2008 Civics Test Practice
The 100-question list for N-400 filings before 20 October 2025, one random round of 10 at a time.
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How to use the 2008 civics test practice
- Press Start. A round is 10 random questions.
- Read the question and say your answer out loud before you look, as you would to the officer.
- Press Reveal. The full USCIS answer list appears with the question number. If the question asks for two or three answers, give that many; an alternative phrasing of a correct answer counts.
- Mark your answer as right or wrong, then press Next.
- At the end you see your score and the questions you missed. Start the review round to repeat only those.
Your score history and missed questions are stored only in this browser. Questions whose answer depends on where you live or who holds an office carry a note pointing to the USCIS Test Updates page; the quiz never prints office-holder names, so check that page shortly before your interview.
A good routine is two or three short rounds a day rather than one long one: do a round, read the answers you missed, and run the review round the next day. When you can clear a round without a miss, switch to a harder category or to the exam-format mock. Saying the answer out loud matters, because the real test is oral and the officer cannot see what you are thinking. This routine is ours; USCIS publishes the questions and answers only.
How many questions are on the 2008 civics test?
The 2008 civics test has 100 questions in its full list, split across three categories. At the interview the officer asks up to 10 of them, and you must answer 6 correctly to pass. Where a question lists several answers, you only need as many as the question asks for.
| Category | Questions | Subsections |
|---|---|---|
| American Government | 57 | A Principles 12, B System of Government 35, C Rights and Responsibilities 10 |
| American History | 30 | A Colonial Period and Independence 13, B 1800s 7, C Recent American History 10 |
| Integrated Civics | 13 | Geography 8, Symbols 3, Holidays 2 |
| Total | 100 |
What is the difference between the 2008 and 2025 civics test?
The 2008 test has 100 questions and the 2025 test has 128. The 2008 list puts 57 questions under American Government, 30 under American History and 13 under Integrated Civics, while the 2025 list has 72, 46 and 10 under its three categories. Which test you take depends on when you filed the N-400, not when your interview happens.
| Feature | 2008 test | 2025 test |
|---|---|---|
| Total questions | 100 | 128 |
| American Government | 57 | 72 |
| American History | 30 | 46 |
| Symbols and holidays | Integrated Civics 13 (Geography 8, Symbols 3, Holidays 2) | 10 (6 symbols, 4 holidays) |
| Applies if the N-400 was filed | Before 20 October 2025 | On or after 20 October 2025 |
If you are not sure which list applies to you, check the filing date on your N-400 first, then practise the matching list.
What do 2008 questions look like?
These are verbatim entries from the USCIS 2008 list (revision 08/21), taken at an even spacing through each category. Some entries list several acceptable answers; you need only as many as the question asks for.
| No. | Question | Listed answers (first three) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | What is the supreme law of the land? | the Constitution |
| 16 | Who makes federal laws? | Congress / Senate and House (of Representatives) / (U.S. or national) legislature |
| 35 | What does the President’s Cabinet do? | advises the President |
| 58 | What is one reason colonists came to America? | freedom / political liberty / religious freedom |
| 68 | What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for? | U.S. diplomat / oldest member of the Constitutional Convention / first Postmaster General of the United States |
| 78 | Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s. | World War I / World War II / Korean War |
| 88 | Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States. | Missouri (River) / Mississippi (River) |
| 92 | Name one state that borders Canada. | Maine / New Hampshire / Vermont |
| 96 | Why does the flag have 13 stripes? | because there were 13 original colonies / because the stripes represent the original colonies |
How this tool works and where the numbers come from
Questions and answers are taken from the USCIS PDFs retrieved 2026-10-26 and shown unchanged; counts by category are computed from them; the pass and stop rules are quoted from USCIS Study for the Test and the Policy Manual.
Sources
Check yourself: common questions
How hard is it to pass the 2008 civics test?
You need 6 of 10 (2008) or 12 of 20 (2025) right, and if you fail you get one retest 60 to 90 days later. USCIS publishes no miss rates, so no single question is provably the hardest. The pass mark is 60 percent in both versions (6 of 10 or 12 of 20) and the officer stops once the result is decided. By our own rules, 26 of the 128 questions on the 2025 list and 22 of the 100 on the 2008 list are flagged as harder; see hardest civics test questions.
Who takes the 2008 civics test?
Applicants who filed the N-400 before 20 October 2025 take it. USCIS decides by filing date, so you still take this test if your interview is later. Applicants aged 65 or older who have been lawful permanent residents for at least 20 years when they filed study only 20 marked questions, and may take the test in their language of choice with their own interpreter.
Why do some answers depend on who holds office?
Some questions ask for your own details, such as your senator or representative, or for the current office-holder, such as the Speaker or the Chief Justice. Those answers can change, so check the USCIS Test Updates page before you rely on them. On the 2008 list these are questions 20, 23, 28, 29, 39, 40, 43, 44, 46 and 47.
Which civics test do I take?
Check the filing date of your N-400. Filed before 20 October 2025 means the 2008 test with 100 questions. Filed on or after that date means the 2025 test with 128 questions.
Related tools
- 100 civics questions: read the full 2008 list when you want every question and answer in front of you.
- 2025 civics test practice: switch to this page if you filed your N-400 on or after 20 October 2025.
- 2008 civics test study guide: use it for a structured plan before you start quizzing yourself.
- Which civics test do I take?: confirm which list applies to you based on your filing date.
- US citizenship practice test: try a full mock exam once you have drilled the individual questions.
- 65/20 civics questions: see the 20 marked questions if you qualify for the 65/20 special consideration.