Macleay's mustached bat is a small bat, with an average body length of and a tail long. Fully-grown adults weigh , with males being slightly larger than females. The body is covered by greyish-brown to orange-brown fur, fading to near-white on the undersides. The head is relatively flat with a slightly upturned snout. The ears are narrow and pointed, with serrated outer edges near the tips, and a long, slightly flattened tragus.
