The 2025 US Citizenship Test Explained: 128 Questions, 20 Asked, 12 to Pass

The 2025 US citizenship civics test is an oral test in which a USCIS officer asks you up to 20 questions from a published list of 128. You pass as soon as you answer 12 correctly, and the test ends early if you get 9 wrong. It applies to everyone whose Form N-400 was filed on or after October 20, 2025.

Key points

• Filed on or after October 20, 2025: 2025 test, 20 questions asked, 12 correct to pass.
• Filed before October 20, 2025: 2008 test, 10 questions asked, 6 correct to pass.
• The test stops at 12 correct (pass) or 9 incorrect (fail), so many people answer fewer than 20.
• Applicants who are 65 or older with 20 years as a permanent resident get 10 questions from a list of 20 and need 6 correct.
• You get two attempts. If you fail, you retake only the failed part 60 to 90 days later.

Which version will you take?

USCIS published the 2025 civics test in the Federal Register on September 18, 2025. It is based on the 2020 version that was briefly used and then withdrawn in 2021. The version you take depends only on your filing date, not your interview date:

Your N-400 filing date	Test version	Question list	Questions asked	Pass mark	Fail point
On or after Oct 20, 2025	2025	128	Up to 20	12 correct	9 incorrect
Before Oct 20, 2025	2008	100	Up to 10	6 correct	5 incorrect

Your filing date is the “received date” on your I-797C receipt notice. If you filed before October 20, 2025 but your interview is in 2026, you still take the 2008 test.

How the test works on interview day

The civics test is part of your naturalization interview. After the officer reviews your N-400 and gives the English reading and writing tests, they ask civics questions one at a time. In practice:

1. The officer reads a question aloud from the list of 128.
2. You answer out loud. You do not need the exact wording from the study list, but your answer must be correct. USCIS encourages applicants to use the answers on its list.
3. The officer marks it correct or incorrect and moves on.
4. When you reach 12 correct answers, the test ends and you pass.
5. If you reach 9 incorrect or unanswered questions, the test ends and you fail that attempt.

According to the USCIS Policy Manual, an unanswered question counts as incorrect, and refusing to take the test counts as a failure. The officer may repeat or rephrase a question if you did not understand it.

What the 128 questions cover

The official list, M-1778 (09/25), is organized into three parts:

Part	Section	Question numbers	Count
American Government	A: Principles of American Government	1-15	15
	B: System of Government	16-62	47
	C: Rights and Responsibilities	63-72	10
American History	A: Colonial Period and Independence	73-89	17
	B: 1800s	90-99	10
	C: Recent American History and Other Important Historical Information	100-118	19
Symbols and Holidays	A: Symbols	119-124	6
	B: Holidays	125-128	4

More than half of the list (72 questions) is about government. System of Government alone has 47 questions, so it deserves the most study time.

A few examples from the official list:

• What is the supreme law of the land? The (U.S.) Constitution.
• How many amendments does the U.S. Constitution have? Twenty-seven (27).
• What is the form of government of the United States? Republic.
• What is the capital of the United States? Washington, D.C.

Questions with answers that change

Some answers depend on who holds office. You must name the person serving on the day of your interview. As of October 2026, USCIS lists President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Chief Justice John Roberts and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson. Other questions ask for your own state’s governor, your US senators and your US representative, so look those up for your address. Check the USCIS test updates page shortly before your interview.

The 65/20 special consideration

If you are 65 or older and have been a permanent resident for 20 or more years when you file, the rules are different:

• You study only the 20 questions marked with an asterisk on the official list.
• The officer asks 10 of those 20.
• You need 6 correct to pass.
• You may take the civics test in the language of your choice, using an interpreter you bring.

The starred questions on the 2025 list are numbers 2, 7, 12, 20, 30, 36, 38, 39, 44, 52, 61, 66, 74, 78, 86, 94, 113, 115, 121 and 126. Applicants who qualify for 65/20 are also exempt from the English test. Other age and residence exemptions, and the medical waiver on Form N-648, are covered in citizenship test exemptions: 50/20, 55/15, 65/20 and N-648.

How the 2025 test compares with the 2008 test

Feature	2008 test	2025 test
Question list	100	128
Questions asked	Up to 10	Up to 20
Pass mark	6 (60%)	12 (60%)
Fail point	5 incorrect	9 incorrect
65/20 test	10 from 20, 6 to pass	10 from 20, 6 to pass
Format	Oral	Oral

The pass rate needed is still 60%, but the list is longer and more questions are asked, so you need wider preparation. The English reading and writing tests did not change: you must read 1 of 3 sentences and write 1 of 3 sentences correctly.

How to study for the 2025 civics test

1. Get the right list. Use the 128-question M-1778 list, not the old 100-question list. Many apps and books still use the 2008 version.
2. Learn the answers out loud. The test is spoken, so practice saying answers, not just recognizing them.
3. Study by section. Spend the most time on System of Government (questions 16-62).
4. Fill in your local answers. Write down your governor, senators and representative.
5. Test yourself under real conditions. Our free US citizenship practice test uses the full 128-question bank and the same rules as the real test: 20 questions, stopping at 12 correct or 9 wrong. It also has a 65/20 mode that asks 10 of the 20 starred questions, with 6 needed to pass.
6. Use the USCIS study guide. USCIS publishes One Nation, One People (2025 Version) and flash cards on its 2025 civics test page.

What happens if you fail

You get two chances to pass each part. If you fail the civics test at your interview, USCIS schedules a retest 60 to 90 days later, and you only retake the civics portion. If you fail again, USCIS must deny the N-400 for not meeting the education requirements. You can then request a hearing (Form N-336) or file a new N-400. See failed the citizenship test? Retest rules for a study plan.

What to do next

1. Check the received date on your N-400 receipt to confirm which test you will take.
2. Download the official 128-question list and the test updates page.
3. Take the practice test until you pass reliably, then focus on the questions you miss.
4. Read the US citizenship interview: what to expect and the full N-400 step-by-step guide.
5. Follow the US country hub for changes to the test.

General information, not legal advice. Checked against USCIS sources on October 11, 2026.