Czech A2 exam
for permanent residence

Short answer. Since 11 April 2026 the Czech A2 exam for permanent residence has a written part (70 points) and speaking (40 points) on one day; you need 60 % in each, and it costs 3,200 CZK.

To get permanent residence in the Czech Republic (trvalý pobyt) after five years of residence, you attach a certificate from the Czech language exam at level A2 to your application, unless you are exempt. Since 11 April 2026 the exam has a new format. The facts below come from the official exam portal Čeština pro cizince and from Czech law, with links at the end.

Who needs the exam

The Czech language certificate is on the list of documents for permanent residence (Act 326/1999, § 70(2)(h)). You don't need the exam if you are:

• under 15;
• 60 or older;
• someone who studied for at least a year without a break at a Czech primary or secondary school, or at a university in Czech, within the last 20 years;
• someone who passed an equivalent exam, such as the state language exam (státní jazyková zkouška), a certified ALTE exam (CCE) at A2 or higher or the Czech exam for citizenship;
• a person with a physical or mental disability that affects the ability to communicate (with serious health problems, ask the Interior Ministry's OAMP first);
• an EU/EEA citizen, or a British citizen who lived in the Czech Republic before 31 December 2020;
• applying for permanent residence without prior residence under § 66, for example on humanitarian grounds.

The full list is in § 70(5) of the Act. The other documents and conditions are in our guide to permanent residence after 5 years.

The format since 11 April 2026

The new format applies to everyone whose exam is on 11 April 2026 or later. The level is still A2. Both parts are taken on the same day, written first.

Reading and writing run back to back with no pause, then there is a 15-minute break, then listening. The whole written part takes about 110 minutes. Speaking can be scheduled for the evening, so keep the whole day free. An e-mail under 35 words scores 0.

The speaking part:

1. Questions: 8 questions on 2 topics, 8 points.
2. Two dialogues: in each you ask 4 questions from a card, 3 from its prompts and 1 of your own, 12 points.
3. A story from 4 pictures in the past tense, 10 points.
4. Agreeing with the examiner on one of 3 options and explaining the choice, using the informal "you", 7 points.

Another 3 points are for pronunciation. There is no preparation time. Two of the three people in the room mark you.

What score you need

You need at least 60 % in each part. In the written part that is 42 out of 70 for reading, writing and listening together, with no separate pass mark per section. In the speaking part it is 24 out of 40. If you fail either part, you retake the whole exam, both parts.

What changed

Officially, only some tasks in writing and speaking changed. The level was not raised, points were redistributed between tasks and the totals stayed the same. Per the press release, speaking now covers more topics and expects more initiative from the candidate.

There is no official task-by-task list. By our comparison of the old and new practice tests: the form is now answered in full sentences, the first speaking task has 8 questions on two topics instead of 10 on one, and in the dialogues the candidate asks the questions instead of answering the examiner.

Registration and the waiting list

You register online at any time at registrace.cestina-pro-cizince.cz. You then go onto a waiting list, and the system assigns dates in order of registration. Registering in person is possible but not recommended. The exam is held only at schools on the official list. Not choosing a specific school gets you a date sooner; switching schools sends you to the back of the queue.

Dates are released in the first week of January (for March–April), March (May–June), May (July–October), September (November–December) and November (January–February). How long you wait depends on the school; there are no official figures. Exams usually run three times a month, on Wednesdays or Saturdays from 9:00.

Deadlines: register at least 14 days before the exam; cancel without a reason at least 15 days before. At least 8 days before, go to the school in person with a valid passport, sign the application (přihláška) and pay. On exam day only a valid passport is accepted.

The fee

The exam costs 3,200 CZK. Pay by the school's deadline or your registration is cancelled. Miss the exam without a valid reason and you lose the attempt and the fee. The law allows the state to pay for a first attempt, but the portal currently lists only the price, so don't count on it.

Results, the certificate and retakes

Results come within 9 days, online under your registration number or at the school. The school posts the certificate (Osvědčení o znalosti českého jazyka) within 30 days to your Czech address or hands it over in person. It does not expire. You cannot see your marked paper, but you can complain to the school's director and then to the Ministry of Education.

Every attempt is paid again. The organiser's materials say you can retake after 3 months at the earliest; the law allows at most three attempts per calendar year.

Sample tests and the Příručka

All the materials are on the exam preparation page. For the new format:

• A2 Modelový test 1 and sample test 2: PDFs with answer keys, audio on the preparation page;
• the interactive Test nanečisto, about two hours, with sample answers and videos for writing and speaking;
• the Příručka pro uchazeče 2026 handbook with exercises for every task type;
• Na co si dát pozor: common mistakes in writing and speaking.

How to prepare for speaking

Sample answers for all four tasks: Czech A2 speaking guide.

Answer without preparing. There is no thinking time: everyday answers must come automatically. Speaking out loud for 15–20 minutes a day beats an hour once a week.

Practise asking, not just answering. In the second task you ask the questions from a card and make one up yourself. Role-play dialogues where you ask about a price, time or address.

Tell stories in the past tense. For the third task, retell out loud what you did yesterday.

Negotiate. In the fourth task, suggest an option, listen to another one and explain your choice, using the informal "you".

Listen to yourself. Pronunciation is worth 3 points. Record yourself and compare with the video samples. To start with spoken Czech, see first phrases in Czech.

How Talkfirst helps

Talkfirst does not issue certificates, and its score is a forecast, not the exam's decision. In beta there is a mock speaking part: all four tasks with no preparation time; the examiner's lines are prerecorded and do not react to your answers. AI scores the transcript within the official maxima of 8, 12, 10 and 7 points; the criteria inside each task are our scale based on NPI ČR materials. Pronunciation cannot be judged from a transcript, so “would pass” is from 60 % of 37 points rather than 24 of 40. There is no mock written part. Also in beta: spoken conversations with an AI partner in Czech with feedback, pronunciation practice, A1–A2 flashcards and everyday scenes. Free gives you 35 voice minutes a week and one full mock exam every 7 days; Pro gives 140 minutes a week for 500 Telegram Stars per 30 days. More on the Czech for permanent residence page.

Questions and answers

Sources: A2 exam information, Příručka 2026, information for candidates 2026, NPI press release on the new format; Government Regulation 31/2016 (§ 5a, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13); Act 326/1999 on the Residence of Foreign Nationals (§ 70). Checked on 11 October 2026.