EXAMEN CIVIQUE (updated March 2026)

39/40 - My Honest Guide to the Examen Civique

A personal account. No fluff, just what actually helped.

Why I'm Writing This

When I started preparing, I couldn't find many honest personal accounts of what the examen civique actually feels like from the inside. So here's mine (10 years card), and my husband's too (he took the naturalisation version and also scored 39).

This isn't a copy of the official website. It's what I actually experienced, what questions came up, what tripped me up, and what made it click.

Spoiler: it's more manageable than it sounds.

What to expect from Examen Civique?

Mandatory from January 2026 for anyone applying for a first carte de séjour pluriannuelle, a carte de résident, or French naturalisation.

• Language - French

• 40 questions - 28 knowledge + 12 situational scenarios

• 45 minutes on a computer or tablet

• Pass mark: 32/40 (80%)

• 5 themes: 

  1. Values of the Republic 

  2. Institutions & Politics

  3. Rights & Duties

  4. History & Geography

  5. Living in French Society

How I Prepared

Two resources did most of the work:

📖 Livret du Citoyen - the official citizen booklet, clear and comprehensive. 

📋 Official question list 

1. Carte de Résident level.

2. 4 years card

3. Naturalization

I read both cover to cover, then tested myself theme by theme. With a baby and with other things happening as well, it took no more than 3 days.

The knowledge questions are published - no surprises there. They are mostly from the official list of questions. The situational questions are the trap.
The 12 situational questions are not published, but if you understand the values behind French law, they become intuitive.

Example - 

1. A municipal library makes all books free for commune residents - is this laïcité or égalité + access to culture?

2. Polygamy: if someone married abroad, can they marry again in France? (Only if they divorce their first partner)

📋 Official question list + Some other questions (naturalization edition)

Examen blanc 

Final Thoughts

The exam is fair. It tests values, not tricks. If you understand why France works the way it does - the separation of powers, laïcité, equality before the law; the answers feel logical rather than arbitrary.

My husband and I both scored 39. The questions we missed were cultural figures. They always are.

Start with the Livret du Citoyen. Read the official question list. Test yourself out loud. And remember - 80% is the bar. You don't need to be perfect.

Bonne chance.