SIE Exam Overview — Format, Weights & Who Should Take
Understand the FINRA SIE at a glance: structure, timing, passing score, topic weights, eligibility, retake rules, result validity, and what comes next after you pass.
SIE at a glance
- Questions: 75 scored (plus 10 unscored pilot items mixed in)
- Time: 1 hour 45 minutes (105 minutes)
- Format: Multiple-choice
- Passing score: 70
- Fee: $80
Details: FINRA “At a Glance” and the official SIE Content Outline.
How scoring works
Unscored pilot items are embedded and do not affect your result (you won’t know which they are). Scores are equated across versions so every candidate is held to the same passing standard; there’s no penalty for guessing.
Content areas & weights
- Knowledge of Capital Markets — 16% (12 items)
- Understanding Products and Their Risks — 44% (33 items)
- Understanding Trading, Customer Accounts & Prohibited Activities — 31% (23 items)
- Overview of the Regulatory Framework — 9% (7 items)
Who should take the SIE
The SIE is designed for entry into the U.S. securities industry and is open to the public (age 18+)—you do not need firm sponsorship to sit for it. Results are valid for four years.
Eligibility, retakes & validity
- Eligibility: At least 18 years old; sponsorship not required for SIE.
- Retakes: 30-day wait after the first and second failed attempts; 180-day wait after the third (and each subsequent) attempt.
- Validity: A passed SIE result remains valid for four years.
After you pass: the “top-off” step
Passing the SIE alone does not qualify you for registration. To become registered, you must also pass a representative-level exam appropriate to your role (e.g., Series 6, 7, 79, 99), and those exams require firm sponsorship. The SIE is a corequisite with these top-off exams (you can take them in any order, but you must pass both).
✅ Next: review the SIE syllabus » or jump into practice & mock exams ».