Which Citizenship Test You Take
The civics test you take depends on the date you filed Form N-400. If you filed on or after October 20, 2025, you take the 2025 test: an officer asks up to 20 questions from a list of 128, and you pass with 12 correct answers. If you filed before that date, you take the 2008 test: up to 10 questions from 100, with 6 correct needed (USCIS).
Key facts
- The 2025 test’s question list has 28 more questions than the 2008 list, and the officer asks twice as many (USCIS).
- Officers stop once you reach 12 correct or 9 wrong (USCIS).
- If you fail any part, you get one retest within 90 days (8 CFR 312.5).
- Form N-400 costs $760 on paper or $710 online, with a $380 reduced fee for lower incomes (USCIS).
The 2008 and 2025 civics tests side by side
Source: USCIS, Study for the Test and 2025 Civics Test, read October 15, 2026.
The 2025 test is the 2020 version brought back. USCIS gave the 2020 test from December 1, 2020 to April 30, 2021, then returned to the 2008 test. The 2025 test uses the same 128 questions. The one change is that the officer stops once you pass or fail, where the 2020 test required all 20 questions (Federal Register).
USCIS publishes both official question lists, with answers: the 2025 list of 128 questions and the 2008 list of 100. Some answers change with elections, such as the names of your senators and the current president, so check the lists before your interview.
The English Test
The English test has three parts, and all of them happen during your naturalization interview. The officer judges your speaking and understanding from the interview itself. For reading, you read aloud 1 of 3 sentences correctly. For writing, you write 1 of 3 sentences correctly (USCIS).
If you fail the English or civics portion, the interview is not over for good. Federal rules give you a second chance on the part you failed within 90 days of the first exam (8 CFR 312.5).
Who Is Exempt From the Test
Older applicants with many years as green card holders can skip the English test. People with a qualifying disability can ask to skip both parts. The age and years both count at the time you file (USCIS).
Age and residency exemptions for the naturalization test
Source: USCIS, Exceptions and Accommodations and Study for the Test, read October 15, 2026.
Disability exception. If a physical or developmental disability or a mental impairment keeps you from meeting the English or civics requirement, you can file Form N-648, Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions. A licensed medical or osteopathic doctor, or a licensed clinical psychologist, must complete it. If you need a disability accommodation at your interview, you can request it online or through the USCIS Contact Center (USCIS).
Citizenship Test Pass Rates
Most applicants pass. USCIS reports that 94.4% of applicants since October 1, 2023 passed the naturalization test, counting retests and people exempt from part of it, and 89.7% passed on the first try (USCIS). Its last table by test part covers fiscal 2022, when 95.7% passed overall and the hardest part on the first try was civics, at 92.2% (USCIS).
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| English reading | 96.8% |
| English speaking | 94.4% |
| English writing | 93.7% |
| English understanding | 93.4% |
| Civics | 92.2% |
Source: USCIS, Naturalization Test Performance (last reviewed October 5, 2023). These figures cover the 2008 test. USCIS has not published pass rates for the 2025 test.
That year, 122,866 applicants, or 11.6%, qualified for an exception to the English requirement (USCIS). USCIS naturalized 818,500 people in fiscal 2024, about 12% more than the 2010 to 2019 yearly average of 730,100 (USCIS).
- 94.4%
- Passed the naturalization test since October 1, 2023
- 818,500
- New citizens, fiscal 2024
- 7.9 million
- New citizens in the past decade
Citizenship Application Fees
Form N-400 costs $760 if you file on paper and $710 if you file online. A lower fee of $380 is open to households at or below 400% of the federal poverty guidelines. You must send proof and file on paper. Some applicants can get a full fee waiver with Form I-912. Some military applicants pay nothing (USCIS fee schedule).
A proposed rule would raise the fee. The Department of Homeland Security proposed on June 23, 2026 to raise the N-400 fee to $1,330 on paper and $1,280 online, and to end the reduced fee and fee waivers. Military applicants would still pay nothing. Comments closed August 24, 2026. The rule is not final, so the current fees apply until a final rule takes effect (Federal Register).
USCIS updates its fee schedule, and some fees now adjust every year by law, so check the current fee schedule before you pay.
Steps to U.S. Citizenship
Most permanent residents can apply for citizenship after 5 years with a green card. You must have lived in the country the whole time and been here in person for at least half of it (30 months). You also need 3 months in the state or USCIS district where you apply (8 U.S.C. 1427). Spouses of U.S. citizens can apply after 3 years (18 months in the country). The couple must have been married and living together, with the spouse a citizen, the whole time (8 U.S.C. 1430).
How naturalization works, from eligibility to the oath
- Before you apply Check eligibility Confirm your years as a permanent resident and your time in the country.
- Application File Form N-400 and pay the fee Online or by mail. USCIS sends a receipt notice.
- After filing Biometrics appointment If USCIS needs your fingerprints and photo, it mails a notice.
- Interview Interview, English test and civics test An officer reviews your application and gives both tests.
- Decision Granted, continued or denied A case is continued if you need to send more evidence or retake a test.
- Ceremony Take the Oath of Allegiance You become a citizen only after taking the oath. You turn in your green card and receive a naturalization certificate.
Source: USCIS, 10 Steps to Naturalization, read September 30, 2026.
USCIS posts current waits for each field office in its processing times tool. Our green card guide explains how people become permanent residents in the first place.
Getting ready for the citizenship test
You filed before October 20, 2025
- Study the 2008 list of 100 questions.
- Check the answers that depend on who holds office.
- Practice reading and writing short English sentences.
Your filing date, not your interview date, decides which test you take.
You filed on or after October 20, 2025
- Study the 2025 list of 128 questions.
- Expect up to 20 questions; aim for 12 correct.
- Use the free USCIS study materials and flash cards.
You failed part of the test
- Read your notice to see which part you need to retake.
- Watch for your retest, which must happen within 90 days.
- Focus your study on that part only.
You need help with your application
- Use free USCIS study materials first.
- Find a lawyer or a DOJ-accredited representative through USCIS's legal services page.
- Never pay someone who promises a guaranteed result.
General information, not legal advice. Check USCIS for the rules that apply to your case.
Citizenship Test Questions
How many questions are on the U.S. citizenship test?
It depends on when you filed. If you filed Form N-400 on or after October 20, 2025, you take the 2025 civics test: an officer asks up to 20 of 128 questions, and you pass with 12 correct. If you filed before then, you take the 2008 test: up to 10 of 100 questions, and you need 6 correct.
How much does the citizenship application cost?
Form N-400 costs $760 on paper or $710 online. A reduced fee of $380 is available on paper if your household income is at or below 400% of the federal poverty guidelines, and some applicants qualify for a full fee waiver. A rule the Department of Homeland Security proposed on June 23, 2026 would raise the fee to $1,330 on paper and $1,280 online and end the reduced fee and fee waivers. It is not final, so the current fees apply.
What happens if you fail the citizenship test?
You get a second chance. Federal rules give you one retest on the part you failed, within 90 days of the first interview.
Can older applicants skip the English test?
Yes, if they meet the age and residency rules. People 50 or older who have been permanent residents for 20 years, or 55 or older with 15 years, are exempt from the English test. People 65 or older with 20 years take a civics test of 10 questions drawn from 20 marked ones, and can take it in their own language.
How long do you need a green card before applying for citizenship?
Usually 5 years as a permanent resident, with at least half that time spent physically in the United States. Spouses of U.S. citizens who have been married and living together can apply after 3 years.
How many people pass the citizenship test?
Most applicants pass. USCIS reports that 94.4% of applicants since October 1, 2023 passed, counting retests and people exempt from part of the test, and 89.7% passed on the first try. Its last table by test part, for fiscal 2022, put the overall pass rate at 95.7%.
What You Can Do
- Start with the official list. Study the 2025 civics questions or the 2008 questions, whichever matches your filing date.
- Read Form N-400 before you file. The N-400 page has the form, instructions and document checklist.
- Get trusted help. USCIS explains who can represent you, and links to the Justice Department’s list of accredited representatives, on its legal services page.
- Help someone study. Quiz a friend or neighbor with the official list; the officer asks the questions out loud, so practicing aloud matches the real test.
- Learn the rights you are studying. Our guides to the U.S. Constitution and the constitutional amendments cover many civics test topics.