diff --git a/src/actions/index.js b/src/actions/index.js
index 9730c21..5306df4 100644
--- a/src/actions/index.js
+++ b/src/actions/index.js
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ export function fetchDomain() {
           );
         }
         dispatch(toggleFetchingDomain());
-        dispatch(setInitialCategories(result.associations));
+        // dispatch(setInitialCategories(result.associations));
         dispatch(setInitialShapes(result.shapes));
         return result;
       })
diff --git a/src/common/utilities.js b/src/common/utilities.js
index 6aefd98..cd7c73d 100644
--- a/src/common/utilities.js
+++ b/src/common/utilities.js
@@ -222,9 +222,7 @@ export function getEventCategories(event, activeCategories) {
  * Takes a filter's path and concatenates it like so: Parent 1/Parent 2/Child
  */
 export function createFilterPathString(filter) {
-  return filter.mode === ASSOCIATION_MODES.FILTER
-    ? filter.filter_paths.join("/")
-    : "";
+  return filter.filter_paths.join("/");
 }
 
 /**
@@ -511,6 +509,11 @@ export function setD3Locale(d3) {
   }
 }
 
+/**
+ * Gets the set of associated styles for a given shape type from the entire set of shapes
+ * @param list shapes - The aggregated set of shapes
+ * @param list activeShapes - The set of active shapes in the app
+ */
 export function mapStyleByShape(shapes, activeShapes) {
   const styledShapes = shapes.map((s) => {
     const { colour, shape, id } = s;
@@ -530,3 +533,40 @@ export function mapStyleByShape(shapes, activeShapes) {
   });
   return styledShapes;
 }
+
+export function mapCategoriesToPaths(categories) {
+  const categoryMap = categories.reduce((acc, cat) => {
+    const type = cat.filter_paths[0];
+    if (!(type in acc)) {
+      acc[type] = [];
+    }
+    acc[type].push(cat);
+    return acc;
+  }, {});
+  return categoryMap;
+}
+
+export function getCategoryIdxs(panelCategories, startingIdx) {
+  let idxCounter = startingIdx;
+  // If there are specified categories from the config, filter out the default value; else, leave the default value
+  const catTypes =
+    panelCategories.length > 1 && panelCategories.includes("default")
+      ? panelCategories.filter((val) => val !== "default")
+      : panelCategories;
+  return catTypes.reduce((set, val) => {
+    set[val] = idxCounter;
+    idxCounter += 1;
+    return set;
+  }, {});
+}
+
+export function getFilterIdx(
+  narrativesExist,
+  categoriesExist,
+  numCategoryPanels
+) {
+  if (narrativesExist && !categoriesExist) return 1;
+  else if (!narrativesExist && categoriesExist) return numCategoryPanels;
+  else if (narrativesExist && categoriesExist) return numCategoryPanels + 1;
+  else return;
+}
diff --git a/src/components/Toolbar.js b/src/components/Toolbar.js
index 30a9d51..c6cdc9a 100644
--- a/src/components/Toolbar.js
+++ b/src/components/Toolbar.js
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@ import {
   getFilterAncestors,
   addToColoringSet,
   removeFromColoringSet,
+  mapCategoriesToPaths,
+  getCategoryIdxs,
+  getFilterIdx,
 } from "../common/utilities.js";
 
 class Toolbar extends React.Component {
@@ -110,21 +113,36 @@ class Toolbar extends React.Component {
   }
 
   renderToolbarCategoriesPanel() {
-    const { panels } = this.props.toolbarCopy;
-    if (this.props.features.USE_CATEGORIES) {
-      return (
-        <TabPanel>
-          <CategoriesListPanel
-            categories={this.props.categories}
-            activeCategories={this.props.activeCategories}
-            onCategoryFilter={this.props.methods.onCategoryFilter}
-            language={this.props.language}
-            title={panels.categories.label}
-            description={panels.categories.description}
-          />
-        </TabPanel>
-      );
-    }
+    const { categories: panelCategories } = this.props.toolbarCopy.panels;
+    const catMap = mapCategoriesToPaths(this.props.categories);
+    console.info(catMap);
+    return (
+      <div>
+        {Object.keys(catMap).map((type) => {
+          const children = catMap[type];
+          return (
+            <TabPanel>
+              <CategoriesListPanel
+                categories={children}
+                activeCategories={this.props.activeCategories}
+                onCategoryFilter={this.props.methods.onCategoryFilter}
+                language={this.props.language}
+                title={
+                  panelCategories[type]
+                    ? panelCategories[type].label
+                    : panelCategories.default.label
+                }
+                description={
+                  panelCategories[type]
+                    ? panelCategories[type].description
+                    : panelCategories.default.description
+                }
+              />
+            </TabPanel>
+          );
+        })}
+      </div>
+    );
   }
 
   renderToolbarFilterPanel() {
@@ -181,6 +199,21 @@ class Toolbar extends React.Component {
     );
   }
 
+  renderToolbarCategoryTabs(idxs) {
+    const { categories: panelCategories } = this.props.toolbarCopy.panels;
+    return (
+      <div>
+        {Object.keys(idxs).map((key) => {
+          return this.renderToolbarTab(
+            idxs[key],
+            panelCategories[key].label,
+            panelCategories[key].icon
+          );
+        })}
+      </div>
+    );
+  }
+
   renderToolbarPanels() {
     const { features, narratives } = this.props;
     const classes =
@@ -230,14 +263,18 @@ class Toolbar extends React.Component {
     const { panels } = toolbarCopy;
 
     const narrativesIdx = 0;
-    const categoriesIdx = narrativesExist ? 1 : 0;
-    const filtersIdx =
-      narrativesExist && features.USE_CATEGORIES
-        ? 2
-        : narrativesExist || features.USE_CATEGORIES
-        ? 1
-        : 0;
+    const categoryIdxs = getCategoryIdxs(
+      Object.keys(panels.categories),
+      narrativesExist ? 1 : 0
+    );
+    const numCategoryPanels = Object.keys(categoryIdxs).length;
+    const filtersIdx = getFilterIdx(
+      narrativesExist,
+      features.USE_CATEGORIES,
+      numCategoryPanels || 0
+    );
     const shapesIdx = filtersIdx + 1;
+
     return (
       <div className="toolbar">
         <div className="toolbar-header" onClick={this.props.methods.onTitle}>
@@ -252,11 +289,7 @@ class Toolbar extends React.Component {
               )
             : null}
           {features.USE_CATEGORIES
-            ? this.renderToolbarTab(
-                categoriesIdx,
-                panels.categories.label,
-                panels.categories.icon
-              )
+            ? this.renderToolbarCategoryTabs(categoryIdxs)
             : null}
           {features.USE_ASSOCIATIONS
             ? this.renderToolbarTab(
diff --git a/src/store/initial.js b/src/store/initial.js
index d0bd782..6361b1d 100644
--- a/src/store/initial.js
+++ b/src/store/initial.js
@@ -112,10 +112,13 @@ const initial = {
     toolbar: {
       panels: {
         categories: {
-          icon: DEFAULT_TAB_ICONS.CATEGORY,
-          label: copy[language].toolbar.categories_label,
-          title: copy[language].toolbar.explore_by_category__title,
-          description: copy[language].toolbar.explore_by_category__description,
+          default: {
+            icon: DEFAULT_TAB_ICONS.CATEGORY,
+            label: copy[language].toolbar.categories_label,
+            title: copy[language].toolbar.explore_by_category__title,
+            description:
+              copy[language].toolbar.explore_by_category__description,
+          },
         },
         filters: {
           icon: DEFAULT_TAB_ICONS.FILTER,
@@ -187,6 +190,7 @@ const initial = {
   },
 
   features: {
+    USE_MULTIPLE_CATEGORIES: false,
     USE_COVER: false,
     USE_ASSOCIATIONS: false,
     USE_SITES: false,