The BJJ Belt System: Ranks, Stripes and How Long Each Belt Takes
From white belt to black belt and beyond: how the BJJ belt system works, what stripes mean and how long each belt really takes.
Everyone who starts jiu-jitsu asks the same thing within a week: how long until I get my blue belt? The BJJ belt system is famously slow, and that's part of its charm. A belt means you've survived a lot of rounds.
Here's the fast answer, then we'll walk through every rank.
Short answer: The adult BJJ belt system goes white, blue, purple, brown, black. Most academies add up to four stripes per belt. The IBJJF sets minimum times of two years at blue, 18 months at purple and one year at brown. Getting from white to black commonly takes around a decade.
A quick note: the official numbers below come from the IBJJF graduation system. Your academy may run things a bit differently, and the IBJJF can update its rules, so check the current version if it matters for competition.
The BJJ belt system at a glance
Here's the adult ladder in one table. The "real world" column is a rough guide only, because everyone's path is different.
| Belt | IBJJF minimum age | IBJJF minimum time at belt | Real world, roughly |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | None | None | 1 to 3 years |
| Blue | 16 | 2 years | 2 to 3 years or more |
| Purple | 16 | 18 months | 2 to 3 years or more |
| Brown | 18 | 1 year | 1 to 2 years or more |
| Black | 19 | Degrees follow (see below) | A lifetime |
Notice that white belt has no minimum time at all. Your coach can promote you whenever you're ready. In practice, most people spend a good while there learning to survive.
Adult belts, one by one
White belt
Everything is new, and you'll spend a lot of time underneath people. That's normal. White belt is about learning to breathe, escape bad spots and tap early.
Blue belt
Blue belt usually means you've got the basics down and can defend yourself against an untrained person. It's also the belt where a lot of people quit, so sticking around is a win in itself. The IBJJF minimum stay at blue is two years.
Purple belt
Purple is where your game starts to look like yours. You'll have favorite positions and you'll start helping newer students. The minimum time at purple is 18 months.
Brown belt
Brown belt is about polishing and filling gaps. You're expected to be technical, calm and hard to catch. The minimum time at brown is one year, and you need to be at least 18.
Black belt
A black belt isn't the finish line. It means you know the art well enough to keep learning it on your own. The IBJJF minimum age for black belt is 19.
How stripes work in the BJJ belt system
Stripes are the small bits of tape or fabric on the black bar of your belt. Most academies use up to four stripes per belt, and the next step after four stripes is a new belt.
Stripes aren't standardized for adults in the same way the belts are. They're mostly an academy custom, so one gym might stripe you every few months while another barely uses them. Don't compare your stripe count with a friend at a different gym.
What stripes do well is give you small goals. A belt can feel years away, but a stripe tells you that your coach has noticed your progress.
Beyond black belt: degrees, coral and red belts
The BJJ belt system keeps going after black. Black belts earn degrees, and the IBJJF sets long waits between them.
- 1st to 3rd degree: about three years between each.
- 4th to 6th degree: about five years between each.
- 7th degree: a red-and-black belt, often called a coral belt.
- 8th degree: a red-and-white belt, also often called a coral belt.
- 9th degree and above: the red belt, held by a very small number of people.
To reach 7th degree, you're looking at more than 30 years as a black belt. Coral and red belts usually belong to people who've given most of their lives to the sport.
Why the BJJ belt system is so slow
Compared with many martial arts, jiu-jitsu hands out belts sparingly. A big reason is that you test your skills against resisting partners almost every class. It's hard to hide gaps when someone is actively trying to choke you.
That's also why a belt carries weight. When the BJJ belt system says someone is a purple belt, you can usually trust that they've earned it on the mat. Slow belts can feel frustrating, but they keep the ranks honest.
So if your friend at the karate club is on their third belt and you're still on zero stripes, relax. You're playing a longer game.
Kids belts
Kids have their own version of the BJJ belt system. The IBJJF kids system is designed for ages 4 to 15, with gray, yellow, orange and green belts, plus variations with white or black stripes.
There's no minimum time at each kids belt. At 16, a young grappler becomes eligible for blue belt and moves onto the adult ladder.
How promotions actually happen
The IBJJF minimums matter most if you compete at IBJJF events or train at an affiliated academy. Day to day, your coach decides when you're ready.
Most coaches look at a mix of things:
- Mat time: how often you train, and for how long.
- Technique: how well you know the positions at your level.
- Rolling: how you perform against people at your belt and above.
- Attitude: whether you're a good training partner who helps others.
- Competition: some gyms value it, others don't care either way.
There's one notable exception in the IBJJF rules. Adults who win the World Championship at blue, purple or brown no longer have a minimum time at that belt. That doesn't apply to most of us, so plan for the long way round.
Showing your rank in no gi
No gi has no belt to tie, so how do people know who's who? Many academies use ranked rashguards, which are tops built around your belt color. They make it easy to spot a training partner's rank in class.
Rank colors matter at competitions too. Our guide to the IBJJF no gi rules explains the color rules for rashguards. If you train at 10th Planet in Slovenia, our ranked belt rashguards cover every rank from white to black belt.
Quick answers
How long does it take to get a black belt in BJJ?
It commonly takes around 10 years of steady training. The IBJJF minimums add up to four and a half years after white belt, but very few people get there that fast.
How many stripes are on each BJJ belt?
Most academies use up to four stripes per belt. After the fourth stripe, the next promotion is usually a new belt.
Can you skip a belt in BJJ?
Under the BJJ belt system, adults normally move up one belt at a time. Skipping is very rare, and the IBJJF minimum times still apply if you compete.
Is there a belt above black in BJJ?
Yes. Black belts earn degrees, then coral belts at 7th and 8th degree, and the red belt above that.
Wrapping up
The BJJ belt system is simple on paper: white, blue, purple, brown, black, with stripes along the way. The hard part is turning up for the years in between. Enjoy each belt, because you only get to be a fresh blue belt once.
If you're heading to your first class, read our guide on what to wear to BJJ. And when you want a top that can keep up with the years of training ahead, have a look at our BJJ rashguards.
Sources
Gear up for the mats.
Rashguards, shorts and spats built for hard rounds. Sublimated, so the print never cracks or peels.
