diff --git a/app/views/admin/door_codes/_status_legend.html.erb b/app/views/admin/door_codes/_status_legend.html.erb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0379e727
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/views/admin/door_codes/_status_legend.html.erb
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+<div class="container small bg-info">
+  <h4>What door code statuses mean</h4>
+  <dl>
+    <dt>not_in_lock</dt>
+    <dd>code exists in the database, but not in the physical door lock</dd>
+    <dt>in_lock</dt>
+    <dd>code exists in the lock</dd>
+    <dt>formerly_assigned_in_lock</dt>
+    <dd>
+      code used to be assigned to a member, but is no longer assigned;
+      this code exists in the lock (we probably want to remove it!)
+    </dd>
+    <dt>formerly_assigned_not_in_lock</dt>
+    <dd>
+      code used to be assigned to a member, and is not in the lock;
+      we keep it in the database to prevent code reuse
+    </dd>
+    <dt>denylisted</dt>
+    <dd>we don't allow this code to be used</dd>
+  </dl>
+</div>
diff --git a/app/views/admin/door_codes/edit.html.erb b/app/views/admin/door_codes/edit.html.erb
index 14c95286..aecb15ff 100644
--- a/app/views/admin/door_codes/edit.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/admin/door_codes/edit.html.erb
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
 <h1>Edit Door Code</h1>
 
 <%= render partial: 'form', locals: { door_code: door_code} %>
+
+<br/>
+
+<%= render partial: 'status_legend' %>
diff --git a/app/views/admin/door_codes/index.html.erb b/app/views/admin/door_codes/index.html.erb
index 15608b86..b125e1ba 100644
--- a/app/views/admin/door_codes/index.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/admin/door_codes/index.html.erb
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
   There are no door codes in the database yet!
 <% end %>
 
+<%= render partial: 'status_legend' %>
+
 <table class="table table-striped">
   <thead>
     <tr>
diff --git a/app/views/admin/door_codes/new.html.erb b/app/views/admin/door_codes/new.html.erb
index 06898f99..27dbdac3 100644
--- a/app/views/admin/door_codes/new.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/admin/door_codes/new.html.erb
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
 <h1>Add New Door Code</h1>
 
 <%= render partial: 'form', locals: { door_code: door_code} %>
+
+<br/>
+
+<%= render partial: 'status_legend' %>