Civic exam exemptions 2026: who is exempt?

1. Which applications require the exam?

Since 1 January 2026, you must have passed the civic exam (examen civique) to get certain residence permits and to become French by decree. The rule comes from law no. 2024-42 of 26 January 2024. The details are set by decree no. 2025-647 of 15 July 2025 for residence permits, and by decree no. 2025-648 of the same day for nationality.

There is one version of the exam (a « mention ») per application. The French level required also depends on the application.

2. Residence permits: who is exempt?

For the multi-year permit and the resident card, the texts provide for the following cases.

• Renewing a cardThe exam only applies to the first multi-year permit and the first resident card. It is not required for a renewal.Source: service-public.gouv.fr, F39530; formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr
• Over 65Exempt from the civic exam and from the language requirement, for the multi-year permit as well as the resident card.Source: CESEDA, art. R433-5 and R413-15, as worded by decree no. 2025-647 (art. 7 and 8)
• Disability or health conditionAdjustments to the exam are possible. If your health makes the assessment impossible, the certificate may not be required. In both cases you need a medical certificate on the official form, and the administration can ask for a second medical opinion.Source: CESEDA, art. R413-15 and R433-5; ministerial order of 30 December 2025
• Permits not covered by the republican integration contractFor a multi-year student, visitor, talent, temporary worker, seasonal worker, ICT (intra-company transfer), trainee or au pair permit: no exam and no language requirement. Be careful: the long-term EU resident card applied for after 5 years, including by a holder of the talent passport, still requires the exam.Source: service-public.gouv.fr, F17048 and F39530; CESEDA, art. L413-5
• Subsidiary protection, stateless people and their familiesNo exam and no language requirement for the multi-year permit.Source: service-public.gouv.fr, F39530 and F34501
• Refugees and beneficiaries of international protectionThe ministry states that beneficiaries of international protection are « pas concernés par l’examen civique » (not concerned by the civic exam) for the resident card they get as of right. However, the long-term EU resident card applied for by a refugee or a beneficiary of subsidiary protection after 5 years does require it.Source: formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr; service-public.gouv.fr, F2208 and A18713
• Bilateral agreementsThe ministry states that nationals « relevant de certains accords bilatéraux » (covered by certain bilateral agreements) are not concerned, without publishing a list. Algerians fall under the 1968 Franco-Algerian agreement and its residence certificates (certificats de résidence), which are not subject to the republican integration contract; however, no official text says so in black and white for the exam. No official source names Morocco or Tunisia.Source: formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr; service-public.gouv.fr, F17048

Not exempt: spouses of French nationals and parents of a French child who apply for a resident card (B1 level and the CR version of the exam, unless over 65). A French diploma proves your language level, but it does not exempt you from the civic exam.

3. Nationality: who is exempt?

For naturalisation and reinstatement by decree, the naturalisation version of the civic exam is compulsory, whatever your age.

• No exemption based on ageRefugees and stateless people over 70 who have lived in France for at least 15 years are exempt from the language requirement, but not from the civic exam.Source: Code civil, art. 21-24-1; service-public.gouv.fr, F11926
• Disability or health conditionAdjustments, or an exemption from the civic exam certificate and the language certificate, are possible with a medical certificate. The office handling your application or the minister can ask for a new medical assessment.Source: Decree no. 93-1362, art. 37-1, amended by decree no. 2025-648; ministerial order of 30 December 2025
• Declarations of nationalityNo civic exam for a declaration: after marriage, or as a parent or grandparent (ascendant), brother or sister of a French national. For marriage, the B2 level has been required since 1 January 2026, unless you are exempt for disability or health reasons.Source: service-public.gouv.fr, F39426 and F11926

4. Common beliefs the texts do not confirm

Several exemptions are repeated online without any basis in the official texts we checked. Don’t rely on them without a written answer from your préfecture (the local state office that handles residence permits).

• “I did the CIR or the civic training before 2026”No transitional exemption was found: decree no. 2025-647 sets the start date at 1 January 2026, with no explicit transitional rules.
• “I studied in France”People exempt from the republican integration contract because they did at least 3 years of secondary school or one university year in France are not subject to the A2 language requirement for the multi-year permit (CESEDA, art. L433-4). The text does not provide the same exclusion for the civic exam.
• “I am Moroccan or Tunisian”No official source lists these nationalities among the people exempt from the exam.
• “I am over 65 and applying for naturalisation”The over-65 exemption only applies to residence permits.

If in doubt, ask your préfecture in writing and keep the answer.

5. If you have to take the exam

It is a multiple-choice test of 40 questions in French: 28 knowledge questions and 12 situation questions (mises en situation), in 45 minutes at most, on a computer or tablet, at an approved centre. You need 32 correct answers out of 40.

Each centre sets its own price: between €60 and €80 depending on the centre, according to the answer of the Minister of the Interior published on 11 August 2026. You can retake the exam as many times as you need, and the pass certificate does not expire.