ArmorOS
All guides
briefApril 21, 20261 min read· Last reviewed April 21, 2026 by ArmorOS Editorial

NIJ 0101.07 Addendum 3 — What Changed in December 2025

The third addendum to the 2023 body-armor standard clarifies test protocol without triggering recertification for existing CPL-listed products.

NIJ published Addendum 3 to Standard 0101.07 on December 1, 2025 — the most recent document in the NIJ ballistics standards family and the third in a series of clarifying addenda to the 2023 body-armor standard.

What the addendum changes

Addendum 3 is a procedural clarification, not a new performance requirement. It aligns test-methodology language with the threat-level vocabulary in NIJ 0123.00 and tightens specific test- conditioning steps. The addendum does not:

  • Add new threat levels beyond HG1, HG2, RF1, RF2, RF3
  • Invalidate prior CPL-listed products
  • Require manufacturers to resubmit for certification

What it means for procurement

  • Existing CPL listings remain valid. Any product on the NIJ Compliant Products List as of December 1, 2025 stays listed. Agencies purchasing 0101.07-certified armor do not need to wait for re-verification.
  • New certifications submitted after Dec 1, 2025 must incorporate the Addendum 3 language. Manufacturers currently in the certification pipeline should confirm their test lab has the updated protocol.
  • BVP reimbursement rules unchanged. The BJA has not announced a sunset on 0101.06 reimbursement and 0101.07 products remain fully eligible.

The bigger picture

Addendum 3 continues NIJ's pattern since publishing 0101.07 in late 2023 of releasing annual clarifications rather than a full standard revision:

  • Addendum 1 — November 2024
  • Addendum 2 — July 2025
  • Addendum 3 — December 2025

In parallel, NIJ 0106 (helmets) is flagged "revision underway" on the NIJ active-standards page and will, when published, reference the 0123.00 threat-level spec the way 0101.07 does. No draft has opened for public comment as of this publication.

For the canonical PDF, see NIJ 0101.07 Addendum 3.