US citizenship civics · Learn · 29 October 2026 · 5 min read
The 2025 US civics test explained
How the 2025 naturalization civics test works: 128 questions, 20 asked, 12 to pass, who takes it, the 65/20 rule, and answers that change.
The civics test is part of the naturalization interview for US citizenship. A USCIS officer asks you questions about American government, history, and civics, and you answer out loud. In 2025, USCIS introduced a new version of the test with a larger question pool and more questions asked at the interview.
This guide explains how the 2025 test works, who takes it, how the 65/20 rule applies, and how to handle answers that change. Rules can be updated, so always check the official guidance on uscis.gov.
The 2025 test at a glance
| Feature | 2025 civics test |
|---|---|
| Question pool | 128 questions |
| Questions asked | Up to 20 |
| Needed to pass | 12 correct |
| Format | Oral, asked by a USCIS officer |
| Who takes it | Applicants who filed Form N-400 on or after October 20, 2025 |
The officer reads each question aloud, and you answer out loud. It is not a written multiple-choice test. The officer can stop the test once you have answered 12 questions correctly, or once you have missed enough that passing is no longer possible.
Which version will you take?
The version depends on when you filed your Form N-400, not when your interview takes place.
| Filing date | Version | Pool | Asked | Needed to pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before October 20, 2025 | 2008 civics test | 100 | Up to 10 | 6 |
| On or after October 20, 2025 | 2025 civics test | 128 | Up to 20 | 12 |
If you filed before October 20, 2025, you take the 2008 test, even if your interview is in 2026 or later. Check the filing date on your receipt notice if you are unsure.
For a detailed comparison of the two versions, see 2008 vs 2025 US civics test: what changed.
The pass mark in context
Both versions ask you to get 60% of the questions asked right: 6 of 10 under the 2008 test, 12 of 20 under the 2025 test. The bar is the same, but the 2025 test asks twice as many questions from a larger pool, so you need to know more of the material well.
That means you cannot rely on a few strong topics. You should be able to answer most of the 128 questions confidently before your interview.
What the questions cover
The 2025 pool covers three broad areas:
- American government: principles of American democracy, the system of government, and rights and responsibilities.
- American history: the colonial period and independence, the 1800s, and recent American history.
- Symbols and holidays: national symbols and national holidays.
Some answers are short and fixed, such as a number or a name. Others accept any one of several correct answers. For questions with several acceptable answers, you only need to give the number the question asks for.
Our free practice tests are organized by these themes. Start on the US citizenship hub.
The 65/20 rule
If you are 65 or older and have been a lawful permanent resident for at least 20 years when you file, special consideration applies:
- You study only 20 specific questions, marked with an asterisk (*) in the official list.
- The officer asks you 10 of them.
- You need 6 correct to pass.
Under the 65/20 rule, you may also be able to take the civics test in the language of your choice with an interpreter. Check the official guidance on uscis.gov for exactly how this works and what you need to bring.
Answers that change
Some answers depend on who holds office when you take the test. Examples include:
- the President and Vice President
- the Speaker of the House of Representatives
- the Chief Justice of the United States
- your state's US senators and your US representative
- your state's governor
- the political party of the President
You must give the answer that is correct at the time of your interview. USCIS keeps a page with current answers at uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates. Check it shortly before your interview, especially if there has been a recent election. Our guide to US civics answers that change explains how to look up your own officials.
The English test
The civics test is only one part of the naturalization test. Most applicants also take an English test covering reading, writing, and speaking. The officer assesses your speaking during the interview itself. Some older, long-term residents are exempt from the English requirement. Check the current rules on uscis.gov.
If you do not pass
You normally have two opportunities to pass the English and civics tests. If you fail any part at your first interview, USCIS will schedule a re-examination, usually within a few months, and you are retested only on the part you failed. Check the official guidance for the current timing.
How to prepare
- Download the official list of 128 questions from uscis.gov and read it once.
- Take a practice test to see where you stand. Our first US civics practice test gives you 20 questions from the 2025 pool, just like the real interview.
- Practice answering out loud. The real test is oral, so get used to saying answers, not just recognizing them.
- Focus on weak themes rather than re-reading the whole list.
- Check the changing answers a week before your interview, and again the day before.
Our study plan for the civics test turns this into a week-by-week schedule.
Key points to remember
- Filed on or after October 20, 2025: 128 questions, up to 20 asked, 12 to pass.
- Filed before that date: the 2008 test, 100 questions, up to 10 asked, 6 to pass.
- 65/20: 20 asterisked questions, 10 asked, 6 to pass.
- Elected and appointed officials can change. Check uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates.
- This guide is general information, not legal advice. Check the official guidance on uscis.gov for your situation.