Series 57 Exam-Day Checklist: Prepare Before You Leave

Confirm your appointment and identification requirements before exam day. Plan for 55 questions in 105 minutes, including five unidentified pretest questions. This checklist is a preparation aid; your current appointment instructions control the details of your visit.

What should you check before leaving?

Read your confirmation message and FINRA’s test-center instructions. Confirm the name on your identification, the test-center location, and the appointment time. Resolve any mismatch or accommodation question ahead of time.

Before you leave for the test center

I checked the appointment date, start time, and test-center address. I planned my route to arrive 30 minutes early. I have an original, unexpired government-issued photo ID with a signature, and the name exactly matches my booking. I know the email address used for my appointment. I reviewed the current personal-item and security rules. I checked any required accommodations or item approvals ahead of time. I will not bring study notes or a printed copy of this checklist to the test center. I understand that an unscheduled restroom break does not pause the exam clock.

Clear checklist

Checks stay on this page only and are not saved.

Under FINRA’s exam rules of conduct, unscheduled breaks are for restroom use only. You cannot access your locker or leave the building, and the timer continues running.

Can you bring study notes into the exam?

No. The Series 57 content outline prohibits reference materials in the testing session. Use the cheat sheet before traveling to your appointment. FINRA’s test-center instructions say not to bring study materials to the center, so do not plan to store notes in your locker.

Check current test-center instructions for personal items and permitted aids. Do not rely on a colleague’s memory of an earlier appointment, and do not assume an item is allowed just because you use it during home practice.

How should you pace 105 minutes?

The total time averages just under two minutes per displayed question. That is a pacing reference, not a requirement to spend the same time on every item. Some questions will take less time, leaving room for harder ones and review.

Practice reading the full stem before considering the answers. Identify the market, product, order instructions, and responsible party. Avoid spending several minutes trying to infer whether a difficult item is unscored; the pretest questions are not identified.

What should you review the day before?

Use your mistake log to revisit a few recurring errors, then stop adding new material late at night. Check the route to the center and protect enough time for sleep. If you use the public practice test, remember that it is untimed learning practice, not a simulation of the appointment.

Answer every official question: the outline states that there is no penalty for guessing. Return to uncertain items if time remains, and base changes on a specific fact or rule you overlooked.