TL;DR

A portion of the civics test for U.S. naturalization covers state and local government — the level of government closest to where an applicant actually lives. Several civics questions have answers that are not the same for everyone: questions about your state's governor, your U.S. senators, and your U.S. representative depend on where you live and who is in office. For these, you must answer with the name of the official serving at the time of your interview, because elections and appointments change the answer. The civics test itself is an oral test. On the 2025 version — taken by applicants who file Form N-400 on or after October 20, 2025 — the officer asks up to 20 questions from a pool of 128, and you must answer 12 correctly to pass. Applicants who filed before that date take the 2008 version (100 questions, 10 asked, 6 correct to pass). State and local government topics also include the structure of government within a state — a governor leads the state's executive branch, and local governments such as cities and counties are led by officials like mayors. Special rules apply to residents of Washington, D.C. and U.S. territories, who answer that they have no governor or no voting members of Congress.

Why State and Local Government Is on the Test

The civics test for naturalization is not only about the federal government in Washington. It also covers state and local government — the level of government closest to where an applicant lives and the one that most directly shapes daily life through schools, roads, police, and local services. Knowing how this layer works, and who leads it, is part of demonstrating the civic knowledge expected of a new citizen. This topic sits alongside the rest of the civics material covered in the complete citizenship exam study guide.

State and local government questions have one feature that makes them different from most of the test: some of the answers are personal to the applicant. The capital of your state, the name of your governor, and the names of your U.S. senators and representative are not the same for every test-taker. That changes how an applicant should study them.

The Civics Test Format

Before looking at the state and local content, it helps to know how the civics test is given, because the format affects how the questions are scored.

The civics test is an oral test. A USCIS officer asks the questions aloud during the naturalization interview, and the applicant answers aloud. There is no written multiple-choice sheet for the civics portion.

There are currently two versions of the test, and which one an applicant takes depends on the date they filed Form N-400, Application for Naturalization:

A separate provision applies to older, long-term residents. An applicant who is 65 or older and has been a lawful permanent resident for 20 or more years — often called the 65/20 exemption — studies a smaller, specially marked set of questions, is asked 10 questions, and must answer 6 correctly. Which question set applies still depends on the N-400 filing date.

Questions With Answers That Vary

The defining feature of the state and local government material is that several questions do not have one fixed answer. Instead, the correct answer depends on where the applicant lives and on who currently holds office. The civics questions whose answers vary by state include:

For the officials in these questions, the rule is precise and important: an applicant must answer with the name of the official serving at the time of their naturalization interview. The answer is not based on who held the office when the applicant began studying or filed their application — it is based on who is in office on interview day. Because elections and appointments change these answers, an applicant should confirm them shortly before the interview rather than memorizing them early. USCIS publishes a "Check for Test Updates" resource precisely so applicants can find current answers for questions affected by elections and appointments.

Special Rules for D.C. and Territory Residents

Some applicants live in places that do not have the same government structure as the 50 states, and USCIS provides specific acceptable answers for them.

Residents of Washington, D.C. answer that D.C. does not have a governor — the District is not a state and has no governor. For the question about U.S. senators, D.C. residents and residents of U.S. territories answer that they have no U.S. senators. For the U.S. representative question, residents of territories that have a non-voting delegate or Resident Commissioner may give that official's name, or may state that the territory has no voting representative in Congress. These are not "trick" answers — they are the officially correct responses for those applicants, and an applicant who lives in D.C. or a territory should know the version that applies to them.

The Structure of State and Local Government

Beyond the officials, the civics material also touches on how government is organized within a state. The key idea is that the structure mirrors, in broad terms, what exists at the federal level, but at a closer-to-home scale.

Each state has its own government, and the head of a state's executive branch is the governor. Just as the President leads the executive branch of the federal government, the governor leads the executive branch of a state government. States also have their own legislatures that make state law and their own court systems.

Below the state level is local government — cities, towns, and counties. Local governments handle services at the community level, and they are led by local officials. A mayor, for example, is a common leader of a city government. The civics test expects an applicant to understand that government exists at multiple levels — federal, state, and local — each with its own leaders and responsibilities. This connects to the broader subject of how power is divided in the American system, which the branches of government topic explores in detail.

How This Topic Is Tested

State and local government questions on the civics test concentrate on a few reliable patterns. First, and most important, the variable-answer questions: the governor, state capital, U.S. senators, and U.S. representative — and the rule that the answer must be the official serving at the time of the interview. Second, the D.C. and territory exceptions: that D.C. has no governor and that D.C. and territory residents answer they have no U.S. senators. Third, structure: that the governor leads a state's executive branch and that local governments such as cities are led by officials like mayors. Fourth, test format: how many questions are asked and how many correct answers are needed on the version the applicant is taking.

A reliable way to prepare: identify your own state's answers — your governor, your state capital, your two U.S. senators, your U.S. representative — and confirm the officials are current shortly before your interview using the USCIS test updates resource. For the fixed-knowledge questions about government structure, study them the same way as the rest of the civics material.

Common Misconceptions

  1. "The civics test answers are the same for every applicant." False. Several questions — your governor, state capital, U.S. senators, and U.S. representative — have answers that depend on where you live and who is in office.
  2. "You answer with the official who was in office when you filed your application." False. You must answer with the name of the official serving at the time of your naturalization interview, because elections and appointments change these answers.
  3. "Washington, D.C. has a governor." False. D.C. is not a state and does not have a governor. D.C. residents answer that D.C. has no governor, and that they have no U.S. senators.
  4. "The civics test is a written multiple-choice exam." False. The civics test is an oral test — a USCIS officer asks the questions aloud during the interview and the applicant answers aloud.
  5. "Everyone takes the same version of the civics test." False. Applicants who filed Form N-400 on or after October 20, 2025 take the 2025 version; those who filed before take the 2008 version, and the two have different question pools and passing requirements.

Bottom Line

State and local government is the part of the civics test closest to an applicant's daily life, and it has one defining feature: several questions — the governor, state capital, U.S. senators, and U.S. representative — have answers that vary by location and must be given as the official serving at the time of the interview. The civics test is an oral test; on the 2025 version (filed on or after October 20, 2025) the officer asks up to 20 of 128 questions and 12 correct answers pass, while the 2008 version uses 100 questions with 10 asked and 6 to pass. Residents of Washington, D.C. and U.S. territories have specific correct answers — no governor, no U.S. senators. The structure questions are simpler: a governor leads a state's executive branch, and local governments like cities are led by officials such as mayors. To prepare, learn your own state's answers and confirm current officials shortly before your interview. From here, the natural next topics are the rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizens and what to expect at the naturalization interview.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which civics test questions have answers that vary by state?
The questions about your state's governor, your state capital, your two U.S. senators, and your U.S. representative have answers that depend on where you live. These answers are personal to the applicant rather than the same for everyone, so each applicant must learn the answers that apply to their own state.
Whose name do I give for questions about the governor or my senators?
You must answer with the name of the official serving at the time of your naturalization interview. The answer is not based on who held the office when you filed your application or began studying. Because elections and appointments change these answers, confirm the current officials shortly before your interview using the USCIS test updates resource.
How is the 2025 civics test scored?
The 2025 civics test is an oral test. A USCIS officer asks up to 20 questions from a pool of 128, and the applicant must answer 12 correctly to pass. Applicants take the 2025 version if they filed Form N-400 on or after October 20, 2025; those who filed before that date take the 2008 version, which uses 100 questions with 10 asked and 6 correct needed to pass.
What do Washington, D.C. residents answer about a governor?
Washington, D.C. is not a state and does not have a governor, so D.C. residents answer that D.C. does not have a governor. D.C. residents and residents of U.S. territories also answer that they have no U.S. senators. These are the officially correct answers for those applicants.
Who leads a state government and a local government?
The head of a state's executive branch is the governor, much as the President leads the federal executive branch. Below the state level, local governments such as cities, towns, and counties handle community services and are led by local officials — a mayor, for example, is a common leader of a city government.
Is there a different test for older applicants?
An applicant who is 65 or older and has been a lawful permanent resident for 20 or more years qualifies for the 65/20 provision. These applicants study a smaller, specially marked set of questions, are asked 10 questions, and must answer 6 correctly to pass. Which question set applies still depends on the Form N-400 filing date.

Source: USCIS — 2025 Civics Test · USCIS — Check for Test Updates · USA.gov — States and Territories