JLPT Registration India 2026: December Cities and Deadlines

As of September 17, 2026, JLPT December 2026 registration in India is city-based, not nationwide. The official JLPT site lists New Delhi, Pune, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Santiniketan, and Karur as India test sites, but the public pages I could verify show that some December 2026 registrations are already closed and others require checking the local host institution directly. (jlpt.jp)

Key takeaways

• JLPT December 2026 in India is handled by local host institutions, not one central national form. (jlpt.jp)
• The official JLPT overseas list confirms India test cities include New Delhi, Pune, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Santiniketan, and Karur for 2026. (jlpt.jp)
• I could verify that Chennai and New Delhi have already closed registration for December 2026. (jlptchennaiindia.com)
• The official JLPT site says overseas application periods vary by city, so there is no single India-wide deadline to rely on. (jlpt.jp)
• If you are planning for the next attempt, use the local host institution page, not forum reposts or unofficial aggregators. (jlpt.jp)

In this guide: Which India cities are offered | What is already closed | How overseas registration works | City-by-city table | What to do now | How we researched

Which India cities are offered

For 2026, the official JLPT overseas list shows these India test-site cities and host institutions: New Delhi (MOSAI), Pune (JALTAP), Kolkata (The Indo-Japan Welfare and Cultural Association), Chennai (ABK-AOTS DOSOKAI, Tamilnadu Centre, Chennai), Bengaluru (Bangalore Nihongo Kyooshi-kai), Mumbai (JALTAP), Santiniketan (Visva-Bharati), and Karur (Japanese Language Teachers Association). The same JLPT list marks these India sites as available for the December 2026 exam unless a city has been specifically cancelled. (jlpt.jp)

That means the answer to the query is not just "where can I register?" It is "which city office is currently accepting or has already closed its own application window?" The official JLPT process states that overseas registration depends on the local host institution and that the application period varies by city. (jlpt.jp)

What is already closed

The clearest confirmed closures I found are Chennai and New Delhi. Chennai's official site now says the online registration for JLPT December 2026 has closed. New Delhi's MOSAI page also says "Registration period is closed" for JLPT December 2026. (jlptchennaiindia.com)

That is important because high-stakes searchers often land on unofficial lists that still show a city as "available" without checking whether the local portal is still open. For December 2026 in India, a city being listed on the global JLPT site does not mean registration is still open today. (jlpt.jp)

How overseas registration works

The JLPT official overseas process is straightforward: find the test site city and host institution, confirm the registration method with that host, obtain the Test Guide or application forms, register according to that host's instructions, and then receive the voucher from the host institution. The JLPT site also notes that overseas applications usually run around March-April for July tests and around August-September for December tests, but it explicitly says the period varies by city. (jlpt.jp)

For India, that city-by-city model matters more than the month. The local hosts decide details such as the portal, payment method, document requirements, session allocation, and whether the city is still open. MOSAI's Delhi page, for example, shows a fixed fee structure and required uploads, while Chennai publishes level-wise fees and venue changes on its own site. (mosai.org.in)

City-by-city table

What this means for most applicants

If you are in India and still trying to apply for December 2026, your first move should be to check your city host institution page directly. The global JLPT city list is only the starting point. It does not replace the local deadline notice. (jlpt.jp)

If your city is already closed, your realistic choices are to wait for the next cycle or switch to a city whose local portal is still open, if that is allowed by the host institution. The official JLPT guidance says you must apply with the institution conducting the test in the country or area where you plan to take it. (jlptchennaiindia.com)

For test planning, it also helps to separate JLPT from nearby alternatives. If your goal is work-focused Japanese rather than general proficiency, see JLPT vs BJT: Which Test Is Better for Work in Japan?. If you are deciding between Japanese exam formats, JLPT vs JFT-Basic: Which Japanese Test Do You Need? and JLPT vs NAT-TEST: Levels, Dates and Recognition may help. If you want to keep speaking while you wait for the next exam window, SoraSpeak's free spoken sessions are available, but it is not an exam-prep provider. (jlpt.jp)

Use this checklist before you apply next cycle

1. Open the official JLPT overseas site and confirm your city is offered for December. (jlpt.jp)
2. Open the local host institution page for that city, not a reposted blog. (jlpt.jp)
3. Check whether registration is still open today. (mosai.org.in)
4. Read the Test Guide before uploading documents or paying fees. (mosai.org.in)
5. Keep the ID, photo, and payment method ready in the exact format the city requires. (mosai.org.in)
6. If you need special testing accommodations, submit that request with the application, because the host institution sets its own STA deadline. (mosai.org.in)

Best answer in one line

For JLPT India 2026 December, the official cities are New Delhi, Pune, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Santiniketan, and Karur, but the December application deadline is city-specific and at least New Delhi and Chennai were already closed when I checked on September 17, 2026. (jlpt.jp)

How we researched

I used the official JLPT overseas city list and official JLPT process pages as the primary sources of truth, then checked the local India host institution pages for Delhi, Chennai, and Pune/Mumbai. I did not rely on forum posts, unofficial roundup blogs, or reposted deadline tables for the final answer. Where a city deadline could not be cleanly verified from accessible public text, I said so rather than guessing. (jlpt.jp)

Sources

• JLPT overseas test site cities and local host institutions
• JLPT taking the test overseas
• MOSAI JLPT December 2026
• Chennai JLPT December 2026 home
• JALTAP home
• JALTAP Mumbai application procedure PDF

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