Why you should never salute a British warrant officer

Wars & Conflicts · Published 16 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In the British Armed Forces, they occupy a unique tier of authority. They are not commissioned officers, yet they are not NCOs either. Holding the King's Warrant rather than a commission, these specialists command immense respect, yet the rules of military etiquette for addressing them are surprisingly nuanced.

A warrant officer (WO) in the British Armed Forces exists in a distinct category, separate from both commissioned officers and non-commissioned officers (NCOs). While they are often grouped with NCOs because they have all been promoted from that rank, they hold a unique legal status. Their authority is derived from the King's Warrant, signed by the Secretary of State for Defence, rather than the King's Commission held by officers. Consequently, subordinates do not salute them, though they do address them as "Sir" or "Ma'am."

The origins of this rank lie in the early Royal Navy, where noblemen commanded ships but relied on specialists—such as boatswains, gunners, and carpenters—to manage practical operations. These specialists were ranked as officers by virtue of their warrant. That particular arrangement remained in place until 1949, when the warrant officer position was removed, but the Royal Navy subsequently brought it back in 1971, mirroring the Army's system.

The hierarchy within the rank is complex and has evolved significantly. In the British Army, there are two primary ranks: warrant officer class 1 (WO1) and warrant officer class 2 (WO2). The Army's most senior warrant officer is the Army Sergeant Major, an appointment introduced in 2015. In the Royal Navy, the structure has seen various shifts, including the 2004 creation of WO2 and the 2010 replacement of the command warrant officer by the Warrant Officer to the Royal Navy (WORN).

Identification often relies on specific appointments rather than just rank. Many warrant officers are known by their roles, such as the Regimental Sergeant Major or the Corps Regimental Sergeant Major in the Royal Marines. Their insignia also varies by unit; for instance, WO1s typically wear a royal coat of arms on their lower sleeve, while certain specialists like the Conductor wear the coat of arms surrounded by a wreath.

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