxyAdmin,
+  ValidatorAnnounce,
 } from '@hyperlane-xyz/core';
 import {
   ChainMap,
@@ -70,6 +71,19 @@ export class HyperlaneCoreInfraDeployer<
     );
   }
 
+  async deployValidatorAnnounce<LocalChain extends Chain>(
+    chain: LocalChain,
+    mailboxAddress: types.Address,
+  ): Promise<ValidatorAnnounce> {
+    const deployOpts = {
+      create2Salt: ethers.utils.solidityKeccak256(
+        ['string', 'string', 'uint8'],
+        [this.environment, 'validatorAnnounce', 1],
+      ),
+    };
+    return super.deployValidatorAnnounce(chain, mailboxAddress, deployOpts);
+  }
+
   writeRustConfigs(directory: string) {
     const rustConfig: RustConfig<Chain> = {
       environment: this.environment,
@@ -88,7 +102,7 @@ export class HyperlaneCoreInfraDeployer<
         contracts == undefined ||
         contracts.mailbox == undefined ||
         contracts.interchainGasPaymaster == undefined ||
-        contracts.multisigIsm == undefined
+        contracts.validatorAnnounce == undefined
       ) {
         return;
       }
@@ -99,6 +113,7 @@ export class HyperlaneCoreInfraDeployer<
         addresses: {
           mailbox: contracts.mailbox.contract.address,
           interchainGasPaymaster: contracts.interchainGasPaymaster.address,
+          validatorAnnounce: contracts.validatorAnnounce.address,
         },
         signer: null,
         protocol: 'ethereum',
diff --git a/typescript/sdk/src/consts/environments/test.json b/typescript/sdk/src/consts/environments/test.json
index d03e1bf65..f82547683 100644
--- a/typescript/sdk/src/consts/environments/test.json
+++ b/typescript/sdk/src/consts/environments/test.json
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 {
   "test1": {
+    "validatorAnnounce": "0x2279B7A0a67DB372996a5FaB50D91eAA73d2eBe6",
     "proxyAdmin": "0xCf7Ed3AccA5a467e9e704C703E8D87F634fB0Fc9",
     "interchainGasPaymaster": {
       "kind": "Transparent",
@@ -14,31 +15,33 @@
     "multisigIsm": "0x5FbDB2315678afecb367f032d93F642f64180aa3"
   },
   "test2": {
-    "proxyAdmin": "0xB7f8BC63BbcaD18155201308C8f3540b07f84F5e",
+    "validatorAnnounce": "0x9A9f2CCfdE556A7E9Ff0848998Aa4a0CFD8863AE",
+    "proxyAdmin": "0xA51c1fc2f0D1a1b8494Ed1FE312d7C3a78Ed91C0",
     "interchainGasPaymaster": {
       "kind": "Transparent",
-      "proxy": "0x0DCd1Bf9A1b36cE34237eEaFef220932846BCD82",
-      "implementation": "0xA51c1fc2f0D1a1b8494Ed1FE312d7C3a78Ed91C0"
+      "proxy": "0x9A676e781A523b5d0C0e43731313A708CB607508",
+      "implementation": "0x0DCd1Bf9A1b36cE34237eEaFef220932846BCD82"
     },
     "mailbox": {
       "kind": "Transparent",
-      "proxy": "0x0B306BF915C4d645ff596e518fAf3F9669b97016",
-      "implementation": "0x9A676e781A523b5d0C0e43731313A708CB607508"
+      "proxy": "0x959922bE3CAee4b8Cd9a407cc3ac1C251C2007B1",
+      "implementation": "0x0B306BF915C4d645ff596e518fAf3F9669b97016"
     },
-    "multisigIsm": "0x2279B7A0a67DB372996a5FaB50D91eAA73d2eBe6"
+    "multisigIsm": "0x8A791620dd6260079BF849Dc5567aDC3F2FdC318"
   },
   "test3": {
-    "proxyAdmin": "0x3Aa5ebB10DC797CAC828524e59A333d0A371443c",
+    "validatorAnnounce": "0x7a2088a1bFc9d81c55368AE168C2C02570cB814F",
+    "proxyAdmin": "0x59b670e9fA9D0A427751Af201D676719a970857b",
     "interchainGasPaymaster": {
       "kind": "Transparent",
-      "proxy": "0x59b670e9fA9D0A427751Af201D676719a970857b",
-      "implementation": "0xc6e7DF5E7b4f2A278906862b61205850344D4e7d"
+      "proxy": "0x322813Fd9A801c5507c9de605d63CEA4f2CE6c44",
+      "implementation": "0x4ed7c70F96B99c776995fB64377f0d4aB3B0e1C1"
     },
     "mailbox": {
       "kind": "Transparent",
-      "proxy": "0x322813Fd9A801c5507c9de605d63CEA4f2CE6c44",
-      "implementation": "0x4ed7c70F96B99c776995fB64377f0d4aB3B0e1C1"
+      "proxy": "0x4A679253410272dd5232B3Ff7cF5dbB88f295319",
+      "implementation": "0xa85233C63b9Ee964Add6F2cffe00Fd84eb32338f"
     },
-    "multisigIsm": "0x959922bE3CAee4b8Cd9a407cc3ac1C251C2007B1"
+    "multisigIsm": "0x68B1D87F95878fE05B998F19b66F4baba5De1aed"
   }
 }
diff --git a/typescript/sdk/src/core/contracts.ts b/typescript/sdk/src/core/contracts.ts
index 544e07dc9..6baeaed19 100644
--- a/typescript/sdk/src/core/contracts.ts
+++ b/typescript/sdk/src/core/contracts.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ import {
   MultisigIsm__factory,
   ProxyAdmin,
   ProxyAdmin__factory,
+  ValidatorAnnounce,
+  ValidatorAnnounce__factory,
 } from '@hyperlane-xyz/core';
 
 import { ProxiedContract, TransparentProxyAddresses } from '../proxy';
@@ -25,11 +27,13 @@ export type CoreContracts = ConnectionClientContracts & {
   mailbox: ProxiedContract<Mailbox, TransparentProxyAddresses>;
   multisigIsm: MultisigIsm;
   proxyAdmin: ProxyAdmin;
+  validatorAnnounce: ValidatorAnnounce;
 };
 
 export const coreFactories = {
   interchainAccountRouter: new InterchainAccountRouter__factory(),
   interchainQueryRouter: new InterchainQueryRouter__factory(),
+  validatorAnnounce: new ValidatorAnnounce__factory(),
   create2Factory: new Create2Factory__factory(),
   proxyAdmin: new ProxyAdmin__factory(),
   interchainGasPaymaster: new InterchainGasPaymaster__factory(),
diff --git a/typescript/sdk/src/deploy/core/HyperlaneCoreDeployer.ts b/typescript/sdk/src/deploy/core/HyperlaneCoreDeployer.ts
index 7702d56c4..77930da36 100644
--- a/typescript/sdk/src/deploy/core/HyperlaneCoreDeployer.ts
+++ b/typescript/sdk/src/deploy/core/HyperlaneCoreDeployer.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import {
   MultisigIsm,
   Ownable,
   ProxyAdmin,
+  ValidatorAnnounce,
 } from '@hyperlane-xyz/core';
 import type { types } from '@hyperlane-xyz/utils';
 
@@ -79,6 +80,20 @@ export class HyperlaneCoreDeployer<
     return mailbox;
   }
 
+  async deployValidatorAnnounce<LocalChain extends Chain>(
+    chain: LocalChain,
+    mailboxAddress: string,
+    deployOpts?: DeployOptions,
+  ): Promise<ValidatorAnnounce> {
+    const validatorAnnounce = await this.deployContract(
+      chain,
+      'validatorAnnounce',
+      [mailboxAddress],
+      deployOpts,
+    );
+    return validatorAnnounce;
+  }
+
   async deployMultisigIsm<LocalChain extends Chain>(
     chain: LocalChain,
   ): Promise<MultisigIsm> {
@@ -173,11 +188,16 @@ export class HyperlaneCoreDeployer<
       multisigIsm.address,
       proxyAdmin,
     );
+    const validatorAnnounce = await this.deployValidatorAnnounce(
+      chain,
+      mailbox.address,
+    );
     // Mailbox ownership is transferred upon initialization.
     const ownables: Ownable[] = [multisigIsm, proxyAdmin];
     await this.transferOwnershipOfContracts(chain, ownables);
 
     return {
+      validatorAnnounce,
       proxyAdmin,
       interchainGasPaymaster,
       mailbox,