Examen civique: who must take the civic exam in 2026?

Check your situation in 3 questions

Three quick questions to find out if the civic exam applies to you. We do not ask your nationality and nothing is saved. This is general information, not legal advice.

Rules taken from service-public.gouv.fr, fiche F39530 (residence cards) and fiche F39426 (naturalisation), in French.

Multi-year residence permit

If you are a national of a non-European country and you apply for your first multi-year residence permit (carte de séjour pluriannuelle), you must pass the civic exam at the multi-year residence permit level (mention), with some exceptions (see below). The rule has applied since 1 January 2026. Renewal applications are not concerned: only the first application is. Source: service-public.gouv.fr, fiche F39530 (in French)

For the multi-year residence permit, three situations are not concerned by the exam:

residence permits that are not subject to the republican integration contract (CIR), for example those of students, visitors, interns and ICT posted employees, or talent cards (cartes talent), listed in article L. 413-5 of the CESEDA;
beneficiaries of subsidiary protection and their family;
stateless persons and their family.

Sources: service-public.gouv.fr, fiche F39530 and CESEDA, article L. 413-5, Légifrance, in French.

The CCI Paris Île-de-France, one of the two bodies that run the exam, also states that a first application for a one-year temporary residence card (carte de séjour temporaire) is not concerned. Source: CCI Paris Île-de-France, exam presentation page (in French)

The details for this permit, with the format and the level of French required, are on the page civic exam and residence permit.

Resident card

The same rule applies to the first resident card (carte de résident): since 1 January 2026, non-EU nationals who apply for it must pass the civic exam at the resident card level, with some exceptions: not all resident cards are concerned, and people over 65 are exempt. Source: service-public.gouv.fr, fiche F39530 (in French)

Service-public.gouv.fr lists the resident cards concerned. They include:

the first resident card as the spouse of a French national, the parent of a French child, or through family reunification;
the first EU long-term resident card, for example after 5 years of legal residence with resources, or after 5 years with a talent card or an EU Blue Card, as well as the refugee card and the subsidiary protection card, with their family;
the first permanent resident card.

The full list is on service-public.gouv.fr, fiche F39530 (in French). The resident card issued on the basis of refugee status, however, does not require the exam (fiche F2208, in French): the details are on the exemptions page.

A pass at the resident card level is also valid for a multi-year residence permit application, when you submit the application on the ANEF. Source: formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr (in French)

To find out more, read civic exam and resident card.

Naturalisation

To become French, the civic exam applies only to procedures by decree: naturalisation and reinstatement of French nationality (réintégration). Source: service-public.gouv.fr, fiche F39426 (in French)

It applies to naturalisation or reinstatement applications submitted from 1 January 2026. Source: décret n° 2025-648 du 15 juillet 2025, article 11, Légifrance (in French)

Procedures by declaration are not concerned: declaration through marriage, as the ascendant of a French national, or as the brother or sister of a French national. Source: service-public.gouv.fr, fiche F39426 (in French)

The details, with the interview at the préfecture (the State office in your département), are on the page civic exam and naturalisation.

Who does not need to take it

According to service-public.gouv.fr, you do not have to take the civic exam in these cases:

You are renewing your permit. Renewal applications are not concerned.
You are over 65 and you apply for a multi-year residence permit or a resident card.
You are a European citizen and you apply for a residence permit. The rule covers “non-EU” nationals. However, if you apply for naturalisation, you take the civic exam at the naturalisation level.
You apply for nationality by declaration (marriage, ascendant, brother or sister).

Sources: fiche F39530 and fiche F39426, service-public.gouv.fr; arrêté du 10 octobre 2025, annexe III, Légifrance, in French.

If a disability or your state of health makes the test impossible, you can be exempted, with a medical certificate. For a residence card, this certificate follows a model set by an arrêté (ministerial order) and is issued by a doctor who has an RPPS number. Adjustments to the test are also possible. Sources: service-public.gouv.fr, fiche F39530 and arrêté du 30 décembre 2025, Légifrance, in French.

Finally, the ministère de l'Intérieur states that some foreign nationals are not concerned: beneficiaries of international protection and nationals of countries covered by certain bilateral agreements. These cases depend on your exact permit: check your situation with your préfecture before you register. Source: formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr (in French)

The CCI Paris Île-de-France adds the first one-year temporary residence card to this list, as stated above. All the cases are explained on the page civic exam exemptions.

Since when

The requirement has applied since 1 January 2026 for a first multi-year residence permit or a first resident card (service-public.gouv.fr), and for naturalisation or reinstatement applications submitted from that same date (décret n° 2025-648).

The legal texts behind the exam (in French):

loi n° 2024-42 du 26 janvier 2024, article 20;
décret n° 2025-647 du 15 juillet 2025 (residence cards) and décret n° 2025-648 du 15 juillet 2025 (nationality);
arrêté du 10 octobre 2025 on the syllabus and the tests.

Does it apply to you? Next, see how the exam works, then test yourself with the free practice test: 40 questions in 45 minutes, as on the day of the exam.

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Frequently asked questions

Is the civic exam compulsory?

Yes, for some procedures. Since 1 January 2026, non-EU nationals who apply for a first multi-year residence permit or a first resident card must pass the civic exam, with some exceptions: not all of these cards are concerned, and people over 65 are exempt. It also applies to naturalisation and reinstatement of nationality by decree. Source: service-public.gouv.fr, fiche F39530 (in French)

Who needs to take the civic exam?

Non-EU nationals who apply for a first multi-year residence permit or a first resident card, and people who apply for naturalisation or reinstatement of French nationality by decree. There are exceptions: see the exemptions. Source: service-public.gouv.fr, fiche F39426 (in French)

Do you need it to renew a residence permit?

No. Only the first application is concerned, renewal applications are not. Source: service-public.gouv.fr, fiche F39530 (in French)

Do you need it for naturalisation through marriage?

No. The civic exam applies only to naturalisation and reinstatement of nationality by decree. Declarations of nationality (marriage, ascendant, brother or sister) are not concerned. Source: service-public.gouv.fr, fiche F39426 (in French)

Since when has the civic exam been compulsory?

Since 1 January 2026 for a first multi-year residence permit or a first resident card. For naturalisation, it applies to applications submitted from 1 January 2026. Source: décret n° 2025-648, Légifrance (in French)

Who must take the French civic exam?