How does the 2025 civics test work?

Which civics test will I take?

It depends on the date you filed Form N-400, not the date of your interview.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) set this cutoff in a September 2025 notice. It says the 2025 test is based on the 2020 civics test, with some changes to how the test is given. USCIS says it adopted the 2025 test to align with Executive Order 14161. If you are filing now, you take the 2025 test.

Unless you qualify for an exemption, you take the civics test at your interview, along with the English test.

How does the 2025 test work?

The officer asks you the questions out loud, and you answer out loud. As of November 2026, this is how the Policy Manual describes it.

The test can end early. The officer stops asking once you reach the number of correct answers needed to pass, or the number of misses that means you failed. So you might answer only 12 questions on the 2025 test. For both versions, the passing share is 60%.

The questions are random. A USCIS system picks them from the full list, so you can't predict which ones you'll get. Study all of them.

What counts as a correct answer?

You pass a question if you give a correct answer or another way of saying it, according to the Policy Manual. You don't need to repeat USCIS's wording exactly.

USCIS's list gives the accepted answers for each question. It says there may be other correct answers, but encourages you to use the answers on the list. Not answering, or refusing to answer, counts as a miss.

Officers can also use "due consideration". The manual says officers should consider your age, background, education, how long you've lived in the U.S., and your opportunities to learn. This affects which topics they choose, how they phrase questions, and how they evaluate your answers, case by case.

Do some answers change?

Yes. Some answers depend on who holds an office, such as the President, your state's U.S. Senators, your U.S. Representative, and your Governor. They can change after elections, judicial appointments, or new laws.

USCIS says you must answer with the official serving at the time of your interview. It posts current answers on its Check for Test Updates page.

A few answers depend on where you live. Residents of the District of Columbia and U.S. territories have special answers for the questions about Senators, Representatives, and Governors, and USCIS's list explains them. Check these answers again shortly before your interview.

What's on the 2025 test?

The questions cover three areas, according to USCIS's list:

We don't reproduce the questions here. You can study the official list from USCIS, or practice with our free civics practice test.

How can I study for free?

USCIS publishes free study materials for the 2025 test on its Study for the Test page. Here is a simple way to use them:

1. Get the official list

   Download the 128 questions and answers for the 2025 version. The test questions come from this list.

2. Read the study guide

   USCIS's free study guide for the 2025 test, One Nation, One People, explains the history and government behind the answers.

3. Practice out loud

   The test is oral, so say your answers out loud. USCIS also offers flash cards, audio, videos, and interactive practice tests. Our practice test uses the same question list.

4. Check the answers that change

   Look up your current Senators, Representative, and Governor, and check USCIS's test updates page shortly before your interview. USCIS also offers email updates from its Citizenship Resource Center.

Make sure you're studying the right version. USCIS still publishes materials for the 2008 test, with a different list of 100 questions, for people who filed before the cutoff.

Is there an easier version for older applicants?

There's a shorter version. If you are 65 or older and have been a permanent resident for at least 20 years when you file, you get "special consideration". As of November 2026, USCIS describes it this way:

• A shorter list. You study 20 questions marked with an asterisk on the list.
• A shorter test. The officer asks 10 of them, and you pass with 6 correct.
• Your language. You can take the civics test in the language of your choice, with an interpreter.
• Your version. Your questions come from the 2008 or 2025 list, depending on when you filed.

You must meet the age and residence rules on the date you file, not the date of your interview. People who qualify for the 50/20 or 55/15 English exemption still take the full civics test, but can take it in their own language. Our guide to exemptions explains these rules.

What if I don't pass?

You get a second chance. If you fail the civics test at your first interview, USCIS schedules you to retake only the part you failed, between 60 and 90 days after the first interview. The officer must use different test questions the second time.

If you fail again, USCIS denies your application. Our guide on what happens if you don't pass explains your options.

If a physical or developmental disability or a mental impairment keeps you from learning civics, you may qualify for a medical exception with Form N-648. See our guide to exemptions.