diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 6ad8896..83a201c 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
     "private": true,
     "version": "0.0.0",
     "scripts": {
-        "dev": "ENV=DEVELOPMENT nodemon -w src/ -x tsx src/app.ts",
+        "dev": "cross-env ENV=DEVELOPMENT nodemon -w src/ -x tsx src/app.ts",
         "start": "ENV=PRODUCTION tsx src/app.ts",
         "lint": "yarn prettier . --write",
         "kill": "kill -9 $(lsof -t -i :3000)",
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
         "@types/morgan": "^1.9.9",
         "@types/node": "^20.9.3",
         "@typescript-eslint/eslint-plugin": "^6.4.0",
+        "cross-env": "^7.0.3",
         "eslint": "8.2.0",
         "eslint-config-airbnb": "19.0.4",
         "eslint-config-prettier": "^9.1.0",
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@
     },
     "dependencies": {
         "@paralleldrive/cuid2": "^2.2.2",
+        "axios": "^1.6.8",
         "body-parser": "^1.20.2",
         "dotenv": "^16.4.5",
         "express": "^4.19.1",
diff --git a/src/app.ts b/src/app.ts
index 2ca610c..d801277 100644
--- a/src/app.ts
+++ b/src/app.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import morgan from "morgan";
 import bodyParser from "body-parser";
 import { Config } from "./config";
 import { connectToDatabase } from "./utilities";
-import rateLimit from "express-rate-limit";
+import { rateLimiter } from "./middleware/rateLimiter";
 
 import errorHandler from "./middleware/error-handler";
 
@@ -15,13 +15,8 @@ const app = express();
 // to prevent server-side caching/returning status code 200
 // (we can remove this later)
 app.disable("etag");
-const limiter = rateLimit({
-    windowMs: 15 * 60 * 1000, // 15 minutes
-    limit: 100,
-    message: "Too many requests from this IP at this time, try again later!",
-});
 
-app.use(limiter);
+app.use(rateLimiter);
 
 // To display the logs every time
 app.use("/", morgan("dev"));
diff --git a/src/middleware/rateLimiter.ts b/src/middleware/rateLimiter.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2750fd0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/middleware/rateLimiter.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+import { Request, Response, NextFunction } from "express";
+import rateLimit from "express-rate-limit";
+
+const limiter = rateLimit({
+    windowMs: 15 * 60 * 1000, // 15 minutes
+    max: 10000,
+    message: "Too many requests from this IP at this time, try again later!",
+});
+
+export const rateLimiter = (req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunction) => {
+    if (req.hostname === 'localhost' || req.hostname === '127.0.0.1') {
+        next();
+    } else {
+        limiter(req, res, next);
+    }
+};
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index 37a78ae..34f0d82 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@
   dependencies:
     dotenv "*"
 
-"@types/express-rate-limit@^5.3.0":
+"@types/express-rate-limit@^6.0.0":
   version "6.0.0"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@types/express-rate-limit/-/express-rate-limit-6.0.0.tgz#11a314477895a8a888958f27650ed0d1ddad01b0"
   integrity sha512-nZxo3nwU20EkTl/f2eGdndQkDIJYwkXIX4S3Vrp2jMdSdFJ6AWtIda8gOz0wiMuOFoeH/UUlCAiacz3x3eWNFA==
@@ -581,6 +581,11 @@ ast-types-flow@^0.0.7:
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/ast-types-flow/-/ast-types-flow-0.0.7.tgz"
   integrity sha512-eBvWn1lvIApYMhzQMsu9ciLfkBY499mFZlNqG+/9WR7PVlroQw0vG30cOQQbaKz3sCEc44TAOu2ykzqXSNnwag==
 
+asynckit@^0.4.0:
+  version "0.4.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/asynckit/-/asynckit-0.4.0.tgz"
+  integrity sha512-Oei9OH4tRh0YqU3GxhX79dM/mwVgvbZJaSNaRk+bshkj0S5cfHcgYakreBjrHwatXKbz+IoIdYLxrKim2MjW0Q==
+
 available-typed-arrays@^1.0.7:
   version "1.0.7"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/available-typed-arrays/-/available-typed-arrays-1.0.7.tgz"
@@ -593,6 +598,15 @@ axe-core@^4.3.5:
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/axe-core/-/axe-core-4.9.0.tgz"
   integrity sha512-H5orY+M2Fr56DWmMFpMrq5Ge93qjNdPVqzBv5gWK3aD1OvjBEJlEzxf09z93dGVQeI0LiW+aCMIx1QtShC/zUw==
 
+axios@^1.6.8:
+  version "1.6.8"
+  resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/axios/-/axios-1.6.8.tgz"
+  integrity sha512-v/ZHtJDU39mDpyBoFVkETcd/uNdxrWRrg3bKpOKzXFA6Bvqopts6ALSMU3y6ijYxbw2B+wPrIv46egTzJXCLGQ==
+  dependencies:
+    follow-redirects "^1.15.6"
+    form-data "^4.0.0"
+    proxy-from-env "^1.1.0"
+
 axobject-query@^2.2.0:
   version "2.2.0"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/axobject-query/-/axobject-query-2.2.0.tgz"
@@ -728,6 +742,13 @@ color-name@~1.1.4:
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/color-name/-/color-name-1.1.4.tgz"
   integrity sha512-dOy+3AuW3a2wNbZHIuMZpTcgjGuLU/uBL/ubcZF9OXbDo8ff4O8yVp5Bf0efS8uEoYo5q4Fx7dY9OgQGXgAsQA==
 
+combined-stream@^1.0.8:
+  version "1.0.8"
+  resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/combined-stream/-/combined-stream-1.0.8.tgz"
+  integrity sha512-FQN4MRfuJeHf7cBbBMJFXhKSDq+2kAArBlmRBvcvFE5BB1HZKXtSFASDhdlz9zOYwxh8lDdnvmMOe/+5cdoEdg==
+  dependencies:
+    delayed-stream "~1.0.0"
+
 concat-map@0.0.1:
   version "0.0.1"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/concat-map/-/concat-map-0.0.1.tgz"
@@ -765,7 +786,14 @@ core-js-pure@^3.30.2:
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/core-js-pure/-/core-js-pure-3.36.1.tgz"
   integrity sha512-NXCvHvSVYSrewP0L5OhltzXeWFJLo2AL2TYnj6iLV3Bw8mM62wAQMNgUCRI6EBu6hVVpbCxmOPlxh1Ikw2PfUA==
 
-cross-spawn@^7.0.2:
+cross-env@^7.0.3:
+  version "7.0.3"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/cross-env/-/cross-env-7.0.3.tgz#865264b29677dc015ba8418918965dd232fc54cf"
+  integrity sha512-+/HKd6EgcQCJGh2PSjZuUitQBQynKor4wrFbRg4DtAgS1aWO+gU52xpH7M9ScGgXSYmAVS9bIJ8EzuaGw0oNAw==
+  dependencies:
+    cross-spawn "^7.0.1"
+
+cross-spawn@^7.0.1, cross-spawn@^7.0.2:
   version "7.0.3"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/cross-spawn/-/cross-spawn-7.0.3.tgz"
   integrity sha512-iRDPJKUPVEND7dHPO8rkbOnPpyDygcDFtWjpeWNCgy8WP2rXcxXL8TskReQl6OrB2G7+UJrags1q15Fudc7G6w==
@@ -850,6 +878,11 @@ define-properties@^1.1.3, define-properties@^1.2.0, define-properties@^1.2.1:
     has-property-descriptors "^1.0.0"
     object-keys "^1.1.1"
 
+delayed-stream@~1.0.0:
+  version "1.0.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/delayed-stream/-/delayed-stream-1.0.0.tgz"
+  integrity sha512-ZySD7Nf91aLB0RxL4KGrKHBXl7Eds1DAmEdcoVawXnLD7SDhpNgtuII2aAkg7a7QS41jxPSZ17p4VdGnMHk3MQ==
+
 depd@2.0.0, depd@~2.0.0:
   version "2.0.0"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/depd/-/depd-2.0.0.tgz"
@@ -883,7 +916,7 @@ doctrine@^3.0.0:
 
 dotenv@*, dotenv@^16.4.5:
   version "16.4.5"
-  resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/dotenv/-/dotenv-16.4.5.tgz"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/dotenv/-/dotenv-16.4.5.tgz#cdd3b3b604cb327e286b4762e13502f717cb099f"
   integrity sha512-ZmdL2rui+eB2YwhsWzjInR8LldtZHGDoQ1ugH85ppHKwpUHL7j7rN0Ti9NCnGiQbhaZ11FpR+7ao1dNsmduNUg==
 
 ee-first@1.1.1:
@@ -1312,10 +1345,10 @@ etag@~1.8.1:
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/etag/-/etag-1.8.1.tgz"
   integrity sha512-aIL5Fx7mawVa300al2BnEE4iNvo1qETxLrPI/o05L7z6go7fCw1J6EQmbK4FmJ2AS7kgVF/KEZWufBfdClMcPg==
 
-express-rate-limit@*, express-rate-limit@^7.2.0:
-  version "7.2.0"
-  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/express-rate-limit/-/express-rate-limit-7.2.0.tgz#06ce387dd5388f429cab8263c514fc07bf90a445"
-  integrity sha512-T7nul1t4TNyfZMJ7pKRKkdeVJWa2CqB8NA1P8BwYaoDI5QSBZARv5oMS43J7b7I5P+4asjVXjb7ONuwDKucahg==
+express-rate-limit@*, express-rate-limit@^6.0.0:
+  version "6.11.2"
+  resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/express-rate-limit/-/express-rate-limit-6.11.2.tgz"
+  integrity sha512-a7uwwfNTh1U60ssiIkuLFWHt4hAC5yxlLGU2VP0X4YNlyEDZAqF4tK3GD3NSitVBrCQmQ0++0uOyFOgC2y4DDw==
 
 express@^4.19.1:
   version "4.19.1"
@@ -1433,6 +1466,11 @@ flatted@^3.2.9:
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/flatted/-/flatted-3.3.1.tgz"
   integrity sha512-X8cqMLLie7KsNUDSdzeN8FYK9rEt4Dt67OsG/DNGnYTSDBG4uFAJFBnUeiV+zCVAvwFy56IjM9sH51jVaEhNxw==
 
+follow-redirects@^1.15.6:
+  version "1.15.6"
+  resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/follow-redirects/-/follow-redirects-1.15.6.tgz"
+  integrity sha512-wWN62YITEaOpSK584EZXJafH1AGpO8RVgElfkuXbTOrPX4fIfOyEpW/CsiNd8JdYrAoOvafRTOEnvsO++qCqFA==
+
 for-each@^0.3.3:
   version "0.3.3"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/for-each/-/for-each-0.3.3.tgz"
@@ -1440,6 +1478,15 @@ for-each@^0.3.3:
   dependencies:
     is-callable "^1.1.3"
 
+form-data@^4.0.0:
+  version "4.0.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/form-data/-/form-data-4.0.0.tgz"
+  integrity sha512-ETEklSGi5t0QMZuiXoA/Q6vcnxcLQP5vdugSpuAyi6SVGi2clPPp+xgEhuMaHC+zGgn31Kd235W35f7Hykkaww==
+  dependencies:
+    asynckit "^0.4.0"
+    combined-stream "^1.0.8"
+    mime-types "^2.1.12"
+
 forwarded@0.2.0:
   version "0.2.0"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/forwarded/-/forwarded-0.2.0.tgz"
@@ -1983,7 +2030,7 @@ mime-db@1.52.0:
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/mime-db/-/mime-db-1.52.0.tgz"
   integrity sha512-sPU4uV7dYlvtWJxwwxHD0PuihVNiE7TyAbQ5SWxDCB9mUYvOgroQOwYQQOKPJ8CIbE+1ETVlOoK1UC2nU3gYvg==
 
-mime-types@~2.1.24, mime-types@~2.1.34:
+mime-types@^2.1.12, mime-types@~2.1.24, mime-types@~2.1.34:
   version "2.1.35"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/mime-types/-/mime-types-2.1.35.tgz"
   integrity sha512-ZDY+bPm5zTTF+YpCrAU9nK0UgICYPT0QtT1NZWFv4s++TNkcgVaT0g6+4R2uI4MjQjzysHB1zxuWL50hzaeXiw==
@@ -2306,6 +2353,11 @@ proxy-addr@~2.0.7:
     forwarded "0.2.0"
     ipaddr.js "1.9.1"
 
+proxy-from-env@^1.1.0:
+  version "1.1.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/proxy-from-env/-/proxy-from-env-1.1.0.tgz"
+  integrity sha512-D+zkORCbA9f1tdWRK0RaCR3GPv50cMxcrz4X8k5LTSUD1Dkw47mKJEZQNunItRTkWwgtaUSo1RVFRIG9ZXiFYg==
+
 pstree.remy@^1.1.8:
   version "1.1.8"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/pstree.remy/-/pstree.remy-1.1.8.tgz"