diff --git a/src/main/environment/1097_ci.properties b/src/main/environment/1097_ci.properties
index 514f675d..8a1835aa 100644
--- a/src/main/environment/1097_ci.properties
+++ b/src/main/environment/1097_ci.properties
@@ -34,3 +34,8 @@ elasticsearch.index.beneficiary=@env.ELASTICSEARCH_INDEX_BENEFICIARY@
 # Enable/Disable ES (for gradual rollout)
 elasticsearch.enabled=@env.ELASTICSEARCH_ENABLED@
 
+# Van/local-laptop deployments only. The 1097 service is not a van deployment, so this
+# stays false — but must still be set explicitly, since IdentityService.java (shared with
+# the common_* build) now requires this property with no inline default.
+stoptb.enforce.vanid=false
+
diff --git a/src/main/environment/1097_docker.properties b/src/main/environment/1097_docker.properties
index 88df0354..afe4177c 100644
--- a/src/main/environment/1097_docker.properties
+++ b/src/main/environment/1097_docker.properties
@@ -34,3 +34,8 @@ elasticsearch.index.beneficiary=${ELASTICSEARCH_INDEX_BENEFICIARY}
 # Enable/Disable ES (for gradual rollout)
 elasticsearch.enabled=${ELASTICSEARCH_ENABLED}
 
+# Van/local-laptop deployments only. The 1097 service is not a van deployment, so this
+# stays false — but must still be set explicitly, since IdentityService.java (shared with
+# the common_* build) now requires this property with no inline default.
+stoptb.enforce.vanid=false
+
diff --git a/src/main/environment/1097_example.properties b/src/main/environment/1097_example.properties
index ba2f3211..3e9f808a 100644
--- a/src/main/environment/1097_example.properties
+++ b/src/main/environment/1097_example.properties
@@ -31,3 +31,8 @@ elasticsearch.index.beneficiary=beneficiary_index
 # Enable/Disable ES (for gradual rollout)
 elasticsearch.enabled=true
 
+# Van/local-laptop deployments only. The 1097 service is not a van deployment, so this
+# stays false — but must still be set explicitly, since IdentityService.java (shared with
+# the common_* build) now requires this property with no inline default.
+stoptb.enforce.vanid=false
+
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/iemr/common/identity/service/IdentityService.java b/src/main/java/com/iemr/common/identity/service/IdentityService.java
index 06a921b2..88cb26bb 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/iemr/common/identity/service/IdentityService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/iemr/common/identity/service/IdentityService.java
@@ -169,6 +169,14 @@ private JdbcTemplate getJdbcTemplate() {
     @Value("${elasticsearch.enabled}")
     private boolean esEnabled;
 
+    // Van/local-laptop deployments only — see RmnchDataSyncServiceImpl and FLW-API's
+    // CampConfigService for the same flag. createIdentity() previously had no enforcement
+    // check at all, so a missing vanID here would silently save VanID=NULL instead of failing.
+    // No inline default: every properties file must set this explicitly, so a forgotten
+    // config fails loudly at startup instead of silently running fail-open.
+    @Value("${stoptb.enforce.vanid}")
+    private boolean enforceVanID;
+
     public void getBenAdress() {
         logger.debug("Address count: " + addressRepo.count());
         logger.debug(
@@ -1385,6 +1393,11 @@ private MBeneficiarydetail convertIdentityEditDTOToMBeneficiarydetail(IdentityEd
     public BeneficiaryCreateResp createIdentity(IdentityDTO identity) {
         logger.info("IdentityService.createIdentity - start");
 
+        if (identity.getVanID() == null && enforceVanID) {
+            throw new IllegalStateException(
+                "Camp not configured: vanID missing. Please select van/service point in MMU before registering beneficiary.");
+        }
+
         // Atomically claim the next available ID using SELECT … FOR UPDATE SKIP LOCKED.
         // This is safe across multiple app servers sharing the same database — each server
         // locks and reserves a distinct row, so duplicate BenRegId inserts cannot occur.
@@ -1764,8 +1777,8 @@ private MBeneficiaryImage identityDTOToMBeneficiaryImage(IdentityDTO identity) {
         beneficiaryImage.setCreatedDate(identity.getCreatedDate());
         if (identity.getVanID() != null) {
             beneficiaryImage.setVanID(identity.getVanID());
-        }
-        if (identity.getBenFamilyDTOs() != null) {
+        } else if (identity.getBenFamilyDTOs() != null && !identity.getBenFamilyDTOs().isEmpty()
+                && identity.getBenFamilyDTOs().get(0).getVanID() != null) {
             beneficiaryImage.setVanID(identity.getBenFamilyDTOs().get(0).getVanID());
         }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/iemr/common/identity/service/rmnch/RmnchDataSyncServiceImpl.java b/src/main/java/com/iemr/common/identity/service/rmnch/RmnchDataSyncServiceImpl.java
index aeb3f912..27bc3cbf 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/iemr/common/identity/service/rmnch/RmnchDataSyncServiceImpl.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/iemr/common/identity/service/rmnch/RmnchDataSyncServiceImpl.java
@@ -126,8 +126,9 @@ public class RmnchDataSyncServiceImpl implements RmnchDataSyncService {
 	private String fhirUrl;
 
 	// When true, sync fails loudly if camp is not configured instead of silently
-	// skipping vanID stamping
-	@Value("${stoptb.enforce.vanid:false}")
+	// skipping vanID stamping. No inline default — every properties file must set this
+	// explicitly, so a forgotten config fails loudly at startup instead of running fail-open.
+	@Value("${stoptb.enforce.vanid}")
 	private boolean enforceVanID;
 	@Transactional(propagation = Propagation.REQUIRED, rollbackFor = Exception.class)
 	@Override
@@ -401,6 +402,10 @@ public String syncDataToAmrit(String requestOBJ, String authorization) throws Ex
 									if (hhTimestampMap.containsKey(obj.getHouseoldId()))
 										obj.setGpsTimestamp(new Timestamp(hhTimestampMap.get(obj.getHouseoldId())));
 								}
+								// Set VanID/ParkingPlaceID for both NEW and existing households — this must
+								// stay OUTSIDE the "household already exists" block above (it's regressed
+								// back inside there twice already via merges), otherwise a brand-new
+								// household never gets VanID stamped, breaking van-scoped sync.
 								if (obj.getVanID() == null && vanID != null) {
 									obj.setVanID(vanID);
 									obj.setParkingPlaceID(parkingPlaceID);