diff --git a/atst/domain/requests.py b/atst/domain/requests.py
index 5c04d3c7..f9e83fe3 100644
--- a/atst/domain/requests.py
+++ b/atst/domain/requests.py
@@ -26,6 +26,12 @@ def deep_merge(source, destination: dict):
     return _deep_merge(source, dict(destination))
 
 
+class RequestStatuses(object):
+    @classmethod
+    def new(cls, status_name):
+        return RequestStatusEvent(new_status=status_name)
+
+
 class Requests(object):
     AUTO_APPROVE_THRESHOLD = 1000000
 
@@ -33,8 +39,7 @@ class Requests(object):
     def create(cls, creator_id, body):
         request = Request(creator=creator_id, body=body)
 
-        status_event = RequestStatusEvent(new_status="incomplete")
-        request.status_events.append(status_event)
+        request.status_events.append(RequestStatuses.new("started"))
 
         db.session.add(request)
         db.session.commit()
@@ -74,10 +79,12 @@ class Requests(object):
 
     @classmethod
     def submit(cls, request):
-        request.status_events.append(RequestStatusEvent(new_status="submitted"))
-
         if Requests.should_auto_approve(request):
-            request.status_events.append(RequestStatusEvent(new_status="approved"))
+            request.status_events.append(
+                RequestStatuses.new("pending_financial_verification")
+            )
+        else:
+            request.status_events.append(RequestStatuses.new("pending_ccpo_approval"))
 
         db.session.add(request)
         db.session.commit()
@@ -100,11 +107,6 @@ class Requests(object):
 
         request.body = deep_merge(request_delta, request.body)
 
-        if Requests.should_allow_submission(request):
-            request.status_events.append(
-                RequestStatusEvent(new_status="pending_submission")
-            )
-
         # Without this, sqlalchemy won't notice the change to request.body,
         # since it doesn't track dictionary mutations by default.
         flag_modified(request, "body")
diff --git a/tests/domain/test_requests.py b/tests/domain/test_requests.py
index 0597714a..14c4127e 100644
--- a/tests/domain/test_requests.py
+++ b/tests/domain/test_requests.py
@@ -23,22 +23,27 @@ def test_nonexistent_request_raises():
         Requests.get(uuid4())
 
 
+def test_new_request_has_started_status():
+    request = Requests.create(uuid4(), {})
+    assert request.status == "started"
+
+
 def test_auto_approve_less_than_1m(new_request):
     new_request.body = {"details_of_use": {"dollar_value": 999999}}
     request = Requests.submit(new_request)
 
-    assert request.status == 'approved'
+    assert request.status == "pending_financial_verification"
 
 
 def test_dont_auto_approve_if_dollar_value_is_1m_or_above(new_request):
     new_request.body = {"details_of_use": {"dollar_value": 1000000}}
     request = Requests.submit(new_request)
 
-    assert request.status == 'submitted'
+    assert request.status == "pending_ccpo_approval"
 
 
 def test_dont_auto_approve_if_no_dollar_value_specified(new_request):
     new_request.body = {"details_of_use": {}}
     request = Requests.submit(new_request)
 
-    assert request.status == 'submitted'
+    assert request.status == "pending_ccpo_approval"
diff --git a/tests/models/__init__.py b/tests/models/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/tests/models/test_requests.py b/tests/models/test_requests.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..245c587e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/models/test_requests.py
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+from tests.factories import RequestFactory
+
+
+def test_started_request_requires_mo_action():
+    request = RequestFactory.create()