The 2025 Civics Test, Explained

Updated: October 30, 2026

The 2025 civics test applies to everyone who filed Form N-400 on or after October 20, 2025. A USCIS officer asks you up to 20 questions out loud from an official list of 128. You pass as soon as you answer 12 correctly, and you fail if you get 9 wrong. Everyone who filed earlier takes the older 2008 test instead.

Who takes the 2025 test

Your filing date decides which test you take, not your interview date.

N-400 filed on or after October 20, 2025: 2025 civics test
N-400 filed before October 20, 2025: 2008 civics test (up to 10 of 100 questions, 6 correct to pass)

Your filing date is on your receipt notice. If you're not sure which applies, see 2008 vs. 2025 civics test.

How the test works

Format: Oral. The officer reads each question and you answer out loud. There are no multiple-choice options.
Question pool: 128 questions published by USCIS in the document "128 Civics Questions and Answers (2025 version)" (M-1778).
Questions asked: Up to 20.
Passing: 12 correct answers, or 60%.
Stopping rule: The officer stops as soon as you reach 12 correct or 9 incorrect. If you answer the first 12 correctly, the test ends after 12 questions.
When: During your naturalization interview, after the English test or mixed into the interview.
Retest: If you fail, you get one more chance, usually 60 to 90 days later. Only the civics portion is retested.

You don't have to repeat the official answer word for word. Any answer on the official list is accepted, and USCIS acknowledges that other correct answers may exist. Still, it's safest to learn the listed answers.

What the 128 questions cover

The official list has three sections.

American Government (questions 1–72) has three parts:

Principles of American Government: the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the rule of law, the economic system
System of Government: Congress, the President, the courts, and federal and state powers
Rights and Responsibilities: the voting amendments, the rights of everyone living in the country, the Oath of Allegiance, Selective Service

American History (questions 73–118) also has three parts:

Colonial Period and Independence
The 1800s: expansion, the Civil War, Lincoln
Recent American History and Other Important Historical Information: the world wars, the Cold War, civil rights, September 11

Symbols and Holidays (questions 119–128) covers the capital, the Statue of Liberty, the flag, the anthem, the motto and national holidays.

Here are some sample questions from the official list:

What is the supreme law of the land? (The Constitution)
How many voting members are in the House of Representatives? (435)
Why do U.S. representatives serve shorter terms than U.S. senators? (To more closely follow public opinion)
The President can serve only two terms. Why? (The 22nd Amendment, or to keep the president from becoming too powerful)
Supreme Court justices serve for life. Why? (To be independent of politics, or to limit outside political influence)
What is the purpose of the 10th Amendment? (Powers not given to the federal government belong to the states or to the people)
Why does the flag have 13 stripes?

Many 2025 questions ask "why" rather than just "what." That makes them harder to memorize as single words. You need to understand the idea behind the answer.

Questions with answers that change

Some answers depend on who holds office on the day of your interview:

One of your state's U.S. senators
Your U.S. representative
The Speaker of the House
The President and Vice President
The Chief Justice
Your state's governor and capital

USCIS keeps current answers on its test updates page at uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates. Residents of D.C. and the territories have special answers. Learn more in civics questions with changing answers and find your senators and representative.

The 65/20 special consideration

If you are 65 or older and have been a green card holder for at least 20 years when you file, you get a simplified test. You study only the 20 questions marked with an asterisk on the official list. The officer asks 10 of them, and you need 6 correct. You may also take it in the language of your choice, with an interpreter. Details in the 65/20 exemption guide.

Why the test changed

USCIS introduced the 2025 test in a Federal Register notice in September 2025, following Executive Order 14161. It's based on the 2020 version of the test, which briefly used the same 128-question format in 2020–2021, with some changes to how the test is given. Compared with the 2008 test, there are twice as many questions asked and a larger pool, but the passing rate is the same 60%.

How to prepare

With 128 questions and many "why" answers, plan on several weeks of regular study:

Start with the structure. Read the whole list once to see the three sections.
Learn in small sets. For example, 10 new questions a day plus a review of earlier ones.
Fill in your local answers early. Senators, representative, governor and state capital.
Practice out loud. The real test is spoken, so practice speaking your answers.
Simulate the real test. Take random 20-question tests and stop at 12 correct or 9 wrong, the way the officer would.

An app like Civio includes all 128 questions, uses spaced repetition so you see your weak questions more often, and has an Exam Mode with 20 questions (17 general plus 3 about your state). For a full method, see how to pass the civics test, or browse the questions.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2025 civics test harder than the 2008 test?

It's longer. You face up to 20 questions instead of 10, from a pool of 128 instead of 100, and more of them ask you to explain why. The pass rate is the same 60%, and the test ends early once you reach 12 correct.

Can I choose to take the 2008 test instead?

No. The test you take depends on your N-400 filing date. If you filed on or after October 20, 2025, you take the 2025 test.

What happens if I get 9 questions wrong?

The officer stops the test and you fail that attempt. You'll be scheduled for a retest of the civics portion, usually 60 to 90 days later. If you fail again, your application is denied.

Is the civics test multiple choice?

No. The officer asks the questions out loud and you answer out loud in your own words. There are no answer choices.

Prepare for the civics test with Civio: every official question from the 2025 USCIS civics test, Exam Mode with your state's questions, and spaced repetition.

Informational article, not legal advice. Civio is not affiliated with USCIS or any government agency; always check current requirements at uscis.gov.