---
title: "FIDE chess titles"
url: "https://georgelichess.com/titles.md"
canonical_url: "https://georgelichess.com/titles"
last_updated: "2026-10-22"
type: "index"
summary: "How each FIDE title is earned: Candidate Master and FIDE Master by rating, International Master and Grandmaster by norms and rating, with Handbook clauses."
related: ["https://georgelichess.com/titles/grandmaster.md", "https://georgelichess.com/titles/international-master.md", "https://georgelichess.com/titles/fide-master.md", "https://georgelichess.com/titles/candidate-master.md", "https://georgelichess.com/titles/woman-grandmaster.md", "https://georgelichess.com/titles/woman-international-master.md", "https://georgelichess.com/tools/title-requirements.md", "https://georgelichess.com/tools/title-norm-calculator.md", "https://georgelichess.com/chess-ratings-explained.md", "https://georgelichess.com/how-to-get-a-fide-rating.md"]
---

# FIDE chess titles

> **For AI agents:** the complete index of GeorgeLiChess pages is [llms.txt](https://georgelichess.com/llms.txt). Every page is also served as markdown at its URL plus .md.

How each FIDE title is earned: Candidate Master and FIDE Master by rating, International Master and Grandmaster by norms and rating, with Handbook clauses.

FIDE awards a chess title in one of two ways. A rating alone earns the FIDE Master title at 2300 (B01 1.3) and the Candidate Master title at 2200 (B01 1.3). Norms in tournaments plus a rating earn the Grandmaster title at 2500 (B01 1.5.3), the International Master title at 2400 (B01 1.5.3), the Woman Grandmaster title at 2300 (B01 1.5.3) and the Woman International Master title at 2200 (B01 1.5.3). Each title is valid for life.

## The six title guides

| Title | How it is earned | Rating you must have reached | Games |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Grandmaster](https://georgelichess.com/titles/grandmaster.md) | Norms plus a rating | 2500 (B01 1.5.3) | 27 games across the norms (B01 1.5.1) |
| [International Master](https://georgelichess.com/titles/international-master.md) | Norms plus a rating | 2400 (B01 1.5.3) | 27 games across the norms (B01 1.5.1) |
| [FIDE Master](https://georgelichess.com/titles/fide-master.md) | A rating alone | 2300 (B01 1.3) | 30 rated games (B01 1.3) |
| [Candidate Master](https://georgelichess.com/titles/candidate-master.md) | A rating alone | 2200 (B01 1.3) | 30 rated games (B01 1.3) |
| [Woman Grandmaster](https://georgelichess.com/titles/woman-grandmaster.md) | Norms plus a rating | 2300 (B01 1.5.3) | 27 games across the norms (B01 1.5.1) |
| [Woman International Master](https://georgelichess.com/titles/woman-international-master.md) | Norms plus a rating | 2200 (B01 1.5.3) | 27 games across the norms (B01 1.5.1) |

## Check your own numbers

Use the [title requirements checker](https://georgelichess.com/tools/title-requirements.md) for a whole application and the [title norm calculator](https://georgelichess.com/tools/title-norm-calculator.md) for one tournament. Rating questions: [chess ratings explained](https://georgelichess.com/chess-ratings-explained.md) and [how to get a FIDE rating](https://georgelichess.com/how-to-get-a-fide-rating.md).

## Frequently asked questions

**Which FIDE titles can I earn with a rating alone?**

A rating alone earns the FIDE Master title at 2300 (B01 1.3) and the Candidate Master title at 2200 (B01 1.3), each with at least 30 rated games (B01 1.3) behind a rating reached after 2017-07-01. The guides above list the full rule for each.

**Which titles need norms?**

The International Master, Grandmaster, Woman International Master and Woman Grandmaster titles need norms that together cover at least 27 games (B01 1.5.1), plus a rating reached at some time.

**Do FIDE titles expire?**

No. A FIDE title is valid for life (B01 0.4).

**Do online games count toward a FIDE title?**

Titles rest on over-the-board play at the standard time control (B01 0.3). Rapid, blitz and online results do not earn norms.

Checked against the FIDE Handbook edition dated 1 January 2024 on 2026-10-19.

## Related

- [How to become a Grandmaster](https://georgelichess.com/titles/grandmaster.md)
- [How to become an International Master](https://georgelichess.com/titles/international-master.md)
- [How to become a FIDE Master](https://georgelichess.com/titles/fide-master.md)
- [How to become a Candidate Master](https://georgelichess.com/titles/candidate-master.md)
- [How to become a Woman Grandmaster](https://georgelichess.com/titles/woman-grandmaster.md)
- [How to become a Woman International Master](https://georgelichess.com/titles/woman-international-master.md)
- [Chess title requirements checker](https://georgelichess.com/tools/title-requirements.md)
- [Chess title norm calculator](https://georgelichess.com/tools/title-norm-calculator.md)
- [Chess ratings explained](https://georgelichess.com/chess-ratings-explained.md)
- [How to get a FIDE rating](https://georgelichess.com/how-to-get-a-fide-rating.md)