JLPT N5 Passing Score: Pass Marks, Sections and Pass Rates

JLPT N5 passing score: 80 out of 180

The JLPT N5 passing score is 80 out of 180. You also need at least 38 out of 120 in Language Knowledge (Vocabulary/Grammar)・Reading and at least 19 out of 60 in Listening, or you fail whatever your total.

So a pass needs two things at once:

1. a total score of at least 80 out of 180, and
2. at least the sectional pass mark in both scoring sections: 38 out of 120 in "Language Knowledge (Vocabulary/Grammar)・Reading", and 19 out of 60 in "Listening".

Miss either sectional minimum and you fail, however high your total is. Miss a test section entirely and you fail too.

The JLPT is held twice a year, in July and December (outside Japan, some cities hold only one of the two). The next test is on Sunday 6 December 2026. The July test was on Sunday 5 July 2026.

The rest of this page explains where those numbers come from, how long each part of the test is, what the CEFR level on the score report means, and how many people actually pass. Every fact about the test comes from the official JLPT site, jlpt.jp, and is linked in the sources at the end.

The three N5 test sections and their times

On the day, N5 is three separate test sections:

That's 90 minutes of test time in total. jlpt.jp notes that the Listening time "may differ slightly according to the length of the recorded materials".

These times have applied since the December 2020 test. That's when the two Language Knowledge sections for N4 and N5 were shortened. The JLPT's FAQ says this changed neither the difficulty nor the content of the questions.

What's in each section

jlpt.jp lists the question types for each level. For N5 they are:

• Vocabulary: kanji reading, orthography, contextually-defined expressions, paraphrases.
• Grammar: selecting the grammar form, sentence composition, text grammar.
• Reading: comprehension of short passages, comprehension of mid-size passages, information retrieval.
• Listening: task-based comprehension, comprehension of key points, verbal expressions, quick response.

Every question is multiple choice on a computer-scored answer sheet. Most questions have four choices, and some Listening questions have three. There is currently no conversation or composition (speaking or writing) test at any level.

The official N5 sample questions and practice workbooks show exactly what each question type looks like.

The section names in Japanese

The test is in Japanese, so these words are worth recognising:

JLPT N5 pass marks for each section

Although N5 has three test sections, your results have only two scoring sections:

The two Language Knowledge test sections (vocabulary, then grammar and reading) are merged into one score out of 120. N1 to N3 work differently. They have three scoring sections of 60 points each, with Reading scored separately.

Why vocabulary, grammar and reading share one score

The JLPT gives its own reason. At N4 and N5, "many areas of 'Language Knowledge' and 'Reading' ... overlap or cannot be easily separated". So a combined score "better suits the characteristics of the learning stage" than a separate Reading score.

In practice, a weak reading section can be balanced by strong vocabulary and grammar, as long as the combined score reaches 38. Listening has no such partner. It needs 19 on its own.

How the pass is decided

jlpt.jp states the rule plainly. You pass when the total is at or above the overall pass mark and every scoring section is at or above its sectional pass mark. "If there is even one scoring section where the score is below the sectional pass mark, examinees are determined to have failed, no matter how high the total score he/she might have."

Two examples:

If you skip a test section, you are judged to have failed. You still get a Score Report, but it shows no scores at all, even for the sections you took. You also can't apply for only some sections.

These pass marks were announced for N4 and N5 in January 2011. They have applied since the December 2010 test.

When you get your results

Everyone who takes the test gets a Score Report by post. Those who pass also get a Certificate of Proficiency.

So if you sat the July 2026 test outside Japan, your Score Report is due about now.

How many questions do you need to pass N5?

It's tempting to think "80 out of 180 means I need 44% of the questions right". That isn't how the JLPT works.

The JLPT uses scaled scores based on Item Response Theory, not raw scores. Your score depends on which questions you got right, not just how many. It is then put on a common scale, designed so that scores mean the same thing from one test to the next.

The JLPT's FAQ puts it this way: the scaled score "is determined based on each examinee's individual answering pattern". Because it "differs from the number of correct answers, it is possible for an examinee with a high number of correct answers to receive a relatively modest scaled score".

So there is no official number of correct answers that passes N5. What you can do is aim comfortably above the marks in both scoring sections. Make especially sure your Listening is solid.

The extra information on your Score Report

Alongside the scores, the Score Report gives reference information. It doesn't affect pass or fail:

• Percentage of correct responses for Vocabulary, Grammar and Reading, as a letter: A (67% or higher), B (34% to 66%) or C (less than 34%). This is the one place you can see how the three parts of the combined score went.
• Percentile rank, for examinees who pass overseas (not shown in Japan).
• CEFR level, for examinees who pass (next section).

Is JLPT N5 equivalent to CEFR A1?

Since the December 2025 test, the JLPT prints a CEFR level on the Score Report "for reference". It was first planned for the July 2025 test and then moved back to December 2025.

For N5, jlpt.jp says: "a total score of 80 or higher is indicated as A1 level." N5 has only this one band, so a pass at N5 is shown as A1 and never higher. For comparison:

Some important limits, all from jlpt.jp:

• Only if you pass. If you fail, the report shows "＊" instead of a level. That includes a total above 80 with one section below its minimum.
• Only from December 2025. Score reports from July 2025 and earlier don't show a CEFR level. If you passed before then, jlpt.jp's FAQ says you can look up your level yourself in its score-to-CEFR table, as a reference for learning. A new copy of an old certificate won't show it.
• Only the skills the JLPT tests. The level covers the CEFR's "Linguistic" and "Reception" (reading, listening) competences. It says nothing about speaking, writing or interaction, which the JLPT doesn't test.
• Reference only. The CEFR level is not part of the pass/fail result.
• Total score only. There's no CEFR level for each scoring section.

So the honest answer to "is N5 equivalent to A1?" is this. A pass at N5 is reported as A1 for reading and listening, as a reference, on tests from December 2025 onwards.

JLPT N5 pass rate: is N5 hard?

jlpt.jp publishes the number of examinees and the percentage certified for every session. The two most recent sessions with data are:

The figures for the July 2026 test are not published yet.

Split by where people took the test, December 2025 was 53.5% in Japan and 50.0% overseas. July 2025 was 57.8% in Japan and 50.3% overseas.

For context, the pass rate across all levels was 33.9% in December 2025 and 36.3% in July 2025. N4 was 34.6% in December 2025. N5 had the highest pass rate of the five levels in both sessions.

So N5 is the easiest JLPT level, but it's not a formality. About one examinee in two doesn't pass.

How to reach the N5 pass mark in each section

Language Knowledge・Reading

The minimum is 38 of 120, but aim much higher. This section rewards vocabulary most directly. Kanji reading, orthography and paraphrase questions are all about knowing words and how they're written. The Reading questions at N5 are short and mid-size passages and information retrieval. They get much easier once the words are familiar. Our N5 kanji and vocabulary guide covers what to learn.

If you study mainly with an app, check what it leaves out: see is Duolingo enough for JLPT N5?.

Listening

The minimum is 19 of 60. This is the section learners neglect, and the one that fails people with good totals. Practise hearing words, not just reading them. Do the official listening samples with the audio at full length.

Both sections

Take one of the official practice tests from jlpt.jp under timed conditions (20, 40 and 30 minutes) a few weeks before the test. Your raw percentage isn't your scaled score, but it shows which scoring section is at risk.

For a full week-by-week schedule, see how long to study for JLPT N5.

Questions about the JLPT N5 passing score

What is a good score for JLPT N5?

There is no official "good" score for N5. Any total of 80 or more, with both sections at or above their minimum, is a pass. Our advice is to aim well above the marks in practice, because your raw percentage on a practice test isn't your scaled score.

Is JLPT N5 hard to pass?

N5 is the easiest JLPT level, but about half of examinees fail it. In December 2025, 50.2% of N5 examinees passed.

Is the N5 pass mark 44%?

No, not as a share of correct answers. 80 is 44% of 180 points, but the points are scaled scores, and the JLPT says they differ from the number of correct answers.

What happens if I fail one section?

You fail the whole test, even with a total above 80. Both scoring sections must reach their own minimum: 38 and 19.

Can I pass N5 without kanji?

It's very unlikely. The Vocabulary section has kanji reading and orthography questions, and jlpt.jp's N5 summary says you read sentences "written in hiragana, katakana, and basic kanji". Start with the kana: see how to memorize hiragana and katakana.

Can I skip N5 and go to N4?

As far as we can tell, yes. You choose your level when you apply, and jlpt.jp's FAQ on choosing a level doesn't mention passing a lower level first. It points you to the level summaries and the sample questions instead.

Is N5 enough to live in Japan?

N5 alone is a starting point, not everyday fluency. jlpt.jp describes N5 as "the ability to understand some basic Japanese". To see what comes next, read how long to study for JLPT N5.

When do I get my JLPT N5 results?

Score Reports come by post. Outside Japan they arrive through the local host institution in early October for the July test and early March for the December test. In Japan they arrive in early September and early February.

Sources

• The Japan Foundation and JEES, Scoring sections, pass marks and results, jlpt.jp.
• Test sections and test times, composition of test items, jlpt.jp.
• Overall pass marks and sectional pass marks of the new JLPT (N4 and N5), jlpt.jp news, 31 January 2011.
• Frequently asked questions (test dates, results timing, choosing a level, test sections, computer scoring, scoring sections, scaled scores, pass/fail, CEFR), jlpt.jp.
• N1 to N5: Summary of linguistic competence required for each level, jlpt.jp.
• Indication of the CEFR level for reference, jlpt.jp.
• Past test data: 2025 (December) and 2025 (July), jlpt.jp. The July 2026 figures were not yet published on 1 October 2026.
• JLPT sample questions and Official Practice Workbooks, jlpt.jp.
• Test dates: Sunday 5 July and Sunday 6 December 2026, jlpt.jp.
• Japanese words: JMdict (EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0).
• Reviewed by two independent reviews. The Japanese section names and the answers on skipping N5 and living in Japan are waiting for a native speaker's check.