What's the difference between Series 6 and Series 7?
Verified from FINRA, last checked 2026-05-30. Quick answer below, then the full breakdown.
The Series 6 is a limited license for packaged products only: mutual funds, variable annuities, UITs. 55 questions, $100 fee. The Series 7 is the general securities license covering everything (stocks, options, bonds, DPPs) plus packaged products: 130 questions, $395 fee. Both require the SIE.
Series 6 vs Series 7 side-by-side:
Series 6 (Investment Company Products / Variable Contracts Representative)
- 55 questions, 90 minutes, 70% to pass
- $100 FINRA exam fee
- Covers packaged products only (mutual funds, variable annuities, variable life, UITs, 529s)
- Standard channel: bank wealth desks, career insurance agencies, limited broker-dealers
Series 7 (General Securities Representative)
- 130 questions, 225 minutes, 72% to pass
- $395 FINRA exam fee
- Covers virtually every registered security (stocks, bonds, options, DPPs, packaged products)
- Standard channel: full-service broker-dealers, wirehouses, regional firms, RIAs operating dually
Both require:
- The SIE as a co-requisite (either order)
- Firm sponsorship (Form U4 filing)
- Typically the Series 63 for state registration
How to choose:
- If your role only sells packaged products, the Series 6 is faster and cheaper
- If your role sells individual stocks, options, bonds, or DPPs, you need the Series 7
- If you might do both over a career, taking the Series 7 first avoids retesting later
For a deeper comparison of the two licenses (sponsorship paths, study time, salary ranges, regulatory scope), see our Series 6 vs Series 7 comparison.
Verified from FINRA. Last checked 2026-05-30.
CertFuel's Series 6 prep is adaptive from day one. FSRS spaced-repetition flashcards, full-length practice exams weighted to FINRA section weights, and a live exam-readiness score that tells you when you're actually ready to test.
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