---
kind: "section"
citation: "18 U.S.C. § 931"
title: "18"
title_heading: "Crimes and Criminal Procedure"
number: "931"
heading: "Prohibition on purchase, ownership, or possession of body armor by violent felons"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/18/931"
units:
  - "Part I — Crimes"
  - "Chapter 44 — Firearms"
---

# §931. Prohibition on purchase, ownership, or possession of body armor by violent felons

- (a) **In General.—** Except as provided in [subsection (b)](#b), it shall be unlawful for a [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) to purchase, own, or possess [body armor](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-35), if that [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) has been convicted of a felony that is—
  - (1) a crime of violence (as defined in [section 16](/usc/18/16.md)); or
  - (2) an offense under [State](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-9) law that would constitute a crime of violence under [paragraph (1)](#a-1) if it occurred within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9).
- (b) **Affirmative Defense.—**
  - (1) **In general.—** 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](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-35) 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) **Employer.—** 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](/usc/18/202.md?p=c) of the business.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 107–273, div. C, title I, § 11009(e)(2)(A), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1821.)