diff --git a/server/src/controllers/boatType.controllers.ts b/server/src/controllers/boatType.controllers.ts
index d589a24ca7a502606d1718c288362d27c1a00405..a139d9fa7ceaa35826ca29a402ecae3eea1a1729 100644
--- a/server/src/controllers/boatType.controllers.ts
+++ b/server/src/controllers/boatType.controllers.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,17 @@ const createBoatTypeController = async (req: Request, res: Response) => {
 
     const newBoatTypeInput = req.body;
 
+    //check if BoatType already exists in DB to avoid duplicates
+    const findIfBoatTypeExists = await BoatType.findOne({
+      where: { name: newBoatTypeInput.name },
+    });
+
+    if (findIfBoatTypeExists) {
+      return res
+        .status(404)
+        .json({ success: false, error: "boatTypeAlreadyExists" });
+    }
+
     const newBoatType = await BoatType.create(newBoatTypeInput);
 
     if (newBoatType) {