Last updated: November 1, 2026
How the 2026 Navy Body Composition Assessment Works
The Navy's Body Composition Assessment (BCA) is set out in Physical Readiness Program Guide-4, June 2026 edition. It has two steps, and most Sailors only need the first. Every Sailor is weighed regardless of the Step 1 result, because the weight is needed if Step 2 comes into play. Source: Guide-4 (mynavyhr.navy.mil).
- Step 1, waist-to-height ratio. Waist ÷ height, rounded down to four decimals. 0.5499 or less passes, and you are done. The cutoff is the same for men and women.
- Step 2, body fat estimate. Only if the ratio is 0.5500 or higher. Subtract your waist from your height, then find that row and your weight column in Table-2 (men) or Table-3 (women). The number in the cell is your estimated body fat. The limit is 26% for men and 36% for women.
You are within standards if you pass either step. Failing both means the BCA is recorded as not within standards and, under Guide-4, the whole PFA cycle is documented as a failure unless you qualify for the High-Performance BCA Exemption described in Guide-1.
How Your CFL Measures (and Rounds)
The rounding rules decide close calls, so the calculator applies them for you:
- Height: shoes off, socks on, standing at attention. Rounded up to the nearest half inch, so 69.1" counts as 69.5".
- Waist: at the belly button, on bare skin, tape parallel to the deck, at the end of a normal breath. Taken twice, each rounded down to the nearest half inch. If the two differ by more than an inch, a third is taken and the two closest are averaged, then rounded down.
- Weight: in PT gear, shoes off, on a calibrated scale. Rounded to the nearest pound (a half pound or more rounds up). No deduction for clothing.
Guide-4's own example: readings of 34.25", 32.5" and 32.25" become 34, 32.5 and 32. The two closest are 32.5 and 32, their average is 32.25, and the recorded waist is 32 inches.
Maximum Waist for Your Height (Table-1)
If your waist is at or below the number for your height, you pass Step 1. These values come from the Navy's Table-1 and are the same for men and women. Heights between whole inches use the half-inch row above (height is rounded up).
| Height | Max waist | Height | Max waist |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4'10" (58") | 31.5" | 5'10" (70") | 38" |
| 4'11" (59") | 32" | 5'11" (71") | 39" |
| 5'0" (60") | 32.5" | 6'0" (72") | 39.5" |
| 5'1" (61") | 33.5" | 6'1" (73") | 40" |
| 5'2" (62") | 34" | 6'2" (74") | 40.5" |
| 5'3" (63") | 34.5" | 6'3" (75") | 41" |
| 5'4" (64") | 35" | 6'4" (76") | 41.5" |
| 5'5" (65") | 35.5" | 6'5" (77") | 42" |
| 5'6" (66") | 36" | 6'6" (78") | 42.5" |
| 5'7" (67") | 36.5" | 6'7" (79") | 43" |
| 5'8" (68") | 37" | 6'8" (80") | 43.5" |
| 5'9" (69") | 37.5" |
Two Worked Examples
Male Sailor, 5'10", waist 40", 200 lb. Ratio 40 ÷ 70 = 0.5714, over 0.5499, so Step 2 applies. Height minus waist is 30 inches. On Table-2 at 200 lb that gives about 24% body fat, under the 26% limit: within standards.
Female Sailor, 5'4", waist 36.5", 165 lb. Ratio 36.5 ÷ 64 = 0.5703, so Step 2 applies. Height minus waist is 27.5 inches. On Table-3 at 165 lb that gives about 35%, under the 36% limit: within standards, but with only one point to spare.
Notice what Step 2 rewards: at the same height and waist, a heavier Sailor gets a slightly higher estimate, but every inch taken off the waist lowers the estimate by roughly three quarters of a point for men and about two thirds of a point for women. The waist is the number that moves the result.
Timing, Retests and Medical Clearance
- The official BCA must be done within 45 days of, but not less than 24 hours before, the PRT.
- It is the first and only BCA once the command PFA cycle has begun. Retests are not authorized.
- Sailors who fail both steps still take the PRT/CFT, but need medical clearance first.
Other branches use the same idea with different details: the Army WHtR calculator (0.550), the Air Force WHtR calculator (0.550, measured between rib and hip) and the Marine Corps WHtR calculator (0.520). For a general estimate outside the Navy rules, try the body fat calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Navy body fat limit in 2026?
26% for men and 36% for women, with no age bands. You only need the body fat step if your waist-to-height ratio is above 0.5499.
Does the Navy still measure the neck?
No. Under Guide-4 (JUN 2026) the BCA uses three numbers only: height, waist at the belly button, and weight. Body fat comes from a printed table, not from a neck-and-waist tape formula.
What WHtR do I need to pass the Navy BCA?
0.5499 or less, after the ratio is rounded down to four decimals. The same cutoff applies to men and women. At 70 inches tall that means a waist of 38 inches or less.
If I fail the waist-to-height ratio, have I failed the BCA?
No. A ratio of 0.5500 or more sends you to Step 2, where your weight and height-minus-waist give an estimated body fat percentage. If that is within 26% (men) or 36% (women), you are within standards.
How does the Navy round height, waist and weight?
Height is rounded up to the nearest half inch. The waist is measured twice and rounded down to the nearest half inch; if the two readings differ by more than one inch, a third is taken and the two closest are averaged and rounded down. Weight is rounded to the nearest pound.
Can I retake the BCA if I fail?
No. Guide-4 says BCA retests are not authorized, and the official BCA is final and will not be reversed by a later medical waiver for BCA.
How accurate is this calculator's body fat number?
Step 1 is exact: it reproduces all 72 rows of the Navy's Table-1. Step 2 uses a formula fitted to the Navy's Table-2 and Table-3; it matches the printed cell in over 99% of the cells we checked and is never more than one point off. When you are within a point of the limit, the calculator tells you so.
This is an independent self-check tool, not affiliated with the U.S. Navy. Your command's official BCA and PRIMS record are what count. Free, confidential fitness and nutrition coaching is available through Military OneSource.