Changing careers into securities: what you can do before a firm hires you.

• Take the SIE. No firm association is needed.^1,2,4
• You do not have to be a U.S. citizen.²
• You can take it before you have a job offer.⁵
• The pass is valid for four years.^1,2

Passing the SIE alone does not register you or let you do securities business.^1,4

In our view, it still shows a future employer that you already know the basics.

• The firm sponsors you for a representative-level exam, such as the Series 7.^2,3
• To register as a representative you need the SIE and that exam. The order does not matter.^2,3,4
• The firm files your Form U4. You also give fingerprints and pass a background check.^5,6
• Once registered, you get a CRD number that stays with you for your whole career.⁶

FINRA lists the representative exams that follow the SIE as the Series 6, 7, 22, 57, 79, 82, 86 and 87, and 99. Which one you take depends on the job.¹

The four-year clock starts on the day you pass. If you register and later leave, it restarts from the day that registration ends.^1,2

The Series 63, 65 and 66 are NASAA exams that FINRA administers. Check NASAA and your state before planning around them. If you plan on the Series 66, you must also pass the Series 7.^7,8