Civic exam and people over 65: are you exempt?
For a first multi-year residence permit or resident card, people over 65 are generally not required to take the civic exam. Naturalization follows different rules.
Are you over 65 — or helping a relative in this situation — and wondering whether the civic exam applies? Age can matter, but the answer always depends on the permit requested and the type of procedure.
This article details rules for the multi-year residence permit (CSP), resident card (CR), and naturalization. For a full overview of exemptions, see also who is not affected by the civic exam.
Why age 65 matters
The civic exam does not apply the same way to every procedure. For residence permits, the law provides that people over 65 are not required to take the test when a first CSP or CR application is subject to the obligation.
This is not a medical 'waiver' but an age-based rule: you are not required to take the exam for these permits. For naturalization or reinstatement by decree, the situation must be checked separately.
Multi-year residence permit: applicable rule
Under the Service-Public page on the civic exam for CSP and CR and decree No. 2025-647, people over 65 are not required to take the civic exam for a first affected multi-year residence permit application.
Not all CSP categories are automatically subject to the obligation. Before concluding, check your exact permit category in our article on the civic exam for multi-year residence permits.
Resident card: applicable rule
The same logic applies to the resident card: for a first affected application, people over 65 are not required to take the civic exam, per Service-Public.
Some first applications for a resident card or long-term EU resident card may be affected depending on grounds. See our article on the civic exam for resident cards to verify your case.
Naturalization: do not generalize
For acquisition of French nationality by decree — naturalization or reinstatement — the civic exam is generally required. Age-based non-submission rules for residence permits do not apply in the same way to naturalization.
If a health condition or disability makes assessment impossible, a waiver from producing the pass certificate may be considered with a medical certificate, per Service-Public. Check your situation on our civic exam and naturalization page and with your prefecture.
Difference between age, disability, and health
These three situations must not be confused:
- **Age (over 65)**: for a first affected CSP or CR, you are not required to take the civic exam. No medical certificate is needed for this reason.
- **Disability or health condition**: does not automatically exempt you. An exam accommodation or, if assessment is impossible, a waiver from producing the pass certificate may be granted with a medical certificate. See our article on civic exam and disability.
- **Naturalization**: age rules for residence permits do not automatically apply; only waivers expressly provided by law (notably medical) may apply.
What if the prefecture or center asks for proof?
If you are over 65 and applying for a first affected CSP or CR, you should not need to take the civic exam. If an exam center or administration requests a certificate, explain your situation and present ID showing your age.
If doubt persists, contact your prefecture or consult the official Service-Public page before booking a session.
Should you still study?
If you are not required to take the civic exam for your residence permit procedure, you do not need to register for the test or produce a pass certificate.
However, if you are preparing another procedure — e.g. a relative's naturalization — or simply want to understand civic themes, official resources on formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr can be useful for information.
Check your situation, then prepare the right path
If you are not required to take the exam for your residence permit, Alice is not essential for that specific procedure. However, if you are supporting someone who is affected or preparing naturalization, Examen Civique avec Alice offers a personalized path based on the exam type chosen: multi-year permit, resident card, or naturalization.
Depending on your procedure, the civic exam may apply to a multi-year residence permit, resident card, or naturalization. With Examen Civique avec Alice, you can choose preparation adapted to your goal, study by official themes, watch short free videos, and take mock exams.
Start preparing with Alice — practice aligned with official themes, without claiming to determine your administrative eligibility.
Official sources
To verify your situation, consult:
Frequently asked questions
- Must a 66-year-old take the exam for a CSP?
- No. For a first multi-year residence permit application subject to the obligation, people over 65 are not required to take the civic exam.
- Must someone over 65 take the exam for a resident card?
- No. For a first affected resident card application, people over 65 are not required to take the civic exam.
- Is it the same rule for naturalization?
- No. For naturalization or reinstatement by decree, the civic exam is generally required. Only waivers expressly provided by law, notably for medical reasons, may apply.
- Is a medical certificate required because of age?
- No. Age-based non-submission for residence permits does not rely on a medical certificate. A medical certificate is required only for a waiver or accommodation related to disability or health.
See the full exemption overview in who is not affected by the civic exam. If you must take the test for another procedure, structure your revision with how to prepare for the civic exam.