diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3d7a4438..e5b42585 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@ You can change these to your liking.
 - `PORT`: the default port to start the server on (3000 by default)
 - `ENV`: can be `production` or `debug`, toggles logging
 - `JWT_SECRET`: a secure token for JWT tokens. You can generate one [here](https://www.grc.com/passwords.htm).
-- `MEMORY_DB`: if "true", a sqlite database will not be created and changes will only exist in memory. Mainly for the demo.
+- `MEMORY_DB`: if `true`, a sqlite database will not be created and changes will only exist in memory. Mainly for the demo.
+- `REGISTRATION_PASSWORD`: if MEMORY_DB is not `true`, the user will be required to provide this password to sign-up, in addition to their username and account password. If it's not set, no password will be required.
 
 ## Current status
 
diff --git a/client/components/auth/index.tsx b/client/components/auth/index.tsx
index 1db9c549..c43111d8 100644
--- a/client/components/auth/index.tsx
+++ b/client/components/auth/index.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { FormEvent, useState } from 'react'
+import { FormEvent, useEffect, useState } from 'react'
 import { Button, Input, Text, Note } from '@geist-ui/core'
 import styles from './auth.module.css'
 import { useRouter } from 'next/router'
@@ -13,10 +13,29 @@ const Auth = ({ page }: { page: "signup" | "signin" }) => {
 
     const [username, setUsername] = useState('');
     const [password, setPassword] = useState('');
+    const [serverPassword, setServerPassword] = useState('');
     const [errorMsg, setErrorMsg] = useState('');
-
+    const [requiresServerPassword, setRequiresServerPassword] = useState(false);
     const signingIn = page === 'signin'
 
+    useEffect(() => {
+        async function fetchRequiresPass() {
+            if (!signingIn) {
+                const resp = await fetch("/server-api/auth/requires-passcode", {
+                    method: "GET",
+                })
+                if (resp.ok) {
+                    const res = await resp.json()
+                    setRequiresServerPassword(res)
+                } else {
+                    setErrorMsg("Something went wrong.")
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        fetchRequiresPass()
+    }, [page, signingIn])
+
+
     const handleJson = (json: any) => {
         Cookies.set('drift-token', json.token);
         Cookies.set('drift-userid', json.userId);
@@ -24,10 +43,10 @@ const Auth = ({ page }: { page: "signup" | "signin" }) => {
         router.push('/')
     }
 
-
     const handleSubmit = async (e: FormEvent<HTMLFormElement>) => {
         e.preventDefault()
-        if (page === "signup" && (!NO_EMPTY_SPACE_REGEX.test(username) || password.length < 6)) return setErrorMsg(ERROR_MESSAGE)
+        if (!signingIn && (!NO_EMPTY_SPACE_REGEX.test(username) || password.length < 6)) return setErrorMsg(ERROR_MESSAGE)
+        if (!signingIn && requiresServerPassword && !NO_EMPTY_SPACE_REGEX.test(serverPassword)) return setErrorMsg(ERROR_MESSAGE)
         else setErrorMsg('');
 
         const reqOpts = {
@@ -35,14 +54,13 @@ const Auth = ({ page }: { page: "signup" | "signin" }) => {
             headers: {
                 'Content-Type': 'application/json'
             },
-            body: JSON.stringify({ username, password })
+            body: JSON.stringify({ username, password, serverPassword })
         }
 
         try {
             const signUrl = signingIn ? '/server-api/auth/signin' : '/server-api/auth/signup';
             const resp = await fetch(signUrl, reqOpts);
             const json = await resp.json();
-            console.log(json)
             if (!resp.ok) throw new Error(json.error.message);
 
             handleJson(json)
@@ -78,6 +96,16 @@ const Auth = ({ page }: { page: "signup" | "signin" }) => {
                             required
                             scale={4 / 3}
                         />
+                        {requiresServerPassword && <Input
+                            htmlType='password'
+                            id="server-password"
+                            value={serverPassword}
+                            onChange={(event) => setServerPassword(event.target.value)}
+                            placeholder="Server Password"
+                            required
+                            scale={4 / 3}
+                        />}
+
                         <Button type="success" htmlType="submit">{signingIn ? 'Sign In' : 'Sign Up'}</Button>
                     </div>
                     <div className={styles.formContentSpace}>
diff --git a/server/src/routes/auth.ts b/server/src/routes/auth.ts
index 7a3aa7e7..049445c0 100644
--- a/server/src/routes/auth.ts
+++ b/server/src/routes/auth.ts
@@ -7,17 +7,26 @@ import jwt from '../../lib/middleware/jwt'
 
 const NO_EMPTY_SPACE_REGEX = /^\S*$/
 
+export const requiresServerPassword = (process.env.MEMORY_DB || process.env.ENV === 'production') && !!process.env.REGISTRATION_PASSWORD
+console.log(`Registration password required: ${requiresServerPassword}`)
+
 export const auth = Router()
 
-const validateAuthPayload = (username: string, password: string): void => {
+const validateAuthPayload = (username: string, password: string, serverPassword?: string): void => {
     if (!NO_EMPTY_SPACE_REGEX.test(username) || password.length < 6) {
         throw new Error("Authentication data does not fulfill requirements")
     }
+
+    if (requiresServerPassword) {
+        if (!serverPassword || process.env.REGISTRATION_PASSWORD !== serverPassword) {
+            throw new Error("Server password is incorrect. Please contact the server administrator.")
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 auth.post('/signup', async (req, res, next) => {
     try {
-        validateAuthPayload(req.body.username, req.body.password)
+        validateAuthPayload(req.body.username, req.body.password, req.body.serverPassword)
 
         const username = req.body.username.toLowerCase();
 
@@ -69,6 +78,14 @@ auth.post('/signin', async (req, res, next) => {
     }
 });
 
+auth.get('/requires-passcode', async (req, res, next) => {
+    if (requiresServerPassword) {
+        res.status(200).json({ requiresPasscode: true });
+    } else {
+        res.status(200).json({ requiresPasscode: false });
+    }
+})
+
 function generateAccessToken(id: string) {
     return sign({ id: id }, config.jwt_secret, { expiresIn: '2d' });
 }