diff --git a/include/multipass/availability_zone.h b/include/multipass/availability_zone.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bf146a1256
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/multipass/availability_zone.h
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) Canonical, Ltd.
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation; version 3.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ *
+ */
+
+#ifndef MULTIPASS_AVAILABILITY_ZONE_H
+#define MULTIPASS_AVAILABILITY_ZONE_H
+
+#include "disabled_copy_move.h"
+#include "virtual_machine.h"
+
+#include <memory>
+
+namespace multipass
+{
+class AvailabilityZone : private DisabledCopyMove
+{
+public:
+    using UPtr = std::unique_ptr<AvailabilityZone>;
+    using ShPtr = std::shared_ptr<AvailabilityZone>;
+
+    virtual ~AvailabilityZone() = default;
+
+    [[nodiscard]] virtual const std::string& get_name() const = 0;
+    [[nodiscard]] virtual const std::string& get_subnet() const = 0;
+    [[nodiscard]] virtual bool is_available() const = 0;
+    virtual void set_available(bool new_available) = 0;
+    virtual void add_vm(VirtualMachine& vm) = 0;
+    virtual void remove_vm(VirtualMachine& vm) = 0;
+};
+} // namespace multipass
+
+#endif // MULTIPASS_AVAILABILITY_ZONE_H
diff --git a/include/multipass/availability_zone_manager.h b/include/multipass/availability_zone_manager.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ca0f6b8e5d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/multipass/availability_zone_manager.h
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) Canonical, Ltd.
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation; version 3.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ *
+ */
+
+#ifndef MULTIPASS_AVAILABILITY_ZONE_MANAGER_H
+#define MULTIPASS_AVAILABILITY_ZONE_MANAGER_H
+
+#include "availability_zone.h"
+
+#include <functional>
+#include <memory>
+#include <string>
+#include <vector>
+
+namespace multipass
+{
+class AvailabilityZoneManager : private DisabledCopyMove
+{
+public:
+    using UPtr = std::unique_ptr<AvailabilityZoneManager>;
+    using ShPtr = std::shared_ptr<AvailabilityZoneManager>;
+
+    virtual ~AvailabilityZoneManager() = default;
+
+    virtual AvailabilityZone& get_zone(const std::string& name) = 0;
+    virtual std::vector<std::reference_wrapper<const AvailabilityZone>> get_zones() = 0;
+    // this returns a computed zone name, using an algorithm e.g. round-robin
+    // not to be confused with [get_default_zone_name]
+    virtual std::string get_automatic_zone_name() = 0;
+    // this always returns the same zone name, to be given to VMs that were not assigned to a zone in the past
+    // not to be confused with [get_automatic_zone]
+    virtual std::string get_default_zone_name() const = 0;
+};
+} // namespace multipass
+
+#endif // MULTIPASS_AVAILABILITY_ZONE_MANAGER_H
diff --git a/include/multipass/exceptions/availability_zone_exceptions.h b/include/multipass/exceptions/availability_zone_exceptions.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c142fec788
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/multipass/exceptions/availability_zone_exceptions.h
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) Canonical, Ltd.
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation; version 3.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ *
+ */
+
+#ifndef MULTIPASS_AVAILABILITY_ZONE_EXCEPTIONS_H
+#define MULTIPASS_AVAILABILITY_ZONE_EXCEPTIONS_H
+
+#include "formatted_exception_base.h"
+
+namespace multipass
+{
+struct AvailabilityZoneNotFound final : FormattedExceptionBase<>
+{
+    explicit AvailabilityZoneNotFound(const std::string& name)
+        : FormattedExceptionBase{"no AZ with name {:?} found", name}
+    {
+    }
+};
+
+struct NoAvailabilityZoneAvailable final : std::runtime_error
+{
+    NoAvailabilityZoneAvailable() : std::runtime_error{"no AZ is available"}
+    {
+    }
+};
+} // namespace multipass
+
+#endif // MULTIPASS_AVAILABILITY_ZONE_EXCEPTIONS_H