diff --git a/src/registrar/admin.py b/src/registrar/admin.py
index 2d6559570..7bb3fb229 100644
--- a/src/registrar/admin.py
+++ b/src/registrar/admin.py
@@ -216,6 +216,7 @@ class DomainRequestAdminForm(forms.ModelForm):
         status = cleaned_data.get("status")
         investigator = cleaned_data.get("investigator")
         rejection_reason = cleaned_data.get("rejection_reason")
+        action_needed_reason = cleaned_data.get("action_needed_reason")
 
         # Get the old status
         initial_status = self.initial.get("status", None)
@@ -239,6 +240,8 @@ class DomainRequestAdminForm(forms.ModelForm):
         # If the status is rejected, a rejection reason must exist
         if status == DomainRequest.DomainRequestStatus.REJECTED:
             self._check_for_valid_rejection_reason(rejection_reason)
+        elif status == DomainRequest.DomainRequestStatus.IN_REVIEW:
+            self._check_for_valid_action_needed_reason(action_needed_reason)
 
         return cleaned_data
 
@@ -262,6 +265,23 @@ class DomainRequestAdminForm(forms.ModelForm):
 
         return is_valid
 
+    def _check_for_valid_action_needed_reason(self, action_needed_reason) -> bool:
+        """
+        Checks if the action_needed_reason field is not none.
+        Adds form errors on failure.
+        """
+        is_valid = False
+        error_message = None
+        if action_needed_reason is None or action_needed_reason == "":
+            error_message = FSMDomainRequestError.get_error_message(FSMErrorCodes.NO_ACTION_NEEDED_REASON)
+        else:
+            is_valid = True
+
+        if error_message is not None:
+            self.add_error("action_needed_reason", error_message)
+
+        return is_valid
+
     def _check_for_valid_investigator(self, investigator) -> bool:
         """
         Checks if the investigator field is not none, and is staff.
@@ -1361,6 +1381,7 @@ class DomainRequestAdmin(ListHeaderAdmin, ImportExportModelAdmin):
                 "fields": [
                     "status",
                     "rejection_reason",
+                    "action_needed_reason",
                     "investigator",
                     "creator",
                     "submitter",
diff --git a/src/registrar/migrations/0096_domainrequest_action_needed_reason.py b/src/registrar/migrations/0096_domainrequest_action_needed_reason.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c8f729f69
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/registrar/migrations/0096_domainrequest_action_needed_reason.py
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+# Generated by Django 4.2.10 on 2024-05-31 20:32
+
+from django.db import migrations, models
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ("registrar", "0095_user_middle_name_user_title"),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AddField(
+            model_name="domainrequest",
+            name="action_needed_reason",
+            field=models.TextField(
+                blank=True,
+                choices=[
+                    ("eligibility_unclear", "Unclear organization eligibility"),
+                    ("questionable_authorizing_official", "Questionable authorizing official"),
+                    ("ALREADY_HAS_DOMAINS", "Already has domains"),
+                    ("bad_name", "Doesn’t meet naming requirements"),
+                    ("other", "Other (no auto-email sent)"),
+                ],
+                null=True,
+            ),
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/src/registrar/models/domain_request.py b/src/registrar/models/domain_request.py
index 2501cdc87..4a970fb06 100644
--- a/src/registrar/models/domain_request.py
+++ b/src/registrar/models/domain_request.py
@@ -244,6 +244,14 @@ class DomainRequest(TimeStampedModel):
         ORGANIZATION_ELIGIBILITY = "org_not_eligible", "Org not eligible for a .gov domain"
         NAMING_REQUIREMENTS = "naming_not_met", "Naming requirements not met"
         OTHER = "other", "Other/Unspecified"
+    
+    class ActionNeededReasons(models.TextChoices):
+        """Defines common"""
+        ELIGIBILITY_UNCLEAR = ("eligibility_unclear", "Unclear organization eligibility")
+        QUESTIONABLE_AUTHORIZING_OFFICIAL = ("questionable_authorizing_official" , "Questionable authorizing official")
+        ALREADY_HAS_DOMAINS = ("ALREADY_HAS_DOMAINS", "Already has domains")
+        BAD_NAME = ("bad_name", "Doesn’t meet naming requirements")
+        OTHER = ("other", "Other (no auto-email sent)")
 
     # #### Internal fields about the domain request #####
     status = FSMField(
@@ -258,6 +266,12 @@ class DomainRequest(TimeStampedModel):
         blank=True,
     )
 
+    action_needed_reason = models.TextField(
+        choices=ActionNeededReasons.choices,
+        null=True,
+        blank=True,
+    )
+
     federal_agency = models.ForeignKey(
         "registrar.FederalAgency",
         on_delete=models.PROTECT,
diff --git a/src/registrar/utility/errors.py b/src/registrar/utility/errors.py
index f00c59bd0..740651c04 100644
--- a/src/registrar/utility/errors.py
+++ b/src/registrar/utility/errors.py
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ class FSMErrorCodes(IntEnum):
         - 3 INVESTIGATOR_NOT_STAFF Investigator is a non-staff user
         - 4 INVESTIGATOR_NOT_SUBMITTER The form submitter is not the investigator
         - 5 NO_REJECTION_REASON No rejection reason is specified
+        - 6 NO_ACTION_NEEDED_REASON No action needed reason is specified
     """
 
     APPROVE_DOMAIN_IN_USE = 1
@@ -86,6 +87,7 @@ class FSMErrorCodes(IntEnum):
     INVESTIGATOR_NOT_STAFF = 3
     INVESTIGATOR_NOT_SUBMITTER = 4
     NO_REJECTION_REASON = 5
+    NO_ACTION_NEEDED_REASON = 6
 
 
 class FSMDomainRequestError(Exception):
@@ -100,6 +102,7 @@ class FSMDomainRequestError(Exception):
         FSMErrorCodes.INVESTIGATOR_NOT_STAFF: ("Investigator is not a staff user."),
         FSMErrorCodes.INVESTIGATOR_NOT_SUBMITTER: ("Only the assigned investigator can make this change."),
         FSMErrorCodes.NO_REJECTION_REASON: ("A rejection reason is required."),
+        FSMErrorCodes.NO_ACTION_NEEDED_REASON: ("A action needed reason is required."),
     }
 
     def __init__(self, *args, code=None, **kwargs):