DC　capacitor　voltage　balance　is　one　of　the　key　issues　in　the　control　of　five-level　NPC　(neutral　point　clamped)　converter.　In　this　paper,　it　analyses　the　influence　of　space　vectors　to　the　DC　voltage　balance　in　five-level　NPC　converter　SVM　(space　vector　modulation)　strategy　and　present　a　novel　DC　capacitor　voltage　self-balancing　SVM　strategy.　The　novel　strategy　divides　the　whole　five-level　space　vector　diagram　into　low　modulation　region　(m(SV)＜=　0.5)　and　high　modulation　region　(m(SV)＞0.5).　In　low　modulation　region,　DC　capacitor　voltage　balance　is　achieved　by　combining　objective　function　method　with　reference　voltage　decomposition　method.　In　high　modulation　area,　DC　capacitor　voltage　balance　is　realized　by　applying　an　optimal　balancing　vector　selection　(OBVS)　method.　The　characteristics　of　the　novel　strategy　are　smaller　amount　of　calculation,　much　simpler　realization　and　better　control　effect.　Simulation　and　experimental　results　verify　the　correctness　of　the　proposed　method.