How many points do you need to pass the JLPT?

Every level is scored out of 180. You pass when your total reaches the overall pass mark and every scoring section reaches its sectional pass mark. Miss one section and you fail, whatever your total. The figures below are from the official JLPT FAQ.

What are the pass marks for each level?

Level	Overall pass mark	Sections and minimums
N1	100 / 180	Language Knowledge 19/60, Reading 19/60, Listening 19/60
N2	90 / 180	Language Knowledge 19/60, Reading 19/60, Listening 19/60
N3	95 / 180	Language Knowledge 19/60, Reading 19/60, Listening 19/60
N4	90 / 180	Language Knowledge and Reading 38/120, Listening 19/60
N5	80 / 180	Language Knowledge and Reading 38/120, Listening 19/60

N3 has a higher overall mark than N2. That is the official figure, not a typo.

Why aren’t points just counted?

The JLPT uses scaled scores. Your score depends on which questions you got right, not only how many. So “I need 60% correct” calculations from forums don’t work. Aim well above the line.

What does this mean for kanji?

Kanji sit inside the Language Knowledge section, next to vocabulary and grammar. At N1 to N3 that section is scored on its own, so weak kanji can sink a pass even with strong listening. At N4 and N5 it shares a score with reading, and reading is also full of kanji.

Two habits help:

1. Learn kanji with the words they appear in. The paper asks for readings of words in sentences. See kanji compounds.
2. Don’t drop listening to cram kanji in the last month. It has its own 19-point floor.

For the question types, read how kanji are tested on the JLPT.

Kanji Mnemonics (my app, so weigh my opinion accordingly) covers N5 through N1 with one keyword, one story and one picture per kanji, readings and example words, a flashcard quiz in both directions and progress per level. It works offline. Lesson 1 is free; the rest needs Pro (weekly, monthly or yearly subscription, or a one-time lifetime purchase). See the app page, the App Store listing or all my apps.