Which date determines the vest expiration?

• A. The date the vest was issued
• B. The date of last inspection
• C. The date of manufacture
• D. The date of purchase

Answer: (C)

The date of manufacture marks the start of a vest’s guaranteed usable life. Protective vests degrade over time due to age, environmental exposure, and use, so manufacturers set a service life that begins when the armor is produced. After that period—often about five years for many NIJ-approved soft armor items—the protection can no longer be guaranteed, regardless of when the vest was issued to a user or last inspected. The date of issue might indicate when it began being worn, but it doesn’t define how long the vest remains protective. Last inspection checks for current condition but doesn’t reset the expiration. The purchase date is simply when the item changed hands and has no bearing on the vest’s guaranteed life. So the date of manufacture is the best indicator of when the vest’s expiration occurs.