2008 civics test · Question 30 · System of Government
If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
Official answer
- the Vice President
What this means
If the President can no longer serve, the Vice President becomes President.
This is the first step in the line of succession. It has happened several times in American history, when a president died in office or resigned, and each time the vice president took over.
Do not confuse this with the harder version of the question, which asks who takes over if both the president and vice president cannot serve. That answer is the Speaker of the House. When only the president cannot serve, the answer is the Vice President.
Why this is on the test
This is one of the most commonly asked questions about how power passes, and both tests use nearly the same wording.
How this question is asked
On the 2008 civics test, the officer asks up to 10 of the 100 questions out loud and you pass by answering 6 correctly. You answer in your own words. There is no multiple choice and nothing to write down for the civics portion.
This question also appears on the 2025 civics test , as question 40.
Related questions
More from System of Government.
- 13 Name one branch or part of the government. ★ 65/20 question
- 14 What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
- 15 Who is in charge of the executive branch?
- 16 Who makes federal laws?
- 17 What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress? ★ 65/20 question
- 18 How many U.S. Senators are there?