How many questions are on the citizenship test?

It depends on when you filed Form N-400. Filed on or after Oct. 20, 2025: the 2025 test, up to 20 of 128 questions, 12 right to pass. Filed before: the 2008 test, up to 10 of 100 questions, 6 right to pass.

2025 test

For N-400s filed on or after Oct. 20, 2025. The officer asks up to 20 of the 128 questions; you need 12 right. The officer stops at 12 right or 9 wrong.

2008 test

For N-400s filed before Oct. 20, 2025. The officer asks up to 10 of the 100 questions; you need 6 right. The officer stops at 6 right or 5 wrong.

65/20

65 or older with 20 or more years as a permanent resident: 10 questions from the 20 starred questions, in the language you choose.

Reading and writing

Read out loud 1 of 3 sentences correctly and write 1 of 3 sentences correctly. The officer judges your spoken English during the interview.

The civics test is oral

USCIS: "The 2025 naturalization civics test is an oral test consisting of 20 questions from the list of 128 civics test questions. You must answer 12 questions correctly to pass the 2025 test. You will fail the test if you answer 9 of the 20 questions incorrectly." And: "Officers will stop asking questions when an alien answers 12 questions correctly, or 9 questions incorrectly."

So an interview can end after 12 questions if you answer every one right. There are no answer choices: the officer asks, and you answer in your own words. That is why Civico asks you to say the answer out loud first and then shows the official answers.

The 2008 test

For N-400s filed before Oct. 20, 2025, the officer asks up to 10 of the 100 questions and you need 6 right. USCIS: "Officers will stop asking questions when an alien answers 6 questions correctly or 5 questions incorrectly."

The English test

USCIS: "For the reading test, you must read out loud 1 of 3 sentences correctly to demonstrate an ability to read in English. For the writing test, you must write 1 out of 3 sentences correctly to demonstrate an ability to write in English." Your speaking is judged by the officer during the interview.

Practice the same way

Civico's mock interview asks up to 20 random questions from the 128 and stops at 12 right or 9 missed, like the rules above (2008 test: up to 10, stopping at 6 right or 5 missed). One mock interview a day is free.

Source: Study for the Test on uscis.gov, read Oct. 25, 2026.