He was the son and heir of Landgrave Frederick V of Leuchtenberg (d. 19 May 1487 in Nuremberg) and his wife Dorothea of Rieneck.
During the Landshut War of Succession, John fought on the side of Elector Palatine Philip.
Nevertheless, he was hired by Duke George of Bavaria and later by Elector Palatine Louis V. Between 1513 and 1518, he served as governor of Amberg, earning an annual salary of 1000 guilders.
This additional income allowed him to lend money to Elector Palatine Otto Henry and his brother Philip and to Margrave Frederick I "the Elder" of Brandenburg-Ansbach.
In 1530, he purchased Luhe and Wernberg from Hans Adam Wißpeck zu Volburg and granted city status to the town of Pfreimd, where he lived.