diff --git a/client/src/components/Manifest/Handler/Search/HandlerSearchForm.tsx b/client/src/components/Manifest/Handler/Search/HandlerSearchForm.tsx
index fa91327f..ba11fd22 100644
--- a/client/src/components/Manifest/Handler/Search/HandlerSearchForm.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/Manifest/Handler/Search/HandlerSearchForm.tsx
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import {
 import { useSearchParams } from 'react-router-dom';
 import Select from 'react-select';
 import { useGetProfileQuery, useSearchRcrainfoSitesQuery, useSearchRcraSitesQuery } from 'store';
+import { useDebounce } from 'hooks';
 
 interface Props {
   handleClose: () => void;
@@ -37,6 +38,8 @@ export function HandlerSearchForm({
   const { handleSubmit, control } = useForm<searchHandlerForm>();
   const manifestForm = useFormContext<Manifest>();
   const [inputValue, setInputValue] = useState<string>('');
+  const debouncedInputValue = useDebounce(inputValue, 500);
+
   const [selectedHandler, setSelectedHandler] = useState<RcraSite | null>(null);
   const { org } = useGetProfileQuery(undefined, {
     selectFromResult: ({ data }) => {
@@ -47,9 +50,9 @@ export function HandlerSearchForm({
   const { data } = useSearchRcraSitesQuery(
     {
       siteType: handlerType,
-      siteId: inputValue,
+      siteId: debouncedInputValue,
     },
-    { skip }
+    { skip: skip || debouncedInputValue === '' }
   );
   const {
     data: rcrainfoData,
@@ -58,7 +61,7 @@ export function HandlerSearchForm({
   } = useSearchRcrainfoSitesQuery(
     {
       siteType: handlerType,
-      siteId: inputValue,
+      siteId: debouncedInputValue,
     },
     { skip: skip || !org?.rcrainfoIntegrated }
   );
@@ -96,9 +99,9 @@ export function HandlerSearchForm({
   };
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    const inputTooShort = inputValue.length < 5;
+    const inputTooShort = inputValue.length < 2;
     setSkip(inputTooShort);
-  }, [inputValue]);
+  }, [debouncedInputValue]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     const knownSites = data && data.length > 0 ? data : [];
diff --git a/client/src/hooks/index.ts b/client/src/hooks/index.ts
index f502f570..223078c1 100644
--- a/client/src/hooks/index.ts
+++ b/client/src/hooks/index.ts
@@ -2,3 +2,4 @@ export { usePagination } from './usePagination/usePagination';
 export { useProgressTracker } from './useProgressTracker/useProgressTracker';
 export { useTitle } from './useTitle/useTitle';
 export { useUserSiteIds } from './useUserSiteIds/useUserSiteIds';
+export { useDebounce } from './useDebounce/useDebounce';
diff --git a/client/src/hooks/useDebounce/useDebounce.spec.tsx b/client/src/hooks/useDebounce/useDebounce.spec.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0a57535f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/hooks/useDebounce/useDebounce.spec.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+import '@testing-library/jest-dom';
+import { renderHook, act } from '@testing-library/react';
+import { useDebounce } from './useDebounce';
+import { beforeAll, afterAll, afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
+
+describe('useDebounce hook', () => {
+  beforeAll(() => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+  });
+
+  afterAll(() => {
+    vi.clearAllTimers();
+  });
+
+  it('should return the initial value immediately', () => {
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useDebounce('initial', 500));
+    expect(result.current).toBe('initial');
+  });
+
+  it('should update the debounced value after the specified delay', () => {
+    const { result, rerender } = renderHook(({ value, delay }) => useDebounce(value, delay), {
+      initialProps: { value: 'initial', delay: 500 },
+    });
+
+    rerender({ value: 'updated', delay: 500 });
+
+    expect(result.current).toBe('initial');
+
+    act(() => {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(500);
+    });
+
+    expect(result.current).toBe('updated');
+  });
+
+  it('should reset the timer when value changes within the delay period', () => {
+    const { result, rerender } = renderHook(({ value, delay }) => useDebounce(value, delay), {
+      initialProps: { value: 'initial', delay: 500 },
+    });
+
+    rerender({ value: 'updated1', delay: 500 });
+    act(() => {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(300);
+    });
+    rerender({ value: 'updated2', delay: 500 });
+
+    act(() => {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(200);
+    });
+
+    expect(result.current).toBe('initial');
+
+    act(() => {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(300);
+    });
+
+    expect(result.current).toBe('updated2');
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.clearAllTimers();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/client/src/hooks/useDebounce/useDebounce.tsx b/client/src/hooks/useDebounce/useDebounce.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2ccc1d1d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/hooks/useDebounce/useDebounce.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+import { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
+
+export const useDebounce = (value: string, milliSeconds: number) => {
+  const [debouncedValue, setDebouncedValue] = useState(value);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const handler = setTimeout(() => {
+      setDebouncedValue(value);
+    }, milliSeconds);
+
+    return () => {
+      clearTimeout(handler);
+    };
+  }, [value, milliSeconds]);
+
+  return debouncedValue;
+};