Body Armor (GA)

An individual may own, possess, and wear body armor, but it is illegal for a person to wear a body armor or “bulletproof vest” during the commission or attempted commission of many crimes. [[liv]] However, it is a federal crime for individuals convicted of violent felonies to purchase, own or possess body armor. [[lv]] Georgia defines “bulletproof vest” as bullet-resistant soft body armor providing, as a minimum standard, the level of protection known as “threat level I,” which means at least seven layers of bullet-resistant material providing protection from at least three shots of 158-grain lead ammunition fired from a .38 caliber handgun at a velocity of 850 feet per second. [[lvi]] A violation of § 16-11-160 will result in an additional sentence of 1 to 5 years. [[lvii]]