The 100 civics questions and answers for citizenship come from the 2008 version of the U.S. naturalization test, and USCIS still uses that list only for applicants who filed Form N-400 before October 20, 2025. If you filed on or after that date, your test draws from a newer 128-question bank instead.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Check for Test Updates Check your filing date first, then study the list that matches it.
Who Still Takes the 100-Question Test
Two civics tests are in circulation right now. The one you take depends entirely on when your N-400 was filed, not when your interview is scheduled.
- Filed before October 20, 2025: 2008 test, 100 study questions.
- Filed on or after October 20, 2025: 2025 test, 128 study questions.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 2025 Civics Test
If you’re in the first group, the rest of this article is for you. If you’re in the second, studying the 100 questions is studying the wrong material.
How the Test Is Scored
The 2008 civics test is oral. During your naturalization interview, a USCIS officer reads questions aloud from the list of 100 and you answer verbally. There is no written portion for the civics component and no multiple choice.3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The Naturalization Interview and Test
The officer asks up to 10 questions. You need 6 correct answers to pass. Once you’ve hit 6 right, the officer stops. If it becomes mathematically impossible to reach 6, the officer stops there too. You are not required to answer all 10.
What the 100 Questions Cover
The questions fall into three broad areas. Studying by topic is usually more efficient than working straight down the list.
American Government
The largest group of questions concerns how the federal government works: the three branches and their powers, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, the amendment process, rights guaranteed to citizens and noncitizens, voting, the Electoral College, and the rule of law.
American History
History questions run from the colonial period to the present. Expect questions on why colonists came, the fight for independence, the Civil War and the end of slavery, westward expansion, the World Wars, the Great Depression, the Cold War, and the Civil Rights movement. You are not expected to give expert answers, but you should be able to connect major events to their causes and outcomes.
Symbols, Holidays, and Geography
The last group covers the flag’s stripes and stars, the Statue of Liberty, holidays like Independence Day, Memorial Day, and Veterans Day, bordering countries, major rivers, and the oceans on each coast.
Current Officials Change: Study Late, Not Early
Several questions ask you to name the person currently holding a specific federal or state office. The answer key is the office holder at the time of your interview, not at the time you filed. As of the current update cycle, the answers include:1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Check for Test Updates
- President: Donald Trump
- Vice President: JD Vance
- Speaker of the House: Mike Johnson
- Chief Justice: John Roberts
You also need to know your state’s governor, one of your state’s U.S. senators, and your U.S. representative. These vary by where you live, so confirm them close to your interview date on senate.gov, house.gov, and your state’s official website. Officials change during election cycles, and USCIS updates its answer key when they do. Study these names last.
Age-Based Exemptions That Shrink the List
Federal law recognizes three age-and-residency combinations that reduce what you have to study or how you take the test. All apply to lawful permanent residents who have held that status for many years.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1423 – Requirements as to Understanding the English Language, History, Principles and Form of Government of the United States
65/20: A Shorter Civics List
If you are 65 or older and have been a permanent resident for at least 20 years, you only study 20 designated questions, marked with an asterisk in the official materials. The officer asks up to 10, and you still need 6 correct to pass.5Federal Register. Notice of Implementation of 2025 Naturalization Civics Test
50/20 and 55/15: Take the Civics Test in Your Language
Under the 50/20 rule (age 50 or older with 20 years as a permanent resident) or the 55/15 rule (age 55 or older with 15 years as a permanent resident), you can skip the English reading, writing, and speaking components. You still take the civics test, but you may take it in a language of your choice. You must bring your own interpreter, fluent in both English and your language.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Exceptions and Accommodations The 6-out-of-10 passing standard does not change.
Medical Waiver of the Civics Requirement
If a physical, developmental, or mental impairment prevents you from learning the civics material, you can request a full waiver by filing Form N-648, Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions.7U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Chapter 3 – Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions The condition must have lasted, or be expected to last, at least 12 months, and it must be directly connected to your inability to learn or demonstrate the required knowledge. A licensed medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy, or clinical psychologist has to examine you and complete the form.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. N-648, Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions
Advanced age by itself does not qualify. Neither does general illiteracy. File Form N-648 with your N-400 when possible; the officer at your interview makes the final call on whether to grant the waiver.
If You Fail on the First Try
Failing does not end your application on the spot. USCIS reschedules you for a second attempt 60 to 90 days after the first interview, and the officer only retests the portion you failed. If you passed English but not civics, you’ll only face civics questions the second time.9U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Chapter 2 – English and Civics Testing
Fail the second attempt and USCIS denies your N-400. There is no third try on the same application, and the filing fee is not refunded. Current fees are $710 for online filing and $760 for paper filing.10U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form N-400, Application for Naturalization Filing Fees You can start over with a new N-400, but the review begins from scratch and the fee is due again.
Where to Get the Official List
USCIS publishes the full list of 100 civics questions and answers for free on its website, along with the 20-question 65/20 sublist and study materials for the English components.3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The Naturalization Interview and Test USCIS also offers a free mobile app, USCIS: Civics Test Study Tools, with audio for each question and answer, a practice test, and a challenge mode. The app includes Spanish audio and interface options.11U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Study for the Test
Because the test is oral, practice out loud. Have someone quiz you in random order and answer without pausing to read. Save the current-officials questions for last, and confirm those names in the days before your interview rather than months ahead.