The ears are oval, erect, and not very mobile. The legs are rather short and slender. The radius and ulna are separate and about equally developed, and the fibula is complete. The hind foot has three digits. The tail is short and thick.
Female tapirs have a single pair of mammae, located in the region of the groin.
The canines are conical and separated from the premolars by a space. All of the cheek teeth lack cement and are low-crowned, with a series of transverse ridges and cusps. Horns are absent in all species. The skull is relatively short and laterally compressed, with a high braincase and a convex profile. The nasal bones are short, arched, and freely projecting.