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Unofficial · Based on Eesti Vabariigi põhiseadus and Kodakondsuse seadus (Riigi Teataja), with Harno's handbook "Abiks Eesti kodakondsuse taotlejale"
Last updated: 2026-10-01

About the exam

The examination on knowledge of the Constitution of the Republic of Estonia and the Citizenship Act (Eesti Vabariigi põhiseaduse ja kodakondsuse seaduse tundmise eksam, usually called the "kodakondsuseksam") is one of the two exams that foreign nationals must pass to become Estonian citizens by naturalisation. The other one is the Estonian language exam at B1 level. It is a separate exam and this app does not practise it.

The exam is run by the Education and Youth Board (Haridus- ja Noorteamet, Harno). The legal basis is § 9 of the Citizenship Act (Kodakondsuse seadus) and a Government regulation on how the exam is held, in force in its current wording since 1 August 2020. The exam checks four areas:

  1. The basic principles of the Estonian state, set out in Chapters I and III of the Constitution (general provisions, the people)
  2. The fundamental rights, freedoms and duties of everyone, set out in Chapter II of the Constitution
  3. The powers of the Riigikogu (parliament), the President of the Republic, the Government of the Republic and the courts under the Constitution
  4. The conditions and procedure for acquiring, receiving, restoring and losing Estonian citizenship under the Citizenship Act

Eligibility

(As of 1 October 2026; Citizenship Act § 6, in the wording in force since 6 July 2025)

  • At least 15 years old
  • A long-term resident's residence permit or a permanent right of residence
  • At least 8 years of living in Estonia on a residence permit or right of residence before you apply, of which 5 years permanently
  • A registered place of residence in Estonia (population register)
  • Estonian at least at B1 level, shown by the Estonian language level exam
  • Passing the exam on the Constitution and the Citizenship Act
  • A permanent legal income (for example wages, business income, a pension, a scholarship, maintenance, benefits paid under law, or support from a family member with a legal income)
  • Loyalty to the Estonian state
  • An oath, written in the application form: "Taotledes Eesti kodakondsust, tõotan olla ustav Eesti põhiseaduslikule korrale" ("In applying for Estonian citizenship, I swear to be loyal to the constitutional order of Estonia")
  • Release from your previous citizenship (see "Things to watch out for")

Exemptions and special cases:

  • No language exam if you completed basic, secondary or higher education in Estonian
  • Applicants aged 65 or over take the B1 language exam without the writing part
  • People who cannot meet the language or exam requirement for health reasons can be exempted fully or partly by an expert committee (apply through Harno with a doctor's statement)
  • Adults with restricted legal capacity do not need to meet the language, exam, income, loyalty and oath conditions
  • People who settled in Estonia before 1 July 1990 or were born in Estonia do not need a long-term resident's permit
  • People who lived in Estonia for at least 8 years before turning 15 have their own, simpler residence conditions (Citizenship Act § 35)

Citizenship is refused, among other reasons, to people who gave false information, acted against the Estonian state or its security, were sentenced to more than one year in prison (until the conviction is expunged), or have worked for a foreign intelligence or security service or served as career officers in a foreign army.

Format

(Government regulation "Kodakondsuse taotleja Eesti Vabariigi põhiseaduse ja „Kodakondsuse seaduse" tundmise eksami läbiviimise kord", and Harno, as of 2026)

  • 24 multiple-choice questions in Estonian, each with exactly one correct answer
  • 18 or more correct answers = pass (75%)
  • 45 minutes
  • The exam is taken electronically on a computer at an exam point
  • Open book: the Estonian text of the Constitution and the Citizenship Act and a dictionary are provided in the exam room
  • Every test covers all four areas. Harno does not publish how many questions come from each area
  • Harno's public sample questions use four answer options, three answer options, or a true/false statement ("Kas lause on õige või vale?")
  • You see your result as soon as you finish
  • Exams take place once a month (except July) in Tallinn, Tartu and Narva, and twice a year in Pärnu, Valga and Rakvere if at least 5 people register. Remaining dates in 2026: 10 October (Valga), 31 October (Tallinn, Tartu, Narva; Pärnu and Rakvere if 5 register), 21 November and 12 December (Tallinn, Tartu, Narva)
  • In 2025, 1,203 people took the exam and 989 passed (82.2%)

How this app practises: an app exam has 24 questions, 45 minutes, and you pass with 18 correct, like the real exam. The questions are written in Estonian, as in the real test, and you can show a translation. They are original practice questions based on the Constitution and the Citizenship Act, not the real exam questions, which are confidential.

Test fee and naturalisation fee

(As of 1 October 2026; subject to change)

  • Exam on the Constitution and the Citizenship Act: Harno lists no fee, and the State Fees Act (Riigilõivuseadus) sets none. The same is true of the Estonian language level exam.
  • Citizenship application: €150 state fee (State Fees Act § 270). Applicants under 18 do not pay. The Police and Border Guard Board may reduce or waive the fee because of your financial situation (§ 35).
  • Language course refund: if you passed both the language exam and the Constitution and Citizenship Act exam, Harno refunds up to 100% of the fees you paid for an Estonian course at a licensed training provider, up to a limit set by the Government. Apply within 3 months of passing both exams (Citizenship Act § 8¹).
  • Your previous country may charge its own fees for releasing you from its citizenship.

How to register

  1. Register in Harno's Exam Information System, eis.harno.ee, or through the state portal eesti.ee. If you have an Estonian personal identification code, you must register electronically. Without one, you can send a paper application with a copy of your identity document to Harno (A. H. Tammsaare tee 47, 11316 Tallinn) or hand it in at Harno's reception.
  2. You can register all year, for one exam at a time. Registration closes 15 days before the exam date.
  3. At least 10 days before the exam, Harno sends you a notice with the address, date and time, and details of a free consultation (up to 1.5 hours) where the exam and sample questions are explained. You can join the consultation without registering for the exam.
  4. Bring a valid identity document on the day.
  5. Optional: the Integration Foundation (Integratsiooni Sihtasutus) offers a free 18-hour preparation course in Tallinn, Narva and online. It requires at least A2 Estonian.

Retake policy

  • The exam regulation sets no limit on the number of attempts and no waiting period. Since you can be registered for only one exam at a time, register for the next date after you get your result.
  • Remember that registration closes 15 days before each exam.
  • You can contest your result in writing to Harno within 30 days. A dispute committee decides within 30 days and may raise or lower the result. You can contest only once.

After passing

  1. Your certificate is issued only in electronic form. You can see and download it on eesti.ee, and you also get a notice with its number. You do not have to print it.
  2. When you also have the B1 language certificate (or an exemption) and meet the other conditions, book an appointment at a Police and Border Guard Board (Politsei- ja Piirivalveamet, PPA) service office at broneering.politsei.ee and apply in person. Bring the application form (which contains the oath), proof of legal income, a digital photo, proof that you paid the state fee, and a document showing that you have been released from your current citizenship, will be released from it because you are getting Estonian citizenship, or have undetermined citizenship. Exam certificates do not need to be submitted if they are already in state databases.
  3. The PPA sends your application with its proposal to the Government of the Republic within 6 months. The Government decides.
  4. If citizenship is granted, the certificate of citizenship is delivered by post.
  5. You can then apply for an Estonian ID card (€45, or €35 through the PPA self-service) and/or passport (€60, or €50 through the self-service).

Official resources

  • Harno, citizenship examinations (dates, registration, materials): harno.ee (in Estonian: harno.ee)
  • Official sample questions (17 items): eis.harno.ee
  • Handbook "Abiks Eesti kodakondsuse taotlejale" (2010) in Estonian: PDF; in English, "What you need to know if you are applying for Estonian citizenship" (2011): PDF
  • Estonian-English dictionary for citizenship applicants: PDF
  • Constitution of the Republic of Estonia: Estonian, English translation
  • Citizenship Act: Estonian, English translation
  • Exam regulation: riigiteataja.ee
  • Police and Border Guard Board, Estonian citizenship for an adult: politsei.ee
  • Integration Foundation, citizenship exam course: integratsioon.ee

Things to watch out for

  • Estonia does not allow an adult who naturalises to keep another citizenship. You must show that you have been released from your current citizenship, or will be released when you receive Estonian citizenship. The only exception is for people who received international protection in Estonia or another EU country and cannot give up their citizenship because the situation in their country of origin has not changed.
  • The official handbook is from 2010–2011 and is out of date in places. Check every rule against the current Constitution and Citizenship Act. For example, the residence rule is now 8 years with 5 years permanently, and since the 2025 constitutional amendment only Estonian citizens (and, under the local elections act, EU citizens) aged 16 or over can vote in local elections. The Constitution text in the exam room is the current one.
  • The exam is open book, but 45 minutes is not much time to search. Learn where things are in the Constitution (which chapter covers what) so you can check answers quickly.
  • The language of the exam is legal Estonian. Practise reading the Estonian text of the Constitution, not only translations.

Frequently asked questions

Can I take the exam in English or Russian? No. The exam is in Estonian only. You can use this app in your own language to study, and an Estonian dictionary is provided in the exam room.

What if I fail? The regulation sets no limit on attempts. Register for the next exam date; registration closes 15 days before the exam.

Do I need to pass the language exam first? No fixed order is required. You can take the two exams in either order, but you need both certificates (or exemptions) before you apply for citizenship.