The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) has published the revised NIJ Standard 0101.07, Ballistic Resistant Body Armor and the new NIJ Standard 0123.00, Specification for NIJ Ballistic Protection Levels and Associated Test Threats [see the associated Federal Register Notice here]. The revised NIJ Standard 0101.07 includes improved test methods for armor designed for women, additional test requirements for both soft and hard body armor, and several standardized procedures and test methods published by ASTM International. For more information on NIJ Standard 0101.07, please refer to this page on NIJ.gov. The new NIJ Standard 0123.00 specifies the NIJ ballistic protection levels and associated test threats identified by U.S. law enforcement as representative of current prevalent threats in the United States. This standard should be used in conjunction with other standards to test and evaluate specific ballistic-resistant equipment, such as ballistic-resistant body armor, against contemporary ballistic threats that pose a life-threatening safety hazard to U.S. law enforcement officers. The NIJ CTP will use this standard for testing, evaluation, and certification of ballistic-resistant body armor using NIJ Standard 0101.07 and other types of ballistic-resistant equipment that may be added to the scope of the NIJ CTP’s conformity assessment activities in the future. For more information on NIJ Standard 0123.00, please refer to this page on NIJ.gov.
The publication of NIJ Standards 0101.07 and 0123.00 begins a transition period for the NIJ Compliance Testing Program (NIJ CTP), where the current 0101.06 Ballistic-Resistant Armor CTP will begin to phase out and move to the new 0101.07 Ballistic-Resistant Armor CTP.
November 13, 2024: The National Institute of Justice has released addendums to both NIJ Standard 0101.07, Ballistic Resistance of Body Armor, and NIJ Standard 0123.00, Specification for NIJ Ballistic Protection Levels and Associated Test Threats. Users of NIJ Standard 0101.07 and 0123.00 should incorporate the revisions in these addenda as a part of these NIJ Standards.
NIJ has been regularly engaging with ballistics laboratories since publication in November 2023 as they have put the new NIJ standards into practice, progressing through accreditation and research and development (R&D) testing of body armor. Questions regarding the new NIJ standards have also come from accreditors, body armor manufacturers, and ballistic material manufacturers. The addenda includes several interpretations and clarifications regarding the content of both NIJ Standards 0101.07 and 0123.00 as a result of this stakeholder interaction.
NIJ plans to continue close coordination with ballistics laboratories and other stakeholders during the implementation phase of the new NIJ standards and anticipates publishing additional interpretations and clarifications going forward.
The addenda can be downloaded at the following links on NIJ.gov:
- NIJ Standard 0101.07: https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/equipment-and-technology/ballistic-resistance-body-armor-nij-standard-010107#0-0
- NIJ Standard 0123.00: https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/equipment-and-technology/specification-nij-ballistic-protection-levels-and-associated-test-threats-nij-standard-012300#0-0
Users of these NIJ Standards who have questions on these addenda can contact NIJ CTP staff via email with questions at bactp@nijctp.org.
Workshop on NIJ Standard 0101.07 and 0123.00
NIJ held an in-person workshop on Thursday, February 15, 2024, for body armor manufacturers and NIJ-approved laboratories to discuss implementation of NIJ Standard 0101.07 and NIJ Standard 0123.00 through the NIJ CTP. The presentations from the workshop are available at the links below:
Phase-Out of NIJ Standard 0101.06 CTP
The phase-out of the NIJ Standard 0101.06 CTP started approximately 30 days after publication of the new standard. Key dates to note are as follows:
- The NIJ CTP stopped accepting applications for new body armor models for testing for compliance to NIJ Standard 0101.06 on January 5, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time. Any application received after the deadline will not be processed by the NIJ CTP.
- The last day the Compliance Testing Program (CTP) accepted new or additional listee submissions for armor models currently listed as active on the Compliant Product List (CPL) for NIJ Standard 0101.06 was January 12, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time. After this date, listee submissions will no longer be accepted. If your armor model is currently in the submission, testing, or the CTP review process please ensure all listee information is up to date. Changes or updates to Listee information will not be accepted once the model is approved. If you have questions regarding this process, please email the CTP through at askctp@nijctp.org.
- The final models tested for compliance to NIJ Standard 0101.06 are now completing the post-test process. NIJ CTP Participants will be advised of the final results of this testing, with all 0101.06 models expected to be adjudicated through the compliance testing process by the end of December 2024.
0101.06 Compliant Products List (CPL)
Currently, there are over 400 models of ballistic-resistant body armor listed on NIJ’s CPL for armor compliant with NIJ Standard 0101.06 (“.06 CPL”). New body armor models submitted to the NIJ CTP by the 5 pm Friday, January 5, 2024, deadline that meet program requirements will be added to the .06 CPL; however, no new models of armor will be added to the .06 CPL after these last models submitted are adjudicated through the NIJ CTP process. However, the .06 CPL will remain publicly available online on both the NIJ and CJTTEC websites for several years, as all armor models actively listed on the .06 CPL will be subject to Follow-up Inspection Testing (FIT) for as long as the .06 CPL is published.
The NIJ CTP encourages all NIJ CTP Participants with actively listed models to review their listing of models on the .06 CPL, and request to move any models no longer in production to an “Inactive” status. Models listed on the CPL in an “Inactive” status indicates to the end user that the model complied with the requirements of the .06 standard but is no longer in active production; it also removes the model from the Follow-up Inspection and Testing (FIT) program and listing as an eligible model for BVP funding.
Any armor models listed as “Active” that are moved to “Inactive” status on the .06 CPL will not be reinstated to “Active” status, effective immediately.
Implementation of the 0101.07 Compliance Testing Program (Updated December 6, 2024)
The NIJ Compliance Testing Program (CTP) has introduced a new version of the Testing Information Management System (TIMS). The new TIMS provides a new experience for all NIJ CTP stakeholders, with many updated and enhanced features, including an improved user interface. The new TIMS manages NIJ CTP activities associated with certification of ballistic-resistant body armor to NIJ Standard 0101.07. The NIJ CTP presented a webinar introducing stakeholders to this new system on Tuesday, April 2, 2024. Click here to access the recording of the webinar. The webinar included a live Q&A session with NIJ CTP representatives.
Participants interested in submitting ballistic-resistant body armor models for certification to NIJ Standard 0101.07 have been able to register in the new TIMS since Tuesday, September 3, 2024. Participants are required to complete a new NIJ CTP Participant Agreement in the new TIMS. Once NIJ CTP Participants have established accounts in the new TIMS, completed the new NIJ CTP Participant Agreement, and established authorized users and roles for their organization, they will be able to create new body armor model applications to submit for .07 testing. As of Tuesday, October 1, 2024, the NIJ CTP is now accepting these new .07 body armor model applications in TIMS. The NIJ CTP will begin issuing test IDs for hard armor models the week of December 9, 2024, and anticipates issuing test IDs for soft armor models starting in February 2025. The NIJ CTP is working with the NIJ-approved test laboratories to assess minor changes to the 9mm test threat made by the ammunition manufacturer to ensure suitability for certification testing prior to issuing test IDs for soft armor models. Please monitor this page for updates.
The NIJ CTP anticipates that it will take several months for the first wave of body armor models to be certified to the program requirements associated with NIJ Standard 0101.07. A new Compliant Products List (CPL) for armors compliant with NIJ Standard 0101.07 (“.07 CPL”) will be subsequently published. To ensure that the .07 CPL provides the criminal justice community with a sufficient list of products to select from, the issuance of compliance letters and publication of the .07 CPL will be held until an adequate quantity and selection of compliant models are ready to be listed. The NIJ CTP anticipates publication of the .07 CPL in the spring of 2025. Once the .07 CPL is published, models listed on that .07 CPL will be subject to Follow-up Inspection and Testing (FIT) requirements in accordance with the terms of the NIJ CTP Participant Agreement.
The NIJ CTP will continue to communicate program updates as they become available during this transition.