Dorsally, Storeria dekayi is brown to gray with a lighter center stripe bordered by small black spots; ventrally, it is lighter brown or pink with small black dots at the ends of the ventral scales.[5] Adults usually measure less than 12 inches (30 cm) in total length (including tail), but the record total length is 19 3⁄8 inches (49 cm).[6] It has keeled dorsal scales, and no loreal scale.[7]