Justice system

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Compliance Testing Program (CTP) issues Advisory Notices when the CTP has concerns about a body armor model identified in the Advisory Notice, and Safety Notices when the CTP has identified a safety concern with a model of armor listed in the Safety Notice. Models identified in an Advisory Notice are temporarily suspended from the Compliant Products List until the issue can be resolved. Models listed in a Safety Notice are removed from the Compliant Products List.

Visit the NIJ CTP Advisory and Safety Notices main page to learn more about these notices, and contact the CTP at 919-485-2717 or by email at [email protected] for specific questions or concerns.

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Mark is an officially registered trademark of the U.S. Government (United States Patent & Trademark Office [USPTO] Registration # 5,906,126) that manufacturers of ballistic-resistant body armor models tested through the NIJ Compliance Testing Program (CTP) and found to comply with the requirements of the NIJ Standard can place on the label of production units of their armor.

The NIJ Mark is intended to provide purchasers of body armor with confidence that the products they are purchasing that bear the NIJ Mark have been independently tested, comply with applicable standards, and meet minimum performance requirements. To learn more about the NIJ Mark, see the NIJ Mark page on the Criminal Justice Testing & Evaluation Consortium website

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ), which controls strategy, policy, and decisions about certification and evaluation, operates the Compliance Testing Program (CTP).

NIJ has tasked its Criminal Justice Testing and Evaluation Consortium (CJTEC) with administering the NIJ CTP. Currently, the NIJ CTP operates programs to evaluate the following types of equipment in accordance with the requirements of NIJ standards:

• Ballistic Resistance of Body Armor, NIJ Standard-0101.06
• Stab Resistance of Personal Body Armor, NIJ Standard-0115.00
• Autoloading Pistols for Police Officers, NIJ Standard-0112.03, Revision A

If you have questions or need additional information, you can contact NIJ CTP staff by phone at 919-485-2717, or by email at [email protected].

The PoliceArmor.org website, jointly developed by the National Institute of Justice and the Bureau of Justice Assistance and operated by the Criminal Justice Testing & Evaluation Consortium, has information and resources on the selection, purchasing, and care of ballistic- and stab-resistant body armor. The site also has a section on Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) that may be helpful.