General Securities Representative Exam

The General Securities Representative Exam, commonly referred to as the Series 7 Exam, is a required exam to become a Registered Representative of a broker-dealer in the United States.

The exam is a six-hour, 260 question test (250 of which count towards the final score) that is owned and maintained by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) and administered by the self-regulating Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), which covers a broad range of investments including stocks, bonds, options, limited partnerships, and investment company products (e.g., open- and closed-end funds). A candidate must answer 70% of the questions correctly in order to pass. Upon passing the test, one is granted a Series 7 / General Securities license. The series 7 license is the most comprehensive of several securities licenses that permit an agent to communicate with retail investors. For this reason, many account managers, analysts, and other executives in the employ of a registered Broker/Dealer hold Series 7 licenses. To satisfy the securities dealing requirements of some states, Series 7 license holders must also hold the Series 63 license or the Series 66 license, depending on that state the licensee works in and the state his/her clients reside in.

ee also

* List of Securities Examinations
* Registered Representative
* Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination (Series 63)
* Investment Company Products/Variable Life Contracts Representative Exam (Series 6)

External links

* [http://www.sec.gov/answers/series7.htm SEC]
* [http://www.finra.org/Industry/Compliance/Registration/QualificationsExams/RegisteredReps/P011051 FINRA Registration and Examination Requirements]
* [http://www.finra.org/web/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&ssDocName=p038201 NYSE Series 7 Study Outline]