FINRA
FINRA SIE
Securities Industry Essentials Examination
FINRA's entry-level securities exam, open to anyone 18 or older without firm sponsorship. Passing the SIE is the first step toward registered representative roles and is a corequisite for top-off exams like the Series 7.
Blueprint-complete program: 4 decks, 790 cards.
What's on the exam
FINRA SIE Content Outline
Knowledge of Capital Markets
16%Regulatory entities and SROs · Market structure and participants · Primary and secondary offerings · Economic factors and business cycles
Understanding Products and Their Risks
44%Equity securities · Debt instruments · Municipal securities · Options and packaged products · Investment company products · Investment risks
Understanding Trading, Customer Accounts and Prohibited Activities
31%Trading, settlement and corporate actions · Customer account types and registration · Anti-money laundering (AML) · Prohibited activities (insider trading, manipulation) · Books, records and privacy
Overview of the Regulatory Framework
9%SRO regulatory requirements · Registration and qualification of associated persons · Employee conduct and reportable events · Continuing education
Frequently asked questions
How much does the FINRA SIE cost?
The FINRA SIE costs $100.
How long is the FINRA SIE and how many questions does it have?
75 scored items (plus 10 unscored pretest) — 1 hour 45 minutes.
What do you need to pass the FINRA SIE?
Scaled score of 70 or higher (pass/fail).
Can you retake the FINRA SIE?
After 30 days; 180-day wait after a third consecutive fail.
What is the best way to study for the FINRA SIE?
Study the official blueprint, not random material: the exam is weighted by domain (Knowledge of Capital Markets 16%, Understanding Products and Their Risks 44%, Understanding Trading, Customer Accounts and Prohibited Activities 31%, Overview of the Regulatory Framework 9%). 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 FINRA SIE program follows this exact blueprint — every domain covered, scheduled by spaced repetition, with a journey from first card to test day.