France
Examen civique
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The French civic exam (examen civique): official questions, free mock test and guide — in English

Since 1 January 2026, a first carte de séjour pluriannuelle, a first carte de résident or French naturalisation requires passing the examen civique: 40 multiple-choice questions in French, 32 correct answers to pass. The knowledge questions are published by the Ministry of the Interior — here they all are, with the right answer and a short explanation in English, plus a free mock test in the real format.

Start the mock test Official questions

Which mention do you need?

The exam exists in three versions (“mentions”), each with its own official question list. You only sit the one matching your application.

Carte de séjour pluriannuelle

For a first multi-year residence permit (carte de séjour pluriannuelle). Knowledge questions from the official CSP list, plus the scenario questions.

191 official questions · Start the mock test →

Carte de résident

For the 10-year resident card (carte de résident). The CR certificate is also accepted for a multi-year residence permit application.

209 official questions · Start the mock test →

Naturalisation

Required to become French by decree (naturalisation or reinstatement). The list is broader and more demanding; a CR or CSP certificate is not enough.

243 official questions · Start the mock test →

The official questions, by theme

All 521 published knowledge questions. The questions and answers are in French, as in the exam; the explanation under each one is in English. Filter by the mention you are taking.

94

Principles and values of the Republic

CSP37 · CR40 · NAT36

11 of the 40 exam questions (including 6 scenario questions)

See the questions and answers →
92

Rights and duties

CSP30 · CR38 · NAT35

11 of the 40 exam questions (including 6 scenario questions)

See the questions and answers →
109

Institutional and political system

CSP46 · CR50 · NAT53

6 of the 40 exam questions

See the questions and answers →
141

History, geography and culture

CSP47 · CR49 · NAT76

8 of the 40 exam questions

See the questions and answers →
85

Living in French society

CSP31 · CR32 · NAT43

4 of the 40 exam questions

See the questions and answers →

Free mock test in the real format

40 questions: 28 knowledge questions drawn from the official list of your mention + 12 scenario questions, 45-minute timer, pass mark 32. Score, breakdown by theme and full correction at the end.

Start the mock test

How it works

  1. Pre-register online at test-civique.fr (identity, foreigner number, mention, choice of centre), then contact the centre to confirm and pay.
  2. On the day: convocation, your candidate account login, a valid ID (residence permit; passport or ID card only for EU citizens taking the naturalisation mention). Phone off.
  3. 40 questions, 45 minutes. A validated question cannot be changed; a skipped question comes back at the end.
  4. Result: PDF certificate 12 hours later in your account, valid for life. A carte de résident certificate also counts for the CSP, never for naturalisation.

Prepare all the way

Premium access: all official questions of your mention with full explanations in English, 200 practice scenario questions (the part of the exam nobody publishes), unlimited 40-question simulations, printable revision sheets. One access for all three mentions, €49 once, for life.

Get Premium access · €49

One-time payment · lifetime access · interface and explanations in English

Frequently asked questions

Which mention should I take?
It depends on your application: multi-year residence permit (CSP mention), resident card (CR mention) or French citizenship (naturalisation mention). The CR certificate is accepted for a multi-year residence permit application, but neither CR nor CSP counts for naturalisation. Your access covers all three mentions, so you can switch at any time.
Are the questions the same as in the official exam?
The exam’s knowledge questions are drawn from official lists published by the Ministry of the Interior; we offer all of them, as multiple choice, in the exam format. The 12 scenario questions are not published: we offer 200 practice scenarios written in the same spirit, to prepare you for this type of question.
My French is not very good. Will the platform help me?
The exam is in French, so the questions are too. But everything else — menus, instructions and above all the explanations under each question — is available in English, Arabic, Russian, Portuguese, Spanish and Turkish. You understand the substance first, then get used to the French wording.
What happens if I fail?
You can retake the exam as many times as you need, paying the registration fee again (around €60 to €80). Your access to the platform remains valid: keep practising and retake the exam when you are ready. The certificate of success, for its part, never expires.
Who is exempt from the civic exam?
In particular, people aged 65 and over and those whose health condition or disability makes the exam impossible. For residence permits, refugees and beneficiaries of international protection are also exempt. Check your situation with your prefecture.
How long does access last?
For life. You pay once and can come back to practise whenever you like, including for another mention later on.
Do I need to install an app?
No. The platform runs directly in your browser (phone, tablet, computer), with nothing to install.
Are the revision sheets and crosswords included?
Yes, at no extra cost. The 7 revision sheets and the 6 crosswords (with answers) can be downloaded as PDFs from your training area as soon as your Premium access is active.

The questions are in French, just like in the exam. Interface and explanations in French, English, Arabic, Russian, Portuguese, Spanish and Turkish.