Tattoo policies vary by branch and have loosened somewhat over the past decade, but some general principles hold across the U.S. military. Tattoos on the neck, face, and hands are the most heavily restricted or banned outright in most branches, since they’re visible in a standard uniform and considered inconsistent with a professional military appearance. Tattoos elsewhere on the body — arms, legs, torso — are generally permitted, though content restrictions apply everywhere: nothing extremist, discriminatory, indecent, or otherwise incompatible with military values.
Each branch sets its own specifics. The Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps have each updated their tattoo policies in recent years to be somewhat more permissive than in the past, reflecting how common tattoos have become among the recruiting-age population, but the branches still differ on details like sleeve tattoos, ring tattoos on fingers, and exact size or coverage limits.
The Navy, in particular, has specific regulations covering ring tattoos, neck tattoo size limits, and documentation requirements for tattoos obtained after enlistment.
Anyone considering a new tattoo while serving, or someone with existing tattoos considering enlistment, should check current, branch-specific regulations directly rather than relying on older or general information, since policies are updated periodically and vary enough between branches that assumptions from one don’t reliably apply to another.