The Marines Release New Tattoo Rules — and They’re Cooler Than You Might Expect

There may soon be more inked arms in the Marines, thanks to new tattoo rules. (Photo: Getty Images)

Joining the Marines is no small feat. Other than the obvious physical and professional demands, Marines are held to the highest standard for their appearance — and we’re not just talking about the traditional buzz cut.

The Marine Corps has recently updated its tattoo rules, and truth be told, they’re much more low-key than the old rules (which is surprising, since the new rules are still pretty strict).

“The Commandant said it best in the Marine Corps Bulletin in that we’ve attempted to balance the individual desires of Marines with the need to maintain the disciplined appearance expected of our profession,” says Sgt. Major Ronald L. Green in a public announcement explaining the changes. And, as he told the Marine Corps Times, “He wanted the policy to allow Marines freedom and flexibility to express themselves, while also being clearly written and understandable for both Marines and their leadership.”

The most important rule of all, he added, states that any tattoo a Marine receives cannot “express sexism, nudity, racism, vulgarity, or anything that is offensive and is of nature to bring discredit to the Marine Corps or damage the nation’s expectations of them.”

For clarity, here’s a chart released by the Marine Corps stating the new do’s and don’ts for body art:

(Image courtesy of the Marine Corps)

These long-awaited updates were released in a 32-page booklet that explains the rules in painstaking detail. For example, here are just a few of the unauthorized locations for new tattoos: head, neck, the area two inches above the center of the elbow and one inch below, the area two inches above the wrist, hands (unless it’s a single band tattoo on one finger that’s smaller than 3/8 of an inch thick), and the area two inches above and below the center of the kneecap. So with such specific restrictions, where can you get a tattoo if you’re in the Marine Corps?

Well, anywhere that fits the above standards, the booklet explains. Although these restrictions prevent Marines from getting a full sleeve tattoo, there have been a few positive changes to the old policy that will make getting a tattoo a bit more lenient.

First, band tattoos (the ones that circumvent a part of one’s body) will now be allowed to reach up to three inches wide — a full inch wider than the previous rule. The ring-tattoo-on-one-hand is a completely new rule as well, allowing Marines to get a small band on a single finger. Another major rule change tackles the old policy requirement for tattoos that are visible in PT uniforms to be covered with a 5-inch diameter circle. Instead, the tattoos now simply must be able to be covered with the Marine’s hand.

The new policy has caused a bit of buzz on social media, showing how these small changes make a big difference in the lives of Marines who hope to get inked. “The Marine Corps changed their tattoo policy and now my husband is obsessed with the idea of us getting tattoos,” said one woman on Twitter. “Marines take the guesswork out of tattoos. New ink policy is simple, clear, and on the street,” tweeted another supporter.

However, some felt that the rules were still too strict, even calling them ridiculous. “How about you worry about how to fight and win wars and not the type or how many tattoos someone has,” one Facebook user commented on the announcement, while another simply said that the new rules “just seem super arbitrary.”

Tattoos have always been a big part of the Marines, providing an outlet for service members to express themselves, so it’s nice to see that the system is changing with the more open-minded times. Many officials had originally believed that excessive tattoos did not appropriately represent the traditional values of the Marine Corps, but as body art becomes more of an accepted practice in the United States, it’s important to allow this leniency to spill over to the Marines as well.

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