How to Get Level 30 Enchantments

Guide Java Bedrock

Quick answer: Surround your enchanting table with exactly 15 bookshelves, each placed with one block of air between it and the table (at the table's height or one block higher). Nothing - not even a torch - can sit in the gap. With all 15 shelves and enough XP and lapis, the third slot offers level 30 enchantments.

What you need

15 bookshelves (90 planks + 45 books)
Enchanting table
30 XP levels + lapis lazuli

Step by step

Craft 15 bookshelves. Each needs 6 planks and 3 books - so 90 planks, 45 books total (135 paper + 45 leather). A sugar cane and cow farm makes this painless.
Place the table in the open. Put the enchanting table with at least one block of free space on all sides.
Ring it with shelves. Place the 15 bookshelves in a 5x5 ring around the table, leaving exactly one block of air between the shelves and the table. Shelves at table height or one block above both count.
Keep the gap empty. Torches, carpet, snow layers or any block in the one-block gap disables the shelves behind it - the particles stop flowing from the shelf to the table.
Enchant at level 30. With all 15 shelves active and 30+ XP levels, the bottom offer shows level 30 enchantments. Each costs 3 lapis lazuli and 3 levels; combine results on an anvil for god gear.

Java vs Bedrock

Identical in Java and Bedrock. Only bookshelves count - chiseled bookshelves do not boost the table. The standard layout is a 5x5 square with the table in the middle and one corner open as a door.

Versions: The 15-bookshelf cap and the one-block gap rule date back to the 1.8 enchanting overhaul (14w02a), which also introduced the lapis cost and the 30-level maximum. It has been unchanged since.

Frequently asked questions

Why aren't my bookshelves working?

Check the one-block gap: a torch, carpet or any block between a shelf and the table disables that shelf. Glyph particles flying from the shelf to the table confirm it works.

Is 15 really the maximum?

Yes - the table caps at 15 shelves. Extra shelves do nothing, and more shelves cannot raise offers past level 30.

Do chiseled bookshelves work?

No - despite the name, chiseled bookshelves give no enchanting bonus. Only regular bookshelves count.