Which Licenses You Need to Become a Financial Advisor

🟦 Which Licenses You Need to Become a Financial Advisor

Becoming a financial advisor involves more than just market knowledge—it requires proper licensing and registration to legally advise clients and manage their investments. The licenses you need depend on the services you plan to offer and the types of products you’ll be selling.

📋 Core Licenses for Financial Advisors

1. Securities Industry Essentials (SIE)

• Who needs it: Everyone entering the securities industry
• What it covers: Basic knowledge of markets, products, regulatory framework
• Sponsor needed: ❌ No
• Next step after passing: Combine with a representative-level exam (e.g., Series 7)

2. Series 7 – General Securities Representative

• Who needs it: Advisors who want to sell stocks, bonds, mutual funds, options, ETFs, and more
• Sponsor needed: ✅ Yes (must be employed by a FINRA-member firm)
• Pair with: SIE exam

3. Series 66 – Uniform Combined State Law

• Who needs it: Those who passed Series 7 and want to act as both a registered representative and investment adviser representative (IAR)
• Covers: State laws, ethics, investment advisory practices
• Replaces: Series 63 + 65 combo for dual registration
• Sponsor needed: ❌ No (but usually taken while employed)

📌 Alternative: Series 65 – Investment Adviser Representative

• Use case: If you plan to offer fee-based advice only (without selling securities)
• Sponsor needed: ❌ No
• Ideal for: Independent Registered Investment Advisers (RIAs)

🧑‍💼 Optional Licenses Based on Products

• Series 6: Limited to mutual funds, variable annuities (not stocks or options)
• Series 63: Required in many states to sell securities (if not taking Series 66)
• Insurance License: Needed to sell life insurance or annuities

🔑 Summary – Common Path for Financial Advisors

🎓 Start Your Journey Today

At
👉 FINRA Exam Mastery,
you can prepare for all the key exams—SIE, Series 7, Series 65, Series 66—and launch a successful financial advising career with confidence.