How the civic exam works: 40 questions, 45 minutes, 32 correct answers
Forty multiple-choice questions on a tablet or computer, forty-five minutes at most, and a pass mark that cannot be negotiated: 32 out of 40. Here is exactly how it runs, as set by the ministerial order of 10 October 2025 and as described by the Ministry of the Interior.
The official format: 40 questions, 45 minutes, 32 right answers
The civic exam is a multiple-choice questionnaire in French. The three figures to remember are not negotiable, and they are set by theorder of 10 October 2025 then taken up by the Ministry of the Interior in its general information on the civic exam.
| What is set | The rule | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Number of questions | 40 multiple-choice questions | 28 knowledge questions and 12 situational questions. |
| Duration | 45 minutes maximum | On a tablet or a computer. That is a little over one minute per question. |
| Pass mark | At least 32 right answers | That is 80%. Below this, the exam is not passed; there is no partial resit. |
Each question offers four answers, of which only one is correct : the ministry states this at the top of its official question lists. There are no questions with several right answers, and no negative marking, so there is never any point in leaving a question unanswered.
Eight mistakes, not nine
32 out of 40 means a margin of eight mistakes. That is not much, and it almost always comes down to the same points: dates, figures (number of members of parliament, length of terms of office) and the difference between two similar institutions. These are precisely the questions that the ministry’s official lists let you revise word for word.
Three categories, and they are not interchangeable
The order of 10 October 2025 provides that the exam has “three alternative categories”: “multi-year residence permit”, “resident card” and “naturalisation”. The word “alternative” is the one that matters: you take one category, the one for your application.
A certificate in the wrong category is useless
This is the most costly mistake in the whole process, because it only shows up when you submit your application. A “multi-year residence permit” certificate is not valid for a naturalisation application, and vice versa. Before booking, check the category required for your application; our three category pages are there for exactly that.
- CSP category for a first multi-year residence permit: the category page.
- CR category for a ten-year resident card: the category page.
- NAT category for naturalisation: the category page.
On the day: on a tablet or computer, under supervision
The exam is taken on a tablet or a computer, at an approved exam centre and not at the prefecture; this is the most widespread confusion, and we have devoted a whole page to it. Registration is done with an approved organisation: the ministry names the Paris Île-de-France Chamber of Commerce and Industry and France Éducation International.
What the order requires of the centre
The annex to the order of 10 October 2025 is precise about the conditions for sitting the exam, and it protects you as much as it constrains us:
- The direct supervision is compulsory throughout the exam;
- the use of video surveillance is recommended ;
- some exam adjustments are provided for candidates with disabilities, including extra time.
If you need an adjustment, ask for it when you register, not on the day itself: see our page on disability access.
In practice, at our centre
Civic exam sessions are held at 46 bis Rue d'Estienne d'Orves, 93110 Rosny-sous-Bois. Our Gagny (93) and Sarcelles (95) branches are reception and registration points: they do not host the exams. The civic exam alone costs 80 € per category when you register far enough in advance, and 265 € if you book it at the same time as the TEF IRN. The amounts and the deadline that triggers them are detailed on the prices page.
Lateness, cancellation, postponement
Arrive fifteen minutes before the time shown on your exam notice. In accordance with the certifying body’s instructions, lateness means you will be refused entry : no candidate is admitted once the session has started. Unjustified lateness is treated as an absence; we can offer you a new registration at a reduced price, subject to availability. Justified lateness gives the right, after approval by the CCI, to a postponement without penalty.
A refund of the registration fee is possible up to seven working days before the session date. A postponement is only granted on a valid supporting document accepted by the CCI : the decision lies with the certifying body; we only pass on the request and the document. The details are in article 6 of our Terms of Sale.
What you are tested on: five themes, two types of question
The syllabus set by the order covers five areas, and these are exactly the five parts of the fact sheets that the ministry makes available to everyone:
- 1The principles and values of the Republic.
- 2The institutional and political system.
- 3Rights and duties.
- 4History, geography and culture.
- 5Living in French society.
Of the 40 questions, the ministry states that 28 are knowledge questions and 12 are situational questions. The distinction is essential, because it determines what can be revised:
| Type | Number | Published by the ministry? |
|---|---|---|
| Knowledge questions | 28 | Yes, official lists published for the CSP and CR categories. |
| Situational questions | 12 | No. The ministry writes that they “are not made public”. |
We have devoted a whole article to the 12 situational questions, since they account for nearly a third of the mark and cannot be learnt by heart. As for the other 28, the good news is that they are public.
Revise from the ministry’s documents, and nothing else
This is the most useful advice on this page, and it earns us nothing: the best resources for the civic exam are official and accessible to everyone. Many candidates buy unofficial question collections when the ministry publishes its own question bank.
- The official list of knowledge questions, CSP category, published by the Ministry of the Interior.
- The official list of knowledge questions, CR category, published by the Ministry of the Interior.
- The fact sheets by theme, to work on the five areas of the syllabus, published by the ministry in its “Examen civique” section.
- The Citizen’s Booklet, published by the Directorate-General for Foreigners in France (Ministry of the Interior), for the naturalisation category.
No list published for the naturalisation category
At the time of writing, the ministry publishes question lists for the CSP and CR categories only. There is no equivalent official list for the naturalisation category: for that one, the reference is the Citizen’s Booklet and the syllabus of the five areas. Be wary of any website claiming to distribute “the official NAT list”.
For an overview of the themes and types of question, see our guide “The civic exam questions”.
What we do, and what we do not do
MYSTORY does not deliver any civic training
It needs to be said clearly, because the confusion is constant. The civic training (24 hours spread over four days) is part of the republican integration contract and it is delivered exclusively by the OFII, the French Office for Immigration and Integration. We do not provide it, we do not sell it, and we cannot register you for it.
Our role is different: we are an approved exam centre. We run the exam, and we prepare candidates who wish to pass it. The details of the CIR are in our article on the Republican Integration Contract.
Another useful distinction: the certificate of attendance at the OFII civic training is not the certificate of success in the civic exam. Both documents exist, neither replaces the other, and the ministry states that consulting its teaching content is not a condition for passing the exam.
After the exam: a certificate that does not expire
This is the major difference from the French test. The ministry writes: “ the certificate of success in the exam has no period of validity ”. Once obtained for the right category, it is yours for good, whereas the TEF IRN certificate is only valid for two years.
And if you do not reach the pass mark? The ministry states that “ it is possible to take the civic exam at any time and as many times as necessary”. So there is no limit on attempts and no penalty. In practice, we leave 48 working hours between two attempts by the same candidate, time to review what was missing; the details are in our article on retaking the exams.
Finally, the order provides for a penalty worth knowing about: if fraud is detected, the candidate is banned from taking the civic exam for two years. What you might gain on one attempt is not worth two years of being blocked.
If you also need the French test
Most applications require these two : a level of French (A2, B1 or B2 depending on the permit or status sought) and a pass in the civic exam in the right category. The two can be booked together, and the order in which you take them has consequences: see “When to take the TEF IRN and the civic exam”.
Official sources
We are a training organisation, not a government body: each rule quoted above refers to the text that sets it. If you are in doubt about your situation, the official text and your prefecture are what count.
Order of 10 October 2025 on the syllabus, papers and organisational arrangements of the civic exam
JO no. 0240 of 12 October 2025. Sets out the three alternative categories (“multi-year residence permit”, “resident card”, “naturalisation”), the multiple-choice questionnaire of 40 questions, the duration of 45 minutes maximum, the pass mark of 80% right answers, the five areas of the syllabus, the requirement for direct supervision, the adjustments for candidates with disabilities, and the ban on sitting the exam for two years in the event of fraud.
General information on the civic exam, Ministry of the Interior
“It is an exam of 40 questions in French in the form of multiple-choice questions (MCQ)”, 28 knowledge questions and 12 situational questions. “The exam lasts 45 minutes maximum on a tablet or computer.” “To pass the exam, you must obtain at least 32 right answers (i.e. 80% right answers).” “The certificate of success in the exam has no period of validity.” “It is possible to take the civic exam at any time and as many times as necessary.” Registration with an approved organisation.
Official list of knowledge questions, multi-year residence permit (CSP) category, Ministry of the Interior
Public list of knowledge questions for the CSP category. States that the situational questions “are not made public” and that each question has “only 1 right answer among the 4 options offered”.
Official list of knowledge questions, resident card (CR) category, Ministry of the Interior
Same arrangement for the CR category. At the time of writing, no equivalent list has been published for the naturalisation category.
The Citizen’s Booklet, Directorate-General for Foreigners in France (Ministry of the Interior)
Ministry of the Interior reference document on the knowledge and values expected of candidates for naturalisation. Only obtain it from the Ministry of the Interior, never from a third-party website.
What is the republican integration contract (CIR)?, official government information
Points out that the 24-hour civic training comes under the CIR and the OFII. It is not to be confused with the civic exam, which is a marked test taken at an approved exam centre.
You know the format. Choose the category and the date
Our civic exam sessions are held in Rosny-sous-Bois, from Monday to Saturday. The calendar shows the category, the places actually available and the price that applies to each date, and you pay online.
Any questions? Message us on WhatsApp we answer candidates from Monday to Saturday.
Frequently asked questions
Your questions
How does the civic exam work?
It is a multiple-choice questionnaire of 40 questions in French, to be completed in 45 minutes maximum on a tablet or a computer, at an approved exam centre and under direct supervision. Each question offers four answers, only one of which is correct. You need 32 right answers out of 40, i.e. 80%, to pass.
How many questions and how much time in the civic exam?
40 questions and 45 minutes maximum, according to the order of 10 October 2025 and the Ministry of the Interior. Of these 40 questions, 28 are knowledge questions and 12 are situational questions.
How many right answers do you need to pass the civic exam?
32 right answers out of 40, i.e. 80%. That leaves a margin of only eight mistakes. There is no negative marking, so you should never leave a question unanswered.
Are the three categories of the civic exam interchangeable?
No. The order of 10 October 2025 provides for three alternative categories (multi-year residence permit, resident card and naturalisation), and you take the one for your application. A certificate obtained in one category is not valid for another application.
Does the civic exam certificate of success have a period of validity?
No. The Ministry of the Interior states it explicitly: the certificate of success in the exam has no period of validity. This is an important difference from the French language level certificate, which is only valid for two years.
Where can I revise for the civic exam using official documents?
In the documents of the Ministry of the Interior, which publishes the official lists of knowledge questions for the CSP and CR categories, as well as fact sheets on the five areas of the syllabus. For naturalisation, the reference is the Citizen’s Booklet, published by the Directorate-General for Foreigners in France.
Does MYSTORY deliver the civic training?
No. The 24-hour civic training comes under the Republican Integration Contract and is delivered exclusively by the OFII. MYSTORY is an approved exam centre: we run the civic exam and we prepare candidates who wish to take it, in Rosny-sous-Bois.