JLPT levels explained: N5 to N1, sections, pass marks and test dates

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The Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) is the most widely taken Japanese exam in the world. Employers, universities and visa schemes often ask for a JLPT level, and many learners use it simply as a goal. Here is what the levels mean and how the test works.

The five levels

There are five levels, from N5 (easiest) to N1 (hardest). You choose the level you sit; there is no single test that places you.

N5: basic Japanese. You can read hiragana, katakana and simple kanji, and follow slow, simple conversation about everyday topics.
N4: basic Japanese you can use in daily life, read and heard in familiar situations.
N3: the bridge level. You understand everyday Japanese reasonably well, including the gist of newspaper headlines and natural-speed conversation that is close to everyday use.
N2: everyday Japanese plus a degree of Japanese used in a broader range of situations: newspaper articles, clear commentary, conversations and news at natural speed. N2 is the level many Japanese employers look for.
N1: Japanese used in a broad range of situations, including complex and abstract writing and lectures. It is a demanding exam even for long-term learners.

What the test covers

The JLPT tests reading and listening only. There is no speaking or writing section, so a pass does not prove you can hold a conversation or write an email. Keep practising those separately. All questions are multiple choice, answered on a mark sheet. The parts of the test cover:

Language knowledge: vocabulary, kanji readings and grammar.
Reading: short and long passages.
Listening: audio of conversations and announcements.

Scoring and pass marks

Each level is scored out of 180. To pass you need both the overall pass mark and a minimum in every scoring section. Fail one section and you fail the exam, however high your total is. N1, N2 and N3 have three scoring sections, Language Knowledge, Reading and Listening, each scored from 0 to 60, with a sectional minimum of 19 in each. The overall pass marks are 100 (N1), 90 (N2) and 95 (N3). N4 and N5 have two scoring sections: Language Knowledge and Reading combined (0 to 120, minimum 38) and Listening (0 to 60, minimum 19). The overall pass marks are 90 (N4) and 80 (N5). This is why a learner with excellent reading but weak listening can fail N2 with a high total. Balance your preparation. Results come as a scaled score, not a raw percentage. Recent score reports also give a reference CEFR level for those who pass.

When the test is held

In Japan the JLPT is held twice a year, on the first Sunday of July and of December. For 2026 those dates are 5 July and 6 December. Outside Japan, many cities hold both sessions, but some hold it only once a year, in July or in December. Registration closes months before the test and is run by a local host institution in each country, so check the official site (jlpt.jp) for your city early.

How long to prepare

There is no official figure for study time, and the unofficial estimates you will find online vary widely. They depend heavily on whether you already know Chinese characters. As a rough guide:

N5 is reachable in months of steady study.
Each level after that takes longer than the one before, and the jump from N3 to N2 and from N2 to N1 is especially large because of kanji and reading speed.
Most people prepare for one level at a time, rather than skipping.

Preparing well

Take an official sample paper (on jlpt.jp) at the start to see where you are.
Learn vocabulary and kanji every day, in context.
Practise listening at natural speed every week, not just before the exam.
Time yourself on reading: many people know enough but run out of time.
Sit a full mock test under exam conditions a few weeks before.

Tell us which level you are aiming for, or ask about a section, in the comments.