diff --git a/cardano-cli/cardano-cli.cabal b/cardano-cli/cardano-cli.cabal
index 1d379c955e..112da8819a 100644
--- a/cardano-cli/cardano-cli.cabal
+++ b/cardano-cli/cardano-cli.cabal
@@ -123,6 +123,7 @@ library
                         Cardano.CLI.Types.Common
                         Cardano.CLI.Types.Governance
                         Cardano.CLI.Types.Key
+                        Cardano.CLI.Types.Key.VerificationKey
                         Cardano.CLI.Types.Output
 
   other-modules:        Paths_cardano_cli
diff --git a/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Commands/Governance/Committee.hs b/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Commands/Governance/Committee.hs
index 7c55090884..d4b23891c1 100644
--- a/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Commands/Governance/Committee.hs
+++ b/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Commands/Governance/Committee.hs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ module Cardano.CLI.EraBased.Commands.Governance.Committee
 import           Cardano.Api
 
 import           Cardano.CLI.Types.Key
+import           Cardano.CLI.Types.Key.VerificationKey
 
 import           Data.Text (Text)
 
@@ -23,7 +24,7 @@ data GovernanceCommitteeCmds era
       (File (SigningKey ()) Out)
   | GovernanceCommitteeKeyHash -- TODO to be moved under the top-level command group "key"
       (ConwayEraOnwards era)
-      (File (VerificationKey ()) In)
+      AnyVerificationKeySource
   | GovernanceCommitteeCreateHotKeyAuthorizationCertificate -- TODO to be moved under the top-level command group "key"
       (ConwayEraOnwards era)
       (VerificationKeyOrHashOrFile CommitteeColdKey)
diff --git a/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Options/Common.hs b/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Options/Common.hs
index ce8eb5761c..e808c715ff 100644
--- a/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Options/Common.hs
+++ b/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Options/Common.hs
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import           Cardano.CLI.Parser
 import           Cardano.CLI.Types.Common
 import           Cardano.CLI.Types.Governance
 import           Cardano.CLI.Types.Key
+import           Cardano.CLI.Types.Key.VerificationKey
 import qualified Cardano.Ledger.Shelley.TxBody as Shelley
 
 import           Control.Monad (mfilter)
@@ -696,6 +697,30 @@ pVerificationKeyFileIn =
     , Opt.completer (Opt.bashCompleter "file")
     ]
 
+pAnyVerificationKeyFileIn :: String -> Parser (VerificationKeyFile In)
+pAnyVerificationKeyFileIn helpText =
+  fmap File $ Opt.strOption $ mconcat
+    [ Opt.long "verification-key-file"
+    , Opt.metavar "FILE"
+    , Opt.help $ "Input filepath of the " <> helpText <> "."
+    , Opt.completer (Opt.bashCompleter "file")
+    ]
+
+pAnyVerificationKeyText :: String -> Parser AnyVerificationKeyText
+pAnyVerificationKeyText helpText =
+  fmap (AnyVerificationKeyText . Text.pack) $ Opt.strOption $ mconcat
+    [ Opt.long "verification-key"
+    , Opt.metavar "STRING"
+    , Opt.help $ helpText <> " (Bech32-encoded)"
+    ]
+
+pAnyVerificationKeySource :: String -> Parser AnyVerificationKeySource
+pAnyVerificationKeySource helpText =
+  asum
+    [ AnyVerificationKeySourceOfText <$> pAnyVerificationKeyText helpText
+    , AnyVerificationKeySourceOfFile <$> pAnyVerificationKeyFileIn helpText
+    ]
+
 pCommitteeHotKey :: Parser (VerificationKey CommitteeHotKey)
 pCommitteeHotKey =
   Opt.option (Opt.eitherReader deserialiseFromHex) $ mconcat
diff --git a/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Options/Governance/Committee.hs b/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Options/Governance/Committee.hs
index a745a328b5..f6b94895d7 100644
--- a/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Options/Governance/Committee.hs
+++ b/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Options/Governance/Committee.hs
@@ -78,18 +78,14 @@ pGovernanceCommitteeKeyHash era = do
   w <- maybeFeatureInEra era
   pure
     $ subParser "key-hash"
-    $ Opt.info (pCmd w)
+    $ Opt.info
+        ( GovernanceCommitteeKeyHash w
+            <$> pAnyVerificationKeySource "Constitutional Committee Member key (hot or cold)"
+        )
     $ Opt.progDesc
     $ mconcat
         [ "Print the identifier (hash) of a public key"
         ]
-  where
-    pCmd :: ()
-      => ConwayEraOnwards era
-      -> Parser (GovernanceCommitteeCmds era)
-    pCmd w =
-      GovernanceCommitteeKeyHash w
-        <$> pVerificationKeyFileIn
 
 pGovernanceCommitteeCreateHotKeyAuthorizationCertificate :: ()
   => CardanoEra era
diff --git a/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Run/Governance/Committee.hs b/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Run/Governance/Committee.hs
index 1c6af555d5..32c0f287fa 100644
--- a/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Run/Governance/Committee.hs
+++ b/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Run/Governance/Committee.hs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import           Cardano.Api.Shelley
 
 import           Cardano.CLI.EraBased.Commands.Governance.Committee
 import           Cardano.CLI.Types.Key
+import           Cardano.CLI.Types.Key.VerificationKey
 
 import           Control.Monad.Except (ExceptT)
 import           Control.Monad.IO.Class (liftIO)
@@ -21,7 +22,8 @@ import qualified Data.ByteString.Char8 as BS
 import           Data.Function
 
 data GovernanceCommitteeError
-  = GovernanceCommitteeCmdKeyReadError (FileError InputDecodeError)
+  = GovernanceCommitteeCmdKeyDecodeError InputDecodeError
+  | GovernanceCommitteeCmdKeyReadError (FileError InputDecodeError)
   | GovernanceCommitteeCmdTextEnvReadFileError (FileError TextEnvelopeError)
   | GovernanceCommitteeCmdTextEnvWriteError (FileError ())
   | GovernanceCommitteeCmdWriteFileError (FileError ())
@@ -29,6 +31,8 @@ data GovernanceCommitteeError
 
 instance Error GovernanceCommitteeError where
   displayError = \case
+    GovernanceCommitteeCmdKeyDecodeError e ->
+      "Cannot decode key: " <> displayError e
     GovernanceCommitteeCmdKeyReadError e ->
       "Cannot read key: " <> displayError e
     GovernanceCommitteeCmdWriteFileError e ->
@@ -109,16 +113,25 @@ data SomeCommitteeKey f
 
 runGovernanceCommitteeKeyHash :: ()
   => ConwayEraOnwards era
-  -> File (VerificationKey ()) In
+  -> AnyVerificationKeySource
   -> ExceptT GovernanceCommitteeError IO ()
-runGovernanceCommitteeKeyHash _w vkeyPath = do
+runGovernanceCommitteeKeyHash _w vkeySource = do
   vkey <-
-    readFileTextEnvelopeAnyOf
-      [ FromSomeType (AsVerificationKey AsCommitteeHotKey ) ACommitteeHotKey
-      , FromSomeType (AsVerificationKey AsCommitteeColdKey) ACommitteeColdKey
-      ]
-      vkeyPath
-    & firstExceptT GovernanceCommitteeCmdTextEnvReadFileError . newExceptT
+    case vkeySource of
+      AnyVerificationKeySourceOfText vkText -> do
+        let asTypes =
+              [ FromSomeType (AsVerificationKey AsCommitteeHotKey ) ACommitteeHotKey
+              , FromSomeType (AsVerificationKey AsCommitteeColdKey) ACommitteeColdKey
+              ]
+        pure (deserialiseAnyOfFromBech32 asTypes (unAnyVerificationKeyText vkText))
+          & onLeft (left . GovernanceCommitteeCmdKeyDecodeError . InputBech32DecodeError)
+      AnyVerificationKeySourceOfFile vkeyPath -> do
+        let asTypes =
+              [ FromSomeType (AsVerificationKey AsCommitteeHotKey ) ACommitteeHotKey
+              , FromSomeType (AsVerificationKey AsCommitteeColdKey) ACommitteeColdKey
+              ]
+        readFileTextEnvelopeAnyOf asTypes vkeyPath
+          & firstExceptT GovernanceCommitteeCmdTextEnvReadFileError . newExceptT
 
   liftIO $ BS.putStrLn (renderKeyHash vkey)
 
diff --git a/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/Types/Key/VerificationKey.hs b/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/Types/Key/VerificationKey.hs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7f7e4915af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/Types/Key/VerificationKey.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+{-# LANGUAGE DataKinds #-}
+
+module Cardano.CLI.Types.Key.VerificationKey
+  ( AnyVerificationKeySource(..)
+  , AnyVerificationKeyText(..)
+  ) where
+
+import           Cardano.Api
+
+import           Data.Text (Text)
+
+-- | A bech32 text encoded verification key of an unspecified key role.
+newtype AnyVerificationKeyText = AnyVerificationKeyText
+  { unAnyVerificationKeyText :: Text
+  }
+  deriving (Eq, Show)
+
+-- | The source from which a verification key of an unspecified key role can be
+-- derived.
+data AnyVerificationKeySource
+  = AnyVerificationKeySourceOfText !AnyVerificationKeyText
+  | AnyVerificationKeySourceOfFile !(File (VerificationKey ()) In)
+  deriving (Eq, Show)
diff --git a/cardano-cli/test/cardano-cli-golden/files/golden/help.cli b/cardano-cli/test/cardano-cli-golden/files/golden/help.cli
index 98b3540365..c731a48e3f 100644
--- a/cardano-cli/test/cardano-cli-golden/files/golden/help.cli
+++ b/cardano-cli/test/cardano-cli-golden/files/golden/help.cli
@@ -794,7 +794,10 @@ Usage: cardano-cli conway governance committee key-gen-hot --verification-key-fi
 
   Create a cold key pair for a Constitutional Committee Member
 
-Usage: cardano-cli conway governance committee key-hash --verification-key-file FILE
+Usage: cardano-cli conway governance committee key-hash 
+                                                          ( --verification-key STRING
+                                                          | --verification-key-file FILE
+                                                          )
 
   Print the identifier (hash) of a public key
 
@@ -1200,7 +1203,10 @@ Usage: cardano-cli experimental governance committee key-gen-hot --verification-
 
   Create a cold key pair for a Constitutional Committee Member
 
-Usage: cardano-cli experimental governance committee key-hash --verification-key-file FILE
+Usage: cardano-cli experimental governance committee key-hash 
+                                                                ( --verification-key STRING
+                                                                | --verification-key-file FILE
+                                                                )
 
   Print the identifier (hash) of a public key
 
diff --git a/cardano-cli/test/cardano-cli-golden/files/golden/help/conway_governance_committee_key-hash.cli b/cardano-cli/test/cardano-cli-golden/files/golden/help/conway_governance_committee_key-hash.cli
index a2b20e3a9a..62ca9af520 100644
--- a/cardano-cli/test/cardano-cli-golden/files/golden/help/conway_governance_committee_key-hash.cli
+++ b/cardano-cli/test/cardano-cli-golden/files/golden/help/conway_governance_committee_key-hash.cli
@@ -1,8 +1,15 @@
-Usage: cardano-cli conway governance committee key-hash --verification-key-file FILE
+Usage: cardano-cli conway governance committee key-hash 
+                                                          ( --verification-key STRING
+                                                          | --verification-key-file FILE
+                                                          )
 
   Print the identifier (hash) of a public key
 
 Available options:
+  --verification-key STRING
+                           Constitutional Committee Member key (hot or cold)
+                           (Bech32-encoded)
   --verification-key-file FILE
-                           Input filepath of the verification key.
+                           Input filepath of the Constitutional Committee Member
+                           key (hot or cold).
   -h,--help                Show this help text
diff --git a/cardano-cli/test/cardano-cli-golden/files/golden/help/experimental_governance_committee_key-hash.cli b/cardano-cli/test/cardano-cli-golden/files/golden/help/experimental_governance_committee_key-hash.cli
index 1c2dc8658d..74bbb284b7 100644
--- a/cardano-cli/test/cardano-cli-golden/files/golden/help/experimental_governance_committee_key-hash.cli
+++ b/cardano-cli/test/cardano-cli-golden/files/golden/help/experimental_governance_committee_key-hash.cli
@@ -1,8 +1,15 @@
-Usage: cardano-cli experimental governance committee key-hash --verification-key-file FILE
+Usage: cardano-cli experimental governance committee key-hash 
+                                                                ( --verification-key STRING
+                                                                | --verification-key-file FILE
+                                                                )
 
   Print the identifier (hash) of a public key
 
 Available options:
+  --verification-key STRING
+                           Constitutional Committee Member key (hot or cold)
+                           (Bech32-encoded)
   --verification-key-file FILE
-                           Input filepath of the verification key.
+                           Input filepath of the Constitutional Committee Member
+                           key (hot or cold).
   -h,--help                Show this help text