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Japanese Language Test: JLPT N5 to N1 Guide
By Language Lab editorial team
The Japanese language test explained: JLPT levels N5 to N1, 2026 dates (5 July and 6 December), test times, pass marks, CEFR levels and what each is used for.
The main Japanese language test is the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test, the JLPT, run by the Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services since 1984. It has five levels: N5 is the easiest and N1 the most difficult. In 2026 it is held on Sunday 5 July and Sunday 6 December. Every level is scored out of 180, and the overall pass mark is 80 for N5, 90 for N4, 95 for N3, 90 for N2 and 100 for N1, with a minimum score in each section as well. The test measures language knowledge, reading and listening; it has no speaking or writing section. About 1.9 million people applied worldwide in 2025, the largest number ever recorded.
The five levels
The organisers describe N4 and N5 as measuring basic Japanese mainly learned in class, N1 and N2 as measuring Japanese used in a broad range of scenes in everyday life, and N3 as a bridging level between the two.
| Level | Summary of the competence required |
|---|---|
| N5 | The ability to understand some basic Japanese: typical expressions and sentences written in hiragana, katakana and basic kanji, and short conversations spoken slowly |
| N4 | The ability to understand basic Japanese: passages on familiar daily topics, and daily-life conversations spoken slowly |
| N3 | The ability to understand Japanese used in everyday situations to a certain degree, including conversations at near-natural speed |
| N2 | The ability to understand Japanese used in everyday situations, and in a variety of circumstances to a certain degree, including newspaper and magazine articles |
| N1 | The ability to understand Japanese used in a variety of circumstances, including logically complex and abstract writing and lectures at natural speed |
2026 dates
The JLPT is held twice in 2026: the first test on Sunday 5 July and the second on Sunday 6 December. Outside Japan, the test may be held only in July or only in December in some cities, so check the schedule for your city before you plan around a date.
Test sections and times
| Level | Sections | Time for each | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| N1 | Language Knowledge (Vocabulary/Grammar) and Reading; Listening | 110 min; 55 min | 165 min |
| N2 | Language Knowledge (Vocabulary/Grammar) and Reading; Listening | 105 min; 50 min | 155 min |
| N3 | Vocabulary; Grammar and Reading; Listening | 30 min; 70 min; 40 min | 140 min |
| N4 | Vocabulary; Grammar and Reading; Listening | 25 min; 55 min; 35 min | 115 min |
| N5 | Vocabulary; Grammar and Reading; Listening | 20 min; 40 min; 30 min | 90 min |
The organisers note that the time allotted for each section may change, and that listening time can differ slightly with the length of the recordings. The N1 listening time has been 55 minutes since the December 2022 test.
Scoring and pass marks
You need two things to pass: a total score at or above the overall pass mark, and a score at or above the sectional pass mark in every scoring section. If even one section is below its minimum, you fail, however high the total. Missing a test section also means a fail.
| Level | Total range | Overall pass mark | Sectional pass marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| N1 | 0–180 | 100 | 19 of 60 in Language Knowledge, in Reading and in Listening |
| N2 | 0–180 | 90 | 19 of 60 in Language Knowledge, in Reading and in Listening |
| N3 | 0–180 | 95 | 19 of 60 in Language Knowledge, in Reading and in Listening |
| N4 | 0–180 | 90 | 38 of 120 in Language Knowledge and Reading; 19 of 60 in Listening |
| N5 | 0–180 | 80 | 38 of 120 in Language Knowledge and Reading; 19 of 60 in Listening |
Scores are scaled, not raw. The organisers explain that difficulty differs slightly from session to session, so scaled scores are used to measure on the same scale whenever the test is taken. All examinees receive a Score Report, and successful examinees receive a Certificate of Proficiency.
JLPT and CEFR levels
Since the December 2025 test, score reports show a CEFR level for reference. It appears only for examinees who passed, and it covers what the JLPT tests, which the organisers say does not include speaking, writing or interaction.
| JLPT level | Total score | CEFR level shown |
|---|---|---|
| N5 | 80 or higher | A1 |
| N4 | 90 or higher | A2 |
| N3 | 95 to 103 | A2 |
| N3 | 104 or higher | B1 |
| N2 | 90 to 111 | B1 |
| N2 | 112 or higher | B2 |
| N1 | 100 to 141 | B2 |
| N1 | 142 or higher | C1 |
What each level is used for
The JLPT's own list of advantages in Japan includes these uses. Each one is decided by the responsible government agency, so confirm the current rule with that agency.
- N5 or higher satisfies the language requirement for admission to Japanese language institutions authorised to enrol students with Student visa status.
- N4 or higher meets the Japanese language requirement for the Specified Skilled Worker (i) residence status.
- N2 or higher is considered a benchmark for admission to higher education institutions in Japan.
- Under the points-based system for highly skilled foreign professionals, passing N1 earns 15 points and passing N2 earns 10 points; 70 points or more brings preferential treatment.
- An N1 certificate is required for medical practitioners licensed overseas who want to take Japan's national exams for medical practitioners.
What the JLPT does not test
The JLPT is machine-scored and, in the organisers' words, does not include sections to measure speaking or writing proficiency directly. A pass shows that you can read and understand spoken Japanese at that level. If you need to speak, practise that separately. The Japan Foundation also runs a second test, the Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese, known as JFT-Basic.
How to prepare
- Choose the level from the competence summary above. N3 is there as the bridge between N4 and N5 below it and N1 and N2 above.
- Practise all sections. One weak section can fail you even with a high total.
- Train listening at the speed the level uses: slow for N5 and N4, near-natural for N3, natural for N1.
- Test yourself instead of rereading. A 2013 review of learning research rated practice testing and distributed practice as high utility.
- Use free official material: the Japan Foundation's Minato platform has free self-study courses, and NHK WORLD-JAPAN's Easy Japanese has 48 conversation lessons.
Language Lab's Japanese course is built around voiced real-life scenarios with an AI tutor, which gives you the spoken practice the JLPT itself does not cover.
Frequently asked
What is the official Japanese language test?
The Japanese-Language Proficiency Test, or JLPT. The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services have run it since 1984, and the organisers describe it as the largest-scale Japanese-language test in the world.
When is the JLPT in 2026?
Sunday 5 July and Sunday 6 December. Outside Japan, some cities hold only one of the two sessions.
Which JLPT level is the easiest?
N5 is the easiest level and N1 is the most difficult.
What is the pass mark for the JLPT?
Out of 180: 80 for N5, 90 for N4, 95 for N3, 90 for N2 and 100 for N1. You must also reach the minimum in every section, 19 of 60, or 38 of 120 for the combined section at N4 and N5.
Does the JLPT have a speaking test?
No. It measures Language Knowledge, Reading and Listening, and the organisers state that it has no sections that measure speaking or writing directly.
What CEFR level is JLPT N2?
For reference, a passing N2 score of 90 to 111 is shown as B1, and 112 or higher as B2. The indication began with the December 2025 test.
How long is the JLPT N5 test?
90 minutes of test time in total: 20 minutes of vocabulary, 40 minutes of grammar and reading, and 30 minutes of listening.
Sources: Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (Japan Foundation and JEES), Objectives and History, Summary of Linguistic Competence Required for Each Level, Composition of Test Sections and Items, Scoring Sections and Pass or Fail, Four Key Characteristics, Indication of the CEFR Level for Reference, Advantages of JLPT, and JLPT in Charts; Japan Foundation, Minato and Irodori; NHK WORLD-JAPAN, Easy Japanese; Dunlosky et al., Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 2013. Checked on 13 October 2026. Photo: Himeji Castle with cherry blossom, Loggieloggie / CC0 (Wikimedia Commons).
