diff --git a/src/epplibwrapper/cert.py b/src/epplibwrapper/cert.py
index 15ff16c06..589736a04 100644
--- a/src/epplibwrapper/cert.py
+++ b/src/epplibwrapper/cert.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import os
 import tempfile
 
-from django.conf import settings
+from django.conf import settings  # type: ignore
 
 
 class Cert:
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ class Cert:
     variable but Python's ssl library requires a file.
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, data=settings.SECRET_REGISTRY_CERT) -> None:
+    def __init__(self, data=settings.SECRET_REGISTRY_CERT) -> None:  # type: ignore
         self.filename = self._write(data)
 
     def __del__(self):
@@ -31,4 +31,4 @@ class Key(Cert):
     """Location of private key as written to disk."""
 
     def __init__(self) -> None:
-        super().__init__(data=settings.SECRET_REGISTRY_KEY)
+        super().__init__(data=settings.SECRET_REGISTRY_KEY)  # type: ignore
diff --git a/src/registrar/config/settings.py b/src/registrar/config/settings.py
index 7965424bc..96740a15c 100644
--- a/src/registrar/config/settings.py
+++ b/src/registrar/config/settings.py
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ from cfenv import AppEnv  # type: ignore
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Final
 from botocore.config import Config
+import json
+import logging
+from django.utils.log import ServerFormatter
 
 # # #                          ###
 #      Setup code goes here      #
@@ -57,7 +60,7 @@ env_db_url = env.dj_db_url("DATABASE_URL")
 env_debug = env.bool("DJANGO_DEBUG", default=False)
 env_is_production = env.bool("IS_PRODUCTION", default=False)
 env_log_level = env.str("DJANGO_LOG_LEVEL", "DEBUG")
-env_base_url = env.str("DJANGO_BASE_URL")
+env_base_url: str = env.str("DJANGO_BASE_URL")
 env_getgov_public_site_url = env.str("GETGOV_PUBLIC_SITE_URL", "")
 env_oidc_active_provider = env.str("OIDC_ACTIVE_PROVIDER", "identity sandbox")
 
@@ -192,7 +195,7 @@ MIDDLEWARE = [
     "registrar.registrar_middleware.CheckPortfolioMiddleware",
 ]
 
-# application object used by Django’s built-in servers (e.g. `runserver`)
+# application object used by Django's built-in servers (e.g. `runserver`)
 WSGI_APPLICATION = "registrar.config.wsgi.application"
 
 # endregion
@@ -415,7 +418,7 @@ LANGUAGE_COOKIE_SECURE = True
 # and to interpret datetimes entered in forms
 TIME_ZONE = "UTC"
 
-# enable Django’s translation system
+# enable Django's translation system
 USE_I18N = True
 
 # enable localized formatting of numbers and dates
@@ -450,6 +453,40 @@ PHONENUMBER_DEFAULT_REGION = "US"
 #   logger.error("Can't do this important task. Something is very wrong.")
 #   logger.critical("Going to crash now.")
 
+
+class JsonFormatter(logging.Formatter):
+    """Formats logs into JSON for better parsing"""
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        super().__init__(datefmt="%d/%b/%Y %H:%M:%S")
+
+    def format(self, record):
+        log_record = {
+            "timestamp": self.formatTime(record, self.datefmt),
+            "level": record.levelname,
+            "name": record.name,
+            "lineno": record.lineno,
+            "message": record.getMessage(),
+        }
+        return json.dumps(log_record)
+
+
+class JsonServerFormatter(ServerFormatter):
+    """Formats server logs into JSON for better parsing"""
+
+    def format(self, record):
+        formatted_record = super().format(record)
+        log_entry = {"server_time": record.server_time, "level": record.levelname, "message": formatted_record}
+        return json.dumps(log_entry)
+
+
+# default to json formatted logs
+server_formatter, console_formatter = "json.server", "json"
+
+# don't use json format locally, it makes logs hard to read in console
+if "localhost" in env_base_url:
+    server_formatter, console_formatter = "django.server", "verbose"
+
 LOGGING = {
     "version": 1,
     # Don't import Django's existing loggers
@@ -469,6 +506,12 @@ LOGGING = {
             "format": "[{server_time}] {message}",
             "style": "{",
         },
+        "json.server": {
+            "()": JsonServerFormatter,
+        },
+        "json": {
+            "()": JsonFormatter,
+        },
     },
     # define where log messages will be sent;
     # each logger can have one or more handlers
@@ -476,12 +519,12 @@ LOGGING = {
         "console": {
             "level": env_log_level,
             "class": "logging.StreamHandler",
-            "formatter": "verbose",
+            "formatter": console_formatter,
         },
         "django.server": {
             "level": "INFO",
             "class": "logging.StreamHandler",
-            "formatter": "django.server",
+            "formatter": server_formatter,
         },
         # No file logger is configured,
         # because containerized apps