diff --git a/packages/api-types/src/responses/goodUserData.yml b/packages/api-types/src/responses/goodUserData.yml
index 9bda709..0a40b1c 100644
--- a/packages/api-types/src/responses/goodUserData.yml
+++ b/packages/api-types/src/responses/goodUserData.yml
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@ data:
           - solves
           - id
           - createdAt
+    perms:
+      type: integer
   required:
     - name
     - division
diff --git a/packages/api-types/src/responses/goodUserSelfData.yml b/packages/api-types/src/responses/goodUserSelfData.yml
index f56eede..d1c2e27 100644
--- a/packages/api-types/src/responses/goodUserSelfData.yml
+++ b/packages/api-types/src/responses/goodUserSelfData.yml
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@ data:
       type: array
       items:
         type: string
+    perms:
+      type: integer
   required:
     - id
     - name
diff --git a/packages/client/src/api/auth.js b/packages/client/src/api/auth.js
index abd3501..3b3a78e 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/api/auth.js
+++ b/packages/client/src/api/auth.js
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ export const login = async ({ teamToken, ctftimeToken }) => {
 
 export const logout = () => {
   localStorage.removeItem('token')
-
+  localStorage.removeItem('userPerms')
   return route('/')
 }
 
@@ -74,7 +74,6 @@ export const register = async ({
   switch (resp.kind) {
     case 'goodRegister':
       localStorage.setItem('token', resp.data.authToken)
-
       return route('/profile')
     case 'goodVerifySent':
       return {
diff --git a/packages/client/src/api/profile.js b/packages/client/src/api/profile.js
index 0607f62..56abe56 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/api/profile.js
+++ b/packages/client/src/api/profile.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { request, handleResponse } from './util'
 
 export const privateProfile = async () => {
   const resp = await request('GET', '/users/me')
-
+  localStorage.setItem('userPerms', resp?.data?.perms || 0)
   return handleResponse({ resp, valid: ['goodUserSelfData'] })
 }
 
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ export const pendingPrivateProfile = async ({ authToken }) => {
       },
     })
   ).json()
-
+  localStorage.setItem('userPerms', data.perms || 0)
   return data
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/client/src/app.js b/packages/client/src/app.js
index 585573e..d599109 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/app.js
+++ b/packages/client/src/app.js
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import AdminChallenges from './routes/admin/challs'
 import { ToastProvider } from './components/toast'
 
 import { navigateRef } from './history-hack'
+import { hasChallsReadPermission } from './util/permissions'
 
 const LoggedOutRedir = <Navigate to='/' />
 const LoggedInRedir = <Navigate to='/profile' />
@@ -61,11 +62,14 @@ function App({ classes }) {
       path: '/challs',
       name: 'Challenges',
     },
-    {
+  ]
+  // Check if the user has admin permissions
+  if (hasChallsReadPermission()) {
+    loggedInPaths.push({
       element: <AdminChallenges />,
       path: '/admin/challs',
-    },
-  ]
+    })
+  }
 
   const allPaths = [
     {
diff --git a/packages/client/src/components/admin/problem.js b/packages/client/src/components/admin/problem.js
index 969c0c5..0e480bb 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/components/admin/problem.js
+++ b/packages/client/src/components/admin/problem.js
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ import {
 import { useToast } from '../../components/toast'
 import { encodeFile } from '../../util'
 
+import { hasChallsWritePermission } from '../../util/permissions'
+
 const DeleteModal = withStyles(
   {
     modalBody: {
@@ -179,6 +181,13 @@ const Problem = ({ classes, problem, update: updateClient }) => {
 
   const handleUpdate = async e => {
     e.preventDefault()
+    if (!hasChallsWritePermission()) {
+      toast({
+        body: 'You do not have permission to update challenges',
+        type: 'error',
+      })
+      return
+    }
 
     const data = await updateChallenge({
       id: problem.id,
@@ -225,6 +234,19 @@ const Problem = ({ classes, problem, update: updateClient }) => {
     action()
   }, [problem, toast, closeDeleteModal])
 
+  const ProblemActions = hasChallsWritePermission() ? (
+    <Fragment>
+      <button className='btn-small btn-info'>Update</button>
+      <button
+        className='btn-small btn-danger'
+        onClick={openDeleteModal}
+        type='button'
+      >
+        Delete
+      </button>
+    </Fragment>
+  ) : null
+
   return (
     <Fragment>
       <div className={`frame ${classes.frame}`}>
@@ -350,16 +372,8 @@ const Problem = ({ classes, problem, update: updateClient }) => {
                 onChange={handleFileUpload}
               />
             </div>
-
             <div className={`form-section ${classes.controls}`}>
-              <button className='btn-small btn-info'>Update</button>
-              <button
-                className='btn-small btn-danger'
-                onClick={openDeleteModal}
-                type='button'
-              >
-                Delete
-              </button>
+              {ProblemActions}
             </div>
           </form>
         </div>
diff --git a/packages/client/src/routes/admin/challs.js b/packages/client/src/routes/admin/challs.js
index 99f5d21..9f6964f 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/routes/admin/challs.js
+++ b/packages/client/src/routes/admin/challs.js
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import withStyles from '../../components/jss'
 import Problem from '../../components/admin/problem'
 
 import { getChallenges } from '../../api/admin/challs'
+import { hasChallsWritePermission } from '../../util/permissions'
 
 const SAMPLE_PROBLEM = {
   name: '',
@@ -26,10 +27,15 @@ const Challenges = ({ classes }) => {
   // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
   const newId = useMemo(() => uuid(), [problems])
 
-  const completeProblems = problems.concat({
-    ...SAMPLE_PROBLEM,
-    id: newId,
-  })
+  // Check if the user has write permissions for challenges
+  // if not, don't show the sample problem
+  const hasChallsWritePerm = hasChallsWritePermission()
+  const completeProblems = hasChallsWritePerm
+    ? problems.concat({
+        ...SAMPLE_PROBLEM,
+        id: newId,
+      })
+    : problems
 
   useEffect(() => {
     document.title = `Admin Challenges | ${config.ctfName}`
@@ -69,6 +75,11 @@ const Challenges = ({ classes }) => {
   return (
     <div className={`row ${classes.row}`}>
       <div className='col-9'>
+        {completeProblems.length === 0 && (
+          <div className='alert alert-info' style={{ textAlign: 'center' }}>
+            <p>No challenges found</p>
+          </div>
+        )}
         {completeProblems.map(problem => {
           return (
             <Problem
diff --git a/packages/client/src/util/permissions.js b/packages/client/src/util/permissions.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7495d3d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/client/src/util/permissions.js
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+export const hasPermission = (userPerms, requiredPerms) => {
+  return (userPerms & requiredPerms) === requiredPerms
+}
+
+export const hasChallsReadPermission = () => {
+  return getStoredPermissions() > 0
+}
+
+export const hasChallsWritePermission = () => {
+  return getStoredPermissions() > 1
+}
+
+export const getStoredPermissions = () => {
+  return parseInt(localStorage.getItem(`userPerms`) || '0', 0)
+}
diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/users/me.ts b/packages/server/src/api/users/me.ts
index 066cbd5..0760699 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/users/me.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/users/me.ts
@@ -18,5 +18,6 @@ export default makeFastifyRoute(usersMeGet, async ({ user, res }) => {
     allowedDivisions,
     id: uuid,
     email: user.email,
+    perms: user.perms,
   })
 })