The Ann Arbor Karate Club holds promotional testing every three months. Students who are training consistently and show progress are given the opportunity to test for the next rank. Before planning to test, students must have permission from the instructors.
The ranking system uses colored belts to represent levels of progress for students. A beginner student starts training wearing a white belt. White is a symbol of birth and beginning, indicating that the student is just starting to gain knowledge. The ranks, belt colors associated with them, and testing requirements are displayed on the table below.
| RANK | BELT COLOR | REQUIREMENTS |
| 8 KYU | YELLOW | KATA: Heian Shodan KIHON (BASICS): Examiner counts KUMITE (BASIC THREE-STEP SPARRING): Examiner counts |
| 7 KYU | ORANGE | KATA: Heian Nidan KIHON (BASICS): Examiner counts KUMITE (BASIC THREE-STEP SPARRING): Examiner Counts |
| 6 KYU | GREEN | KATA: Heian Sandan plus Examiner’s choice of Heian 1 or 2 KIHON (BASICS): Examiner counts KUMITE (BASIC ONE-STEP SPARRING): Examiner counts |
| 5 KYU | PURPLE | KATA: Heian Yondan plus Examiner’s choice of Heian 1, 2 or 3 KIHON (BASICS): Examiner counts KUMITE (BASIC SPARRING): Examiner counts |
| 4 KYU | PURPLE | KATA: Heian Godan plus Examiner’s choice of 2 kata from Heian 1, 2 , 3 or 4 KIHON (BASICS): Examiner counts KUMITE (BASIC SPARRING): No count |
| 3 KYU | BROWN | KATA: Tekki Shodan Plus all Heian Kata KIHON (BASICS): Examiner counts KUMITE: - Kihon Ippon Kumite as Attacker and Defender, any block any counter - Jiyu Kumite (Free Sparring) against a lower rank, same rank and a higher rank |
| 2 KYU | BROWN | KATA: Bassai Dai plus Examiner’s choice of Tekki Shodan and any Heian KIHON (BASICS): Examiner counts KUMITE: - Kihon Ippon Kumite as Attacker and Defender, any block any counter - Jiyu Kumite (Free Sparring) against a lower rank, same rank and a higher rank |
| 1 KYU | BROWN | KATA: Bassai Dai plus Examiner’s choice of Tekki Shodan and any Heian KIHON (BASICS): Examiner counts KUMITE: - Kihon Ippon Kumite as Attacker and Defender, any block any counter - Jodan Oi-zuki, Chudan Oi-Zuki, Mae Geri, Kekomi - Jiyu Kumite (Free Sparring) against a lower rank, same rank and a higher rank |
| SHO DAN | BLACK | KATA: Primary - one of the following: Bassai Dai, Kanku Dai, Empi, or Jion plus Tekki Shodan and Heian Shodan Secondary- all remaining Heian kata. KIHON (BASICS) KUMITE: - Kihon Ippon Kumite as Attacker and Defender, any block any counter - Jiyu Ippon Kumite as Attacker and Defender, any block any counter - Jiyu Kumite (Free Sparring) against a lower rank, same rank and a higher rank |