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Kendo utilizes the kyu/dan system of ranking pioneered in judo and used in many martial arts systems today. Unlike many of these systems, Kendo does not use a system of colored belts to indicate rank. In Kendo, rank levels are demonstrated by performance. Beginners start at sixth kyu and move up in rank through the kyu levels five, four, three, two, and one. At this point, trainees are eligible for dan ranking, the point at which a black belt is awarded in other martial arts. Dan ranks proceed numerically up through tenth dan. At the fourth through sixth dan levels, an individual is entitled to the title renshi. At eighth through tenth dan, a Kendoka is given the honorary title of hanshi.

Individuals vary in the time it takes to advance in Kendo rank. Generally speaking, it will take from two to three years to advance through the beginner kyu levels. Standards vary from organization to organization, but there is also usually a mandatory time limit that must be spent in training before the next promotion. This is especially true of dan levels, where the amount of time spent in grade gets longer the higher the dan level. It is generally held that kyu examinations below first kyu may be held at individual dojo. For promotion to first kyu and above, however, the aspiring student is required to participate in a promotion shiai where Kendoka from a number of schools are tested by high-ranking instructors. This is to ensure that the rigorous technical standards of Kendo are adhered to.