Which civics test will you take: 2025 or 2008?
In 2025, USCIS replaced the civics test for new applicants. Which version you take depends on one date: the day USCIS received your Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. You'll find it on the receipt notice (Form I-797C) that USCIS mailed you after you applied. It doesn't depend on your interview date.
| 2025 civics test | 2008 civics test | |
|---|---|---|
| Who takes it | N-400 filed on or after October 20, 2025 | N-400 filed before October 20, 2025 |
| Questions to study | 128 | 100 |
| Questions asked | 20 | Up to 10 |
| To pass | 12 correct | 6 correct |
| The officer stops when | You reach 12 correct or 9 incorrect | You reach 6 correct or 5 incorrect |
| 65/20 applicants | 10 of 20 special questions, pass with 6 | 10 of 20 special questions, pass with 6 |
If you're applying today, you'll take the 2025 test. The 2008 test is only for people whose applications were already filed before the change. Both versions are available on this site, so pick the one that matches your receipt date.
How the naturalization test works
The naturalization test isn't a separate appointment. It happens during your eligibility interview at a USCIS field office. A USCIS officer goes over your N-400 application with you under oath and gives you two tests: an English test and a civics test.
The English test
The English test has three parts:
- Speaking: there is no separate speaking test. The officer judges your spoken English from your conversation during the interview, including your answers to questions about your application. Practice the N-400 interview questions.
- Reading: you read one of three sentences aloud. Reading one correctly is enough.
- Writing: the officer reads a sentence aloud and you write it down. Writing one of three sentences correctly is enough.
Every word on the reading and writing tests comes from two short official USCIS vocabulary lists. Practice reading and writing with sentences built from those lists, with read-aloud and dictation.
The civics test
The civics test covers U.S. history and government. It is an oral test: the officer reads each question aloud and you answer out loud, in your own words. It isn't multiple choice and you don't write anything down. The questions come from the official USCIS list, so studying that list covers everything the officer can ask.
The 2025 list has 128 questions in three areas: American Government (principles, the system of government, and rights and responsibilities), American History (the colonial period, the 1800s, and recent history) and Symbols and Holidays. The officer asks 20 of them in random order. As soon as you reach 12 correct answers, the test is over and you've passed. If you reach 9 incorrect answers, the test ends and you haven't passed that attempt.
The 2025 list asks more "why" questions than the old test. Examples include "Why do U.S. representatives serve shorter terms than U.S. senators?" and "Supreme Court justices serve for life. Why?" You can't pass these by memorizing one word, so it helps to understand the idea behind each answer. Our practice test shows every accepted answer after each question so you build that understanding as you go.
Ready to see how you'd do?
Take a free 20-question mock interview. You'll get a pass/fail result and a list of what to review.
Start the mock interview →Answers that change: officials and your home state
Most answers never change, but two kinds of questions are different.
Current officeholders. Some questions ask for the name of the President, the Vice President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives or the Chief Justice of the United States. You must give the name of the person serving at the time of your interview, not when you applied. USCIS publishes the current answers on its civics test updates page. Our practice test uses those answers and shows the date they were last updated, but check the USCIS page yourself in the week before your interview.
Where you live. Four questions depend on your address: one of your state's U.S. senators, your U.S. representative, your governor and your state capital. Look these up ahead of time. Residents of Washington, D.C. and U.S. territories have special answers. For example, D.C. residents should say that D.C. has no U.S. senators and no governor. The practice test shows these instructions next to each question.
Age and disability exceptions
Some applicants have special rules, based on their age and how long they've been a lawful permanent resident (green card holder) when they file:
- 50/20: age 50 or older with 20 years as a permanent resident. You don't have to take the English test, and you can take the civics test in your own language with an interpreter.
- 55/15: age 55 or older with 15 years as a permanent resident. Same as 50/20: no English test, and the civics test in your own language with an interpreter.
- 65/20: age 65 or older with 20 years as a permanent resident. You get the same English exemption, and you only need to study 20 specially marked questions. The officer asks 10 of them and you need 6 correct. Our practice test has a dedicated "65/20 questions" set.
- Medical disability: applicants with a physical or developmental disability or a mental impairment that prevents them from meeting the requirements may request an exception using Form N-648, completed by a licensed medical professional.
How to study for the civics test
Most people can learn the full list in a few weeks with short daily practice. Here's what works:
- Start with understanding, not memorizing. Go through one category at a time. When an answer surprises you, read the other accepted answers. They often explain the idea from a different angle.
- Practice out loud. The real test is spoken. Use flashcard mode and say each answer before you reveal it. Tap the speaker button to hear the question read aloud and train your ear for how the officer might say it.
- Review your misses the same day. After every session, practice the questions you missed. Spaced repetition like this works better than rereading the whole list.
- Take mock interviews. Once you know most answers, do a 20-question mock interview daily. When you pass comfortably several days in a row, you're ready.
- Learn your local answers last. In the final week, look up your senators, representative and governor and confirm the current officials on the USCIS updates page.
What happens if you don't pass?
You get two chances to pass the English and civics tests. If you fail any part at your first interview, USCIS will schedule a second test, usually 60 to 90 days after the first interview. At the second appointment you only retake the part you failed. For example, if you passed English but failed civics, you only take civics again. If you fail the same part a second time, USCIS will deny your application. You can apply again later, but that means a new application and a new fee, so it pays to be prepared the first time.
Frequently asked questions
Are these the real test questions?
Yes. USCIS publishes the complete list of civics questions and answers, and the officer only asks questions from that list. Every question and answer on this site is copied from the official USCIS documents.
Will the officer ask the questions in the same words?
The officer reads questions from the official list, so the wording is normally the same as what you study here. Your answer doesn't have to match word for word. It just has to be correct.
Is it multiple choice?
No. The real civics test is spoken and open-ended. Our multiple-choice mode is only a learning aid. Once you're familiar with the list, switch to flashcards, which work the same way as the real test.
Does my progress save?
Yes, in your browser on this device. We don't ask for an account and we don't send your answers anywhere. If you clear your browser data or switch devices, your progress starts over.
How long should I study?
It varies, but 15–20 minutes a day for three to six weeks is enough for most people to pass the 2025 mock interview reliably. Start as soon as you file. Interviews are often scheduled several months later, which gives you plenty of time.
CitizenshipBound is an independent study site and is not affiliated with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) or any government agency. This page is general information, not legal advice. Civics questions and answers are from the official USCIS study materials (public domain). Test rules summarized from USCIS: The Naturalization Interview and Test.