Personal Appearance Standards

U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) employees will dress and groom in conformance to the standards generally accepted in the business, court, and law enforcement communities.

Dress and grooming must make a positive contribution to the public’s perception of USMS employees. 

Duties in hazardous situations require dress and grooming that will not be a liability to the employee’s safety. 

1. Appearance Standards:  All employees must maintain a neat, clean, professional, and appropriate appearance while on duty and while on official travel. Exceptions will be considered by management based on mission requirements. 

2. Appropriate Attire:  All employees must wear appropriate attire while on duty.  Clothing that could be construed as vulgar, sexist, racist, in violation of the Hatch Act, or that is otherwise inappropriate is prohibited.  Appropriate attire will depend on the employee’s particular assignment.  Attire must be neat, clean, and professional.  

3. Grooming Guidelines:  All employees must present a neat, clean, and professional appearance while on duty.  Mustaches and beards must be neatly trimmed.  Hair, if dyed, must be a natural hair color.  Makeup (including finger nail polish and artificial nails) may be worn by employees, but must be professional and must not interfere with the proper use and handling of equipment necessary for their assigned duties.  

4. Jewelry and Piercing Guidelines:  All employees may only wear jewelry that does not interfere with the proper use of equipment, does not pose a safety hazard to the wearer, and is professional. 

5. Tattoos/Body Art/Branding: 

a. Tattoos, brands, and body markings are prohibited on the head, face, neck, tongue, lips, and scalp. 

b. Hand tattoos are limited to one ring tattoo on one finger on each hand.  

c. Body markings that could be construed as vulgar, sexist, racist, offensive, in violation of the Hatch Act, or that are otherwise inappropriate, disruptive, or bring embarrassment or disrepute, shall not be displayed while on duty.  

d. Any employee who obtains, adds to, or alters body markings, in violation of Sections D.5.a-b in any way after the effective date of this policy other than removal of an existing body marking, may be subject to disciplinary action.  

e. Any employee who has existing body markings in prohibited areas as of the date of this policy may be required to cover these areas while on duty 

f. Nothing in this policy prohibits cosmetic tattooing that gives a standard and common appearance, or corrects medical conditions or disfigurement.  

6. Mutilation: 

a. Intentional mutilation including, but not limited to, split or forked tongue, foreign objects inserted under the skin to create a design or pattern, gauges in ears (e.g., enlarged or stretched out holes in ears), and intentional scarring of any visible part of the body, is prohibited.  Agency employees may not have intentional mutilations that are visible even when wearing otherwise acceptable attire. 

b. Employees who have existing visible intentional mutilations as of 09/10/2021 may be required to fully cover all such mutilations while on duty. 

Any employee who obtains, adds to, or alters intentional mutilations, that are visible in any way other than removal of an existing visible intentional mutilation after 09/10/2021, may be subject to disciplinary action.  

7.  Dental Ornamentation:  Teeth may not be ornamented with designs, jewels, initials, or other items of a similar nature.  The use of decorative covers for purposes of dental ornamentation is prohibited.  Dental ornamentation does not include braces or standard white-shaded, tooth-colored veneers or caps.