Standard Legality Checker (2026–27)
Since April 10, 2026, Standard play uses cards with regulation marks H, I and J — G-mark cards rotated out (Pokémon TCG Live switched on March 26). Basic Energy is always legal, and an older Trainer still counts when the same card has been reprinted with an H, I or J mark. Expanded takes every card from Black & White (2011) on, minus a short ban list.
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Standard Legality Checker (2026–27)
Your card
Tournament legality
Pokémon card, mark H.
Legal in Standard
Standard — every rule that applied
- 01“H” is a Standard-legal markSince the rotation on April 10, 2026 (March 26 on Pokémon TCG Live), Standard uses cards with H, I and J marks. Source: The Pokémon Company (opens in a new tab)
- 02No Standard bans listedAs of September 2026 no cards are listed as banned in 2026–27 Standard. Confirm on Play! Pokémon's banned card list before an event. Source: Bulbapedia (opens in a new tab)
Legal in Expanded
Expanded — every rule that applied
- 01Every marked card is inside ExpandedRegulation marks start with Sword & Shield (2020), and Expanded takes every set from Black & White (2011) onward. Source: Bulbapedia (opens in a new tab)
Where “H” cards come from
- SVP Black Star PromosSVP
- Temporal ForcesTEF
- Twilight MasqueradeTWM
- Shrouded FableSFA
- Stellar CrownSCR
- Surging SparksSSP
- Prismatic EvolutionsPRE
- Journey TogetherJTG
- Ascended HeroesASC
- Rules as of
- 2026-09-22
- Standard marks
- H, I, J
- Expanded from
- Black & White
- New sets legal
- ~2 weeks after release
For a big event, confirm on Play! Pokémon’s banned card list and the Tournament Rules Handbook — the organizer’s ruling is final.
Worked example
Two cards from an old binder, checked for 2026–27
A Rare Candy from Sun & Moon (no regulation mark). Standard: unmarked cards aren’t legal as printed, but Rare Candy was reprinted in Mega Evolution with an I mark, and Pokémon’s rotation announcement names this exact card as still playable. Legal. Expanded: Sun & Moon (2017–2019) is after Black & White (2011). Legal.
A Pokémon ex from Obsidian Flames (mark G). Standard: G rotated out on April 10, 2026, and a Pokémon can’t borrow a reprint’s legality. Not legal. Expanded: every marked card is from Sword & Shield (2020) or later. Legal — and fine for casual games with friends either way.
Reference
Every regulation mark and where it stands
| Mark | Standard (2026–27) | Last Standard season | Series | English sets with this mark | Cards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J | Legal | Current | Mega Evolution | MEP Black Star Promos (MEP), Ascended Heroes (ASC), Perfect Order (POR), Chaos Rising (CRI), Pitch Black (PBL) | 470 |
| I | Legal | Current | Scarlet & Violet, Mega Evolution | SVP Black Star Promos (SVP), Journey Together (JTG), Destined Rivals (DRI), Black Bolt (BLK), White Flare (WHT), Mega Evolution (MEG), MEP Black Star Promos (MEP), Phantasmal Flames (PFL), Ascended Heroes (ASC); a few cards in Perfect Order, Chaos Rising, Pitch Black | 1,278 |
| H | Legal | Current | Scarlet & Violet, Mega Evolution | SVP Black Star Promos (SVP), Temporal Forces (TEF), Twilight Masquerade (TWM), Shrouded Fable (SFA), Stellar Crown (SCR), Surging Sparks (SSP), Prismatic Evolutions (PRE), Journey Together (JTG), Ascended Heroes (ASC); a few cards in Destined Rivals, Black Bolt, Mega Evolution, Phantasmal Flames | 1,303 |
| G | Not legal (rotated) | 2025–26 | Scarlet & Violet | Scarlet & Violet (SVI), SVP Black Star Promos (SVP), Paldea Evolved (PAL), Obsidian Flames (OBF), 151 (MEW), Paradox Rift (PAR), Paldean Fates (PAF), Prismatic Evolutions (PRE); a few cards in Temporal Forces, Twilight Masquerade, Shrouded Fable, Stellar Crown, Surging Sparks, Journey Together, Destined Rivals, Black Bolt | 1,647 |
| F | Not legal (rotated) | 2024–25 | Sword & Shield | SWSH Black Star Promos, Brilliant Stars (BRS), Astral Radiance (ASR), Pokémon GO (PGO), Lost Origin (LOR), Lost Origin Trainer Gallery (LOR:TG), Silver Tempest (SIT), Crown Zenith (CRZ), Crown Zenith Galarian Gallery (CRZ:GG); a few cards in Astral Radiance Trainer Gallery, Silver Tempest Trainer Gallery | 1,156 |
| E | Not legal (rotated) | 2023–24 | Sword & Shield | SWSH Black Star Promos, Shining Fates (SHF), Battle Styles (BST), Chilling Reign (CRE), Evolving Skies (EVS), Celebrations (CEL), Fusion Strike (FST), Brilliant Stars (BRS), Brilliant Stars Trainer Gallery (BRS:TG), Astral Radiance Trainer Gallery (ASR:TG), Silver Tempest Trainer Gallery (SIT:TG), Crown Zenith (CRZ), Crown Zenith Galarian Gallery (CRZ:GG); a few cards in Astral Radiance, Lost Origin Trainer Gallery | 1,181 |
| D | Not legal (rotated) | 2022–23 | Sword & Shield | SWSH Black Star Promos, Sword & Shield (SSH), Rebel Clash (RCL), Darkness Ablaze (DAA), Champion's Path (CPA), Vivid Voltage (VIV), Shining Fates (SHF), Shining Fates Shiny Vault (SHF:SV), Lost Origin Trainer Gallery (LOR:TG); a few cards in Pokémon Futsal 2020, Chilling Reign, Evolving Skies, Celebrations, Fusion Strike, Brilliant Stars, Brilliant Stars Trainer Gallery, Astral Radiance Trainer Gallery, Pokémon GO, Silver Tempest, Silver Tempest Trainer Gallery, Crown Zenith | 1,256 |
| None | Not legal, except basic Energy and reprinted Trainers | — | Base Set (1999) to Sun & Moon (2019) | Everything printed before Sword & Shield | — |
| Card type | Rotated mark or no mark | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Energy | Always legal | Basic Energy has no mark and is legal in every format. |
| Trainer | Legal if the same card has an H, I or J print | Any print of a Trainer with a legal print can be used (Pokémon's example: Rare Candy). |
| Special Energy | Confirm first | The announcement covers older unmarked versions of legal cards; its example is a Trainer. Check the handbook. |
| Pokémon | Not legal | A Pokémon needs a legal mark itself; a rotated print can't stand in for an identical legal one. |
Expanded ban list
| Card | Set | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Archeops | Noble Victories | Banned |
| Sableye | Dark Explorers | Banned |
| Ghetsis | Plasma Freeze | Banned |
| Red Card | XY | Banned |
| Milotic | Flashfire | Banned |
| Lysandre's Trump Card | Phantom Forces | Banned |
| Primal Kyogre-EX | Primal Clash | Banned |
| Shaymin-EX | Roaring Skies | Banned |
| Forest of Giant Plants | Ancient Origins | Banned |
| Hex Maniac | Ancient Origins | Banned |
| Delinquent | BREAKpoint | Banned |
| Puzzle of Time | BREAKpoint | Banned |
| Marshadow | Shining Legends | Banned |
| Oranguru | Ultra Prism | Banned |
| Flabébé | Forbidden Light | Banned |
| Unown | Lost Thunder (two specific Unown) | Banned |
| Mismagius | Unbroken Bonds | Banned |
| Chip-Chip Ice Axe | Unbroken Bonds | Banned |
| Lt. Surge's Strategy | Unbroken Bonds | Banned |
| Reset Stamp | Unified Minds | Banned |
| Jessie & James | Hidden Fates | Banned |
| Duskull | Cosmic Eclipse | Banned |
| Island Challenge Amulet | Cosmic Eclipse | Banned |
| Flapple | Rebel Clash | Banned |
| Scoop Up Net | Rebel Clash | Banned |
| Medicham V | Evolving Skies | Banned |
| Blaine's Quiz Show | Unified Minds | Pokémon TCG Live only |
A ban covers that card, not every card with the name — other Unown or Duskull cards are fine. Standard has no bans listed for 2026–27. Confirm both lists on Play! Pokémon’s banned card list (opens in a new tab) before an event.
How to use it
In 5 steps
- 1Find the regulation mark: a single letter at the bottom left of the card, next to the set symbol or code.
- 2Pick the letter (or None) and the card type: Pokémon, Trainer, basic Energy or Special Energy.
- 3For an older Trainer or Special Energy, say whether the same card has an H, I or J print — a quick search of the name answers it.
- 4For a card with no letter, say whether it's from Black & White (2011) or later — that settles Expanded.
- 5Optionally type the name to check it against the ban lists, then read every rule that applied.
What rotation means for the cards you own
Once a year Pokémon narrows the Standard format so it only uses recent cards. The regulation mark is how you tell: a letter printed at the bottom left of every card since Sword & Shield (2020). For 2026–27 the cut-off is H, which starts with Temporal Forces (March 2024) and runs through the Mega Evolution sets. Pokémon has said future letters will be legal too, so each new set simply joins the format after its roughly two-week wait.
Rotated cards don’t stop being cards. Anything from Black & White on is still legal in Expanded, every card works in casual games at the kitchen table, and collectors value them for the art and rarity, not their legality. What does change is demand from players: a deck staple that rotates usually sees less play in Standard.
Two exceptions catch people out. Basic Energy is always legal, whatever it looks like. And Trainers carry over when they’re reprinted — an old Rare Candy is fine because Mega Evolution reprinted it with an I mark — but Pokémon don’t: a G-mark Pokémon stays out even if an identical one exists with a legal mark. Our rotation guide goes through it in more detail.
FAQ
Standard legal?: questions
Which regulation marks are legal in Pokémon Standard for 2026–27?
H, I and J. The 2026 rotation took effect on April 10, 2026 for in-person events (March 26 on Pokémon TCG Live) and removed G-mark cards. Pokémon says future regulation marks will also be legal.
Where is the regulation mark on a Pokémon card?
At the bottom left of the card, a single capital letter next to the set symbol or set code. English cards have carried one since Sword & Shield in 2020; older cards have none.
Are basic Energy cards always legal?
Yes. Basic Energy cards carry no regulation mark and are legal in Standard and Expanded whatever set they came from. Special Energy cards have marks and follow the normal rules.
Can I play an old Trainer card that was reprinted?
Usually, yes. If a Trainer with the same name and text has been printed with an H, I or J mark, older prints can be used too. Pokémon's own example is Rare Candy: the Sun & Moon version is playable because Mega Evolution's Rare Candy has an I mark. Pokémon cards don't get this allowance.
What can I do with rotated cards?
Play them in Expanded (every card from Black & White in 2011 onward, minus a ban list), in casual games, or keep them in the collection. Rotation only changes Standard tournament play.
When are new sets legal in Standard?
After a waiting period, which Pokémon describes as typically two weeks after release. Check the event's announcement if a set has just come out.
Not answered here? Ask us — a photo of the card helps.
Sources
Where these numbers come from
- [1]The Pokémon Company, “2026 Pokémon TCG Standard Format Rotation Announcement” (January 9, 2026) (opens in a new tab)The rule itself: G rotates out; H, I and J (and future marks) are legal; April 10, 2026 for events, March 26 on Pokémon TCG Live; older unmarked prints of currently legal cards (the Rare Candy example); Expanded unchanged from Black & White. pokemon.com blocks automated reads, so we read its text via the two reproductions below. Read 2026-09-22.
- [2]PokeGuardian, “Pokémon TCG Standard Format Rotation Announced for April 10, 2026” (opens in a new tab)Quotes the announcement: dates, legal marks, older versions without a mark, Expanded, the two-week wait for new cards. Read 2026-09-22.
- [3]PocketMonsters.net, “2026 Pokémon TCG Standard Format Rotation” (opens in a new tab)Announcement date (January 9, 2026) and the Sun & Moon Rare Candy example, quoted. Read 2026-09-22.
- [4]Play! Pokémon on X, rotation post (January 2026) (opens in a new tab)“will go into effect on April 10, 2026” and G cards no longer legal in Standard. Read 2026-09-22.
- [5]Bulbapedia, “Regulation mark” (opens in a new tab)Where the mark sits; first English mark D in Sword & Shield; basic Energy always legal; Trainer vs Pokémon reprint rule; A–C used only on Asian releases. Read 2026-09-22.
- [6]Bulbapedia, “Standard format (TCG)” and “2026-27 Standard format (TCG)” (opens in a new tab)Legal marks by season (D+ 2021–23 through H+ 2026–27), first legal expansion Temporal Forces, no current Standard bans. Read 2026-09-22.
- [7]Bulbapedia, “Expanded format (TCG)” (opens in a new tab)Black & White onward, the reprint rule, and the ban list reproduced below. Read 2026-09-22.
- [8]Play! Pokémon, “Pokémon TCG Banned Card List” (opens in a new tab)Pokémon's own list to confirm against before an event (it refused our automated read, so the ban table here follows Bulbapedia).
- [9]TCGdex (tcgdex.dev), MIT-licensed card database (opens in a new tab)Which English sets carry which regulation marks, counted from our 2026-09-22 snapshot.
Last reviewed . Spot something wrong? Text (760) 453-6389 and we’ll fix it.
Related tools
- Pokémon Set Code FinderThe code at the bottom left of Scarlet & Violet and newer cards (PAL, MEW, MEG…) → the set, its release date and its size.
- Pokémon Card FinderType a name and number from any English card — get its set, rarity, regulation mark and a price check.
- Rarity Symbol DecoderCircle, diamond, one star, two gold stars — what the symbol in the corner means in each era.
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