Examen civique: how to register, centres and prices

Who runs the exam, how to book a session with each approved network, what it costs and what happens on exam day.

Checked against Ministère de l'Intérieur — Formation civique et examen civique · Oct 20263 min read

Two approved networks

The Ministry of the Interior has approved two organisations to run the examen civique, each through its own network of approved centres in mainland France and overseas:

the CCI Paris Île-de-France, through its "Le français des affaires" brand (the body behind the TEF)
France Éducation International (FEI, the body behind the TCF)

Both deliver the same official exam, built by the ministry. Choose whichever has a convenient centre and date. If you live abroad and are applying for naturalisation, contact the French consulate, an Institut français or an Alliance française to find out how to sit the exam.

Pick the right mention before you book

There are three versions of the exam: carte de séjour pluriannuelle (CSP), carte de résident (CR) and naturalisation. Applicants for naturalisation par décret or for réintégration dans la nationalité française need the mention naturalisation. Booking the wrong mention is a common and costly mistake: check the mention on the booking screen and on your confirmation.

You do not need the exam for a declaration of nationality (for example through marriage to a French citizen), for a first one-year temporary residence card or for a renewal.

How to register

CCI Paris Île-de-France: use the "Trouver un centre" map on lefrancaisdesaffaires.fr (or the CCIP map linked from service-public.gouv.fr) to find a centre by town and session date, then book with that centre.

France Éducation International: fill in the online pre-registration form (linked from service-public.gouv.fr):

create your personal "Examen civique" space with your details and email address
choose a test centre
validate the pre-registration request
confirm by clicking the link in the email "Inscription à votre examen civique"

Have your foreign national number (numéro étranger AGDREF) ready: it is printed on your residence permit or your OFII visa sticker. EU, EEA and Swiss nationals do not need it. The centre then tells you how to pay.

Prices

There is no national fee. Service-public.gouv.fr states that registration fees are set by each test centre and can vary from one centre to another, so compare centres and check the price, the payment method and the refund or rescheduling rules before you pay. Each new attempt is booked and paid again.

Preparation can be completely free: the ministry publishes the programme, the thematic study sheets and the official lists of knowledge questions. Sites that charge for "real questions" are not run by the ministry, and the ministry warns that they may carry fraud risks and wrong information.

On exam day

The rules are set by the arrêté of 10 October 2025:

bring a valid residence permit; EU nationals sitting the naturalisation mention may use a passport or identity card instead
a photo of you is taken before the test and printed on your attestation; refusing the photo, or any doubt about your identity, means you cannot sit the exam
arrive on time: late candidates are not admitted
phones and electronic devices must be switched off and stored away; earphones are forbidden (hearing aids excepted); no documents of any kind
leaving the room is final, and you may not communicate with anyone

The test itself is 40 multiple-choice questions on a computer or tablet, 45 minutes maximum, and you need 32 correct answers. If you need adjustments because of a disability or health condition, contact the centre before registering and bring a medical certificate.

After the exam

The attestation of success has no expiry date, and you can sit the exam as many times as you need. Keep the attestation safe: it is a required document of your naturalisation file.

Fraud (someone sitting the exam for you, outside help, cheating) makes the exam void and bars you from sitting it again for 2 years, without prejudice to criminal prosecution. This page is general information, not legal advice: check service-public.gouv.fr or your préfecture for your own case.

Not legal advice. This guide is general information compiled from official sources. Rules change — confirm your own situation with Ministère de l'Intérieur — Formation civique et examen civique.

Sources