Last updated: October 25, 2026 · Checked against service-public.fr and the official civic training site
Forty questions. Forty-five minutes. Every word in French.
Get 32 right and you can file your French citizenship application. Get 31 and you go back to the queue for another exam date. That’s the deal since January 1, 2026, and it catches a lot of English speakers off guard, because nobody tells them the exam doesn’t exist in English.
This page is the hub for everything about the civic exam on this site. Start here, then go deeper with the free practice test, the dates you need to know and the situational questions.
The French civic exam at a glance
| What | The rule |
|---|---|
| Format | Multiple choice, 40 questions, one right answer out of four |
| Language | French only |
| Duration | 45 minutes maximum |
| Pass mark | 32 correct answers (80%) |
| Where | On a computer or tablet, in an approved exam center |
| Price | Set by each center, most charge around €70 to €90 |
| When | Before you file your naturalization application |
Who has to take it
If you’re applying for French citizenship by decree, you need it. That covers naturalization, the route most people living in France take after five years, and reintegration into French nationality.
Citizenship by declaration works differently. Service-public.fr states that applications by declaration aren’t concerned by the civic exam, so spouses of French citizens who apply by declaration don’t take it.
Here’s the trap. The same exam also exists for a first multi-year residence permit and a first resident card, with its own question lists. A certificate earned for a residence card won’t do for citizenship. You need the naturalization version. We break down the three versions in residence card vs citizenship: which civic exam you need.
What the 40 questions look like
The exam mixes two kinds of questions. 28 test what you know: dates, institutions, symbols. The other 12 are situations from daily life, where you pick the right reaction.
The questions follow five official themes, always in the same proportions:
| Theme | Questions |
|---|---|
| Principles and values of the Republic | 11 (6 of them situational) |
| Institutions and the political system | 6 |
| Rights and duties | 11 (6 of them situational) |
| History, geography and culture | 8 |
| Living in French society | 4 |
Look at the first and third rows. Together they make up 22 of the 40 questions, and that’s where all the situational questions sit. If your revision time is short, spend it there first.
The real difficulty for English speakers
The history isn’t the hard part. Most people can learn that 1789 means the Revolution.
The hard part is reading a tricky question in French against the clock. A situational question can run three or four lines, and the four answers often differ by one word. You have about a minute per question. If you need to translate every sentence in your head, the clock wins.
So our advice is blunt: learn the material in French from day one. Use English to understand, then switch back. That’s why every question in our practice test shows the French first and the English underneath. You read the exam language, and the translation is there when you’re stuck.
Where the exam fits in your citizenship application
The order matters. You pass the civic exam, you get your certificate, and then you file your application with that certificate inside. Filing first and taking the exam later doesn’t work.
The civic exam doesn’t replace the language requirement either. Since January 1, 2026, naturalization also requires French at B2 level, spoken and written, proven with an accepted test or diploma. You need a certificate for each.
Then, months later, you’ll meet an officer at the prefecture for your assimilation interview. The topics overlap with the exam, so the work you put in now pays twice.
How to prepare without wasting weeks
The Ministry of the Interior runs a free official training site, formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr. It has the citizen’s booklet (livret du citoyen), the official program and the official list of knowledge questions for each version of the exam. Download the naturalization list. It’s the closest thing you’ll get to the real questions.
Then work in this order:
- Take our free 40-question practice test once, cold, to see where you stand.
- Learn the big dates of French history. They come up again and again, and they’re quick points once you know them.
- Train on situational questions. They’re worth 12 points and they follow a logic you can learn.
- Go through the official knowledge list in French until the wording feels familiar.
- Retake the practice test. Don’t book your exam until you clear 32 comfortably.
Once you’re ready, see how to register, where to take the exam and what it costs.
Exam day rules worth knowing
The center sends you its exam rules beforehand. Read them. Breaking them can void your exam.
Fraud is taken seriously. If you’re caught cheating or trying to cheat, you can’t sit the civic exam again for two years. For a citizenship plan, that’s a long delay for nothing.
The 45 minutes can only be extended for a justified medical reason, through an accommodation agreed in advance. If health or disability makes the exam impossible for you, read who is exempt from the civic exam.
Want the essentials in one file? Our free Starter Kit explains the civic exam, the B2 French rule and the documents to prepare, with 10 practice questions. Send me the free PDF
Frequently asked questions
Can I take the French civic exam in English?
No. The exam is written in French and there’s no English version. You can prepare in English, but you’ll answer every question in French on the day.
How many questions do I need to get right?
You need at least 32 correct answers out of 40, which is 80%. A wrong answer or a blank answer simply scores zero.
Do I need the civic exam for citizenship through marriage?
No. Service-public.fr states that applications for French nationality by declaration aren’t concerned by the civic exam, and citizenship through marriage is a declaration. If you apply by decree instead, the exam applies.
Is my residence card civic exam certificate valid for citizenship?
No. The exam has three versions: multi-year residence permit, resident card and naturalization. For citizenship, you need to pass the naturalization version.
Where do I take the exam?
In an approved exam center, on a computer or tablet. You register online, and you can choose any approved center in France, not only one near your prefecture.