Skip to Content

Army Nail Regulations 2024 | AR 670-1 Nails Polish for Female & Male

AR 670-1 Army Nail Regulations
AR 670-1 Army Nail Regulations

The AR 670-1 Army Nail Regulation outlines specific regulations and guidelines concerning Nails and wearing Nail Polish in the Army.

  • AR 670-1 is the regulation that sets forth the standards for the wear and appearance of Army uniforms and insignia; it also covers Army Hair Regulations and Army Earring Regulations.
  • This article will cover Army nail regulations for both male and female soldiers.

Reasoning Behind Regulations:

  • The intention is to maintain a professional, uniform appearance.
  • Long nails can interfere with the performance of duties and pose a risk of injury.
Table of Contents show

Male Nail Regulations 2024

  • Male soldiers must keep their nails neatly trimmed to avoid interfering with their duties or presenting a risk of injury.
  • The nails must not extend past the fingertips.
  • Male soldiers are not authorized to wear nail polish.

Female Nail Regulations 2024

  • Female soldiers are allowed to wear nail polish, but it must be a single color that matches the uniform and is not extreme.
  • Shades like black, purple, blue, silver, gold, neon, or multi-colored nail polish are prohibited.
  • Nail extensions (e.g., artificial nails) are not authorized in uniform or during official duty.
  • Like male soldiers, female soldiers should not let their nails extend more than 1/4 inch as measured from the tip of the finger.

Army Nail Polish Regulations

The Army has specific regulations for nail polish colors for soldiers.

These regulations are found in Army Regulation 670-1, which details the wear and appearance of Army uniforms and insignia.

The following are nail colors allowed by the military:

Female Soldiers

  • Female soldiers are authorized to wear nail polish as long as it is conservative, subdued, and complements the uniform.
  • Prohibited colors include:
    • Purple
    • Gold
    • Blue
    • Black
    • White
    • Bright (fire-engine) Red
    • Neon colors
    • Fluorescent colors

Male Soldiers

  • Traditionally, male soldiers have not been authorized to wear nail polish.
  • However, as per recent updates, clear nail polish is permitted, especially for those:
    • Working with certain chemicals
    • Needing to prevent nail damage

Army Nail Color Summary

GenderAuthorizedNot Authorized
FemaleConservative, subdued colors.Purple, Gold, Blue, Black, White, Bright Red, Neon, or Fluorescent colors
MaleClear (for protection)All colored polish

AR 670-1 Nails Polish Exceptions and Waivers

The Army will exempt some soldiers from the AR 670-1 Nails regulations in certain instances, e.g., due to religious or medical reasons.

Medical Exceptions:

  • A medical exception may be granted if a soldier has a condition that affects the nails.
  • Any medical exception must be formally documented and approved.

Religious Accommodation:

  • A soldier may request religious accommodation for nail grooming practices.
  • These requests are handled on a case-by-case basis and must be formally approved.

Army Nail Regulation Enforcement

  • Responsibility of Individual Soldiers: All soldiers are personally responsible for maintaining and grooming their nails per AR 670-1.
  • Role of Commanders and Leaders: Commanders and leaders ensure that personnel under their command understand and comply with the AR 670-1 nail regulations.

Consequences of Non-Compliance

  • Administrative Action: Failure to comply with the grooming regulations can result in administrative action.
  • Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ): Serious or repeated failure to comply can result in charges under the UCMJ.

AR 670-1 Nails Conclusion and Summary

AR-670-1 Nail Regulation
AR-670-1 Nail Regulation

Nail Regulations for Male Soldiers

  • Nails should be clean and neatly trimmed.
  • Nails should not extend past the fingertips.
  • Nail polish is not authorized.

Nail Regulations for Female Soldiers

  • Nail polish, if worn, must be a single color that matches the uniform.
  • Extreme colors, such as black, purple, blue, silver, gold, neon, or multi-colored, are prohibited.
  • Nail extensions or artificial nails are not authorized in uniform or during official duty.
  • Nails should not extend more than 1/4 inch from the fingertip.

The Army expects soldiers to present a neat and professional appearance. This includes maintaining nails per the regulations outlined in AR 670-1.

Non-compliance can result in administrative action or even UCMJ charges, so understanding and adhering to these regulations is important.

George N.
Latest posts by George N. (see all)