FINRA
Series 7
FINRA Series 7 — General Securities Representative Examination
The qualification exam to register as a General Securities Representative — required to solicit and trade nearly the full range of securities products for customers of a FINRA member firm.
Blueprint-complete program: 10 decks, 801 cards.
What's on the exam
FINRA Series 7 Content Outline (4 job functions)
F1: Seeks Business for the Broker-Dealer
~7% (9 questions)Public communications and advertising standards · Prospecting customers and leads · Networking and referrals · Product promotion rules
F2: Opens Accounts After Obtaining and Evaluating Customers' Financial Profile
~9% (11 questions)Account types and registrations · Customer investment profile and objectives · New account documentation and disclosures · Margin account requirements · Know-your-customer obligations
F3: Provides Customers with Information, Makes Suitable Recommendations, Transfers Assets and Maintains Records
~73% (91 questions)Equity securities · Debt securities and municipal bonds · Options and option strategies · Packaged products (mutual funds, ETFs, annuities) · Suitability and recommendations · Taxation and retirement plans
F4: Obtains and Verifies Customers' Purchase and Sales Instructions; Processes, Completes and Confirms Transactions
~11% (14 questions)Order types and execution · Trade settlement · Confirmations and account statements · Resolving errors, discrepancies and complaints
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Series 7 cost?
The Series 7 costs $395. Typically paid by the sponsoring broker-dealer; the SIE co-requisite exam has a separate fee.
How long is the Series 7 and how many questions does it have?
125 scored questions (plus 10 unscored pretest) — 225 minutes (3 hours 45 minutes).
What do you need to pass the Series 7?
72%.
Can you retake the Series 7?
30-day wait after each of the first two failed attempts; 180 days after the third.
What is the best way to study for the Series 7?
Study the official blueprint, not random material: the exam is weighted by domain (F1: Seeks Business for the Broker-Dealer ~7% (9 questions), F2: Opens Accounts After Obtaining and Evaluating Customers' Financial Profile ~9% (11 questions), F3: Provides Customers with Information, Makes Suitable Recommendations, Transfers Assets and Maintains Records ~73% (91 questions), F4: Obtains and Verifies Customers' Purchase and Sales Instructions; Processes, Completes and Confirms Transactions ~11% (14 questions)). Spaced-repetition flashcards built domain-by-domain against that blueprint are the most time-efficient way to cover everything the exam tests.
Ready to prepare?
Our Series 7 — General Securities Representative program follows this exact blueprint — every domain covered, scheduled by spaced repetition, with a journey from first card to test day.