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TCA 39-17-1323

Commission of certain offenses while wearing a body vest

FELONY EClass E Felony
Sentence enhancement may apply

What does this charge mean?

It is a crime to knowingly wear a bullet-resistant vest (body armor) while committing a violent felony, burglary, car-jacking, theft of a vehicle, arson, or drug felony. A body vest must provide at least the minimum protection level (known as "threat level I") to qualify under this law. Wearing a vest while committing these crimes is a Class E felony (1-6 years imprisonment and/or up to $3,000 fine), and this sentence must run consecutively (added on top of) any sentence for the underlying crime. Simply possessing body armor for lawful purposes is legal.

Penalty Details

ClassificationClass E Felony
Maximum Jail1-6 years
Maximum Fine$3,000
Penalty SummaryClass E felony; 1-6 years; fine up to $3,000
(a) A person commits an offense who knowingly wears a body vest, when acting either alone or with one (1) or more other persons, while committing: (1) hand. See Tennessee Code 39-11-106Person: includes the singular and the plural and means and includes any individual, firm, partnership, copartnership, association, corporation, governmental subdivision or agency, or other organization or other legal entity, or any agent or servant thereof. See Tennessee Code 39-11-106(1) Any felony whose statutory elements involve the use or threat of violence to a human being; (2) Any burglary, car-jacking, theft of a motor vehicle, or arson; or (3) Any felony offense involving a controlled substance or controlled substance analogue. (b) For purposes of this section, a “body vest” means a bullet-resistant soft armor providing, as a minimum standard, the level of protection known as threat level I which shall mean at least seven (7) layers of bullet-resistant material providing protection from three (3) shots of one hundred fifty-eight-grain lead ammunition fired from a .38 caliber handgun at a velocity of eight hundred fifty feet (850′) per second. (c) The unlawful wearing of a body vest is a Class E felony. (d) Nothing in this section shall prohibit the possession of a body vest for lawful purposes. (e) Any sentence imposed under this section shall run consecutively to any other sentence imposed for the conviction of the underlying offense.
View on official sourceLast verified: Feb 25, 2026

Quick Facts

FELONY E
TCA Section39-17-1323
Max Jail1-6 years
Max Fine$3,000