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JLPT test day: what to bring, the rules and the timetable
On JLPT test day in Japan you need four things: your test voucher (受験票 in Japanese), HB pencils and plastic erasers, a plain wristwatch and your original residence card. N1 and N2 are a morning test and N3 to N5 are an afternoon test.
On this page
What to bring to the JLPT
Bring four things: voucher, HB pencils or mechanical pencils with plastic erasers out of their cases, a wristwatch without memory function, and the original residence card.
| Item | What to know |
|---|---|
| Test voucher (受験票 in Japanese) | Bring the one JEES mailed to you. If your test voucher does not arrive, print it from MyJLPT and use that at the test site. The July 2026 notice said a voucher shown on a phone screen is not allowed. |
| Pencils and erasers | HB pencils or mechanical pencils, and plastic erasers taken out of their cases. |
| Wristwatch | A plain watch without a memory function. |
| Original residence card | The original, in date on test day. If you renewed it after applying, bring the new card. |
| If your card is being renewed | If your residence card is being renewed, bring proof of renewal, a copy of the card and a government photo ID. |
| If you lost your card | If you lost your card: bring the lost-property report number, a copy of the lost card or the reissued card, and a government photo ID. |
| If you applied without a residence card | On test day, people who applied without a residence card bring category-specific original documents, for example a Japanese passport (naturalized citizens). |
| Clothing | Room temperature may not be adjustable; dress in layers. |
Only the pencils/erasers and the wristwatch may be on the desk. Everything else, including the voucher and residence card, must be put away.
Sources: JEES: application notes, JEES: December 2026 test guide, JEES: home page
JLPT test sections and answer time by level
Each level has its own sections. The answer time is shorter than the clock window in the next table, because the window includes instruction time.
| Level | Session in Japan | Parts and minutes | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| N5 | Afternoon | Vocabulary: 20 min; Grammar and reading: 40 min; Listening: 30 min | 90 min |
| N4 | Afternoon | Vocabulary: 25 min; Grammar and reading: 55 min; Listening: 35 min | 115 min |
| N3 | Afternoon | Vocabulary: 30 min; Grammar and reading: 70 min; Listening: 40 min | 140 min |
| N2 | Morning | Vocabulary, grammar and reading: 105 min; Listening: 50 min | 155 min |
| N1 | Morning | Vocabulary, grammar and reading: 110 min; Listening: 55 min | 165 min |
Section times may change and listening length varies slightly with the recordings.
Sources: JEES: December 2026 test guide, jlpt.jp: test sections and times
JLPT start times and end times, December 2026
N1 and N2 are the morning session, and N3, N4 and N5 are the afternoon session. These are the clock times for 6 December 2026. The July 2026 timetable was the same, and JEES announced no change to section times for December. Check the voucher for the room-open and start times for your level.
| Level | Room opens, test starts | Sections | Ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| N1 | Room opens 8:30, starts 9:10 | Language Knowledge and Reading 9:10 to 11:20; Listening 11:50 to 13:00 | 13:00 |
| N2 | Room opens 8:30, starts 9:10 | Language Knowledge and Reading 9:10 to 11:15; Listening 11:45 to 12:50 | 12:50 |
| N3 | Room opens 14:30, starts 15:10 | Vocabulary 15:10 to 16:00; Grammar and Reading 16:20 to 17:45; Listening 18:15 to 19:10 | 19:10 |
| N4 | Room opens 14:30, starts 15:10 | Vocabulary 15:10 to 15:55; Grammar and Reading 16:15 to 17:25; Listening 17:55 to 18:45 | 18:45 |
| N5 | Room opens 14:30, starts 15:10 | Vocabulary 15:10 to 15:50; Grammar and Reading 16:10 to 17:05; Listening 17:35 to 18:20 | 18:20 |
After the end time you wait about 20 minutes while the proctors count booklets and answer sheets, so an N3 test taker should plan to be at the venue until about 19:30. The Listening end time can move slightly with the recordings.
Sources: JEES: December 2026 test guide, JEES: July 2026 test guide, JEES: application notes, JEES: December 2026 test-day guide (PDF)
Arriving late, early or at the wrong place
- You cannot go in before the room opens. The room opens at 8:30 for N1 and N2 and at 14:30 for N3 to N5.
- Be in your seat before the start time. If you are not in your seat at the start time you lose the first section; later sections are not scored and you fail. You cannot enter the room once a section has started.
- A train delay does not excuse lateness, even with a delay certificate.
- The only way to learn your venue is the test voucher or the MyJLPT screen; the Application Center will not tell you by phone. Venue is shown from 17 November on MyJLPT 'Check and Modify JLPT Application' and in the mailed voucher (by 20 November). The guideline says exact locations are not confirmed until just before the test.
- Once assigned, the venue cannot be changed for any reason, and you cannot test at another venue. Some venues have similar names; check the building name and location on the voucher.
- Do not contact the university or other venue.
- Do not come by car, motorcycle or bicycle; no parking at or near venues.
- Venues have no waiting room for companions or children; only examinees enter the building.
- If JEES delays the start or end, it does not pay for rebooked travel and does not refund the fee if you cannot take the test.
Sources: JEES: application notes, JEES: December 2026 test guide, JEES FAQ: about the test, JEES: home page, JEES FAQ: test day
The ID check: what gets you turned away
- The ID rule: the original, in-date residence card. A copy or other ID alone is refused.
- Your voucher photo is compared with you; the person must match the voucher.
- You are refused entry if the photo is of someone else or not identifiable, or if two or more of name, date of birth and photo are wrong.
- JEES may also check your status with documents, including your passport or visa on test day.
- Hats and sunglasses come off during the test, and masks may come off for the identity check.
Sources: JEES: application notes, JEES FAQ: applying, JEES: guide (PDF)
How the JLPT day runs, including the Listening section
- Check your answer sheetYour name and number are printed on the answer sheet. If the number differs from the voucher, tell the proctor immediately. Taking the test on an answer sheet printed with someone else's number invalidates your results.
- Switch your phone and smartwatch off and seal them in the envelopePhones and smartwatches must be switched off and put in the envelope handed out at the start of section 1. Disqualified if a device is out of the envelope or the envelope shows signs of opening until the proctor allows it after the Listening section, even during breaks. The venue will not hold devices for you.
- Wait for the instruction to startOpening the question booklet or starting to answer before the instruction to start earns a yellow card. Time is by the proctor's watch in your room.
- Mark the answer sheetEvery question is multiple choice, on a computer-scored answer sheet. When you change an answer, erase the old mark completely. Answers written on the question booklet are not scored.
- Stay in the room between sectionsYou may not leave the room until the proctor says so. Ordinary noise (aircraft, trains, sirens, coughing) does not extend the test. A proctor may speak to you during the test for work reasons, and no extra time is given.
- Sit the Listening sectionThe Listening section is Section 2 for N1 and N2 and Section 3 for N3, N4 and N5. If you leave during Listening you cannot go back in. The test-day notes do not say how the audio is played in the room. To hear the question types beforehand, the free Official Practice Workbook has listening MP3s for N1 to N5: JLPT practice tests.
- Leave the paper behindYou cannot take the test paper home; doing so is an automatic fail.
Sources: JEES: application notes, jlpt.jp: FAQ, jlpt.jp: Official Practice Workbook downloads
What is not allowed on JLPT test day
Two yellow cards in a section means disqualification. A red card is immediate disqualification, all sections invalidated and no result sent.
| What a test taker does | What happens |
|---|---|
| Opens the booklet or starts answering before the instruction to start | Yellow card |
| Talks without permission | Yellow card |
| Keeps writing after the stop instruction, or does not hand in the answer sheet | Yellow card |
| Eats, chews gum or drinks during the test | Yellow card |
| Lets a phone, smartwatch or watch alarm sound during instruction time | Yellow card |
| Lets a device or watch alarm sound from the start of answering until the proctor says the sheets and booklets are checked | Red card |
| Has a device outside the envelope, or an envelope that has been opened | Red card |
| Looks at cheat sheets or reference books | Red card |
| Writes numbers or characters on clothes, body, voucher, eraser or desk | Red card |
| Takes the booklet or answer sheet out, copies their contents out, or records the Listening audio | Red card |
| Leaves at the end before the proctor gives permission | Red card |
Posting JLPT questions or answers online can get your scores canceled and be reported to employers or schools. Cheating or sharing questions can invalidate your scores, including past results, and ban you from future tests. Staff cannot answer questions about test content or how to answer.
Sources: JEES: application notes, jlpt.jp: announcement (1), jlpt.jp: announcement (2)
Mistakes that cost test takers the test
- A ballpoint pen. Answers must be marked with a black HB pencil or mechanical pencil; ballpoint answers are not scored.
- A pencil-lead case on the desk. A mechanical pencil's lead case is not allowed on the desk.
- A smartwatch or phone clock as your watch. Only a plain wristwatch is allowed. Phone clocks, smartwatches, alarm watches, pocket watches and table clocks are banned.
- A phone that cannot be silenced. Devices that cannot be fully silenced should stay at home.
- Asking a proctor about a question. Staff cannot answer questions about test content or how to answer.
Sources: JEES FAQ: test day, JEES: application notes
If you are sick, or the test is disrupted
- You can be refused entry with a fever of 37.5 C or higher or if you test positive for COVID-19 or flu and are not cured.
- If you have flu or another listed infectious disease, stay home; no refund and no re-exam.
- If you cannot attend you do not need to tell JEES, and the fee is not refunded.
- The test may be called off after a disaster. Check the JEES site.
Sources: JEES: guide (PDF), JEES FAQ: test day, JEES: application notes
JLPT test day outside Japan
The times and rules above are for the test in Japan. Local hosts may add requirements or restrictions, so check before registering.
- Overseas: from July 2025 phones and all camera or communication devices must stay off until the test ends, including breaks.
- Australia: vouchers are emailed about a month before the test and no photo is needed at application; photo ID is required on test day.
- Overseas: medical devices with phone or camera functions (for example a glucose-monitoring phone) need an accommodation approval.
Sources: jlpt.jp: FAQ, jlpt.jp: announcement, Japan Foundation Sydney: JLPT, jlpt.jp: special testing accommodations
Last weeks before the test
If weeks remain, a teacher can go through the listening and reading questions you miss.
italki
- One-to-one lessons by video with a teacher you choose
- Up to 3 trial lessons, one per teacher
- Pay per lesson, no subscription needed
- Fits you if you want a teacher to go through the questions you got wrong in a practice test.
- Not for you if you only need to know what to bring: the list above covers it.
Find a Japanese teacher for the JLPT on italki
Opens italki's site (Japanese; English version too)
JLPT questions
What do I need to bring to the JLPT?
Bring four things: voucher, HB pencils or mechanical pencils with plastic erasers out of their cases, a wristwatch without memory function, and the original residence card.
Can I use my phone or smartwatch at the JLPT?
No. Switch phones and smartwatches off and seal them in the envelope handed out at the start. A device found outside the envelope, even during a break, means disqualification. The venue will not hold devices for you.
What time does the JLPT start?
In Japan, N1 and N2 start at 9:10 and N3, N4 and N5 start at 15:10. The room opens at 8:30 for N1 and N2 and at 14:30 for N3 to N5.
What happens if I am late for the JLPT?
If you are not in your seat at the start time you lose the first section; later sections are not scored and you fail. A train delay does not excuse lateness, even with a delay certificate.
What pencil should I use for the JLPT?
Answers must be marked with a black HB pencil or mechanical pencil; ballpoint answers are not scored. Bring HB pencils or mechanical pencils with plastic erasers out of their cases.
Can I leave the room during the JLPT?
You cannot leave the room until the proctor allows it; if you leave during Listening you may not return.
What if I lose my test voucher or residence card?
If your test voucher does not arrive, print it from MyJLPT and use that at the test site. If you lost your card: bring the lost-property report number, a copy of the lost card or the reissued card, and a government photo ID.
Can someone wait for me at the JLPT test site?
No waiting room for companions or children; only examinees may enter the site.
How we checked
Every fact on this page links to the page it was read from, and our data keeps the quote. We read the JEES notes for test takers, its December 2026 guide and the jlpt.jp test-section page on October 5, 2026. JEES is the organization that runs the test in Japan, and jlpt.jp is the official JLPT site. We have not sat the test at a JEES venue, so anything the notes do not say, such as how the audio plays in the room, we leave out. We do not run the test and are not affiliated with it.
The italki button on this page is an A8.net affiliate link: we may earn a commission if you sign up through it. It does not change what we write. Read our editorial policy.