NLECTC Body Armor Safety Initiative

The National Institute of Justice is the research and development agency of the U.S. Department of Justice. NLECTC is a program of NIJ's Office of Science and Technology.

Body Armor Safety Initiative

Testing Laboratories	U.S. Department of Justice Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program

Updated: March 20, 2006

This web site provides a listing of all body armor models that have been tested by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC) and found to comply with the NIJ 2005 Interim Requirements for Bullet-Resistant Body Armor or NIJ Standard-0115.00, Stab Resistance of Personal Body Armor. The manufacturer is responsible for ensuring that all subsequent production units of a tested model are manufactured in the same manner.

Special Note: The 2005 Interim Requirements for Bullet-Resistant Body Armor went into effect on September 26, 2005. Body armor models are being added to the compliance list on an ongoing basis.

Under the 2005 Interim Requirements, manufacturers must declare to NIJ the warranty period for each body armor model. This information is included in the list of compliant armor models. In certain cases, a manufacturer has up to 90 days to declare the warranty period for the armor model and submit a certification with respect to maintenance of ballistic performance over the warranty period. In those cases, the list of compliant models indicates that the warranty period is "not yet declared."

Search the Database

To search the NLECTC body armor database you must first select either the NIJ 2005 Interim Requirements for Bullet-Resistant Body Armor or NIJ Standard-0115.00, Stab Resistance of Personal Body Armor. Next, choose from the drop-down lists the other search criteria you are interested in and click the Begin Search button.

NIJ Standard:

NIJ 2005 Interim Requirements (ballistic) STD-0115.00 (stab)

Ballistic Standards
(NIJ 2005 Interim Requirements)

Threat Level:

Manufacturer Declared Warranty Period:

Stab Standard
(0115.00)

Threat Level:

Protection Class:

Gender:

Manufacturer:

Model Name:

Comprehensive Lists of models compliant with NIJ 2005 Interim Requirements for Bullet-Resistant Body Armor and NIJ Standard-0115.00, Stab Resistance of Personal Body Armor:

Recent developments in the Department of Justice Body Armor Safety Initiative

On November 17, 2003, Attorney General John Ashcroft announced a Body Armor Safety Initiative in response to concerns from the law enforcement community regarding the effectiveness of bullet-resistant armor. The Attorney General directed NIJ to initiate an examination of Zylon®-based bullet-resistant armor (both new and used) and to review the existing program by which bullet-resistant armor is tested.

On August 24, 2005, NIJ released its Third Status Report to the Attorney General on Body Armor Safety Initiative Testing and Activities. The report provides information concerning NIJ's testing of 103 used Zylon®-containing body armor vests provided by law enforcement agencies across the United States. Sixty of these armor vests were penetrated by at least one round during a six-shot test series. Of those that were not penetrated, 91% showed excessive backface deformation, an indicator of the potential blunt trauma experienced by an officer wearing the armor. Only four of the used Zylon®-containing armor vests met all performance criteria expected under the NIJ standard for new body armor (NIJ Standard-0101.04).

In response to these and other findings detailed in the Third Status Report, on August 24, 2005, NIJ issued NIJ Body Armor Standard Advisory Notice #01-2005 concerning poly-p-phenylene benzobisoxazole (commonly known as PBO or Zylon®) and the potential risks associated with its use in body armor. Also in response to NIJ's research findings, on August 24, 2005, NIJ issued new NIJ 2005 Interim Requirements for Bullet-Resistant Body Armor, effective September 26, 2005. The requirements modify and supplement NIJ Standard 0101.04, Ballistic Resistance of Personal Body Armor. NIJ recommends that those who purchase new bullet-resistant body armor select models that comply with the new Interim Requirements.

NIJ Reports on the Body Armor Safety Initiative

August 24, 2005 - Third Status Report to the Attorney General on Body Armor Safety Initiative Testing and Activities
August 24, 2005 - Executive Summary - Third Status Report to the Attorney General on Body Armor Safety Initiative Testing and Activities
December 27, 2004 - Supplement I: Status Report to the Attorney General on Body Armor Safety Initiative Testing and Activities
March 11, 2004 - Status Report to the Attorney General on Body Armor Safety Initiative Testing and Activities

For More Information

For more information, please contact NLECTC at 800-248-2742 (toll free within the continental U.S. only) or at 301-519-5060. Inquiries may be faxed to 301-519-5149, or sent by e-mail to asknlectc@nlectc.org.