On June 23, 2026, the National Institute of Justice published the first Compliant Products List covering body armor tested and certified to the new NIJ Standard 0101.07. The list marks the first time any armor model has achieved certification under the updated framework, which NIJ officially published in November 2023. Addenda followed in November 2024 and July 2025 before the certification pipeline produced its first verified entries.
The 0101.07 standard replaces 0101.06, the framework that had governed ballistic body armor performance since 2008. NIJ's Compliance Testing Program has confirmed it will maintain the 0101.06 Compliant Products List alongside the new 0101.07 list through at least the end of 2029. That parallel period gives agencies time to work through existing procurement and replacement cycles without being forced into immediate action. NIJ advises agencies to continue issuing currently certified 0101.06-compliant armor until normal replacement schedules dictate otherwise.
New Protection Level Designations Replace Roman Numerals
One of the most visible changes in 0101.07 is the terminology. Roman numeral designations — Level II, Level IIIA, Level III — are gone. The new standard uses HG (Handgun) and RF (Rifle) prefixes instead.
The HG2 level replaces the former Level IIIA. It is not a straight substitution. HG2 testing includes rounds fired at higher velocities than the old IIIA protocol required, specifically a faster 9mm round. RF1, the entry-level rifle protection designation, tests against 7.62x39mm and 5.56mm M193 ammunition. Neither of those two rounds appeared in the former Level III requirements. That gap had drawn scrutiny for years, given how commonly both calibers appear in field threat assessments. RF1 addresses it directly.
The shift in nomenclature has procedural consequences for procurement offices. Bid specifications written around old level designations will need revision. Agencies cannot assume a direct one-to-one substitution between old and new designations without reviewing what each level actually tests against.
How the 0101.07 Certification Process Works
Certification under 0101.07 is not self-reported. Manufacturers must register with the NIJ Compliance Testing Program and sign an applicant agreement before submitting any armor model. Testing is conducted at NIJ-approved laboratories — Susquehanna Labs, LLC, is one such authorized facility listed by the program.
Range testing includes mounting armor samples to ballistic clay to measure backface deformation, the degree to which a round's impact deforms the back face of the panel toward the wearer's body. Clay deformation measurements quantify blunt trauma risk even when a round does not penetrate.
Certification does not end at initial testing. The CTP process requires mandatory follow-up inspection and testing, referred to as FIT, to confirm that armor coming off production lines matches the performance of the samples originally submitted for certification. That requirement targets a known failure mode in compliance programs: manufacturers achieving certification with carefully prepared samples that do not represent actual production quality.
NIJ does not certify non-torso ballistic items under 0101.07. Backpacks, blankets, and briefcases marketed with ballistic protection claims fall outside the scope of this standard entirely.
Improved Test Methods for Armor Fitted for Women
The 0101.07 standard includes improved test methods specifically designed for armor fitted for women. The methods address potential vulnerabilities in construction and at panel edges — areas where contoured armor can create gaps or weak points not captured by testing protocols built around a single unisex form factor.
Women make up a growing share of sworn law enforcement officers. Armor that does not account for fit differences specific to female anatomy has been a documented concern among occupational health researchers and officer safety advocates. The inclusion of these test methods in the standard means that armor claiming 0101.07 certification for female-fitted models has been evaluated against those specific construction risks, not just adapted from a standard male form test.
Threat Definitions Now Housed in a Separate Document
NIJ Standard 0123.00 now functions as a standalone document that defines the ballistic threats used in testing. Previously, threat definitions were embedded within the performance standard itself. Separating them means NIJ can update threat profiles — adding new calibers or adjusting velocity parameters — without rewriting and reissuing the entire 0101.07 performance document. That structure gives the program more agility as firearm and ammunition technology changes.
Agencies reviewing procurement specifications or verifying officer equipment should confirm certification status directly through the official NIJ Compliant Products List. Labels on equipment are not a reliable substitute. Manufacturers are responsible for maintaining certification, and FIT testing is designed to catch production drift, but the CPL remains the authoritative record of what is currently certified and to which standard.
