Series 26 vs Series 24: Which Supervisory Exam to Take?
- April 1, 2025
- Posted by: 'FINRA Exam Mastery'
- Category: Finance
No Comments
🆚 Series 26 vs Series 24: Which Supervisory Exam to Take?
If you’re advancing your career in financial services and looking to take on a supervisory role, choosing between the Series 26 and Series 24 can significantly impact your licensing path. While both exams qualify individuals for supervisory positions, they apply to different business models and product scopes.
This guide breaks down the key differences so you can choose the exam that aligns with your career goals, product expertise, and firm type.
📘 Series 26 – Investment Company and Variable Contracts Products Principal
🏦 Ideal for:
- Supervisors at insurance-affiliated broker-dealers
- Firms that focus on mutual funds, variable annuities, and 529 plans
🎯 What It Covers:
- Supervision of representatives selling packaged products only
- Rules and regulations related to FINRA, SEC, and state securities
- Supervision of registered reps, advertising, and customer communications
🚫 Limitations:
- Cannot supervise reps selling individual stocks, options, corporate bonds, or DPPs
- Narrower product scope — not suitable for full-service firms
📘 Series 24 – General Securities Principal Exam
🏢 Ideal for:
- Supervisors at full-service broker-dealers
- Professionals managing a wide range of securities transactions
🎯 What It Covers:
- Supervision of all types of securities products
- Oversight of trading desks, investment banking, market making, and underwriting
- Compliance, operations, and regulatory reporting
✅ Flexibility:
- Broadest supervisory license — qualifies you to oversee nearly all registered reps and activities
- Recognized across diverse firms, including those offering retail brokerage, institutional services, and capital markets
📊 Comparison Chart
| Feature | Series 26 | Series 24 |
|---|---|---|
| Product Coverage | Mutual funds, variable products only | All securities products |
| Firm Type | Insurance-affiliated BD | Full-service or diversified BD |
| Scope of Supervision | Limited to packaged products | Comprehensive across all activities |
| Exam Length | 110 minutes, 110 questions | 3.5 hours, 150 questions |
| Co-Requisite | Series 6 or 7 (typically) | Series 7 |
| Career Focus | Product-specific supervision | Broad supervisory leadership |
🧠 Exam Tip:
- Choose Series 26 if your firm only sells investment company products and variable contracts.
- Choose Series 24 if you’re in a general brokerage environment or want flexibility to supervise across departments.
📥 Get Ready to Take the Right Exam
Whether you choose Series 26 or Series 24, success comes down to preparation. Build the regulatory knowledge and leadership credibility your role demands.
👉 Explore supervisory exam prep at FINRA Exam Mastery