Pimelea altior is a shrub that typically grows to a height of and has densely hairy young stems. The leaves are elliptic to broadly elliptic, long and wide, both surface densely covered with white hairs. The flowers are borne in heads of 4 to 7 on a peduncle up to long with four leafybracts at the base. The flowers are white, the floral tube long and the sepals long. Flowering occurs sporadically throughout the year.