France's examen civique: 40 questions, 32 to pass, and the half you cannot see
Since 1 January 2026, anyone applying for French nationality by decree (naturalisation or réintégration) must pass an examen civique as well as prove French at B2 in writing and speaking (see TCF or TEF for B2). It is a multiple-choice test in French: 40 questions, 32 correct to pass (80%), at most 45 minutes.
Everything below was read on the Interior Ministry's nationality page (Direction générale des étrangers en France) and on service-public.gouv.fr (page checked by its editors on 16 July 2026) on 5 October 2026. Where a comparison with other countries' tests is ours, it says so.
Who takes it
Only applicants by decree: naturalisation and réintégration dans la nationalité française. Service-public.gouv.fr states that acquisition by declaration is not concerned: marriage to a French national, being the ascendant of a French national, or the brother or sister of one.
The certificate of success (attestation de réussite) is one of the documents your naturalisation file must contain.
A separate civic exam applies to a first multi-year residence card or resident card; this guide covers only the naturalisation exam.
The format: 40 questions, 32 to pass, 45 minutes
The exam is a multiple-choice questionnaire in French of 40 questions, mixing knowledge questions and situational questions (mises en situation). You need 32 right answers, 80%.
It is taken on a screen and lasts at most 45 minutes, longer only with an adjustment granted for a justified medical reason.
The ministry lists five themes: principles and values of the Republic; the institutional and political system; rights and duties; history, geography and culture; and living in French society.
Breaking the exam rules can void the exam, and an attempted or detected fraud bars you from sitting it again for two years.
The finding: the strictest pass mark of eight citizenship tests, and only half the bank is public
This comparison is ours, from each test body's own pages, all read on 5 October 2026, and set out on citizenship tests compared.
80% is the highest pass mark of the eight. Norway, the UK, Canada and Australia ask 75%; Spain's CCSE and the US civics test 60%; Germany's Einbürgerungstest about 52%. France allows 8 wrong answers out of 40.
And it publishes only one kind of question. The ministry makes the list of knowledge questions available to download, alongside the livret du citoyen and the charter of the rights and duties of the French citizen. But it states plainly that the situational questions are not accessible. Spain, Germany and the US publish every question that can appear; France publishes the knowledge half and keeps the scenarios back, so part of the test can only be prepared by understanding the material.
How to register
The Interior Ministry has approved two bodies to run the exam: the Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Paris Île-de-France (CCIP), which lists its approved centres and registration procedures on its own site, and France Éducation International (FEI), where you pre-register on test-civique.fr and find the nearest centre on FEI's map.
If you live abroad, service-public.gouv.fr tells you to ask an Institut français, an Alliance française or the consular authorities of your country of residence how to sit it.
The exam centre sends you the rules of the exam before the day.
Adjustments and exemption
Adjustments (aménagements) are available if a disability or your state of health requires them, on a medical certificate stating that adjustments are needed and which ones.
Exemption from producing the certificate is possible when a disability or state of health makes assessing your knowledge impossible, again on a medical certificate. The ministry publishes a model certificate, and the authority handling the file may ask for a new medical assessment.
Mistakes worth avoiding
Preparing only from the published list of questions.
Studying the livret du citoyen and the charter as well.
The ministry publishes the knowledge questions but says the situational questions are not accessible, and the test mixes both.
Treating 32 out of 40 like a 60% test.
Aiming well above the line.
80% leaves room for only 8 wrong answers, the strictest margin among the eight citizenship tests compared on this site.
Booking the exam when applying by marriage.
Checking which procedure you are in.
Service-public.gouv.fr says the civic exam concerns acquisition by decree only, not declarations such as marriage to a French national.
Looking for a centre on a single site.
Checking both CCIP and FEI.
Two bodies are approved, each with its own centres and registration: CCIP Paris Île-de-France, and FEI through test-civique.fr.
Questions
How many questions are in the examen civique, and what is the pass mark?
40 multiple-choice questions in French, mixing knowledge and situational questions, in at most 45 minutes. You need 32 correct answers, which is 80%.
Who has to take the examen civique?
Applicants for French nationality by decree, meaning naturalisation and réintégration, since 1 January 2026. Acquisition by declaration, such as through marriage to a French national, is not concerned.
Are the examen civique questions published?
The knowledge questions are: the Interior Ministry publishes their list to download, with the livret du citoyen and the charter of the rights and duties of the citizen. The situational questions are not accessible.
Where do I take the examen civique?
At a centre approved by the CCIP Paris Île-de-France or by France Éducation International, which takes pre-registrations on test-civique.fr. Abroad, ask an Institut français, an Alliance française or the consulate.
What happens if I cheat on the examen civique?
Breaking the exam rules can make the exam void, and an attempted or detected fraud bars you from taking it again for two years.
Can I be exempted from the examen civique?
Yes, if a disability or state of health makes assessing your knowledge impossible, on a medical certificate. If it only makes the exam harder, you can get adjustments instead, also on a medical certificate.
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