diff --git a/python/packages/core/agent_framework/_feature_stage.py b/python/packages/core/agent_framework/_feature_stage.py
index 55d4ac1096..dfa9cb6343 100644
--- a/python/packages/core/agent_framework/_feature_stage.py
+++ b/python/packages/core/agent_framework/_feature_stage.py
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ class ExperimentalFeature(str, Enum):
     on enum membership or attribute presence over time.
     """
 
+    DECLARATIVE_AGENTS = "DECLARATIVE_AGENTS"
     EVALS = "EVALS"
     FILE_HISTORY = "FILE_HISTORY"
     FIDES = "FIDES"
diff --git a/python/packages/declarative/README.md b/python/packages/declarative/README.md
index b4a97f049a..02c1a35472 100644
--- a/python/packages/declarative/README.md
+++ b/python/packages/declarative/README.md
@@ -6,6 +6,18 @@ Please install this package via pip:
 pip install agent-framework-declarative --pre
 ```
 
+## Release stage
+
+This package ships at two different stability levels:
+
+- **Declarative workflows** (`WorkflowFactory`, executors, handlers, and the
+  `_workflows` surface) are at **release-candidate** stability and may receive only
+  minor refinements before GA.
+- **Declarative agents** (`AgentFactory` and the YAML agent loading/parsing path:
+  `DeclarativeLoaderError`, `ProviderLookupError`, `ProviderTypeMapping`) are
+  **experimental** and may change or be removed in future versions without notice.
+  Using any of these symbols emits an `ExperimentalWarning` on first use.
+
 ## Declarative features
 
 The declarative packages provides support for building agents based on a declarative yaml specification.
diff --git a/python/packages/declarative/agent_framework_declarative/__init__.py b/python/packages/declarative/agent_framework_declarative/__init__.py
index 84bc404d5d..fd864a7068 100644
--- a/python/packages/declarative/agent_framework_declarative/__init__.py
+++ b/python/packages/declarative/agent_framework_declarative/__init__.py
@@ -1,5 +1,18 @@
 # Copyright (c) Microsoft. All rights reserved.
 
+"""Declarative specification support for Microsoft Agent Framework.
+
+Release stage:
+
+* The declarative-workflows surface (``WorkflowFactory``, executors, handlers,
+  etc.) is at release-candidate stability.
+* The declarative-agents surface (``AgentFactory`` and the YAML agent
+  loading/parsing path: ``DeclarativeLoaderError``, ``ProviderLookupError``,
+  ``ProviderTypeMapping``) is *experimental* and may change or be removed in
+  future versions without notice. Using these symbols emits an
+  ``ExperimentalWarning`` on first use.
+"""
+
 from importlib import metadata
 
 from ._loader import AgentFactory, DeclarativeLoaderError, ProviderLookupError, ProviderTypeMapping
diff --git a/python/packages/declarative/agent_framework_declarative/_loader.py b/python/packages/declarative/agent_framework_declarative/_loader.py
index a9c534ee2d..4507d0112d 100644
--- a/python/packages/declarative/agent_framework_declarative/_loader.py
+++ b/python/packages/declarative/agent_framework_declarative/_loader.py
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@ from agent_framework import (
 from agent_framework import (
     FunctionTool as AFFunctionTool,
 )
+from agent_framework._feature_stage import (  # type: ignore[reportPrivateUsage]
+    ExperimentalFeature,
+    experimental,
+)
 from agent_framework.exceptions import AgentException
 from dotenv import load_dotenv
 
@@ -43,6 +47,7 @@ else:
     from typing_extensions import TypedDict  # type: ignore # pragma: no cover
 
 
+@experimental(feature_id=ExperimentalFeature.DECLARATIVE_AGENTS)
 class ProviderTypeMapping(TypedDict, total=True):
     package: str
     name: str
@@ -118,18 +123,21 @@ PROVIDER_TYPE_OBJECT_MAPPING: dict[str, ProviderTypeMapping] = {
 }
 
 
+@experimental(feature_id=ExperimentalFeature.DECLARATIVE_AGENTS)
 class DeclarativeLoaderError(AgentException):
     """Exception raised for errors in the declarative loader."""
 
     pass
 
 
+@experimental(feature_id=ExperimentalFeature.DECLARATIVE_AGENTS)
 class ProviderLookupError(DeclarativeLoaderError):
     """Exception raised for errors in provider type lookup."""
 
     pass
 
 
+@experimental(feature_id=ExperimentalFeature.DECLARATIVE_AGENTS)
 class AgentFactory:
     """Factory for creating Agent instances from declarative YAML definitions.
 
diff --git a/python/packages/declarative/pyproject.toml b/python/packages/declarative/pyproject.toml
index 0efa733daa..25f7315ebc 100644
--- a/python/packages/declarative/pyproject.toml
+++ b/python/packages/declarative/pyproject.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ description = "Declarative specification support for Microsoft Agent Framework."
 authors = [{ name = "Microsoft", email = "af-support@microsoft.com"}]
 readme = "README.md"
 requires-python = ">=3.10"
-version = "1.0.0b260528"
+version = "1.0.0rc1"
 license-files = ["LICENSE"]
 urls.homepage = "https://aka.ms/agent-framework"
 urls.source = "https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework/tree/main/python"
@@ -49,7 +49,8 @@ addopts = "-ra -q -r fEX"
 asyncio_mode = "auto"
 asyncio_default_fixture_loop_scope = "function"
 filterwarnings = [
-    "ignore:Support for class-based `config` is deprecated:DeprecationWarning:pydantic.*"
+    "ignore:Support for class-based `config` is deprecated:DeprecationWarning:pydantic.*",
+    "ignore::agent_framework._feature_stage.ExperimentalWarning",
 ]
 timeout = 120
 markers = [
diff --git a/python/uv.lock b/python/uv.lock
index 5e4ae35369..1f816411e3 100644
--- a/python/uv.lock
+++ b/python/uv.lock
@@ -437,7 +437,7 @@ provides-extras = ["all"]
 
 [[package]]
 name = "agent-framework-declarative"
-version = "1.0.0b260528"
+version = "1.0.0rc1"
 source = { editable = "packages/declarative" }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "agent-framework-core", marker = "sys_platform == 'darwin' or sys_platform == 'linux' or sys_platform == 'win32'" },
@@ -609,7 +609,7 @@ dependencies = [
 [package.metadata]
 requires-dist = [
     { name = "agent-framework-core", editable = "packages/core" },
-    { name = "github-copilot-sdk", marker = "python_full_version >= '3.11'", specifier = ">=1.0.0b2,<=1.0.0b2" },
+    { name = "github-copilot-sdk", marker = "python_full_version >= '3.11'", specifier = "<=1.0.0b2,>=1.0.0b2" },
 ]
 
 [[package]]