With an estimated weight of only 110 kg (240 lbs), T. kabomani is the smallest living tapir. For comparison, the Mountain Tapir weighs between 150 and 225 kg. Tapirus kabomani is roughly 130 cm long and 90 cm in shoulder height.
It has dark grey to dark brown hair, and legs are short (Cozzuol et al., 2013). Males are smaller than females and females have a light throat patch that extends from chin to neck and up to the base of the ears.