JLPT December 2026: Date, Registration Status, Results and Test Day

The JLPT December 2026 test is on Sunday, December 6, 2026. In Japan, registration has already closed. Official results go online in late January 2027 and the paper results are mailed in late February 2027. Outside Japan, your local host institution sets the dates.

Everything below comes from the official sites, jlpt.jp and the JEES (Japan Educational Exchanges and Services) site that runs the test in Japan. Where an official page does not say something, this article does not guess. Sources are listed at the end.

When is the JLPT in December 2026?

The second JLPT of 2026 is on Sunday, December 6, 2026. The first test of the year was on Sunday, July 5, 2026. All five levels (N1 to N5) are given on the same day.

Outside Japan, some cities hold the test only in July or only in December. jlpt.jp keeps a list of overseas test cities and local host institutions, last marked "as of September 11, 2026", so check it for your own city.

Can I still register for the JLPT December 2026?

In Japan: no. JEES ran the application period from August 24 to September 7, 2026 (until 17:00), through a MyJLPT account. Some levels closed before the end of that period:

  • N1 and N2 applications closed at 12:00 on August 31, 2026 and JEES says they will not reopen.
  • N3 was reopened for Tokyo and Osaka on September 2. Those reopened applications closed the same day, at 10:41 for Osaka and 11:20 for Tokyo.

JEES also says the December test is mainly meant for people who do not speak Japanese as a first language and who are medium or long-term residents or special permanent residents of Japan. Short-term visitors without a residence card are not eligible. The fee in Japan was 7,500 yen including tax. Once you have applied, JEES does not refund the fee if you cannot attend.

Outside Japan: each local host institution sets its own registration window, fee and rules, and I have not listed any here because they differ by country and I could not confirm them in one official place. To check yours:

  1. Open the official list of overseas test site cities and local host institutions (link under Sources).
  2. Find your country and city. A mark in the list means the test in that city is cancelled for 2026, so read the note at the top of the page.
  3. Go to your host institution's website, or contact it using the phone, fax or email on that list, and ask whether registration for December is open.

If registration is closed where you live, the next option is the following JLPT. jlpt.jp lists the schedule for each year, so check it for the next dates.

When does the test voucher arrive, and what should I bring?

For the test in Japan, JEES says the test voucher (the admission ticket) is mailed by Friday, November 20, 2026. You can also view it on MyJLPT from Tuesday, November 17, 2026, under "Check and Modify JLPT Application". The voucher shows your level, test site and room, and you cannot change any of them.

If your voucher does not arrive, print it from MyJLPT and bring the printout. If you cannot print it, phone the JLPT Application Center between November 24 and December 4, 2026. Overseas, follow your local host institution's instructions for admission documents; I could not confirm a common date.

Bring these on the day:

  • Your test voucher.
  • Your identification. In Japan, JEES says examinees without the required identification, such as the valid Residence Card, are not allowed to take the test.
  • A black HB pencil or mechanical pencil. JEES says answers written in ball-point pen are not scored.

What is the JLPT December 2026 test day timetable?

The lengths of the sections are the same worldwide. The clock times below are for the test in Japan. Overseas host institutions publish their own schedules.

Morning (N1 and N2): the room opens at 8:30 and you must be in by 9:10, when the test starts.

  • N1: Language Knowledge (Vocabulary/Grammar) and Reading, 9:10 to 11:20 (110 minutes). Listening, 11:50 to 13:00 (55 minutes).
  • N2: Language Knowledge (Vocabulary/Grammar) and Reading, 9:10 to 11:15 (105 minutes). Listening, 11:45 to 12:50 (50 minutes).

Afternoon (N3, N4 and N5): the room opens at 14:30 and you must be in by 15:10, when the test starts.

  • N3: Vocabulary, 15:10 to 16:00 (30 minutes). Grammar and Reading, 16:20 to 17:45 (70 minutes). Listening, 18:15 to 19:10 (40 minutes).
  • N4: Vocabulary, 15:10 to 15:55 (25 minutes). Grammar and Reading, 16:15 to 17:25 (55 minutes). Listening, 17:55 to 18:45 (35 minutes).
  • N5: Vocabulary, 15:10 to 15:50 (20 minutes). Grammar and Reading, 16:10 to 17:05 (40 minutes). Listening, 17:35 to 18:20 (30 minutes).

The listed times include instructions as well as answering time, and the end of the Listening section can shift a little depending on the length of the recordings.

Rules that catch people out

  • If you are not in the room by the start time, you cannot take the first section. You may sit the later sections, but they are not scored and you cannot pass.
  • Nobody can enter the room once the time for any section has begun.
  • After the test ends, you wait about 20 minutes while the staff collect and count the papers.
  • Do not travel to the test site by car, motorcycle or bicycle. JEES asks everyone to use public transport.
  • If you are sick with influenza or another infectious disease listed in Japan's school health rules, JEES asks you not to take the test. There is no fee refund.

When are the JLPT December 2026 results released?

For the December test in Japan, JEES gives these dates:

  • Late January 2027: you can view your result on MyJLPT, under "Test Result and Certificate Issuance". The exact date and time are announced on the JEES website in late January 2027.
  • Late February 2027: the official result notice, and the Certificate of Japanese-Language Proficiency for those who passed, are mailed.

Outside Japan, jlpt.jp says Score Reports for the December test are sent through local host institutions around the middle of March. Online results at jlpt.jp are shown per country, and the time they appear varies by location, so look at your host institution for the date. JEES says it cannot answer questions about results by phone or email.

How is the JLPT scored, and what are the pass marks?

Each level has a total score of 0 to 180. To pass you need to reach the overall pass mark and also reach the minimum in every scoring section. Missing one section minimum means failing, no matter how high the total score is. Official pass marks:

  • N1: 100 of 180 overall. At least 19 of 60 in each of Language Knowledge, Reading and Listening.
  • N2: 90 of 180 overall. At least 19 of 60 in each of the three sections.
  • N3: 95 of 180 overall. At least 19 of 60 in each of the three sections.
  • N4: 90 of 180 overall. At least 38 of 120 in Language Knowledge and Reading combined, and at least 19 of 60 in Listening.
  • N5: 80 of 180 overall. At least 38 of 120 in Language Knowledge and Reading combined, and at least 19 of 60 in Listening.

The JLPT uses scaled scores based on Item Response Theory. It does not add up points for each correct answer, so you cannot convert a practice score straight into a real one.

What should I study in the 8 weeks before December 6?

If you start on Monday, October 12, you get exactly eight weeks, finishing on test day. This plan uses the free tools on BetterLingo. It is a suggestion, not an official method.

  1. Week 1: find your level. Take the free JLPT level test. Registration is closed in Japan, so if you are not already registered, use these weeks to prepare for the next JLPT or for your host institution's deadline.
  2. Weeks 2 and 3: vocabulary, kanji and grammar. Review a little every day. Use the reading pages for your level, for example the N3 reading page, to see the words in context.
  3. Weeks 4 and 5: reading and listening. Read a short text every day and listen to Japanese audio daily. Time yourself. At N1 to N3, Reading is its own scoring section with its own pass mark.
  4. Week 6: first full practice test. Use the practice test for your level: N5, N4, N3, N2 or N1. Write down which section is weakest, keeping the sectional minimum in mind.
  5. Week 7: fix the weak section. Spend most of the time on the section that is lowest. Write your own example sentences and run them through the sentence checker to catch grammar mistakes.
  6. Week 8: a second practice test and a rehearsal. Take another full practice test under the real time limits. Sort out your test voucher, your ID and your route to the test site. Keep the last two days light.

Next steps

Take the free JLPT level test to see where you stand today, then pick the practice test for that level. Re-check the official pages in late January 2027 for the exact result date.

Sources

Test date, December 6, 2026: jlpt.jp, Composition of Test Sections and Items and JEES, The 2nd JLPT in 2026 (December). Registration period, fee, voucher dates (November 17 and 20), timetable, inquiry period (November 24 to December 4) and result dates (late January and late February 2027): the same JEES test guide. N1 and N2 closing, August 31, 2026: JEES notice. N3 Tokyo and Osaka reopening closed, September 2, 2026: JEES notice. Overseas test cities and host institutions: jlpt.jp list. Overseas Score Reports (mid-March for December) and online results: jlpt.jp, Test Results Announcement. Scoring and pass marks: jlpt.jp, Results and jlpt.jp FAQ. Test day rules (late arrival, pencil, travel, absence): JEES FAQ, test day; eligibility and identification: JEES FAQ, applying. Information checked on October 11, 2026.