diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index bea4619..ac0c2db 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -3,3 +3,12 @@ coverage/
 *.lcov
 coverage-final.json
 clover.xml
+
+# Local environment files. .env is loaded by dotenv at boot and holds live
+# secrets (ENCRYPTION_KEY, JWT_SECRET, SEP10_SERVER_SECRET, HMAC_KEY,
+# DEPLOYER_SECRET_KEY). The committed example file is the only environment
+# file that belongs in git.
+.env
+.env.local
+.env.*.local
+!.env.example
diff --git a/prisma/migrations/20260901000000_convert_status_strings_to_enums/migration.sql b/prisma/migrations/20260901000000_convert_status_strings_to_enums/migration.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ec43081
--- /dev/null
+++ b/prisma/migrations/20260901000000_convert_status_strings_to_enums/migration.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+-- Convert remaining free-form status strings to enums
+-- This migration is designed to fail loudly if any existing row
+-- contains a value outside the documented set, rather than coercing it.
+
+-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- ContributionStatus: PENDING, COMPLETED, FAILED
+-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+CREATE TYPE "ContributionStatus" AS ENUM ('PENDING', 'COMPLETED', 'FAILED');
+
+-- Fail loudly if any existing row has an undocumented value.
+DO $$
+BEGIN
+  IF EXISTS (
+    SELECT 1 FROM "Contribution"
+    WHERE status NOT IN ('PENDING', 'COMPLETED', 'FAILED')
+  ) THEN
+    RAISE EXCEPTION 'Contribution.status contains values outside the ContributionStatus enum';
+  END IF;
+END $$;
+
+ALTER TABLE "Contribution"
+  ALTER COLUMN status TYPE "ContributionStatus"
+  USING status::"ContributionStatus",
+  ALTER COLUMN status SET DEFAULT 'PENDING';
+
+-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- PayoutStatus: COMPLETED
+-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+CREATE TYPE "PayoutStatus" AS ENUM ('COMPLETED');
+
+DO $$
+BEGIN
+  IF EXISTS (
+    SELECT 1 FROM "Payout"
+    WHERE status NOT IN ('COMPLETED')
+  ) THEN
+    RAISE EXCEPTION 'Payout.status contains values outside the PayoutStatus enum';
+  END IF;
+END $$;
+
+ALTER TABLE "Payout"
+  ALTER COLUMN status TYPE "PayoutStatus"
+  USING status::"PayoutStatus";
+
+-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- PayoutOrderLogReason: REORDER, SKIP_DEFAULT
+-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+CREATE TYPE "PayoutOrderLogReason" AS ENUM ('REORDER', 'SKIP_DEFAULT');
+
+DO $$
+BEGIN
+  IF EXISTS (
+    SELECT 1 FROM "PayoutOrderLog"
+    WHERE reason NOT IN ('REORDER', 'SKIP_DEFAULT')
+  ) THEN
+    RAISE EXCEPTION 'PayoutOrderLog.reason contains values outside the PayoutOrderLogReason enum';
+  END IF;
+END $$;
+
+ALTER TABLE "PayoutOrderLog"
+  ALTER COLUMN reason TYPE "PayoutOrderLogReason"
+  USING reason::"PayoutOrderLogReason";
+
+-- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- MemberExitLogType: LEAVE, KICK
+-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+CREATE TYPE "MemberExitLogType" AS ENUM ('LEAVE', 'KICK');
+
+DO $$
+BEGIN
+  IF EXISTS (
+    SELECT 1 FROM "MemberExitLog"
+    WHERE type NOT IN ('LEAVE', 'KICK')
+  ) THEN
+    RAISE EXCEPTION 'MemberExitLog.type contains values outside the MemberExitLogType enum';
+  END IF;
+END $$;
+
+ALTER TABLE "MemberExitLog"
+  ALTER COLUMN type TYPE "MemberExitLogType"
+  USING type::"MemberExitLogType";
+
+-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- SecretAccessLogOperation: SEND, CONTRIBUTE, TRUSTLINE, KEY_ROTATION
+-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+CREATE TYPE "SecretAccessLogOperation" AS ENUM ('SEND', 'CONTRIBUTE', 'TRUSTLINE', 'KEY_ROTATION');
+
+DO $$
+BEGIN
+  IF EXISTS (
+    SELECT 1 FROM "SecretAccessLog"
+    WHERE operation NOT IN ('SEND', 'CONTRIBUTE', 'TRUSTLINE', 'KEY_ROTATION')
+  ) THEN
+    RAISE EXCEPTION 'SecretAccessLog.operation contains values outside the SecretAccessLogOperation enum';
+  END IF;
+END $$;}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/prisma/schema.prisma b/prisma/schema.prisma
index ca46c2b..96a75b7 100644
--- a/prisma/schema.prisma
+++ b/prisma/schema.prisma
@@ -35,6 +35,33 @@ enum DeploymentStatus {
   FAILED
 }
 
+enum ContributionStatus {
+  PENDING
+  COMPLETED
+  FAILED
+}
+
+enum PayoutStatus {
+  COMPLETED
+}
+
+enum PayoutOrderReason {
+  REORDER
+  SKIP_DEFAULT
+}
+
+enum SecretAccessOperation {
+  SEND
+  CONTRIBUTE
+  TRUSTLINE
+  KEY_ROTATION
+}
+
+enum MemberExitType {
+  LEAVE
+  KICK
+}
+
 model SavingsGroup {
   id                     String           @id @default(uuid())
   name                   String
@@ -89,7 +116,7 @@ model Contribution {
   groupId         String
   amount          Decimal
   transactionHash String?
-  status          String   @default("PENDING") // PENDING, COMPLETED, FAILED
+  status          ContributionStatus @default(PENDING)
   createdAt       DateTime @default(now())
 
   @@index([userId])
@@ -104,7 +131,7 @@ model Payout {
   amount          Decimal
   transactionHash String
   cycleNumber     Int
-  status          String       @default("COMPLETED")
+  status          PayoutStatus @default(COMPLETED)
   createdAt       DateTime     @default(now())
 
   @@index([groupId])
@@ -118,7 +145,7 @@ model PayoutOrderLog {
   changedBy     String
   previousOrder Json?
   newOrder      Json
-  reason        String       @default("REORDER") // e.g., "REORDER", "SKIP_DEFAULT"
+  reason        PayoutOrderReason @default(REORDER)
   createdAt     DateTime     @default(now())
 
   @@index([groupId])
@@ -146,7 +173,7 @@ model PaymentRequest {
 model SecretAccessLog {
   id           String   @id @default(uuid())
   userId       String
-  operation    String // "SEND" | "CONTRIBUTE" | "TRUSTLINE" | "KEY_ROTATION"
+  operation    SecretAccessOperation
   success      Boolean
   errorMessage String?
   createdAt    DateTime @default(now())
@@ -187,7 +214,7 @@ model MemberExitLog {
   /// userId of who triggered the exit — the member themselves for LEAVE, the
   /// creator for KICK.
   initiatedBy      String
-  type             String // "LEAVE" | "KICK"
+  type             MemberExitType
   totalContributed Decimal
   totalReceived    Decimal
   /// totalContributed - totalReceived. Positive is refunded to the member;
diff --git a/src/__tests__/payout.service.test.ts b/src/__tests__/payout.service.test.ts
index 14467f0..8397e25 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/payout.service.test.ts
+++ b/src/__tests__/payout.service.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { PrismaClient } from '@prisma/client';
+import { PrismaClient, PayoutOrderLogReason } from '@prisma/client';
 import {
     PayoutService,
     PayoutOrderLockedError,
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ jest.mock('@prisma/client', () => {
         },
         $transaction: jest.fn((ops: any[]) => Promise.resolve(ops)),
     };
-    return { PrismaClient: jest.fn(() => mPrismaClient), Prisma: { Decimal } };
+    return { PrismaClient: jest.fn(() => mPrismaClient), Prisma: { Decimal }, PayoutOrderLogReason: { REORDER: 'REORDER', SKIP_DEFAULT: 'SKIP_DEFAULT' } };
 });
 
 jest.mock('../queue/contribution-scheduler.queue', () => ({
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ describe('PayoutService', () => {
                     changedBy: 'u1',
                     previousOrder: ['u1', 'u2', 'u3'], // default join order since payoutOrder was null
                     newOrder: ['u3', 'u1', 'u2'],
-                    reason: 'REORDER',
+                    reason: PayoutOrderLogReason.REORDER,
                 },
             });
         });
@@ -387,7 +387,7 @@ describe('PayoutService', () => {
                 data: { payoutOrder: ['u1', 'u3', 'u2'] },
             });
             expect(prisma.payoutOrderLog.create).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
-                data: expect.objectContaining({ reason: 'SKIP_DEFAULT', changedBy: 'u1' }),
+                data: expect.objectContaining({ reason: PayoutOrderLogReason.SKIP_DEFAULT, changedBy: 'u1' }),
             });
         });
 
diff --git a/src/services/group-exit.service.ts b/src/services/group-exit.service.ts
index e756805..70d8950 100644
--- a/src/services/group-exit.service.ts
+++ b/src/services/group-exit.service.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import * as StellarSdk from '@stellar/stellar-sdk';
 import { prisma } from '../lib/prisma';
 import { PayoutService } from './payout.service';
+import { MemberExitType } from '@prisma/client';
 import { SorobanService } from './soroban.service';
 import { WhatsAppService } from './whatsapp.service';
 import { removeGroupCycle } from '../queue/contribution-scheduler.queue';
@@ -166,7 +167,7 @@ export class GroupExitService {
                 groupId: group.id,
                 userId: member.userId,
                 initiatedBy,
-                type,
+                type: type as MemberExitType,
                 totalContributed: String(totalContributed),
                 totalReceived: String(totalReceived),
                 netOwed: String(netOwed),
diff --git a/src/services/payout.service.ts b/src/services/payout.service.ts
index 7392b32..7d6c15a 100644
--- a/src/services/payout.service.ts
+++ b/src/services/payout.service.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { PrismaClient, Prisma } from '@prisma/client';
+import { PrismaClient, Prisma, PayoutOrderLogReason, PayoutStatus, ContributionStatus } from '@prisma/client';
 import { WhatsAppService } from './whatsapp.service';
 import { SorobanService } from './soroban.service';
 import { config } from '../config/env';
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ export class PayoutService {
                     changedBy: requesterUserId,
                     previousOrder,
                     newOrder: order,
-                    reason: 'REORDER',
+                    reason: PayoutOrderLogReason.REORDER,
                 },
             }),
         ]);
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ export class PayoutService {
                     changedBy: requesterUserId,
                     previousOrder: currentOrder,
                     newOrder,
-                    reason: 'SKIP_DEFAULT',
+                    reason: PayoutOrderLogReason.SKIP_DEFAULT,
                 },
             }),
         ]);
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ export class PayoutService {
                 amount,
                 transactionHash: hash,
                 cycleNumber,
-                status: 'COMPLETED',
+                status: PayoutStatus.COMPLETED,
             },
         });
 
diff --git a/src/utils/audit-logger.ts b/src/utils/audit-logger.ts
index 6097537..68199eb 100644
--- a/src/utils/audit-logger.ts
+++ b/src/utils/audit-logger.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { prisma } from '../lib/prisma';
+import type { SecretAccessOperation } from '@prisma/client';
 
-export type SecretOperation = 'SEND' | 'CONTRIBUTE' | 'TRUSTLINE' | 'KEY_ROTATION';
+export type SecretOperation = SecretAccessOperation;
 
 export async function logSecretAccess(
     userId: string,
@@ -20,4 +21,4 @@ export async function logSecretAccess(
     } catch (e) {
         console.error('Audit log failed:', e);
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}