The belt ranking colours and subjects as well as time between testing varies with different styles and clubs in karate. Karate as a whole is not unified under one system like Judo so a rank in one style is not necessarily recognized in an other style. Belt ranking is rather new to karate, being borrowed from Judo. Master Miyagi actually never gave out belt rankings and no one ever received a black belt from him. As karate became more popular, being taught in schools and universities, the belt ranking system made it easier to tell apart different levels of expertise.

Most karate schools do however follow the same principle of ten levels of kyu (student) rank and ten levels of dan (black belt rank). Some clubs have a different colour for each kyu rank, some use stripes on different coloured belts. At black belt level some schools use stripes on black belts to denote different dan rankings. Some also have checkerd red and white belts for senior black belts usually starting at sixth or seventh dan. The highest level is sometimes a solid red belt for the master of the style.

In Shorei-Kan Karate the kyu ranks have three colours of belts starting with white going to green and then brown. Strips are sown on the belts for rankings in between the colours. Once black belt is achieved there is no dan ranking on the belt. Shorei-Kan black belts have Japanese calligraphy embroidered on their belts. On one side is their name and on the other is usually Shorei-Kan Goju Ryu and the Dojo.

BELT COLOUR	RANK	ADULT SUBJECTS TO REACH NEXT RANK	CHILDRENS SUBJECTS TO REACH NEXT RANK	MINIMUM TIME BETWEEN TESTING
	10th kyu	Fukyu Kata #1 Bunkai Fukyu Kata #1 Kumite Shodan	Fukyu Kata #1 Kumite Shodan	3 Months
	9th kyu	Fukyu Kata #2 Bunkai Fukyu Kata #1 Kumite Nidan	Fukyu Kata #2 Bunkai Fukyu Kata #2	3 Months
	8th kyu	Kata Geiksai #1 Bunkai Kata Geiksai #1 Kumite Nidan #2	Kata Geiksai #1 Bunkai Kata Geiksai #1 Kumite Nidan #1	3 Months
	7th kyu	Kata Geiksai #2 Bunkai Kata Geiksai #2 Kumite Sandan Kihon Bo #1 / Kumi Bo #1	Kata Geiksai #2 Bunkai Kata Geiksai #2 Kumite Sandan Kihon Bo #1 / Kumi Bo #1	3 Months
	6th kyu	Kata Geiksai #3 / Kata Sanchin Bunkai Kata Geiksai #3 Kumite Yondan Kata Bo Jytsu #1	Kata Geiksai #3 / Kata Sanchin Bunkai Kata Geiksai #3 Kumite Yondan Kata Bo Jytsu #1	6 Months
	5th kyu	Kata Gekiaha #1 / Kata Saifa Kata Sanchin /Bunkai Gekiaha #1 Kumite Godan Rythem Bo #1 / Kihon Bo # 2	Kata Gekiaha #1 Kata Sanchin / Kata Saifa Bunkai Gekiaha #1 / Kumite Godan Rythem Bo #1 / Kihon Bo # 2	6 Months
	4th kyu	Complete review of all previous subjects	Complete review of all previous subjects	6 Months
	3rd kyu	Kata Gekiha #2 Kata Seyunchin / Kata Sanchin Bunkai Gekiah #2 / Kumite Rukodan Bo Jyutsu #2 / Rythem Bo #2	Kata Gekiha #2 Kata Seyunchin / Kata Sanchin Bunkai Gekiah #2 / Kumite Rukodan Bo Jyutsu #2 / Rythem Bo #2	6 Months
	2nd kyu	Kata Kakuha #1 / Kata Seisan Kata Sanchin / Kata Tensho Bunkai Kata Kakuha #1 Kumite nanadan	Kata Kakuha #1 / Kata Seisan Kata Sanchin / Kata Tensho Bunkai Kata Kakuha #1 Kumite nanadan	6 Months
	1st kyu	Complete review of all previous subjects and Teaching Test	Complete review of all previous subjects	By invitation after one year minimum
	Shodan	Kata Seipai / Kata Kakuha #2 Kata Sanchin / Kata Tensho Saifa Bunkai Kumite Hachidan	Kata Seipai / Kata Kakuha #2 Kata Sanchin / Kata Tensho Saifa Bunkai Kumite Hachidan	2 Years
	Nidan	Hakutsuru / Shisochin / Sanchin Tensho / Bunkai Seisan Kumite kudan / Sai Kata #1 Bo kata Cho un no kun / Kaisai	Hakutsuru / Shisochin / Sanchin Tensho / Bunkai Seisan Kumite kudan / Sai Kata #1 Bo kata Cho un no kun / Kaisai	3 Years
	Sandan	Kata Sanseru Kata Sanchin / Kata Tensho Bunkai Kata Seisan Kaisai Seyuenchin bunkai	Upon reaching 18 years of age, children will be tested for their adult belt - ranking to be determined by the Shihan	4 Years
	Yondan	Kata Kururunfa / Kata Suparinpei Kata Sanchin / Kata Tensho Bunkai Seisan / Kumite Judan Kaisai all koriyu (Clsaaical) Kata		5 Years
	Godan	No further formal testing. Time and contribution to karate is a determining factor		After Godan by invitation from Kaicho, Hombu dojo Japan