diff --git a/client/coral-framework/actions/auth.js b/client/coral-framework/actions/auth.js
index 896fb9aab..e25eb4174 100644
--- a/client/coral-framework/actions/auth.js
+++ b/client/coral-framework/actions/auth.js
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ export const fetchSignIn = (formData) => dispatch => {
 // Sign In - Facebook
 
 const signInFacebookRequest = () => ({type: actions.FETCH_SIGNIN_FACEBOOK_REQUEST});
-const signInFacebookSuccess = (user) => ({type: actions.FETCH_SIGNIN_FACEBOOK_SUCCESS, user});
-const signInFacebookFailure = (error) => ({type: actions.FETCH_SIGNIN_FACEBOOK_FAILURE, error});
+const signInFacebookSuccess = user => ({type: actions.FETCH_SIGNIN_FACEBOOK_SUCCESS, user});
+const signInFacebookFailure = error => ({type: actions.FETCH_SIGNIN_FACEBOOK_FAILURE, error});
 
 export const fetchSignInFacebook = () => dispatch => {
   dispatch(signInFacebookRequest());
@@ -58,15 +58,15 @@ export const facebookCallback = (err, data) => dispatch => {
 // Sign Up Actions
 
 const signUpRequest = () => ({type: actions.FETCH_SIGNUP_REQUEST});
-const signUpSuccess = () => ({type: actions.FETCH_SIGNUP_SUCCESS});
-const signUpFailure = () => ({type: actions.FETCH_SIGNUP_FAILURE});
+const signUpSuccess = user => ({type: actions.FETCH_SIGNUP_SUCCESS, user});
+const signUpFailure = error => ({type: actions.FETCH_SIGNUP_FAILURE, error});
 
-export const fetchSignUp = () => dispatch => {
+export const fetchSignUp = formData => dispatch => {
   dispatch(signUpRequest());
-  fetch(`${base}/auth`, getInit('POST'))
+  fetch(`${base}/user`, getInit('POST', formData))
     .then(handleResp)
-    .then(() => dispatch(signUpSuccess()))
-    .catch(error => dispatch(signUpFailure(error)));
+    .then(({user}) => signUpSuccess(user))
+    .catch((error) => signUpFailure(error));
 };
 
 // Forgot Password Actions
@@ -97,3 +97,27 @@ export const logout = () => dispatch => {
     .catch(error => dispatch(logOutFailure(error)));
 };
 
+// Availability Checks Actions
+
+const availabilityRequest = () => ({type: actions.FETCH_AVAILABILITY_REQUEST});
+const availabilitySuccess = () => ({type: actions.FETCH_AVAILABILITY_SUCCESS});
+const availabilityFailure = () => ({type: actions.FETCH_AVAILABILITY_FAILURE});
+
+const availableField = field => ({type: actions.AVAILABLE_FIELD, field});
+const unavailableField = field => ({type: actions.UNAVAILABLE_FIELD, field});
+
+export const fetchCheckAvailability = formData => dispatch => {
+  dispatch(availabilityRequest());
+  fetch(`${base}/user/availability`, getInit('POST', formData))
+    .then(handleResp)
+    .then(({status}) => {
+      const [field] = Object.keys(formData);
+      dispatch(availabilitySuccess());
+      if (status === 'available') {
+        return dispatch(availableField(field));
+      }
+      return dispatch(unavailableField(field));
+    })
+    .catch((error) => availabilityFailure(error));
+};
+
diff --git a/client/coral-framework/constants/auth.js b/client/coral-framework/constants/auth.js
index 06558d513..5c0135f58 100644
--- a/client/coral-framework/constants/auth.js
+++ b/client/coral-framework/constants/auth.js
@@ -23,3 +23,10 @@ export const FETCH_FORGOT_PASSWORD_FAILURE = 'FETCH_FORGOT_PASSWORD_FAILURE';
 export const LOGOUT_REQUEST = 'LOGOUT_REQUEST';
 export const LOGOUT_SUCCESS = 'LOGOUT_SUCCESS';
 export const LOGOUT_FAILURE = 'LOGOUT_FAILURE';
+
+export const FETCH_AVAILABILITY_REQUEST = 'FETCH_AVAILABILITY_REQUEST';
+export const FETCH_AVAILABILITY_SUCCESS = 'FETCH_AVAILABILITY_SUCCESS';
+export const FETCH_AVAILABILITY_FAILURE = 'FETCH_AVAILABILITY_FAILURE';
+
+export const AVAILABLE_FIELD = 'AVAILABLE_FIELD';
+export const UNAVAILABLE_FIELD = 'UNAVAILABLE_FIELD';
diff --git a/client/coral-framework/helpers/response.js b/client/coral-framework/helpers/response.js
index bccfc5a04..a18bd155f 100644
--- a/client/coral-framework/helpers/response.js
+++ b/client/coral-framework/helpers/response.js
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ export const getInit = (method, body) => {
 export const handleResp = res => {
   if (res.status === 401) {
     throw new Error('Not Authorized to make this request');
+  } else if (res.status === 500) {
+    throw new Error(res.json());
   } else if (res.status > 399) {
     throw new Error('Error! Status ', res.status);
   } else if (res.status === 204) {
diff --git a/client/coral-framework/reducers/auth.js b/client/coral-framework/reducers/auth.js
index 001c98346..10ac121e7 100644
--- a/client/coral-framework/reducers/auth.js
+++ b/client/coral-framework/reducers/auth.js
@@ -10,21 +10,24 @@ import {
   FETCH_SIGNIN_SUCCESS,
   FETCH_SIGNIN_FACEBOOK_SUCCESS,
   FETCH_SIGNIN_FACEBOOK_FAILURE,
-  LOGOUT_SUCCESS
+  LOGOUT_SUCCESS,
+  FETCH_SIGNUP_FAILURE,
+  AVAILABLE_FIELD,
+  UNAVAILABLE_FIELD
 } from '../constants/auth';
 
 const initialState = Map({
-  auth: Map(),
   isLoading: false,
   loggedIn: false,
   user: null,
   showSignInDialog: false,
   view: 'SIGNIN',
-  signInError: ''
+  signInError: '',
+  signUpError: '',
+  emailAvailable: true,
+  displayNameAvailable: true,
 });
 
-export const getEmail = state => state.auth.formData.email;
-
 export default function auth (state = initialState, action) {
   switch (action.type) {
   case SHOW_SIGNIN_DIALOG :
@@ -60,10 +63,20 @@ export default function auth (state = initialState, action) {
     return state
       .set('error', action.error)
       .set('user', null);
+  case FETCH_SIGNUP_FAILURE:
+    console.log(action);
+    return state
+      .set('signUpError', action.error);
   case LOGOUT_SUCCESS:
     return state
       .set('loggedIn', false)
       .set('user', null);
+  case AVAILABLE_FIELD:
+    return state
+      .set(`${action.field}Available`, true);
+  case UNAVAILABLE_FIELD:
+    return state
+      .set(`${action.field}Available`, false);
   default :
     return state;
   }
diff --git a/client/coral-sign-in/components/SignInContent.js b/client/coral-sign-in/components/SignInContent.js
index aa3b712fa..2e22c0696 100644
--- a/client/coral-sign-in/components/SignInContent.js
+++ b/client/coral-sign-in/components/SignInContent.js
@@ -1,11 +1,9 @@
 import React from 'react';
-import styles from './styles.css';
-
 import Button from 'coral-ui/components/Button';
 import FormField from './FormField';
 import Alert from './Alert';
 import Spinner from 'coral-ui/components/Spinner';
-
+import styles from './styles.css';
 import I18n from 'coral-framework/modules/i18n/i18n';
 import translations from '../translations';
 const lang = new I18n(translations);
@@ -27,7 +25,7 @@ const SignInContent = ({handleChange, formData, ...props}) => (
         {lang.t('signIn.or')}
       </h1>
     </div>
-    { props.signInError && <Alert>{props.signInError}</Alert> }
+    { props.auth.signInError && <Alert>{props.auth.signInError}</Alert> }
     <form onSubmit={props.handleSignIn}>
       <FormField
         id="email"
@@ -44,7 +42,7 @@ const SignInContent = ({handleChange, formData, ...props}) => (
         onChange={handleChange}
       />
       {
-        !props.isLoading ?
+        !props.auth.isLoading ?
         <Button type="submit" cStyle="black" className={styles.signInButton}>
           {lang.t('signIn.signIn')}
         </Button>
diff --git a/client/coral-sign-in/components/SignUpContent.js b/client/coral-sign-in/components/SignUpContent.js
index db005368f..2ae6267dc 100644
--- a/client/coral-sign-in/components/SignUpContent.js
+++ b/client/coral-sign-in/components/SignUpContent.js
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 import React from 'react';
-import styles from './styles.css';
 import FormField from './FormField';
+import Alert from './Alert';
 import Button from 'coral-ui/components/Button';
 import Spinner from 'coral-ui/components/Spinner';
+import styles from './styles.css';
 import I18n from 'coral-framework/modules/i18n/i18n';
 import translations from '../translations';
 const lang = new I18n(translations);
@@ -24,6 +25,7 @@ const SignUpContent = ({handleChange, formData, ...props}) => (
         {lang.t('signIn.or')}
       </h1>
     </div>
+    { props.auth.signUpError && <Alert>{props.auth.signUpError}</Alert> }
     <form onSubmit={props.handleSignUp}>
       <FormField
         id="email"
@@ -34,6 +36,7 @@ const SignUpContent = ({handleChange, formData, ...props}) => (
         errorMsg={props.errors.email}
         onChange={handleChange}
       />
+      { !props.auth.emailAvailable && <Alert>This email is not available.</Alert> }
       <FormField
         id="username"
         type="text"
@@ -43,6 +46,7 @@ const SignUpContent = ({handleChange, formData, ...props}) => (
         errorMsg={props.errors.username}
         onChange={handleChange}
       />
+      { !props.auth.displayNameAvailable && <Alert>This username is not available.</Alert> }
       <FormField
         id="password"
         type="password"
@@ -61,9 +65,8 @@ const SignUpContent = ({handleChange, formData, ...props}) => (
         errorMsg={props.errors.confirmPassword}
         onChange={handleChange}
       />
-
       {
-        !props.isLoading ?
+        !props.auth.isLoading ?
           <Button type="submit" cStyle="black" className={styles.signInButton}>
             {lang.t('signIn.signUp')}
           </Button>
diff --git a/client/coral-sign-in/containers/SignInContainer.js b/client/coral-sign-in/containers/SignInContainer.js
index 1fa3ff053..471c0c166 100644
--- a/client/coral-sign-in/containers/SignInContainer.js
+++ b/client/coral-sign-in/containers/SignInContainer.js
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ import {
   hideSignInDialog,
   fetchSignInFacebook,
   fetchForgotPassword,
-  facebookCallback
+  facebookCallback,
+  fetchCheckAvailability
 } from '../../coral-framework/actions/auth';
 
 class SignInContainer extends Component {
@@ -76,6 +77,13 @@ class SignInContainer extends Component {
         ...state,
         errors
       }));
+
+      // Check Availability
+
+      if (name === 'email' || name === 'displayName') {
+        this.props.checkAvailability({[name]: value});
+      }
+
     }
   }
 
@@ -126,14 +134,11 @@ class SignInContainer extends Component {
           Sign in to comment
         </Button>
         <SignDialog
-          open={auth.get('showSignInDialog')}
-          message={auth.get('message')}
-          view={auth.get('view')}
-          isLoading={auth.get('isLoading')}
+          open={auth.showSignInDialog}
+          view={auth.view}
           showErrors={showErrors}
           formData={formData}
           errors={errors}
-          signInError={auth.get('signInError')}
           {...this}
           {...this.props}
         />
@@ -142,7 +147,9 @@ class SignInContainer extends Component {
   }
 }
 
-const mapStateToProps = ({auth}) => ({auth});
+const mapStateToProps = (state) => ({
+  auth: state.auth.toJS()
+});
 
 const mapDispatchToProps = dispatch => ({
   facebookCallback: (err, data) => dispatch(facebookCallback(err, data)),
@@ -152,7 +159,8 @@ const mapDispatchToProps = dispatch => ({
   fetchForgotPassword: (formData) => dispatch(fetchForgotPassword(formData)),
   showSignInDialog: () => dispatch(showSignInDialog()),
   changeView: (view) => dispatch(changeView(view)),
-  handleClose: () => dispatch(hideSignInDialog())
+  handleClose: () => dispatch(hideSignInDialog()),
+  checkAvailability: (formData) => dispatch(fetchCheckAvailability(formData))
 });
 
 export default connect(
diff --git a/routes/api/user/index.js b/routes/api/user/index.js
index 18872eab7..4b428be33 100644
--- a/routes/api/user/index.js
+++ b/routes/api/user/index.js
@@ -60,4 +60,48 @@ router.get('/', (req, res, next) => {
   .catch(next);
 });
 
+router.post('/', (req, res, next) => {
+  const {email, password, displayName} = req.query;
+
+  User
+    .createLocalUser(email, password, displayName)
+    .then(user => {
+      res.status(201).send(user);
+    })
+    .catch(err => {
+      next(err);
+    });
+});
+
+router.post('/availability', (req, res, next) => {
+  const {email} = req.body;
+
+  if (email) {
+    return User.count({
+      profiles: {
+        $elemMatch: {
+          id: email,
+          provider: 'local'
+        }
+      }
+    })
+    .then(count => {
+      if (count) {
+        res.json({
+          status: 'unavailable'
+        });
+      } else {
+        res.json({
+          status: 'available'
+        });
+      }
+    })
+    .catch(err => {
+      next(err);
+    });
+  }
+
+  return res.status(404).send('Wrong parameters');
+});
+
 module.exports = router;