Civic exam
Civic exam for the French resident card: prepare and plan
Take a mock paper at the resident card level, then work out when your route will let you file the application.
Independent site, not linked to the French Interior Ministry, the préfectures or the exam centres.
Your score · Resident card
0 / 40
0 / 40 answered
Pick an answer to start
| Pass mark: 32 of 40 |
| Time left: 45:00 |
Knowledge questions: French Interior Ministry, Licence Ouverte 2.0, translated by us. Options, explanations and scenarios: Radif Partners. The real exam is in French only. Not the official exam.
The resident card civic exam is the test, at the resident card level, required since 1 January 2026 for a first 10-year resident card (carte de résident) in France. It covers, among others, spouses of French citizens, parents of French children, family reunification, EU long-term residents, including those whose status follows a talent passport or international protection, and the permanent resident card. The paper has 40 questions in French only, lasts 45 minutes and you pass with 32 correct answers. French at level B1 is required as well. Applicants over 65, refugees applying for the refugee resident card and people renewing their card do not sit it. The certificate never expires and also counts for a multi-year permit. The tool above draws a full paper at this level, with the English wording to help you learn, and the small tool counts the years left before your route lets you apply.
When can I apply for the resident card?
Still to wait
1 year
| Period required | 3 years |
| French level | B1 |
| Stamps | €350 |
Answers, dates and costs by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method
What a first resident card requires
The resident card is a renewable 10-year residence permit that lets you settle for the long term without taking French nationality. Since 1 January 2026, a first card requires a length of stay, certified French and a civic exam pass certificate, on top of the conditions specific to each route. For many expats it is the natural step after one or more multi-year permits.
| Item | Requirement for a first card |
|---|---|
| Length of stay | depends on the route, see the small tool |
| French | level B1 |
| Civic exam | resident card level, 32 of 40 |
| Stamps | €350 (€50 stamp duty and €300 tax) |
| Regularisation visa | €300 on top if you entered without a long-stay visa |
Routes and periods are set out on the French resident card page. For the EU long-term card, the harder part is usually counting time abroad rather than the exam: 6 consecutive months at most and 10 months in total over the 5 years. Expats who travel often for work should check this first.
Do my trips block the EU long-term card?
Unbroken stay
Yes
| Total cap | 10 months |
| Cap for one trip | 6 months |
| Total margin | 6.0 mo |
A timeline that works
- Use the small tool to find when you will meet the length-of-stay condition.
- Get your B1 French certified: a French diploma or a test less than 2 years old when you file.
- Book the civic exam several months before that date at a centre approved by one of the two authorised bodies.
- Practise until you clear the mark consistently, in French, then sit the exam; if you fail, book again straight away.
- File the card application with the certificate as soon as the period is met.
This order avoids an easy-to-miss snag: meeting every residence condition and then still having to wait for an exam session, then the result, before you can file. If you live abroad for part of the year, check whether a centre near you abroad runs the exam. France Éducation international lists its centres on a map of civic exam centres; the Paris Île-de-France Chamber of Commerce lists its own on its site.
What sets the resident card level apart
The paper has the same format and mix of 40 questions as the other levels. What changes is the knowledge questions, drawn from their own list, which goes further into abstract notions and historical landmarks. You can read it in full, with answers, on the resident card questions page.
One practical advantage: a certificate at this level also counts for a multi-year permit. If you expect to apply for a multi-year permit first and a resident card later, you can prepare for the harder level straight away and sit the exam once.
Exemptions to know
- Over 65: no exam for a residence permit.
- Refugee resident card: no exam.
- Renewing the card: no exam.
- Disability or health condition: adjustments or exemption on a medical certificate.
These cases and their limits are covered on the civic exam exemptions page.