Ballistic-Resistant Body Armor

The National Institute of Justice Compliance Testing Program (NIJ CTP) administers a product conformity assessment system for ballistic-resistant body armor to determine a specific armor model’s compliance This involves initial type testing and evaluation of a specific model design combined with surveillance activities (i.e., follow-up inspection and testing, or FIT) of production armor.

Because ballistic-resistant armor performance testing is destructive in nature, it is not possible to test each armor before it is supplied to an end user. Therefore, end users gain confidence from surveillance of manufacturing activities that verifies production armor models are manufactured consistently with the samples provided for initial type testing and evaluation.

The NIJ CTP documents rules that it applies for carrying out product certification activities in the NIJ CTP Product Conformity Assessment System. This system contains general requirements that apply to all products in a top-level document (100-1) and detailed requirements for specific product categories in subordinate scheme documents (for the 0101.07 CTP, Document 101-07).

NIJ CTP Stakeholders (prospective Applicants/Participants, NIJ-approved test laboratories, and Inspection Bodies) are required to completely review Document 100-1 and any applicable subordinate scheme document in the scope of their participation. Questions regarding the Product Conformity Assessment System Documents may be directed to the NIJ CTP by email at bactp@nijctp.org.

As of October 2024, the NIJ CTP evaluates ballistic-resistant body armor in accordance with NIJ Standard 0101.07. For more information about the 0101.07 CTP, see this page.

The previous CTP, which evaluated armor models in accordance with NIJ Standard-0101.06, has ended. Please see the Phase-Out of NIJ Standard 0101.06 CTP information page for more details.

The only ballistic-resistant product that NIJ certifies is law enforcement body armor that meet the requirements of NIJ’s Compliance Testing Program (CTP), which are then listed on NIJ’s Compliant Products List (CPL). The NIJ CTP has never tested nor certified other types of ballistic items, such as backpacks, blankets, or briefcases. Any statements, marketing literature, or information presented on their respective websites by product manufacturers that claims NIJ testing or certification for such products is false. For more information, please refer to the following US Department of Justice statement.

Initial Type Testing

An applicant (i.e., body armor manufacturer) that registers with the NIJ CTP submits an application package through the NIJ CTP Testing Information Management System for each model they wish to have tested. Once the NIJ CTP reviews and accepts the application package, the applicant submits samples for testing to one of the NIJ-approved independent test laboratories. Each applicant selects, and directly negotiates and pays for testing services to, the NIJ-approved laboratory of their choice.

After completion of the laboratory testing process, a selection of the tested samples is sent to the NIJ CTP, which conducts their own review of the laboratory’s test report and tested samples to verify the test was performed correctly. The NIJ CTP also maintains tested samples for each model in a secure facility for future comparison and analysis as part of ongoing surveillance activities or in response to requests for assistance from criminal justice agencies.

After successfully meeting all NIJ CTP requirements, the NIJ CTP will present information about the model and a recommendation to NIJ about whether to approve the model. If NIJ approves the model, the applicant will receive an NIJ Notice of Compliance for the model and it is added to the Compliant Product List (CPL). Once an applicant receives the Notice of Compliance and the model is added to the CPL, the applicant can begin producing the model and place the NIJ mark on the label of units sold to criminal justice agencies.

To maintain a model’s compliance status, the applicant agrees to participate in ongoing product surveillance FIT. Learn more about the FIT process below.

For further information or assistance, please contact the NIJ CTP at 919.485.2717 or bactp@nijctp.org.

Follow-Up Inspection and Testing (FIT)

The NIJ CTP conducts third-party conformity assessment, closely aligned with ISO/IEC 17065. Using the processes established in NIJ CTP Scheme documents, the NIJ CTP evaluates specific types of equipment manufactured by commercial entities and used by criminal justice agencies against the minimum performance requirements of NIJ Standards.

To give practitioners additional confidence in the actual products they use, the NIJ CTP has implemented surveillance of manufacturers through Follow-up Inspection and Testing (FIT) activities. The NIJ CTP operates these activities, which relies on the concept that fielded products constructed in the same way as those products inspected and tested by the NIJ CTP should perform similarly.

Implementing this method requires a thorough record of the design and construction of the product samples that the NIJ CTP has inspected and tested. Subsequent periodic product inspections are then able to verify whether the manufacturer continues to construct the product in the same way.

For ballistic-resistant body armor, the FIT program is governed by the procedures set forth in NIJ CTP Document 101-07. An independent third-party Inspection Body selected by the NIJ CTP performs ongoing inspections at all manufacturing locations (identified by the NIJ CTP Participant in the application process) of models currently listed on the NIJ Consumer Product List (CPL). As part of these random, unannounced inspections, inspectors verify the manufacturer’s material traceability records, then select armor samples for testing and inspection by the NIJ CTP. After an abbreviated series of tests conducted at an NIJ-approved test laboratory, the NIJ CTP inspects the samples that were used during the initial evaluation to verify the construction matches the records.

If test or inspection results suggest variations from the original construction, the NIJ CTP investigates to determine if additional actions are needed. This may include issuing an NIJ Advisory or Safety Notice, testing and inspecting additional samples, and making production stops and/or possible recalls.

The ballistic-resistant body armor FIT program also uses management system audits to BA 9000 (ISO 9001 dependent) to provide additional confidence that armor is produced consistently. Learn more about BA 9000 here.