U.S. Department of Justice 

Office of Justice Programs 

National Institute of Justice 

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE 

BODY ARMOR SELECTION, 

CARE, AND MAINTENANCE 

Firearms continue to be one of the most dangerous 

threats faced by law enforcement offcers in the 

United States. 

 Statistics from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s 

Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted

Program show that from 1987 through 2015, 

more than 70,000 officers have been assaulted by

firearms and more than 1,700 have been feloniously

killed by firearms.

 During the past three decades, however, ballisticresistant body armor has saved the lives of more 

than 3,000 police officers. 

Body armor is critical safety equipment that law 

enforcement and corrections offcers need for 

personal protection. 

 Recent research funded by the National Institute of 

Justice (NIJ) indicates that law enforcement agencies 

with 100 or more officers have increased their use 

of mandatory body armor wear policies, from 58 

percent of agencies in 2007 to 78 percent in 2013. 

Photo Source: ShutterStock ©David Alary, 

©SantiPhotoSS, ©Lilac Mountain, ©Scott Cornell 

 This observed increase in body armor wear by 

the law enforcement community is important, as 

safeguarding officers from harm is critical. 

 A better understanding of the selection, care, and 

maintenance of body armor can ensure that officers 

know how to choose the right body armor for the 

job, how to determine whether body armor fits 

properly, and how to inspect their body armor and 

detect any issues that need attention.

Body armor is a ballistic-resistant vest that is made up 

of a carrier and soft armor panels or hard armor plates. 

 NIJ encourages law enforcement agencies to 

select body armor that their officers will wear and 

that is consistent with their ballistic protection 

requirements.

 Agencies should ensure that each officer knows and 

understands the protection that the armor affords, as 

well as its limitations. 
 

National Institute of Justice |NIJ.ojp.gov 

NIJ certifes models of armor panels and armor plates 

that meet the requirements of the NIJ Compliance 

Testing Program. 

 Models that meet NIJ ballistic-resistance performance

requirements can be found on the Compliant

Products List (CPL) at www.policearmor.org 

(under “Compliant Products—CPL”).

 The model designation is the name or alphanumeric 

code that is used to uniquely identify a particular

model on the CPL.

 NIJ urges agencies to select armor models listed on 

the CPL, as these products have been tested to NIJ 

Standard 0101.06, the current ballistic-resistant 

body armor standard, by accredited third-party 

laboratories designated by NIJ. 

 The products undergo follow-up inspection testing 

as well.

Ballistic-resistant vests may be marketed and sold 

under various recognizable trade names or product 

names that contain different panels or plates in a 

variety of carriers. 

 A carrier may accept a variety of armor panels or 

plates that have NIJ model designations on the CPL; 

however, the label on the armor panel should state 

the NIJ model designation so a user can refer to the 

CPL. 

 Agencies are urged to research vests prior to making 

a purchasing decision to confirm which listed armor 

panels or armor plates are in the vest, and to learn 

about the features of the carriers.

NIJ urges proper attention to those factors that affect 

the wearability of armor in order to encourage routine, 

full-time use by all on-duty offcers. 

 Features of the carrier vary among manufacturers, 

and preferences vary among individual officers. 

 Agencies are encouraged to compare products to 

ensure the ballistic-resistant vest contains armor 

models listed on the CPL and that the carrier meets 

the needs of the law enforcement officers who wear 

this equipment. 

 Officers or agencies may have preferences regarding

design features offered with body armor, including

but not limited to:

• Weight — Heavy body armor could increase the 

amount of fatigue an officer experiences during 

his or her shift.

• Thickness — Thickness and material type are 

closely tied to the weight of body armor. Thicker 

armors may trap more heat against the body and 

may be stiffer.

• Covert carrier versus overt carrier — 

Some agencies prefer body armor to be worn 

under the duty uniform, whereas others prefer it 

to be worn over their duty uniform. The choice is 

a matter of agency policy.

• Fastener type — Either zipper or hook-andloop closures may be preferred. There is no 

difference in ballistic performance; however, 

operating environment, personal preference, ease 

of fastening, and noise may all be considerations. 

The fastener should provide for adequate overlap 

to prevent loss of coverage. 

• Other features — Pockets, cargo loops, 

and other features may assist an officer in the 

execution of his or her duties.

It is important to ensure that offcers have body armor 

that fts properly. 

 Working with ASTM International, NIJ led the

development of ASTM E3003-15, Standard Practice for 

Body Armor Wearer Measurement and Fitting of Armor, at 

www.astm.org/NIJ/BodyArmorFit. 

 The standard contains information on proper 

measurement and fit, as well as a worksheet that an 

officer can use to perform an assessment of his or her 

body armor fit. 

 This standard increases consistency in how 

measurements are taken by providing guidance 

to help officers and agencies properly fit ballisticresistant body armor and stab-resistant body armor 

covering the torso.

2 Body Armor Selection, Care, and Maintenance 
 

 

National Institute of Justice |NIJ.ojp.gov 

Differences in the services that suppliers offer to 

support a particular model should also be considered. 

 These may include fitting and measurement, 

training, adjustments, repairs, and warranties. 

 Warranties for ballistic performance and 

workmanship are required of ballistic-resistant body 

armor models listed on the CPL. 

 Armor panels and carriers may have different 

warranty periods and different warranty conditions.

 Agencies are encouraged to research the impact that 

warranties may have on body armor maintenance 

and replacement cycles.

Agencies that plan to purchase NIJ-compliant armor 

should not accept statements, written in the bid 

or stated verbally by a salesperson, that the model 

shown is “just like” or “identical to” a model from the 

NIJ CPL or “meets the NIJ standard.” 

 Only armor that is listed on the CPL is NIJcompliant.

 Armor that is not listed on the CPL does not qualify

for Bureau of Justice Assistance funding through

either the Bulletproof Vest Program or Justice 

Assistance Grant Program.

 Agencies should look for the “NIJ mark” on the labels

of their armor panels, a visual identifier that only

NIJ-compliant armor listed on the CPL bears, as

shown below.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE 

O

F FICE OF JU STIC E P R O G R A M

S

LISTED

MODEL

Law enforcement officers have demanding jobs, 

and some wear and tear on a ballistic-resistant vest 

is expected. 

 Frequent inspections and proper care of body armor 

help maintain the integrity of the ballistic panels 

and the carrier. 

 Every model of body armor that complies with 

NIJ Standard 0101.06 is required to have supplierrecommended care instructions on the label. 

 It is important to follow the supplier-recommended 

care instructions, making certain that anyone 

else who cares for the armor is also aware of these 

instructions.

Visually inspect ballistic panel covers frequently. 

 Check for cuts, tears, stitching separation, sealing

problems, and excessive wear — all of which could

expose the ballistic-resistant materials to moisture 

and other potentially degrading factors. 

 Carriers that rub the panel covers as a result of 

normal flexing can wear through the cover and 

expose the armor to moisture penetration.

Note that the covers of the armor panels should not be 

opened for any reason. 

 If the integrity of the panel cover is compromised in 

any way, notify someone right away.

 For example, report these findings to an agency 

representative who should contact the armor 

supplier for guidance on how to proceed.

 Never attempt to repair armor panels under any 

circumstances.

 Agencies should consider replacing, or returning

to the manufacturer for repair, any armor panel or

label that shows damage or excessive wear as soon

as possible. 

For more information on the selection, care, and maintenance of body armor, please visit www.policearmor.org or read 

NIJ’s Selection & Application Guide 0101.06 to Ballistic-Resistant Body Armor at www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/247281.pdf.

Body Armor Selection, Care, and Maintenance 3
 

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE 

STRENGTHEN SCIENCE. 

ADVANCE JUSTICE. 

WHAT WE DO 

LISTEN 

Improving our ability to understand and 

respond to crime and justice challenges 

begins with listening to the feld. NIJ 

regularly engages with criminal justice 

researchers and professionals to learn 

from their unique expertise and gather 

information on what knowledge and 

tools are necessary to reduce crime and 

advance justice. This process guides our 

research investments. 

Learn more about these activities: 

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LEARN 

We invest in research across scientifc 

disciplines, including the social and 

behavioral sciences, physical sciences, 

engineering, and technology, to provide 

evidence-based knowledge to strengthen 

the justice system. Researchers, 

students, and justice professionals have 

the opportunity to apply for research 

and development funding through NIJ 

solicitations, fellowships, and challenges. 

Learn more about these activities: 

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INFORM 

NIJ’s scientifc investments inform 

the national conversation on issues 

of criminal justice and public safety. 

Evidence-based knowledge can lead 

to more effective justice policy and 

practice, new technology and scientifc 

techniques, and responses to emerging 

justice challenges. We are committed to 

providing the criminal justice community 

with the knowledge and tools necessary 

to reduce crime and advance justice. 

Learn more about these activities: 

NIJ.ojp.gov/inform 

OUR MISSION 

We are dedicated to improving knowledge 

and understanding of crime and justice issues 

through science. NIJ provides objective and 

independent knowledge and tools to inform 

the decision-making of the criminal justice 

community to reduce crime and advance justice, 

particularly at the state and local levels. 

IMPORTANCE OF SCIENCE 

NIJ is committed to supporting the development 

of rigorous and independent research that crosses 

scientifc disciplines and leverages the expertise 

of both researchers and those working within the 

criminal justice system. Investments in science 

allow us to better understand the challenges 

facing the U.S. criminal justice system and to 

develop and test effective solutions. 

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Keep up to date with the variety of evidencebased resources and research funding 

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The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is the research, development, and evaluation agency of the 

U.S. Department of Justice.