[chelviweeme]

In what federation? CKF requires at least godan to sit on a grading committee. Internally, clubs can do what they like but as they require at least a godan head instructor then effectively it is the same requirement for club-granted ranks.

The Swedish Budo and Martial Arts Federation, kendosection.
Taken from memory:
A single shodan can grade someone to yonkyu. Two shodan or above can grade to sankyu.

Remember that we have to go through all our kyu grades, starting at yonkyu. Thus it is somewhat vital to be able to grade to atleast nikyu in your own dojo. Tests below ikkyu are seldom held at tournaments, so to grade nikyu and below you either have to do it at your own club or try to go to another club for grading. When I graded nikyu, our club could not do this "at home" so we had to ask people at a tournament to do a special grading just for us. Now we can grade up to nikyu and all is well.

As far as I know, we have no grade restrictions for opening a kendo club. But then, I should point out that I have not really investigated it. But I know that some clubs have started with instructors being shodan or ikkyu and everyone seem happy to see kendo spread. I'm not into the politics at all, if there is any