Adult Yellow-headed Temple Turtles have a dark-brown to black, rather low and elongated carapace, usually with a serrated posterior margin. The colour of the carapace has a greenish yellow tinge which over time may stand out more clearly.

Their forelegs are covered with large scales, and the limbs are usually darker gray on the upper surfaces and lighter gray below. The head is blackish to olive with dense yellow speckling. Its snout has an upper jaw that has a median V-shaped indentation with a tooth-like cusp on each side.