Tapirus terrestris is 77 to 108cm at the shoulder. The total body length of females ranges to 221cm, and of males to 204cm. The tail is a short stump of approximately 8cm. The hindfeet have three hooved toes and the forefeet have an additional, much reduced, fourth toe.
Coloration varies from tan to black or red.
The undersides and short legs are generally dark and the cheeks, throat, and ear edges are often lighter in color. A black mane extends from the forehead to the midback. One of the most distinguishable characteristics of the Brazilian tapir is its proboscis, which is long, flexible, prehensile, and covered with sensory vibrissae. A tall sagittal crest makes the head appear convex. Females have a single pair of mammary glands.