December 2026 JLPT: Registration Guide & Key Dates

The JLPT runs twice a year — early July and the first Sunday of December. The December 2026 sitting falls on Sunday, December 6, 2026. If you're aiming for it, registration is the first deadline that actually matters.

When does registration open?

In Japan, registration for the December test is handled by JEES and typically opens in early September, closing about three to four weeks later. The exact dates are published fresh each year on the official JLPT site — always check there rather than relying on last year's calendar, since the window can shift by a few days.

Outside Japan, each country's test is run by a local administering body (a Japan Foundation office, an embassy, a university, or a language association), and registration windows vary by location — some open earlier than Japan's, some later, and a few countries only offer the December sitting at specific cities. Search "JLPT [your country]" to find your local administrator's site, since that's the only place with your actual deadline.

What you'll need to register

• A recent passport-style photo, sized to your local administrator's spec.
• Basic ID details — for many overseas sites, no separate ID upload is needed at registration, though you must bring photo ID on test day.
• Your chosen level, N5 through N1 — you can only sit one level per session.
• Payment — the fee is set locally and varies by country, typically in the USD 30–60 range.

Choosing N5 through N1

Register for the level that matches where you are now, not where you hope to be in four months — the JLPT doesn't offer partial credit for a level you weren't ready for. If you're unsure, our guide to the five JLPT levels walks through what each one actually tests.

After you register

1. Save your admission voucher or confirmation the moment it's issued — you'll need it to enter the exam room.
2. Mark your calendar for when the voucher itself is mailed or becomes downloadable, usually a few weeks before test day.
3. Start (or restart) a study plan sized to the roughly three months between registration and the exam.

Once you're registered, the next decision is how to spend the study window you've got left — see our three-month JLPT study plan for a week-by-week breakdown.