The adviser exam — and the one rung of the ladder that requires no firm and no SIE.
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The Series 65 — NASAA's Investment Advisers Law Examination — qualifies investment adviser representatives. It has 130 scored questions plus 10 unscored, a 180-minute limit, and a passing mark of 92 of 130. Unlike FINRA's representative exams it appears with no firm-sponsorship requirement and no SIE corequisite on its official page, which is why career changers heading for the advisory side often take it directly.
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Scored questions | 130 (plus 10 unscored) |
| Time limit | 180 minutes |
| Passing | 92 of 130 correct |
| Written by | NASAA, administered by FINRA |
| Online testing | Only for candidates requiring a testing accommodation |
The ladder forks. Broker-dealer representatives — people selling products for commissions — go SIE, then a FINRA top-off like the Series 7, then usually the Series 63. Investment adviser representatives — people paid fees for advice — need the 65 (or the 66 with a Series 7). The exams test correspondingly different things: the 65 is heavy on fiduciary obligation, adviser regulation and portfolio concepts.
Whichever top-off you end up needing, the SIE comes first — and it is the one exam you can prepare for before any firm hires you.
130 scored questions plus 10 unscored, with 180 minutes to finish. Passing requires 92 of the 130 scored questions correct.
FINRA's page states neither requirement for the Series 65 — it is a NASAA exam, and career changers commonly take it without a firm.
The 66 covers both broker-dealer agent and adviser representative registration but has the Series 7 as corequisite. If you will never hold a Series 7, the 65 is the adviser route.