diff --git a/src/main/resources/messages.properties b/src/main/resources/messages.properties
index a09096cc6..00b346970 100755
--- a/src/main/resources/messages.properties
+++ b/src/main/resources/messages.properties
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ screen.message.modal.access.opt.feedback=If the error persists please refer to o
 
 # Modal Add
 screen.message.modal.add.deptAccount=One or more departmental accounts are being added.
+screen.message.modal.add.deptAccount.admin=Departmental accounts cannot be assigned as admins.
 screen.message.modal.add.fail=There was an error adding:
 screen.message.modal.add.ensureValid=Please ensure you have entered a valid UH member and try again.
 screen.message.modal.add.empty=You must enter a UH member to add or remove.
diff --git a/src/main/resources/static/javascript/mainApp/admin.controller.js b/src/main/resources/static/javascript/mainApp/admin.controller.js
index 8a25f45df..3c110a4c3 100755
--- a/src/main/resources/static/javascript/mainApp/admin.controller.js
+++ b/src/main/resources/static/javascript/mainApp/admin.controller.js
@@ -260,6 +260,12 @@
             }
 
             groupingsService.getMemberAttributeResults([sanitizedAdmin], (res) => {
+                // Prevent departmental accounts from being added as admins
+                $scope.isDeptAccount = $scope.checkForDeptAccount(res.results);
+                if ($scope.isDeptAccount) {
+                    $scope.containsDeptAcc = true;
+                    return;
+                }
                 $scope.displayAddModal({
                     membersAttributes: res,
                     uhIdentifiers: sanitizedAdmin,
diff --git a/src/main/resources/static/javascript/mainApp/general.controller.js b/src/main/resources/static/javascript/mainApp/general.controller.js
index 031c49fb0..c24c3591c 100755
--- a/src/main/resources/static/javascript/mainApp/general.controller.js
+++ b/src/main/resources/static/javascript/mainApp/general.controller.js
@@ -149,6 +149,7 @@
             $scope.emptySelect = false;
             $scope.containsInput = false;
             $scope.invalidInput = false;
+            $scope.containsDeptAcc = false;
             $scope.addInputError = false;
             $scope.removeInputError = false;
         };
@@ -295,6 +296,17 @@
             });
         };
 
+        /**
+         * Checks if a member is a departmental account
+         * A departmental account is characterized by having the same uid as its uhUuid, or having a blank uhUuid
+         * @param {object[]} membersToAdd - members to add to a group or admin
+         * @returns {boolean} - True if a member is a departmental account
+         */
+        $scope.checkForDeptAccount = (membersToAdd) => {
+            return membersToAdd.some(member =>
+                member['uid'] === member['uhUuid'] || member['uhUuid'] === ""
+            );
+        }
     }
 
     UHGroupingsApp.controller("GeneralJsController", GeneralJsController);
diff --git a/src/main/resources/static/javascript/mainApp/grouping.controller.js b/src/main/resources/static/javascript/mainApp/grouping.controller.js
index fc701238c..b1ab9f747 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/static/javascript/mainApp/grouping.controller.js
+++ b/src/main/resources/static/javascript/mainApp/grouping.controller.js
@@ -1836,19 +1836,6 @@
                 $scope.excludeDisable = true;
             }
         };
-
-        /**
-         * Helper - addMembers, displayAddModal
-         * Checks if a member is a departmental account
-         * A departmental account is characterized by having the same uid as its uhUuid, or having a blank uhUuid
-         * @param {object[]} membersToAdd - members to add to group
-         * @returns {boolean} - True if a member is a departmental account
-         */
-        $scope.checkForDeptAccount = (membersToAdd) => {
-            return membersToAdd.some(member =>
-                member['uid'] === member['uhUuid'] || member['uhUuid'] === ""
-            );
-        }
     }
 
     function SyncDestModalController($scope, $uibModalInstance, isSynced, syncDestDescription, Message) {
diff --git a/src/main/resources/templates/fragments/admin-error-messages.html b/src/main/resources/templates/fragments/admin-error-messages.html
index 36e347c87..daad05e37 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/templates/fragments/admin-error-messages.html
+++ b/src/main/resources/templates/fragments/admin-error-messages.html
@@ -20,6 +20,12 @@
              role="alert">
             <p th:text="#{screen.message.modal.add.preExisting.admin}"></p>
         </div>
+        <!--message for trying to add a departmental account-->
+        <div ng-if="containsDeptAcc"
+             class="float-md-left my-3 px-3 pt-2 rounded alert-danger show"
+             role="alert">
+            <p th:text="#{screen.message.modal.add.deptAccount.admin}"></p>
+        </div>
         <!--message for no groupings result-->
         <div ng-if="resStatus && subjectToLookup.length > 0 && subjectList.length <= 0"
              class="float-md-left my-3 px-3 pt-2 rounded alert-danger show">
diff --git a/src/test/javascript/admin.controller.test.js b/src/test/javascript/admin.controller.test.js
index 8381bd250..ea2897a09 100755
--- a/src/test/javascript/admin.controller.test.js
+++ b/src/test/javascript/admin.controller.test.js
@@ -432,12 +432,25 @@ describe("AdminController", function () {
             expect(scope.containsInput).toBeTrue();
         });
 
+        it("should check if the admin to add is a departmental account", () => {
+            scope.containsDeptAcc = false;
+            scope.adminToAdd = "testiwt2";
+            scope.addAdmin();
+
+            httpBackend.expectPOST(BASE_URL + "members", ['testiwt2']).respond(200, results);
+            httpBackend.flush();
+
+            expect(scope.user).toBe(scope.adminToAdd);
+            expect(scope.containsDeptAcc).toBeTrue();
+        });
+
         it("should display the add modal", () => {
             spyOn(scope, "displayAddModal");
-            scope.adminToAdd = uhIdentifiers;
+            scope.adminToAdd = "testiwta";
             scope.addAdmin();
 
-            httpBackend.expectPOST(BASE_URL + "members", [uhIdentifiers]).respond(200, results);
+            const results = { resultCode: "SUCCESS", invalid: [], results: [{ uid: "testiwta", uhUuid: "99997010" }] };
+            httpBackend.expectPOST(BASE_URL + "members", ['testiwta']).respond(200, results);
             httpBackend.flush();
 
             expect(scope.user).toEqual(scope.adminToAdd);