WHAT EVERY AIRMAN MUST KNOW ABOUT THE AIR FORCE’S 2026 SHAVING RULES

Air Force shaving standards aren’t new, but 2026 enforcement is. New Department of the Air Force guidance specifies who may wear facial hair, the lengths of medical exemptions, and the final approval authority.

For Airmen and Guardians accustomed to having shaving profiles, the biggest risk now isn’t the razor; it’s assuming nothing has changed.

Here’s the clear, official breakdown of what’s required today and what’s coming next.

What the Standard Requires Now

The default rule is straightforward.

At each duty day’s start, male Airmen and Guardians must be clean-shaven unless they have an approved medical or religious exemption.

Beards are otherwise prohibited. The language is explicit and limits previous day-to-day discretion.

Medical Shaving Profiles: What’s Allowed and What Changed

Medical shaving profiles remain for conditions such as pseudofolliculitis barbae, but the requirements are now stricter.

With approval, facial hair must be evenly trimmed to no more than one-quarter inch. Profiles are no longer indefinite exceptions.

One of the most significant changes is duration.

No single medical shaving profile may exceed six months. Each profile must be reevaluated by a military healthcare provider before renewal.

The Deadline That Matters Most

Airmen with older shaving profiles need to pay close attention.

Any shaving profile issued before March 1, 2025, is valid only until January 31, 2026, after which it becomes invalid.

Airmen with long-standing profiles must be reevaluated and issued new profiles in accordance with updated guidance before January 31, 2026. After that date, any older profile will no longer authorize facial hair.

Commander Approval Is Now Central

Another major shift is who ultimately decides whether a shaving profile is valid.

Medical providers assess and recommend shaving profiles, but commanders now have explicit final approval authority. Profiles are routed through the Air Force medical profiling system and must be approved or disapproved by the unit commander.

This change reinforces that shaving profiles are both medical and operational decisions, not automatic exemptions.

Monitoring Repeat Profiles

Beginning in February 2026, the Air Force will more closely track repeated shaving profiles.

Airmen who exceed 12 months of shaving profiles in two years are referred to their commander. This ensures profiles stay medically appropriate and operationally valid.

Religious Accommodations Are Separate

The updated medical shaving guidance does not apply to religious accommodations.

Airmen with approved religious waivers should not assume medical profile timelines, expiration dates, or renewal rules apply. Religious accommodations follow a separate approval process and remain subject to existing policy.

Why the Air Force Tightened the Rules

These changes didn’t happen in a vacuum.

These updates match a Department-wide effort to standardize grooming, prioritize readiness, and ensure consistent enforcement.

Time limits, reevaluations, and command oversight balance medical needs and operational requirements, especially where protective gear and uniformity matter.

What Airmen Should Do Now

If you currently have a shaving profile issued before March 1, 2025, schedule a medical reevaluation well before the January 31, 2026, deadline to avoid falling out of compliance.

If seeking a new or renewed profile, expect a medical assessment, system documentation, and commander approval.

If you qualify for a religious accommodation, use the religious accommodation process. Do not use the medical profile pathway.

Don’t assume a long-standing profile continues. In 2026 and beyond, compliance with shaving is monitored.

Clean-shaven at the start of the duty day remains the standard.

Medical shaving profiles exist, but last for less time, are regularly reevaluated, and require command approval.

Older profiles expire on a set date. Missing it can put an Airman out of compliance overnight.

For Airmen who relied on shaving waivers, this update is clear: grooming exceptions are now time-bound, reviewed, and enforced.

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