BJJ Stripe System Explained
Short answer: What people commonly call stripes, the IBJJF calls degrees. Under the IBJJF graduation system, white, blue, purple and brown belts each have four degrees for ages 16 and up, and using them is up to the professor. Black belt has six degrees. Beyond that, practice varies by gym, so ask your coach how yours works.
Stripes are IBJJF "degrees"
The IBJJF’s General System of Graduation never uses the word "stripe." It says degrees. The markings gyms put on a belt are what people commonly call stripes. This post uses both: degrees when it’s the IBJJF rule, stripes when it’s what you’ll hear on the mat.
How many degrees each belt has
For ages 16 and up, white, blue, purple and brown belts are each divided into four degrees.
The system is optional below black belt. Up to brown, adopting the IBJJF degree system is at the professor’s discretion. Ask your coach whether your gym follows it.
Degrees sit inside the belt minimums. The IBJJF also sets minimum time at each adult belt before promotion; see how long each belt takes.
Kids’ belts
For ages 4 to 15, the IBJJF only suggests that professors have a way of dividing each belt by degrees. It isn’t a fixed rule, so ask your child’s coach how their programme works.
Black belt and beyond
Black belt has six degrees. After that come the 7th degree, red and black (coral), the 8th, red and white, and the 9th, red.
Unlike coloured-belt degrees, black-belt degrees aren’t left to the professor. The IBJJF recognises black-belt degrees when they follow its degree system, and sets a minimum time before each one:
| Degree | Minimum time after the previous one |
|---|---|
| 1st | 3 years |
| 2nd | 3 years |
| 3rd | 3 years |
| 4th | 5 years |
| 5th | 5 years |
| 6th | 5 years |
| 7th (red and black) | 7 years |
| 8th (red and white) | 7 years |
| 9th (red) | 10 years |
The IBJJF also sets who can sign off. Coloured-belt membership must be signed or approved by an IBJJF-affiliated black-belt professor. Promotion to black belt must be signed by a black-belt professor with at least two IBJJF-certified degrees. (Provisional ranks have their own rules.)
What the IBJJF system doesn’t say
The graduation system leaves a lot open on coloured belts. It doesn’t specify:
- Who awards stripes, beyond "the professor."
- Stripe colour or material.
- Time between stripes. It sets belt minimums, not stripe timing.
- Whether stripes are required before a promotion.
Practice varies from gym to gym, so ask your coach.
What to ask your coach
- Does our gym use stripes, and how are they awarded?
- What should I be working on before my next stripe?
- Are stripes part of how you decide on a belt promotion here?
"What should I focus on next?" gets a more useful answer than "When’s my next stripe?" Turn the answer into a goal you control; see how to set training goals.
Tracking your stripes
Write down the date of every stripe and promotion. Belts take years, and a dated record shows progress that’s hard to feel week to week.
Mat Quest’s belt tracker handles adult belts — white, blue, purple, brown, black, four stripes each — on the honor system. Backfill past promotions with real dates, and stripes and belts get a full-screen celebration. It’s styled like a 90s arcade fighter.
FAQ
How many stripes does a BJJ belt have?
Under the IBJJF system, white, blue, purple and brown belts each have four degrees (stripes) for ages 16 and up. Black belt has six. The system is optional below black belt, so ask your coach how your gym uses it.
Are stripes required before a belt promotion?
The IBJJF graduation system doesn’t say. It’s up to your gym, so ask your coach.
Who gives stripes?
The IBJJF system leaves coloured-belt degrees to the professor and sets no further rule. Promotion to black belt must be signed by a black-belt professor with at least two IBJJF-certified degrees, and black-belt degrees count only if they follow the IBJJF degree system.
How long between stripes?
The IBJJF graduation system doesn’t specify time between stripes on white to brown; it sets minimum time at each belt. Black-belt degrees have set minimum times.
Source: IBJJF, General System of Graduation, v3.1, linked from https://ibjjf.com/graduation-system.