NIJ Standards (Meets or Certified) Just the Facts Does my vest Meet NIJ Standards?

Is my Vest Compliant? Is My Vest Certified?

What is the Reality today regarding vests? Firearms are one of the most dangerous threats to law enforcement officers today; which they will face in the line of duty. In the past (30 Years) three decades, ballistic-resistant soft body armor has saved more than 3,000 police officers lives. Body armor is probably the most critical safety equipment which any law enforcement and corrections officer has for personal protection.

The National Institute of justice; the NIJ establishes and updates minimum performance standards for armor it conducts testing against these 2 standards to ensure that body armor which is being sold complies with the standards, and sponsors research to improve body armor.

The NIJ's predecessor, the National Institute of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, debut and began developing lightweight body armor in 1971 and testing it in 1978. Today, Police body armor is one of the best-known products resulting from NIJ-funded research.

Now even though these are in theory USA NIJ standards they should be respected in all markets which they are not. The reality is in Canada many claims are made of (Meets NIJ Standards) however they are Not Approved NIJ which now plays to the reality do we start mandating the NIJ .06 as a new protocol or do we allow manufactures and government budgets to make those call?

Clarifying the point regarding Meets and Certified

Only a few companies are actually Certified by the NIJ you can see a list at the following link. Most fabricators meet NIJ standards testing the vests third party or in house following the NIJ standards.

The question also often comes up is my vest stab proof? Unless your vests states that the vest is Spike Level Certified then it is not. Spike levels work on a 1-2-3 rating, Spike Level 3 being the most resistant.

Here are the different Types of Body Armor

Armor Level	Protection
Type I .22 LR .380 ACP	This armor would protect against 2.6 g (40 gr) .22 Long Rifle Lead Round Nose (LR LRN) bullets at a velocity of 329 m/s (1080 ft/s ± 30 ft/s) 6.2 g (95 gr) .380 ACP Full Metal Jacketed Round Nose (FMJ RN) bullets at a velocity of 322 m/s (1055 ft/s ± 30 ft/s). It is no longer part of the standard.
Type IIA 9×19mm .40 S&W .45 ACP	New armor protects against: 8 g (124 gr) 9×19mm Parabellum Full Metal Jacketed Round Nose (FMJ RN) bullets at a velocity of 373 m/s ± 9.1 m/s (1225 ft/s ± 30 ft/s) 11.7 g (180 gr) .40 S&W Full Metal Jacketed (FMJ) bullets at a velocity of 352 m/s ± 9.1 m/s (1155 ft/s ± 30 ft/s) 14.9 g (230 gr) .45 ACP Full Metal Jacketed (FMJ) bullets at a velocity of 275 m/s ± 9.1 m/s (900 ft/s ± 30 ft/s). Conditioned(or 'used') armor protects against 8 g (124 gr) 9 mm FMJ RN bullets at a velocity of 355 m/s ± 9.1 m/s (1165 ft/s ± 30 ft/s) 11.7 g (180 gr) .40 S&W FMJ bullets at a velocity of 325 m/s ± 9.1 m/s (1065 ft/s ± 30 ft/s) 14.9 g (230 gr) .45 ACP Full Metal Jacketed (FMJ) bullets at a velocity of 259 m/s ± 9.1 m/s (850 ft/s ± 30 ft/s). It also provides protection against the threats mentioned in [Type I].
Type II 9mm +P .357 Magnum	New armor protects against 8 g (124 gr) 9 mm FMJ RN bullets at a velocity of 398 m/s ± 9.1 m/s (1305 ft/s ± 30 ft/s) 10.2 g (158 gr) .357 Magnum Jacketed Soft Point bullets at a velocity of 436 m/s ± 9.1 m/s (1430 ft/s ± 30 ft/s). Conditioned armor protects against 8 g (124 gr) 9 mm FMJ RN bullets at a velocity of 379 m/s ±9.1 m/s (1245 ft/s ± 30 ft/s) 10.2 g (158 gr) .357 Magnum Jacketed Soft Point bullets at a velocity of 408 m/s ±9.1 m/s (1340 ft/s ± 30 ft/s). It also provides protection against the threats mentioned in [Types I and IIA].
Type IIIA .357 SIG .44 Magnum 10mm Auto 7H21	New armor protects against 8.1 g (125 gr) .357 SIG FMJ Flat Nose (FN) bullets at a velocity of 448 m/s ± 9.1 m/s (1470 ft/s ± 30 ft/s) 15.6 g (240 gr) .44 Magnum Semi Jacketed Hollow Point (SJHP) bullets at a velocity of 436 m/s (1430 ft/s ± 30 ft/s). Conditioned armor protects against 8.1 g (125 gr) .357 SIG FMJ Flat Nose (FN) bullets at a velocity of 430 m/s ± 9.1 m/s (1410 ft/s ± 30 ft/s) 15.6 g (240 gr) .44 Magnum Semi Jacketed Hollow Point (SJHP) bullets at a velocity of 408 m/s ± 9.1 m/s (1340 ft/s ± 30 ft/s). It also provides protection against most handgun threats, as well as the threats mentioned in [Types I, IIA, and II].
Type III Rifles 7H31 Lehigh .45-70 SS190	Conditioned armor protects against 8.0 g (123 gr) 7.62×39mm (the ubiquitous AK-47 round) FMJ at a velocity of 738 m/s (2,421 ft/s). 9.6 g (148 gr) 7.62×51mm NATO M80 ball bullets at a velocity of 847 m/s ± 9.1 m/s (2780 ft/s ± 30 ft/s). 19.7 g (305 gr) .45-70 solid copper bullets at velocity of 610 m/s (2000 ft/s).^[30]^[31] It also provides protection against the threats mentioned in [Types I, IIA, II, and IIIA].
Type IV Armor Piercing Rifle	Conditioned armor protects against 10.8 g (166 gr) .30-06 Springfield M2 armor-piercing (AP) bullets at a velocity of 878 m/s ± 9.1 m/s (2880 ft/s ± 30 ft/s). It also provides at least single hit protection against the threats mentioned in [Types I, IIA, II, IIIA, and III].