Kids in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu have their own belt system. After white come grey, yellow, orange and green, and each colour is split into three belts, making thirteen ranks in all. The system covers ages 4 to 15, and in the year a child turns 16 they move into the adult ranks, usually at blue belt. This is the IBJJF's youth system, which is widely used as the basis for kids' ranks across the sport.
What is the kids BJJ belt order?
| Order | Belt | Minimum age |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | White | Any age |
| 2 | Grey and white | 4 |
| 3 | Grey | 4 |
| 4 | Grey and black | 4 |
| 5 | Yellow and white | 7 |
| 6 | Yellow | 7 |
| 7 | Yellow and black | 7 |
| 8 | Orange and white | 10 |
| 9 | Orange | 10 |
| 10 | Orange and black | 10 |
| 11 | Green and white | 13 |
| 12 | Green | 13 |
| 13 | Green and black | 13 |
Every coloured group runs up to age 15. The minimum ages come from the IBJJF's General System of Graduation.
How long does each kids belt take?
There is no fixed answer, by design. The IBJJF sets no minimum time at each belt for children aged 4 to 15 and leaves the pace to the professor. What it does suggest is a stripe system that adds up to roughly a year per belt for a child who trains consistently.
In practice, age matters more than speed. A four-year-old who trains brilliantly still cannot move past the grey belts until age 7, or past yellow until 10. That is deliberate: it keeps belts meaningful, and it stops very young children racing ahead of what their bodies and attention spans can support.
What do the stripes on a kids belt mean?
Stripes, also called degrees, mark progress within a belt. The IBJJF suggests three ways to award them and leaves the choice to each academy: three stripes awarded every three months, two stripes every four months, or monthly stripes that run white, then red, then the colour of the next belt. Each method takes about a year to complete a belt.
Ask your child's coach which system your academy uses, so you both know what the next milestone looks like.
What belt does a child get at 16?
In the year a student turns 16, they move into the adult system of white, blue, purple, brown and black. Under the IBJJF's rules, the conversion works like this:
| Youth belt in the year they turn 16 | Adult belt |
|---|---|
| White | White |
| Grey, yellow or orange | Blue |
| Green | Blue or purple, at the professor's discretion |
That last rule is why a teenager who has trained since early childhood can begin adult jiu-jitsu at purple belt.
When do kids move into adult classes?
Rank and class are separate questions. Our kids' programs group children by age: Lil Tots for ages 4 to 5, Lil Champs for 6 to 8 and Champ Kids for 9 to 13. Our adult classes start at 14, so a 14- or 15-year-old can train with the adults before they are old enough for an adult belt, which under IBJJF rules starts at 16.
Does a kids belt carry over to a new academy?
Usually, especially between academies that follow the IBJJF system. Grading is still the professor's call, though, so a new coach may watch a child for a few weeks before confirming their rank. That is normal, and not a judgement on the previous school.
What should parents actually pay attention to?
- Consistency over colour. Two classes a week, every week, moves a child further than bursts of enthusiasm.
- Effort and attitude. Coaches notice how a child trains, helps partners and handles losing a round.
- The age rules. If your child seems stuck, check whether they are simply waiting for a birthday.
- Avoid comparisons with siblings or friends. Children progress in bursts, and at different times.
Common questions
White, then grey, yellow, orange and green. Each colour comes in three versions, with a white stripe, solid, and with a black stripe, making thirteen ranks from white to green and black.
Green and black, which children can reach from age 13. In the year they turn 16, students move into the adult belt system.
The IBJJF sets no minimum time for children and leaves the pace to the professor. Its suggested stripe systems add up to about a year per belt for a child who trains consistently. Grey belts are open from age 4.
Under IBJJF rules, grey, yellow and orange belts become blue, and green belts become blue or purple at the professor's discretion. White belts stay white.
No. The IBJJF's minimum age for a black belt is 19, and for a blue belt, the first adult rank, it is 16.
Want to try it on the mat?
Two weeks of unlimited classes for $29. No experience needed.