What are the BJJ belts in order?

For adults the order is white, blue, purple, brown, and black. Beyond black come the degrees: a black belt earns up to six degrees over many years, then the coral belts (red-and-black at 7th degree, red-and-white at 8th) and finally the red belt (9th and 10th degree), which is reserved for the art's most senior figures.

How long does it take to get a BJJ blue belt?

Blue belt commonly takes about one to two years of consistent training — say two or three sessions a week — though it varies a lot by person, athleticism, and how often you train. There is no fixed time requirement to reach blue, but you must be at least 16. A blue belt already represents a solid, well-rounded foundation.

How long does it take to get a BJJ black belt?

A BJJ black belt typically takes around 8 to 12 years of dedicated training, often cited as roughly a decade. That is far slower than many martial arts, and it is deliberate: rank is earned against fully resisting opponents and cannot be faked. The IBJJF also sets minimum times at each belt, which add up to several years on their own.

What do the stripes on a BJJ belt mean?

Stripes are small marks (usually white tape) an instructor adds to your belt to show progress between belt promotions. Most belts can hold up to four stripes; earning the fourth signals you are approaching the next belt, though promotion is always at the professor's discretion, not automatic. On a black belt, degrees play a similar role over much longer spans.

Why does BJJ take so long to rank up?

Because BJJ belts resist inflation and reflect real, tested skill. You spar (roll) with fully resisting partners every class, so a rank you have not earned shows immediately. Promotions come from the professor's judgment of your skill, mat time, and consistency rather than a set timetable — which keeps every belt meaningful and makes each one genuinely earned.

The BJJ belt system explained

Few things in martial arts are as respected — or as slow to earn — as a Brazilian jiu-jitsu belt. The colors are simple to list, but what they represent, how long they take, and why BJJ ranks so much more slowly than other arts is the interesting part. Here is the whole system explained plainly: the adult belts, stripes and degrees, the coral and red belts, the kids' system, and an honest look at how long each rank really takes.

The quick version: adults progress white → blue → purple → brown → black, usually over roughly a decade of training, picking up up to four stripes on each belt along the way. Beyond black are the degrees and, eventually, the coral (red-and-black) and red belts of the art's most senior figures. Kids have their own colors — white, grey, yellow, orange, green — before they are old enough for a blue belt at 16. The pace is slow on purpose, and that is exactly what makes each belt mean something.

The five adult belts

Adult BJJ (age 16 and up) has five belt colors. Each one represents a genuine leap in skill and understanding, not just time served:

White belt — where everyone starts. The focus is survival and fundamentals: learning positions, escapes, and how to stay calm under pressure. There is no minimum time to leave white; you simply build a foundation.
Blue belt — the first major milestone, and a serious accomplishment. A blue belt has a broad technical base: a range of escapes, guard passes, sweeps, and submissions. This is where jiu-jitsu starts to feel like your own.
Purple belt — the advanced rank. Purple belts have deep knowledge and are refining a personal game, and they often help teach lower belts. Many consider purple the point where you become genuinely dangerous on the mat.
Brown belt — near-expert. The rough edges get polished, timing sharpens, and your style matures. Brown is the shortest of the colored belts for most people — a bridge to black.
Black belt — the expert and instructor rank, typically around a decade of training away from your first day. It is a beginning as much as a summit: black belts keep learning, and they earn degrees over the years that follow.

Stripes and degrees

Between the belt colors, progress is marked with stripes — small pieces of tape (or embroidery) an instructor adds to the belt. Most belts can hold up to four stripes, and earning your fourth generally means you are approaching the next color. Stripes keep motivation alive across the long gaps between belts, especially at white and blue.

Once you reach black belt, stripes give way to degrees (sometimes called dan). A black belt can earn up to six degrees over many years of continued training and contribution to the art, with set waiting periods between each. It is a system designed to reward a lifetime on the mats, not a fast climb.

Beyond black: coral and red belts

The rarest belts in jiu-jitsu come after decades at black:

7th degree — the red-and-black "coral" belt. Awarded to masters with a lifetime in the art.
8th degree — the red-and-white coral belt. Rarer still, marking even greater seniority.
9th and 10th degree — the red belt. The highest honor in BJJ, reached only after a lifetime of dedication; the 10th degree has historically been reserved for the art's founding pioneers, the Gracie brothers.

You will rarely meet a coral or red belt — reaching them typically takes being decades into a black belt and well into later life. They are a reminder that in BJJ, rank is a lifelong journey.

The kids' belt system

Children cannot jump straight onto the adult ladder, so BJJ has a separate youth system (roughly ages 4 to 15) with its own colors to reward years of steady progress: white, grey, yellow, orange, and green, each usually with lighter and darker variations (for example grey-white, solid grey, and grey-black). A young student works up through these over many years.

When a teenager reaches about 16, they transition from the kids' colors onto the adult ladder — typically into a blue belt, based on their experience — because the colored adult belts like blue are reserved for age 16 and up. If you have a child starting out, our BJJ for kids age guide covers what to expect at each stage, and you can browse kids BJJ programs near you.

How long each belt takes

Timelines vary enormously with how often you train, your athleticism, and whether you compete — so treat these as rough averages, not promises. The governing body of the sport, the IBJJF, also sets minimum times you must hold a belt before the next promotion, which puts a floor under the pace:

Belt	IBJJF minimum at this belt	Typical real-world time
White	No minimum	About 1–2 years to blue
Blue	2 years before purple	About 2+ years
Purple	1.5 years before brown	About 1.5–2 years
Brown	1 year before black	About 1–2 years
Black	Degrees over many years	Roughly 10 years from white

Add it up and the IBJJF minimums alone stack to several years from blue to black — and that is before the time it takes to earn blue in the first place. In practice, a black belt is commonly 8 to 12 years of dedicated training. There is nothing wrong with progressing slower than average; consistency, not speed, is the whole game.

Why BJJ belts mean more

If you come from another martial art, the pace can be a shock — some arts award a black belt in a few years. BJJ ranks slowly on purpose, and the reason is simple: you cannot fake a belt you have not earned. Every class you roll with fully resisting partners, so your real skill is on display constantly. A rank that outstrips your ability would be exposed the moment you spar. Because of that, BJJ has strongly resisted the "belt inflation" seen elsewhere, and each color stays meaningful. A blue belt is already a capable grappler; a black belt is a genuine expert. The long road is a point of pride, not a barrier — and it is a big part of why practitioners value the journey as much as the destination.

How promotions actually work

Here is what surprises many newcomers: most academies have no formal belt exam. Your professor promotes you when they judge that your skill, mat time, attitude, and consistency have earned it — often when you least expect it. Some academies use stripe tests or a set curriculum, but the underlying principle is the same everywhere: you do not ask for a promotion, you simply keep showing up and training honestly, and the belt comes.

The best thing you can do is ignore the belt and fall in love with the training. Focus on turning up, rolling with humility, and improving a little each week, and rank takes care of itself. New to it all? Start with our beginner guide, learn how to choose an academy with a legitimate instructor and lineage, or find a free trial near you and take the first step.

Common questions

What are the BJJ belts in order?: For adults the order is white, blue, purple, brown, and black. Beyond black come the degrees: a black belt earns up to six degrees over many years, then the coral belts (red-and-black at 7th degree, red-and-white at 8th) and finally the red belt (9th and 10th degree), which is reserved for the art's most senior figures.
How long does it take to get a BJJ blue belt?: Blue belt commonly takes about one to two years of consistent training — say two or three sessions a week — though it varies a lot by person, athleticism, and how often you train. There is no fixed time requirement to reach blue, but you must be at least 16. A blue belt already represents a solid, well-rounded foundation.
How long does it take to get a BJJ black belt?: A BJJ black belt typically takes around 8 to 12 years of dedicated training, often cited as roughly a decade. That is far slower than many martial arts, and it is deliberate: rank is earned against fully resisting opponents and cannot be faked. The IBJJF also sets minimum times at each belt, which add up to several years on their own.
What do the stripes on a BJJ belt mean?: Stripes are small marks (usually white tape) an instructor adds to your belt to show progress between belt promotions. Most belts can hold up to four stripes; earning the fourth signals you are approaching the next belt, though promotion is always at the professor's discretion, not automatic. On a black belt, degrees play a similar role over much longer spans.
Why does BJJ take so long to rank up?: Because BJJ belts resist inflation and reflect real, tested skill. You spar (roll) with fully resisting partners every class, so a rank you have not earned shows immediately. Promotions come from the professor's judgment of your skill, mat time, and consistency rather than a set timetable — which keeps every belt meaningful and makes each one genuinely earned.