French civic exam: registration, fee, pass mark and exemptions

Where to take it

The Ministry of the Interior has approved two organisations to run the civic exam:

• the Paris Île-de-France Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI Paris Île-de-France, CCIP);
• France Éducation International (FEI).

Each one publishes the map of its centres and how to register. The Service Public pages on the civic exam, for aresidence permit or fornaturalisation (in French), link to them directly.

You take it in the centre, on a digital device, before applying for a first multi-year card or a first resident card, or for naturalisation or reinstatement. For naturalisation, if you live abroad, Service Public advises you to ask a French institute, an Alliance française or the consular authorities of the country where you live.

444 centres, €60 to €80

On 26 May 2026, according to the Ministry of the Interior, the exam could be taken in 444 centres, for €60 to €80 depending on the centre. Session dates are set by each centre. You can retake it as many times as you need, paying each time. In case of fraud or attempted fraud, you cannot retake it for 2 years.

The pass mark

The exam has 40 multiple-choice questions, in 45 minutes at most. You need 32 correct answers to pass, that is 80%. The rule is the same for the multi-year card, the resident card and naturalisation.

According to the Ministry of the Interior's answer to a written question from a member of parliament, on 26 May 2026, 71,125 people had taken the civic exam, with an average pass rate of 81%. It does not give the rate by procedure.

The pass certificate

• For a residence permit, it does not expire, according to Service Public.
• The exam for the resident card (mention « carte de résident ») is also valid for a multi-year card application.
• You add it to your file: residence permit application, or naturalisation application.
• Breaking the exam rules can make the exam void.

The official sources consulted say neither when nor how you receive the result: ask your centre when you register.

Exemptions

• Over 65: for a first multi-year card or a first resident card, you do not take the civic exam, and the French language requirement does not apply either. For naturalisation, Service Public mentions no age exemption: only health-related exemptions.
• Disability or health condition, for residence permits as for naturalisation: an adjustment of the exam (the only case where the time can be extended), or an exemption from the pass certificate if the assessment of your knowledge is impossible. Both need a medical certificate; the authorities can ask for a new medical assessment.
• Multi-year card: residence permits that do not fall under the republican integration contract (CIR), beneficiaries of subsidiary protection and their family, stateless persons and their family.
• Resident card: only certain grounds are concerned: seethe civic exam for a residence permit.

The Ministry of the Interior's leaflet also mentions beneficiaries of international protection and nationals of countries covered by certain bilateral agreements, without listing the countries. Note: according to Service Public, refugees and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection do take the exam for a first EU long-term resident card. Ask your prefecture.

What is not an exemption

• Renewing a multi-year card or a resident card does not require the exam: only the first application does. Seethe civic exam for a residence permit.
• Nationality by declaration (marriage, ascendant, brother or sister of a French citizen) does not require the civic exam, but it has other conditions: see the French citizenship test.
• A French diploma or language test does not exempt you from the civic exam: they are two separate requirements.

Independent course, not affiliated with the French Ministry of the Interior.The exam itself is only in French. This page is an AI translation of our French guides, checked against the French text by a separate AI review; no human translator has reviewed it yet. For your own case, ask your prefecture or the naturalisation office handling your application.

Page updated on 29 octobre 2026 (date in French format). All questions explained in English