If you failed the naturalization test, you don’t have to wait to try again. USCIS automatically schedules a second attempt within 60 to 90 days of your first test, and you only retake the portion you didn’t pass. If you also fail that retest and your application is denied, you can file a brand-new Form N-400 the same day the denial arrives. There’s no waiting period and no cap on how many times you apply.
The Automatic Retest Comes First
A single failure isn’t the end of your application. USCIS re-examines you within 60 to 90 days of the initial test date as part of your existing N-400.1USCIS. Chapter 4 – Results of the Naturalization Examination You don’t file anything new, and there’s no additional fee.
The retest is narrow. It only covers what you failed. Pass the English speaking and reading portions but stumble on civics, and civics is all you’ll see the second time. Pass civics but fail the writing section, and writing is the only piece you redo.2USCIS. Chapter 2 – English and Civics Testing
Show up. If you skip the retest without notifying USCIS in advance with a good reason, you’re treated as having failed it, which triggers denial.3eCFR. 8 CFR 312.5 If you need more time than the 90-day window allows, you can request a postponement, but you’ll have to agree in writing to extend the timeline USCIS has to decide your case.
If You Fail the Retest
Failing the second attempt results in a written denial of your current application. USCIS must issue that notice within 120 days of your initial interview, and it will explain how to request a hearing if you want to challenge the decision.1USCIS. Chapter 4 – Results of the Naturalization Examination
A denial closes that application. It doesn’t close the door on citizenship. From here you have two options: file a new application, or request a hearing on the denial.
Filing a New N-400
There is no waiting period. You can submit a new Form N-400 the same day you receive your denial notice, and there’s no limit on how many times you can apply.4USCIS. Commonly Asked Questions About the Naturalization Process The trade-off is that a new application restarts everything: a new interview, a new biometrics appointment, and a fresh test covering all components rather than just the piece you failed.5USCIS. Chapter 2 – Biometrics Collection
You also pay the fee again. The current N-400 filing fee is $760 for a paper application or $710 online, and it’s nonrefundable regardless of the outcome.6USCIS. Application for Naturalization
Reduced Fees and Fee Waivers
If cost is a barrier, two forms of relief exist. Applicants with household income at or below 400% of the federal poverty guidelines can request a reduced filing fee of $380.7USCIS. Additional Information on Filing a Reduced Fee Request For a household of four, that ceiling is $132,000 in 2026.
Household income at or below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines qualifies you for a complete fee waiver through Form I-912. For a household of four, that threshold is $45,000 in 2026.8USCIS. Poverty Guidelines You can also qualify based on receipt of a means-tested benefit like Medicaid or SNAP. File the waiver request with your new N-400.
Requesting a Hearing Instead
If you believe the test was scored incorrectly or the interview wasn’t conducted fairly, you can challenge the denial rather than start over. File Form N-336, Request for a Hearing on a Decision in Naturalization Proceedings, and a different USCIS officer reviews your case from the beginning.
The deadline is 30 days from the date you receive your denial notice.9eCFR. 8 CFR Part 336 – Hearings on Denials of Applications for Naturalization USCIS then has up to 180 days to schedule the hearing. At the hearing you can present new evidence, and the reviewing officer may re-administer the test. Form N-336 has its own filing fee, but you can request a waiver using Form I-912.10USCIS. I-912, Request for Fee Waiver
Your Green Card Is Not at Risk
A failed test does not affect your permanent resident status. USCIS denies the naturalization application and you continue as a lawful permanent resident, exactly as before. The only scenarios where a naturalization case puts your status at risk involve separate grounds like fraud in obtaining the green card or a deportable criminal offense, and those exist independently of whether you passed the test.
Check for Exemptions Before You Reapply
Before filing again, look at whether you qualify for an exception that makes the test easier or removes part of it. Many applicants miss these the first time around.
Age and Residency Exemptions
Federal law provides three exceptions based on age and years of permanent residence:11Office 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
- 50/20 rule: age 50 or older with at least 20 years as a permanent resident. Exempt from the English requirement; the civics test is taken in your native language.
- 55/15 rule: age 55 or older with at least 15 years as a permanent resident. Same English exemption.
- 65/20 rule: age 65 or older with at least 20 years as a permanent resident. English exemption plus a simplified civics test drawn from a shorter list of questions.12USCIS. Exceptions and Accommodations
If one of these applied to your earlier application and you didn’t claim it, your new N-400 is the place to fix that.
Medical Disability Waiver
Applicants who cannot learn English or civics material due to a physical disability, developmental disability, or mental impairment can request a full waiver using Form N-648, Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions. A licensed medical professional completes the form with a clinical diagnosis and an explanation of how the condition prevents you from meeting the testing requirements.13USCIS. Chapter 3 – Medical Disability Exception (Form N-648) The impairment must have lasted or be expected to last at least 12 months and cannot be related to illegal drug use. Submitting Form N-648 with your N-400 avoids the complications of a late filing.