diff --git a/src/api/views.py b/src/api/views.py
index 4bec29b80..b89e2629d 100644
--- a/src/api/views.py
+++ b/src/api/views.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ from django.http import HttpResponse
 from django.utils.safestring import mark_safe
 
 from registrar.templatetags.url_helpers import public_site_url
+from registrar.utility.enums import ValidationErrorReturnType
 from registrar.utility.errors import GenericError, GenericErrorCodes
 
 import requests
@@ -92,7 +93,7 @@ def available(request, domain=""):
 
     json_response = Domain.validate_and_handle_errors(
         domain=domain, 
-        error_return_type="JSON_RESPONSE", 
+        error_return_type=ValidationErrorReturnType.JSON_RESPONSE, 
         display_success=True,
     )
     return json_response
diff --git a/src/registrar/forms/application_wizard.py b/src/registrar/forms/application_wizard.py
index 00f832d59..aa583a10c 100644
--- a/src/registrar/forms/application_wizard.py
+++ b/src/registrar/forms/application_wizard.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ from api.views import DOMAIN_API_MESSAGES
 from registrar.models import Contact, DomainApplication, DraftDomain, Domain
 from registrar.templatetags.url_helpers import public_site_url
 from registrar.utility import errors
+from registrar.utility.enums import ValidationErrorReturnType
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -385,7 +386,7 @@ class AlternativeDomainForm(RegistrarForm):
     def clean_alternative_domain(self):
         """Validation code for domain names."""
         requested = self.cleaned_data.get("alternative_domain", None)
-        validated = DraftDomain.validate_and_handle_errors(requested, "FORM_VALIDATION_ERROR")
+        validated = DraftDomain.validate_and_handle_errors(requested, ValidationErrorReturnType.FORM_VALIDATION_ERROR)
         return validated
 
     alternative_domain = forms.CharField(
@@ -461,7 +462,7 @@ class DotGovDomainForm(RegistrarForm):
     def clean_requested_domain(self):
         """Validation code for domain names."""
         requested = self.cleaned_data.get("requested_domain", None)
-        validated = DraftDomain.validate_and_handle_errors(requested, "FORM_VALIDATION_ERROR")
+        validated = DraftDomain.validate_and_handle_errors(requested, ValidationErrorReturnType.FORM_VALIDATION_ERROR)
         return validated
 
     requested_domain = forms.CharField(label="What .gov domain do you want?")
diff --git a/src/registrar/models/utility/domain_helper.py b/src/registrar/models/utility/domain_helper.py
index 28eaa391e..cf2369567 100644
--- a/src/registrar/models/utility/domain_helper.py
+++ b/src/registrar/models/utility/domain_helper.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ from django.http import JsonResponse
 from api.views import DOMAIN_API_MESSAGES, check_domain_available
 from registrar.utility import errors
 from epplibwrapper.errors import RegistryError
+from registrar.utility.enums import ValidationErrorReturnType
 
 
 class DomainHelper:
@@ -56,7 +57,7 @@ class DomainHelper:
         return domain
 
     @classmethod
-    def validate_and_handle_errors(cls, domain: str, error_return_type: str, display_success: bool = False):
+    def validate_and_handle_errors(cls, domain, error_return_type, display_success = False):
         """Runs validate() and catches possible exceptions."""
         try:
             validated = cls.validate(domain)
@@ -89,20 +90,11 @@ class DomainHelper:
                 return validated
     
     @staticmethod
-    def _return_form_error_or_json_response(return_type, code, available=False):
-        if return_type == "JSON_RESPONSE":
-            return JsonResponse(
-                {"available": available, "code": code, "message": DOMAIN_API_MESSAGES[code]}
-            )
-        
-        if return_type == "FORM_VALIDATION_ERROR":
-            raise forms.ValidationError(DOMAIN_API_MESSAGES[code], code=code)
-
-        # Why is this not working??
+    def _return_form_error_or_json_response(return_type: ValidationErrorReturnType, code, available=False):
         match return_type:
-            case ValidationErrorReturnType.FORM_VALIDATION_ERROR.value:
+            case ValidationErrorReturnType.FORM_VALIDATION_ERROR:
                 raise forms.ValidationError(DOMAIN_API_MESSAGES[code], code=code)
-            case ValidationErrorReturnType.JSON_RESPONSE.value:
+            case ValidationErrorReturnType.JSON_RESPONSE:
                 return JsonResponse(
                     {"available": available, "code": code, "message": DOMAIN_API_MESSAGES[code]}
                 )