diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/ca/bc/gov/restapi/results/oracle/endpoint/OpeningSearchEndpoint.java b/backend/src/main/java/ca/bc/gov/restapi/results/oracle/endpoint/OpeningSearchEndpoint.java
index 6c73bd1c..36c955ca 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/ca/bc/gov/restapi/results/oracle/endpoint/OpeningSearchEndpoint.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/ca/bc/gov/restapi/results/oracle/endpoint/OpeningSearchEndpoint.java
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ public PaginatedResult<OpeningSearchResponseDto> openingSearch(
    */
   @GetMapping("/categories")
   public List<CodeDescriptionDto> getOpeningCategories(
-      @RequestParam(value = "includeExpired", required = false)
+      @RequestParam(value = "includeExpired", required = false, defaultValue = "true")
       Boolean includeExpired) {
     boolean addExpired = Boolean.TRUE.equals(includeExpired);
     return openCategoryCodeService.findAllCategories(addExpired);
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ public List<OrgUnitEntity> getOpeningOrgUnits() {
    */
   @GetMapping("/org-units-by-code")
   public List<OrgUnitEntity> getOpeningOrgUnitsByCode(
-      @RequestParam(value = "orgUnitCodes", required = true)
+      @RequestParam(value = "orgUnitCodes")
       String[] codes) {
     return orgUnitService.findAllOrgUnitsByCode(Arrays.asList(codes));
   }
diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/ca/bc/gov/restapi/results/oracle/entity/OpenCategoryCodeEntity.java b/backend/src/main/java/ca/bc/gov/restapi/results/oracle/entity/OpenCategoryCodeEntity.java
index 5e165d51..22616b90 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/ca/bc/gov/restapi/results/oracle/entity/OpenCategoryCodeEntity.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/ca/bc/gov/restapi/results/oracle/entity/OpenCategoryCodeEntity.java
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 import jakarta.persistence.Entity;
 import jakarta.persistence.Id;
 import jakarta.persistence.Table;
+import jakarta.persistence.Transient;
 import java.time.LocalDate;
 import lombok.AllArgsConstructor;
 import lombok.Builder;
@@ -38,4 +39,9 @@ public class OpenCategoryCodeEntity {
 
   @Column(name = "UPDATE_TIMESTAMP", nullable = false)
   private LocalDate updateTimestamp;
+
+  @Transient
+  public boolean isExpired() {
+    return expiryDate != null && LocalDate.now().isAfter(expiryDate);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/ca/bc/gov/restapi/results/oracle/service/OpenCategoryCodeService.java b/backend/src/main/java/ca/bc/gov/restapi/results/oracle/service/OpenCategoryCodeService.java
index 656ad467..6336e8b8 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/ca/bc/gov/restapi/results/oracle/service/OpenCategoryCodeService.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/ca/bc/gov/restapi/results/oracle/service/OpenCategoryCodeService.java
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@
 import org.apache.commons.lang3.BooleanUtils;
 import org.springframework.stereotype.Service;
 
-/** This class contains methods to handle Opening Categories. */
+/**
+ * This class contains methods to handle Opening Categories.
+ */
 @Slf4j
 @Service
 @RequiredArgsConstructor
@@ -38,7 +40,13 @@ public List<CodeDescriptionDto> findAllCategories(boolean includeExpired) {
     );
     return openCategoryCodes
         .stream()
-        .map(entity -> new CodeDescriptionDto(entity.getCode(), entity.getDescription()))
+        .map(entity -> new CodeDescriptionDto(
+                entity.getCode(),
+                entity.isExpired()
+                    ? entity.getDescription() + " (Expired)"
+                    : entity.getDescription()
+            )
+        )
         .toList();
   }
 }