How to Register for the Civic Exam: Approved Centres and Steps

The civic exam does not take place at the prefecture or online from home: it is held in an approved exam centre (centre d’examen agréé), on a computer or tablet. Here is how to register, step by step.

Two approved organisations

The French Ministry of the Interior has approved two organisations to organise the civic exam:

• CCI Paris Île-de-France, through its network “Le français des affaires”;
• France Éducation international (FEI).

Each one has a network of centres all over France. The exam format is the same in every centre.

Step 1: Find a centre near you

Both organisations offer a search tool:

• Le français des affaires: “Find an approved centre” page;
• France Éducation international: map of civic exam centres.

Compare the session dates offered: they are different in each centre.

Step 2: Choose the right option

The exam has three options, depending on your application:

Your application	Option
First multi-year residence permit	CSP
First resident card	CR
Naturalisation by decree	Naturalisation

The format is the same (40 questions in 45 minutes, minimum 32 correct answers), but the list of questions and the level of difficulty are different. According to the Ministry, a certificate with CR also counts for a CSP application.

Step 3: Prepare the required information

To register, have these details ready:

• your AGDREF number (the foreign national number on your residence permit (titre de séjour) or your receipt (récépissé));
• your surname, first name, date, city and country of birth, nationality;
• your address, email and phone number.

At France Éducation international, registration is in two steps: first, you pre-register online, then the centre contacts you to confirm your registration, collect the fee and send you your exam notice.

Step 4: Pay and receive your exam notice

There is no national fee: each centre sets its own registration fee. Registration is final: according to CCI Paris Île-de-France, the fee is non-refundable if you do not attend, except in case of a justified absence.

You will then receive an exam notice with the date, time and address of your session. Keep it safe: you will need it on the day of the exam.

Register early. There is no official deadline, but places depend on each centre’s sessions, and it’s better to have your certificate before you submit your residence permit or naturalisation application.

What next?

Once you are registered, all that’s left is to revise. Start with a test to see your level, then practise in real-life conditions with a mock exam of 40 questions in 45 minutes.