Pass/fail is determined by the examinees’ total score and also their total for each scoring section. In other words, the total score needs to be at or above the point required for passing (overall pass mark), and scores of individual scoring sections need to be at or above the minimum point required for passing (sectional pass marks).
Overall pass marks and sectional pass marks for N4 and N5 are shown in the table below.

		Sectional pass marks
Level	Overall pass marks	Language Knowledge (Vocabulary/Grammar)・Reading	Listening
N4	90 points	38 points	19 points
N5	80 points	38 points	19 points

Overall pass marks and sectional pass marks for N1 through N3, which had been announced in August 2010, are shown in the table below. 

		Sectional pass marks
Level	Overall pass marks	Language Knowledge (Vocabulary/Grammar)	Reading	Listening
N1	100 points	19 points	19 points	19 points
N2	90 points	19 points	19 points	19 points
N3	95 points	19 points	19 points	19 points