Every belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, in order, with time-in-grade requirements, stripe progression, and what each rank actually means.
For adults 16 and older, the IBJJF belt order is fixed and universal. Every academy that follows IBJJF standards uses this exact progression.
| Order | Belt | Color | Time at Previous | What It Means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | White | White with black tip | — | Beginner. Absorbing fundamentals. |
| 2 | Blue | Blue with white tip | 12+ months at white (or as decided by professor) | Functional grappler. Has fundamentals down. |
| 3 | Purple | Purple with white tip | 24+ months at blue | Advanced practitioner. Chains techniques fluidly. |
| 4 | Brown | Brown with black tip | 18+ months at purple | Near-mastery. Deep technical understanding. |
| 5 | Black | Black with red tip | 12+ months at brown | Mastery of fundamentals. The starting point of true expertise. |
Black belt is not the end. There are 6 degrees within black belt, then coral and red belts at the highest mastery levels.
| Order | Rank | Visual | Time at Previous | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 1st Degree Black | 1 stripe | 3 years at black | Common |
| 7 | 2nd Degree Black | 2 stripes | 3 years at 1st | Common |
| 8 | 3rd Degree Black | 3 stripes | 3 years at 2nd | Less common |
| 9 | 4th Degree Black | 4 stripes | 5 years at 3rd | Notable |
| 10 | 5th Degree Black | 5 stripes | 5 years at 4th | Notable |
| 11 | 6th Degree Black | 6 stripes | 5 years at 5th | Rare |
| 12 | 7th Degree Coral (Red/Black) | Red and black | 7 years at 6th | Very rare |
| 13 | 8th Degree Coral (Red/White) | Red and white | 7 years at 7th | Very rare |
| 14 | 9th Degree Red Belt | Solid red | 10 years at 8th | Living legend |
| 15 | 10th Degree Red Belt | Solid red | Reserved | Gracie founders only |
Practitioners under 16 use a separate belt system designed for kids. Each belt has variations (white-on-belt, solid color, belt-on-white) and 4 stripes per variation.
The kids belt order is: white, gray (with variations), yellow (with variations), orange (with variations), green (with variations).
When a child reaches age 16, the professor evaluates skill and places them in the adult system. Most experienced 16-year-olds start at blue belt; some begin at purple if they have demonstrated exceptional skill.
| Belt | Age Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| White | 4-15 | Starting belt for all kids |
| Gray | 4-15 | White-gray, gray, gray-black variations |
| Yellow | 7-15 | White-yellow, yellow, yellow-black variations |
| Orange | 10-15 | White-orange, orange, orange-black variations |
| Green | 13-15 | White-green, green, green-black variations |
Within each colored belt, there are 4 stripes (degrees). Stripes are typically given more frequently than belts — every 6 to 12 months — based on attendance, skill development, and competition results. They signal progress within a long belt journey.
Belt rank is more than time on the mat. It signals technical proficiency, mat sense, and academy contribution.
Survival mode. Learning to escape positions, tap when caught, and absorb fundamentals. Most adults take 12-30 months to earn blue.
Functional grappler. You can defend most submissions and execute basic chains. Roughly 10% of starters reach this rank.
Advanced practitioner. Game has refined; A-game is identifiable; competition success becomes possible.
Near-mastery. Game is sophisticated and deep; teaching capability emerging; instructor track for some.
Mastery of fundamentals. The journey is just starting at black belt — degrees continue for decades.
Living legends. Decades of contribution to BJJ. The 10th degree red is reserved for the Gracie founders.
BJJ Belt Progress calculates your IBJJF time-in-grade and shows where you stand against minimums for your next belt.
Open CalculatorFor adults: 5 colored belts (white, blue, purple, brown, black) plus 6 degrees within black belt, then 7th and 8th coral belts, and 9th and 10th red belts. Total 14-15 ranks plus stripes within each.
White, blue, purple, brown, black, then 1st through 6th degree black belt, then coral (red/black, red/white), then red belt for adults. Children use white, gray, yellow, orange, green.
IBJJF minimums: 12 months white, 24 blue, 18 purple, 12 brown. Most adults take 18-30 months per belt. Black belt averages 10-15 years from white.
Black belt has 6 degrees represented by stripes. After 6th degree, the 7th and 8th degrees are coral belts (red and black, then red and white). The 9th and 10th degrees are solid red belts.
Coral belts are 7th and 8th degree black belts. The 7th degree coral is red and black; the 8th degree coral is red and white. They typically require 7 years at the previous degree to earn.
A solid red belt represents 9th degree (10 years at 8th) or 10th degree black belt. The 10th degree is reserved for the Gracie founders. Living 9th degree red belts are extremely rare.
No. The IBJJF system requires sequential promotion. Some professors may delay promotion if a student is exceptional but practitioners cannot skip a belt.
The 10th degree red belt is the highest rank, reserved for the Gracie founders (Carlos, Helio, Oswaldo, Gastao, and George). No new 10th degrees are awarded.