diff --git a/pydatalab/pydatalab/models/equipment.py b/pydatalab/pydatalab/models/equipment.py
index 83f3edf48..13ffdca16 100644
--- a/pydatalab/pydatalab/models/equipment.py
+++ b/pydatalab/pydatalab/models/equipment.py
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@
 from pydantic import Field
 
 from pydatalab.models.items import Item
+from pydatalab.models.utils import (
+    EquipmentStatus,
+)
 
 
 class Equipment(Item):
@@ -21,3 +24,6 @@ class Equipment(Item):
 
     contact: Optional[str]
     """Contact information for equipment (e.g., email address or phone number)."""
+
+    status: EquipmentStatus = Field(default=EquipmentStatus.WORKING)
+    """The status of the equipment, indicating its current state."""
diff --git a/pydatalab/pydatalab/models/items.py b/pydatalab/pydatalab/models/items.py
index 4195f1ce6..e06cf735f 100644
--- a/pydatalab/pydatalab/models/items.py
+++ b/pydatalab/pydatalab/models/items.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
     IsoformatDateTime,
     PyObjectId,
     Refcode,
+    ItemStatus,
 )
 
 
@@ -45,6 +46,9 @@ class Item(Entry, HasOwner, HasRevisionControl, IsCollectable, HasBlocks, abc.AB
     file_ObjectIds: List[PyObjectId] = Field([])
     """Links to object IDs of files stored within the database."""
 
+    status: ItemStatus = Field(default=ItemStatus.PLANNED)
+    """The status of the item, indicating its current state."""
+
     @validator("refcode", pre=True, always=True)
     def refcode_validator(cls, v):
         """Generate a refcode if not provided."""
@@ -54,6 +58,7 @@ def refcode_validator(cls, v):
             id = None
             prefix, id = v.split(":")
             if prefix is None or id is None:
-                raise ValueError(f"refcode missing prefix or ID {id=}, {prefix=} from {v=}")
+                raise ValueError(
+                    f"refcode missing prefix or ID {id=}, {prefix=} from {v=}")
 
         return v
diff --git a/pydatalab/pydatalab/models/utils.py b/pydatalab/pydatalab/models/utils.py
index 9755a8925..bb71d7381 100644
--- a/pydatalab/pydatalab/models/utils.py
+++ b/pydatalab/pydatalab/models/utils.py
@@ -25,6 +25,25 @@ class ItemType(str, Enum):
     STARTING_MATERIALS = "starting_materials"
 
 
+class ItemStatus(str, Enum):
+    """An enumeration of the status of items"""
+
+    PLANNED = "planned"
+    ACTIVE = "active"
+    COMPLETED = "completed"
+    FAILED = "failed"
+
+
+class EquipmentStatus(str, Enum):
+    """An enumeration of the status of equipments"""
+
+    WORKING = "working"
+    BROKEN = "broken"
+    BEING_FIXED = "being_fixed"
+    DEFUNCT = "defunct"
+    NOT_BEING_FIXED = "not_being_fixed"
+
+
 class KnownType(str, Enum):
     """An enumeration of the types of entry known by this implementation, should be made dynamic in the future."""
 
@@ -106,7 +125,8 @@ def __get_validators__(self):
     def validate(self, v):
         q = self.Q(v)
         if not q.check(self._dimensions):
-            raise ValueError("Value {v} must have dimensions of mass, not {v.dimensions}")
+            raise ValueError(
+                "Value {v} must have dimensions of mass, not {v.dimensions}")
         return q
 
     @classmethod