diff --git a/src/API.ts b/src/API.ts
index 0d83b08..f80881a 100644
--- a/src/API.ts
+++ b/src/API.ts
@@ -66,7 +66,18 @@ export function registerRoutes(server: FastifyInstance<Server, IncomingMessage,
    * CZ adds AZ's join reqeuest to cycle zero and sets AZ as cycleRecipient
    */
   type NodeListRequest = FastifyRequest<{
-    Body: P2P.FirstNodeInfo & Crypto.SignedMessage
+    Body: {
+      joinRequest: {
+        appJoinData: {
+          shardeumVersion: string
+          minVersion: string
+          activeVersion: string
+          latestVersion: string
+          operatorCLIVersion: string
+          operatorGUIVersion: string
+        }
+      } & P2P.FirstNodeInfo
+    } & Crypto.SignedMessage
   }>
 
   server.get('/myip', function (request, reply) {
@@ -77,18 +88,23 @@ export function registerRoutes(server: FastifyInstance<Server, IncomingMessage,
   server.post('/nodelist', (request: NodeListRequest, reply) => {
     profilerInstance.profileSectionStart('POST_nodelist')
     nestedCountersInstance.countEvent('consensor', 'POST_nodelist', 1)
-    const signedFirstNodeInfo = request.body
+    const requestBody = request.body
+    // eslint-disable-next-line no-constant-condition
+    if(config.VERBOSE) {
+      Logger.mainLogger.debug('POST /nodelist requestBody:', requestBody)
+    }
 
     if (State.isFirst && NodeList.isEmpty() && !NodeList.foundFirstNode) {
       try {
-        const isSignatureValid = Crypto.verify(signedFirstNodeInfo)
+        const isSignatureValid = Crypto.verify(requestBody)
         if (!isSignatureValid) {
-          Logger.mainLogger.error('Invalid signature', signedFirstNodeInfo)
+          Logger.mainLogger.error('Invalid signature', requestBody)
           reply.send({ success: false, error: 'Invalid signature' })
           return
         }
       } catch (e) {
         Logger.mainLogger.error(e)
+        Logger.mainLogger.error('Signature verification failed', requestBody)
         reply.send({ success: false, error: 'Signature verification failed' })
         return
       }
@@ -98,9 +114,13 @@ export function registerRoutes(server: FastifyInstance<Server, IncomingMessage,
         return
       }
       NodeList.toggleFirstNode()
-      const ip = signedFirstNodeInfo.nodeInfo.externalIp
-      const port = signedFirstNodeInfo.nodeInfo.externalPort
-      const publicKey = signedFirstNodeInfo.nodeInfo.publicKey
+
+      const signedFirstNodeInfo = requestBody.joinRequest.nodeInfo
+      const appJoinData = requestBody.joinRequest.appJoinData
+
+      const ip = signedFirstNodeInfo.externalIp
+      const port = signedFirstNodeInfo.externalPort
+      const publicKey = signedFirstNodeInfo.publicKey
 
       const firstNode: NodeList.ConsensusNodeInfo = {
         ip,
@@ -108,6 +128,37 @@ export function registerRoutes(server: FastifyInstance<Server, IncomingMessage,
         publicKey,
       }
 
+      // eslint-disable-next-line no-constant-condition
+      if (config.VERBOSE) {
+        Logger.mainLogger.debug('POST /nodelist firstNode:', firstNode)
+        Logger.mainLogger.debug('POST /nodelist appJoinData:', appJoinData)
+      }
+      
+
+      const networkAccount: AccountDB.AccountsCopy | string = getGlobalNetworkAccount(false)
+      Logger.mainLogger.debug('networkAccount', networkAccount)
+
+      if (networkAccount) {
+        if (
+          typeof networkAccount != 'string' &&
+          !NodeList.isValidVersion(
+            networkAccount?.data?.current?.minVersion,
+            networkAccount?.data?.current?.latestVersion,
+            appJoinData.shardeumVersion
+          )
+        ) {
+          Logger.mainLogger.debug(
+            `Invalid version of the node: ${appJoinData.shardeumVersion}, required minVersion: ${networkAccount?.data?.current?.minVersion}, required latestVersion: ${networkAccount?.data?.current?.latestVersion}`
+          )
+          reply.send({ success: false, error: 'Invalid version' })
+          return
+        } else {
+          Logger.mainLogger.debug('POST /nodelist network account is a string or version is valid: ', typeof networkAccount)
+        }
+      } else {
+        Logger.mainLogger.debug('POST /nodelist network account does not exist')
+      }
+
       Data.initSocketClient(firstNode)
 
       // Add first node to NodeList
diff --git a/src/GlobalAccount.ts b/src/GlobalAccount.ts
index fa1625b..04795c2 100644
--- a/src/GlobalAccount.ts
+++ b/src/GlobalAccount.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ export interface GlobalAccountsHashAndTimestamp {
 export const globalAccountsMap = new Map<string, GlobalAccountsHashAndTimestamp>()
 const appliedConfigChanges = new Set<string>()
 
-export function getGlobalNetworkAccount(hash: boolean): object | string {
+export function getGlobalNetworkAccount(hash: boolean): AccountDB.AccountsCopy | string {
   if (hash) {
     return cachedGlobalNetworkAccountHash
   }
diff --git a/src/NodeList.ts b/src/NodeList.ts
index d64719b..b616218 100644
--- a/src/NodeList.ts
+++ b/src/NodeList.ts
@@ -416,3 +416,35 @@ export function toggleFirstNode(): void {
   foundFirstNode = !foundFirstNode
   Logger.mainLogger.debug('foundFirstNode', foundFirstNode)
 }
+
+export function isEqualOrNewerVersion(minimumVersion: string, nodeVersion: string): boolean {
+  if (minimumVersion === nodeVersion) {
+    return true
+  }
+
+  const minVerParts = minimumVersion.split('.')
+  const nodeVerParts = nodeVersion.split('.')
+
+  /* eslint-disable security/detect-object-injection */
+  for (let i = 0; i < nodeVerParts.length; i++) {
+    const nodeV = ~~nodeVerParts[i] // parse int
+    const minV = ~~minVerParts[i] // parse int
+    if (nodeV > minV) return true
+    if (nodeV < minV) return false
+  }
+  /* eslint-enable security/detect-object-injection */
+  return false
+}
+
+export function isEqualOrOlderVersion(maximumVersion: string, nodeVersion: string): boolean {
+  return isEqualOrNewerVersion(nodeVersion, maximumVersion)
+}
+
+export function isValidVersion(minimumVersion: string, latestVersion: string, nodeVersion: string): boolean {
+  if(config.VERBOSE) Logger.mainLogger.debug('isValidVersion: ', minimumVersion, latestVersion, nodeVersion)
+  
+  const equalOrNewer = isEqualOrNewerVersion(minimumVersion, nodeVersion)
+  const equalOrOlder = isEqualOrOlderVersion(latestVersion, nodeVersion)
+
+  return equalOrNewer && equalOrOlder
+}