SIE Exam Prep Course

A completely free, comprehensive course covering everything on the FINRA Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) exam. Master capital markets, investment products, trading rules, and regulatory frameworks with interactive tools and concept checks. Updated for 2026 with the new $300 gift limit (Rule 3220), AI supervision guidance, and Reg S-P amendments.

32
Lessons
549
Minutes

Ready to test your knowledge?

Practice Tests & Q-Bank

What's Included — Free

Scenario-Based Exercises Step into the role of advisor, compliance officer, account manager, and investment banker. Make decisions for realistic clients — suitability, AML red flags, insider trading, IPO rules — and see the consequences of getting it wrong.
7 Interactive Drag-and-Drop Exercises Sort regulators, bond features, order types, investment risks, economic indicators, U4 events, and offering period activities into the right buckets. Works on desktop and mobile.
6 Step-by-Step Worked Examples Click-to-reveal math walkthroughs for current yield, tax-equivalent yield, stock splits, NAV/POP, options breakeven, and margin equity — each with an exam trap callout.
Concept Checks on Every Lesson Embedded quiz questions with detailed explanations to reinforce key concepts as you learn.
85+ FINRA-Tested Details In-depth callouts covering exact dollar amounts, filing deadlines, and regulatory thresholds that go beyond surface-level summaries.
Exam Tips & Common Mistakes Callouts highlighting what FINRA actually tests and the traps students fall into most often.
12 "Why This Matters" Real-World Anchors Lessons open with real events — Lehman Brothers, the 2022 rate shock, the HSBC AML fine — connecting theory to reality.
10 Educational Diagrams Visual aids for the business cycle, monetary policy chain, regulatory hierarchy, AML stages, and more.

About the SIE Exam

The Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) exam is administered by FINRA and is the first step toward a career in the securities industry. It's a co-requisite for all FINRA representative-level registrations (Series 7, Series 6, etc.).

80 Questions
75 scored + 5 unscored
1 Hour 45 Min
Exam time limit
70% to Pass
Passing score
$80 Fee
FINRA exam fee

How to prepare:

  1. Learn the material — Work through this free course section by section, starting with the highest-weighted topics (Products & Risks at 44%, then Trading & Accounts at 31%).
  2. Reinforce with tools — Use our free cheat sheets and interactive tools to drill key formulas and concepts. Look up any unfamiliar terms in the SIE Glossary.
  3. Test your readiness — Take timed practice exams under real conditions. Aim for 80%+ consistently before scheduling your exam.
  4. Prepare for exam day — Read our Exam Day Strategy Guide for pacing, elimination tactics, and what to expect at Prometric.

Section 1: Knowledge of Capital Markets

16% of exam ~12 questions · 8 lessons

44% of exam ~33 questions · 11 lessons

Master the characteristics, risks, and features of all major investment products — from equities and bonds to options, packaged products, and alternative investments. This is the largest section of the SIE exam at 44%.

Common Stock
18 min
Preferred Stock, Rights, and Warrants
18 min
Debt Securities: Bonds Fundamentals
15 min
Types of Bonds
23 min
Options Basics
18 min
Investment Companies: Mutual Funds and More
18 min
Variable Annuities and 529 Plans
20 min
DPPs, REITs, and Hedge Funds
20 min
Exchange-Traded Products (ETPs)
16 min
Investment Risks
15 min
Taxation of Investment Income
14 min

Learn about order types, trade settlement, customer account requirements, anti-money laundering rules, and prohibited activities in the securities industry. This section accounts for 31% of the SIE exam.

Order Types and Trading Basics
18 min
Investment Returns and Dividends
18 min
Trade Settlement and Corporate Actions
18 min
Customer Accounts: Types and Requirements
22 min
Retirement and Education Accounts
16 min
Anti-Money Laundering (AML)
20 min
Books, Records, and Privacy
18 min
Suitability and Communications
20 min
Market Manipulation and Insider Trading
18 min
Other Prohibited Activities
18 min

9% of exam ~7 questions · 3 lessons

Understand registration requirements, continuing education, employee conduct rules, and reportable events. This section accounts for 9% of the SIE exam.

Registration and Continuing Education
20 min
Employee Conduct: Forms U4 and U5
18 min
Reportable Events and Outside Activities
18 min

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this SIE course really free?

Yes — all 32 lessons are free to read with no account required. The course includes 23 interactive exercises, 10 scenario walkthroughs, 6 step-by-step worked examples, concept checks, exam tips, and educational diagrams at no cost. Practice exams are available separately for $2 each.

What makes this different from Kaplan, Achievable, or STC?

This course is completely free and includes 23 interactive exercises — 10 real-world scenario walkthroughs, 8 sorting & quiz widgets, and 5 sequencing challenges — plus 6 step-by-step worked examples with exam trap callouts, 12 real-world anchors connecting lessons to actual industry events, 85+ in-depth FINRA-tested callouts, and 10 educational diagrams. Our practice exams are $2 each vs. $100+ elsewhere.

Do I need an account to use the course?

No. Every lesson is fully accessible without logging in. Creating a free account lets you track your progress across lessons, but it's entirely optional.

Does this cover everything on the SIE exam?

Yes. The course covers all four FINRA SIE content outline sections: Knowledge of Capital Markets (16%), Understanding Products and Their Risks (44%), Trading, Customer Accounts and Prohibited Activities (31%), and Overview of the Regulatory Framework (9%).

Is it up to date?

The course covers current FINRA rules including Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI), Form CRS, and the T+1 settlement cycle. Content is reviewed and updated regularly.