diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index ed7ce82..3ff2137 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   "description": "Backend system for HackRU.",
   "main": "serverless.ts",
   "scripts": {
-    "dev": "dotenvx run -f .env -- serverless offline",
+    "dev": "dotenvx run -f .env.local -- serverless offline",
     "deploy-dev": "dotenvx run -f .env -- serverless deploy",
     "deploy-prod": "dotenvx run -f .env.production -- serverless deploy",
     "test": "jest --watch",
diff --git a/src/functions/update/handler.ts b/src/functions/update/handler.ts
index c0ef4de..0d2d2d6 100644
--- a/src/functions/update/handler.ts
+++ b/src/functions/update/handler.ts
@@ -45,6 +45,24 @@ const update: ValidatedEventAPIGatewayProxyEvent<typeof schema> = async (event)
     if (!updatedUser)
       return { statusCode: 404, body: JSON.stringify({ statusCode: 404, message: 'User to be updated not found.' }) };
 
+    //only director or organizer should be able to update registration status for specified status descriptions
+    const registrationStatus = event.body.updates?.$set?.registration_status as string | undefined;
+
+    if (
+      registrationStatus !== undefined &&
+      ['rejected', 'confirmation', 'waitlist', 'confirmed', 'checked_in'].includes(registrationStatus)
+    ) {
+      if (!ensureRoles(authUser.role, ['director', 'organizer'])) {
+        return {
+          statusCode: 403,
+          body: JSON.stringify({
+            statusCode: 403,
+            message: `Forbidden. Auth user must be organizer/director to update registration status to ${registrationStatus}.`,
+          }),
+        };
+      }
+    }
+
     // validate updates
     const validationResult = validateUpdates(event.body.updates, updatedUser.registration_status, updatedUser);
     if (typeof validationResult === 'string')
diff --git a/tests/update.test.ts b/tests/update.test.ts
index 3beeac0..9acbc7d 100644
--- a/tests/update.test.ts
+++ b/tests/update.test.ts
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ describe('/update endpoint', () => {
   });
 
   //case 11
-  it('Cannot smuggle a locked field alongside a valid registration_status change', async () => {
+  it('Cannot make invalid registration_status change as hacker', async () => {
     findOneMock.mockReturnValue({
       email: 'test@test.org',
       password: 'test',
@@ -335,6 +335,43 @@ describe('/update endpoint', () => {
         organizer: false,
         director: false,
       },
+      registration_status: 'confirmed',
+    });
+    // registered -> confirmation is a valid transition, so the registration_status branch used to
+    // return early and the locked-field check never ran.
+    const hackerSetCheckIn = {
+      user_email: 'test@test.org',
+      auth_email: 'testAuth@test.org',
+      auth_token: 'sampleAuthToken',
+      updates: {
+        $set: {
+          registration_status: 'checked_in',
+          // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/naming-convention
+        },
+      },
+    };
+    const mockEvent = createEvent(hackerSetCheckIn, '/update', 'POST');
+    const res = await main(mockEvent, mockContext, mockCallback);
+    expect(res.statusCode).toBe(403);
+    expect(JSON.parse(res.body).message).toBe(
+      'Forbidden. Auth user must be organizer/director to update registration status to checked_in.'
+    );
+  });
+
+  //case 12
+  it('Cannot smuggle a locked field alongside a valid registration_status change', async () => {
+    findOneMock.mockReturnValue({
+      email: 'test@test.org',
+      password: 'test',
+      role: {
+        hacker: false,
+        volunteer: false,
+        judge: false,
+        sponsor: false,
+        mentor: false,
+        organizer: true,
+        director: false,
+      },
       registration_status: 'registered',
     });
     // registered -> confirmation is a valid transition, so the registration_status branch used to