Marine Corps body-fat limit and PFT/CFT allowance calculator
Find your Marine Corps body-fat limit and see whether your fitness-test scores give you a higher allowance. Enter your age, sex, and scores in this Marine Corps body-fat limit calculator to check the limit that applies to you.
You’ll need your Physical Fitness Test (PFT) and Combat Fitness Test (CFT) scores. Your result shows your usual age-based limit and how it changes when both scores qualify. Not sure which scores count? The guide below explains what to check.
This calculator gives you the allowed percentage, not a measurement of your body fat. Your command handles the official assessment, including the waist-to-height check.
How to use the Marine Corps body-fat limit calculator
- Enter your age and choose Male or Female.
- Enter your PFT and CFT scores, from 0 to 300.
- Choose whether you’re using qualifying current or prior-year scores. Select Not confirmed if you’re unsure; the guide below explains these options.
- Select Calculate to see your body-fat limit and any allowance your scores provide.
Want to see how it works first? Select Use example. When you’re ready, replace the example with your own details and calculate again.
USMC body-fat standards by age and sex
Find your age in the table below to see your usual Marine Corps body-fat limit. These percentages apply before any PFT/CFT allowance. The calculator looks up the right row for you and checks whether your scores increase that limit.
| Age | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 17-20 | 18% | 27% |
| 21-25 | 18% | 27% |
| 26-30 | 19% | 28% |
| 31-35 | 19% | 28% |
| 36-40 | 20% | 29% |
| 41-45 | 20% | 29% |
| 46-50 | 21% | 30% |
| 51+ | 21% | 30% |
PFT/CFT body-fat allowance: 250 vs 285
If you score 250 or higher on both tests and your scores qualify, you get one extra percentage point. That means an 18% limit becomes 19%. If you score 285 or higher on both, the limit is 26% for men or 36% for women.
Both scores matter. A PFT score of 285 and a CFT score of 284 earn the one-point allowance, not the 285 allowance. For a 24-year-old man, that means a 19% limit. If either score is below 250, your usual age-based limit applies.
| PFT and CFT | Body-fat limit |
|---|---|
| Both at least 250; either below 285 | Your usual limit plus 1 percentage point |
| Both at least 285 | 26% for men; 36% for women |
| Either below 250 | Your usual limit |
Do your PFT and CFT scores qualify?
Your scores need to meet the Marine Corps rules for the assessment you’re completing. Choose the option that matches your records:
- Current qualifying scores: both tests are first class, apply to your current six-month assessment, and have no medical, partial, or deployment waiver.
- Prior-year qualifying scores: qualifying first-class scores from the previous calendar year may apply if your assessment comes before your current tests, or a waiver or exemption is recorded. Check with your command before choosing this option.
- Allowance conditions not met: use this when your scores do not qualify for a higher limit.
- Not confirmed: choose this if you’re still checking which scores you can use.
If you choose Not confirmed, the result shows what your limit could be and labels it conditional. You can save a confirmed result after you’ve checked your records and selected the correct option.
Does this tell me my body-fat percentage?
Your result is the maximum body-fat percentage allowed for your age, sex, and qualifying scores. It does not measure how much body fat you have. An official body-fat assessment is a separate step, so this number alone cannot tell you whether you pass that assessment.
The Marine Corps waist-to-height check still applies. High PFT and CFT scores can change your body-fat allowance, but they do not remove the waist check.
Official sources for USMC body-fat limits
These rules reflect the Marine Corps updates issued in February 2026. MARADMIN 066/26 explains the PFT/CFT allowances; MARADMIN 073/26 confirms that a waist-to-height ratio of 0.52 or lower meets that separate requirement. The sources below also cover the age-based limits and how official measurements are recorded.
- MARADMIN 066/26
- MARADMIN 073/26
- MARADMIN 358/26
- MCBUL 6110 Admin Change 1
- Marine Corps Human Performance Branch Body Composition Program Standards
Download the body-fat limits table or the printable checklist.
Marine Corps body-fat limit FAQs
What body-fat allowance do I get for a 250 PFT and CFT?
If both scores are 250 or higher and qualify for your assessment, add one percentage point to your usual age-based limit. For example, an 18% limit becomes 19%.
Does a 285 PFT and CFT make me exempt from body-fat limits?
No. Under the current rules, qualifying scores of 285 or higher on both tests allow up to 26% body fat for men or 36% for women. They do not give an unlimited exemption or remove the waist-to-height check.
What if my PFT is 285 and my CFT is 284?
Both tests must reach 285 for the higher allowance. If your scores qualify, a 285 and 284 combination gives you one extra percentage point above your usual limit.
What if I do not know whether my scores qualify?
Choose Not confirmed to see what your limit could be. Check your records with your command before treating that result as your confirmed allowance.
Does this calculator tell me my body-fat percentage?
No. It shows the body-fat limit allowed by the Marine Corps, not your measured body-fat percentage. Your official assessment and waist-to-height check are separate.