Ballistic standards for body armor, shields, and helmets
The authoritative US standards for Personal Protection armor — NIJ, ASTM, MIL-STD, MIL-DTL, and ACH — alongside internationally-relevant HP-White, UK HOSDB, and European VPAM. Click a standard for threat levels, adoption timeline, and linked certified products.
NIJ9 standards
- NIJ0101.06rev. 2008
Ballistic Resistance of Body Armor
The currently-dominant US body-armor certification standard. Defines threat levels IIA, II, IIIA, III, IV based on ammunition type, velocity, and hit pattern. Most fielded US LE vests are certified under 0101.06.
Body armor - NIJ0101.07rev. 2023
Ballistic-Resistant Body Armor
The next-generation body-armor standard, first published 2023. Restructures threat levels to HG1, HG2, RF1, RF2, RF3 (handgun vs rifle classes), adds backface-deformation and environmental-conditioning requirements, aligns vocabulary with NATO/STANAG where possible.
Body armor - NIJ0101.07rev. 2023-Addendum-1
NIJ Standard 0101.07 Addendum 1
Clarifications to the 2023 body-armor ballistic-resistance standard.
Body armor - NIJ0101.07rev. 2023-Addendum-2
NIJ Standard 0101.07 Addendum 2
Second addendum to the 2023 body-armor standard.
Body armor - NIJ0101.07rev. 2023-Addendum-3
NIJ Standard 0101.07 Addendum 3
Third and most recent addendum to the 2023 body-armor standard. Published December 2025.
Body armor - NIJ0115rev. 2000
Stab Resistance of Personal Body Armor
Separate standard governing edged- and spiked-weapon resistance, relevant primarily to corrections officers. Levels 1, 2, 3 based on impact energy in joules. Independent of ballistic certification — a vest can be NIJ 0101.06 IIIA + 0115 Level 1, for example.
Body armor - NIJ0123.00rev. 2023-Addendum-1
NIJ Standard 0123.00 Addendum 1
Clarification / methodology update to the 0123.00 threat-level specification.
Body armorHelmetShield - NIJ0123.00rev. 2023-Addendum-2
NIJ Standard 0123.00 Addendum 2
Velocity-range and methodology clarifications to 0123.00.
Body armorHelmetShield - NIJ0123.00rev. 2023
Specification for NIJ Ballistic Protection Levels and Associated Test Threats
Standalone specification factoring all threat-level definitions (HG1, HG2, RF1, RF2, RF3) out of equipment-specific standards. Referenced by NIJ 0101.07 and future NIJ helmet/shield revisions.
Body armorHelmetShield
ASTM2 standards
- ASTMF2878rev. 2021
Standard Test Method for Protective Clothing Material Resistance to Hypodermic Needle Puncture
Complements NIJ 0115 for corrections and medical first-responder vests — tests resistance to hypodermic needle penetration, a threat class ballistic standards don't address.
Body armor - ASTMF3115rev. 2015
Standard Classification for Body Armor Wear and Care Labeling
Labeling standard for body-armor care, handling, and end-of-life. Harmonizes the information OEMs print on the wearer-facing care tags (inspection interval, cleaning instructions, expiration date).
Body armor
MIL-STD1 standard
MIL-DTL1 standard
HP-White1 standard
HOSDB2 standards
- HOSDB2017/04rev. 2017
HOSDB Body Armour Standard 2017
UK Home Office Centre for Applied Science and Technology (CAST, formerly HOSDB) body armor standard used by UK police and military procurement. Four threat classes: HG1, HG2, RF1, KR1 (knife/edge). Conceptually similar to NIJ 0101.06 but with UK-specific fragmentation test.
Body armor - HOSDB39/07rev. 2017
Body Armour Standards for UK Police
UK Home Office body-armor standard. Frequently surfaces in US export contracts and multinational LE procurement. Defines HO1, HO2, HO3, HO4 threat levels (handgun and rifle).
Body armor
VPAM3 standards
- VPAMAPR 2006rev. 2006
VPAM APR Body Armor Standard
Vereinigung der Prüfstellen für angriffshemmende Materialien — the European ballistic-testing association's standard for body armor. Threat classes 1–9 covering handgun through rifle AP. Common in EU police procurement and relevant for US OEMs exporting to European LE.
Body armorHelmetShield - VPAMERV 2010rev. 2010
VPAM ERV 2010 — Resistance of Vehicles against Ballistic Threats
German VPAM certification for armored vehicles and glazing. Protection classes VR1-VR10; widely adopted in European armored-vehicle specs and referenced in some US exec-protection contracts.
Body armor - VPAMPM 2007rev. 2007
VPAM PM 2007 — Body Armour Test Procedure
German VPAM classification for personal ballistic protection. Protection classes PM1-PM10 cover pistol through heavy rifle threats. Used by German Bundespolizei and EU ministries of interior.
Body armor
Australian Defence1 standard
CAST1 standard
KLPA1 standard
RB1 standard
STANAG1 standard
Each standard page links out to the authoritative issuing body (NIJ, ASTM, DoD DLA, etc.) so the source is always one click away. We do not reproduce standard documents verbatim — we publish editorial summaries, threat-level tables, adoption context, and product-certification linkage. If you need the exact language of a spec, follow the source link.