Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-73not60

§931 Prohibition on Purchase, Ownership, or Possession of Body Armor by Violent Felons

Title 18 › Part I— CRIMES › Chapter 44— FIREARMS › § 931

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

It is illegal for someone who was convicted of a felony that is a "crime of violence" (as defined in section 16) or a state felony that would be that kind of crime if it happened in federal maritime or territorial jurisdiction to buy, own, or have body armor. You can avoid punishment if you have a written note from your employer, made before you got the armor, saying you needed it for safe, legal work and you only used it while doing that job. "Employer" means another person at your business who supervises you; if you have no supervisor, any other employee can sign.

Full Legal Text

Title 18, §931

Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Except as provided in subsection (b), it shall be unlawful for a person to purchase, own, or possess body armor, if that person has been convicted of a felony that is—

(1)a crime of violence (as defined in section 16); or

(2)an offense under State law that would constitute a crime of violence under paragraph (1) if it occurred within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States.

(b)(1)It shall be an affirmative defense under this section that—

(A)the defendant obtained prior written certification from his or her employer that the defendant’s purchase, use, or possession of body armor was necessary for the safe performance of lawful business activity; and

(B)the use and possession by the defendant were limited to the course of such performance.

(2)In this subsection, the term “employer” means any other individual employed by the defendant’s business that supervises defendant’s activity. If that defendant has no supervisor, prior written certification is acceptable from any other employee of the business.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

18 U.S.C. § 931

Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60