MEPS Enlistment Height & Weight Standards
MEPS — the Military Entrance Processing Station — is the first body-composition gate a recruit passes. It uses a separate screening standard from the active-duty ABCP standard: MEPS screens for initial enlistment eligibility, while the ABCP (waist-to-height ratio) governs soldiers after they are in.
This page explains what MEPS screens for and what happens if you are outside the range. The governing documents are DODI 6130.03 (Medical Standards for Appointment, Enlistment, or Induction) and the MEPSOM (MEPS operating manual) — we are building the full weight-for-height screening table from those primary documents and will publish it once verified against the current edition. We will not reproduce numbers we cannot source.
MEPS height ranges
Enlistment height ranges for the Army are commonly published as:
- Male: 60–80 inches (5′0″ to 6′8″)
- Female: 58–80 inches (4′10″ to 6′8″)
Applicants outside these ranges may still pursue a medical waiver. Confirm current ranges with your recruiter — this page is a summary, and the governing detail lives in DODI 6130.03.
MEPS weight screening
MEPS screens weight against height using screening tables drawn from DODI 6130.03 and the MEPSOM.
📋 Screening table — in preparation.
We are building the full weight-for-height screening table directly from DODI 6130.03 and the MEPSOM, and will publish it here once verified against the current edition. We deliberately do not reproduce approximate numbers — an unofficial target could send a recruit to MEPS unprepared.
In the meantime, your recruiter has the current screening table, and official preparation guidance is available through them and at armyresilience.army.mil. If you want a working estimate for the standard you will face after shipping, use the WHtR calculator — it is the method that applies once you are a soldier.
Body-fat screening at MEPS
Applicants whose weight falls outside the screening range may be measured for body fat using a circumference-based method authorized for accessions. That accession method is distinct from the active-duty ABCP method, and it may have changed under the 2026 transition — verify the current MEPS body-fat method with your recruiter and against the latest MEPSOM before relying on any detail. We flag rather than guess for the same reason we flag the weight table.
After MEPS
Once you ship to Basic Combat Training, you fall under the active-duty standard: the Waist-to-Height Ratio, under Army Directive 2026-13. WHtR is gender-neutral and age-neutral — your waist divided by your height, passing below 0.55. Use the WHtR calculator for an informational estimate, and see the directive explainer for what changed.
Source
Source: DODI 6130.03 (Medical Standards for Appointment, Enlistment, or Induction in the Military Services) and the MEPSOM, as commonly summarized for Army applicants. Height ranges and process description are a summary — the full screening table will be added from the primary documents. All linked on the Sources page.
Related
- WHtR calculator — the standard that applies after you ship
- Army Directive 2026-13 Explained
- Pre-Shipping Checklist for Recruits
- Will I Pass the Army Height & Weight Test?
For personal decisions about enlistment, your recruiter is the authority — this site is informational only and is not an official Army resource.