Is the Series 66 exam open book?
Verified from FINRA, last checked 2026-07-03. Quick answer below, then the full breakdown.
No. The Series 66 is a closed-book exam. You cannot bring notes, formula sheets, or reference material into the testing room. The test center provides an erasable note board and dry-erase markers, which many candidates use to write down a memorized "dump sheet" once the exam starts.
The Series 66 is closed book. No notes, no formula sheets, no devices, and no paper of your own.
What the test center provides (and collects back at the end of your appointment):
- An erasable note board and dry-erase markers. There is no physical scratch paper; the board is your writing surface.
- A four-function calculator, plus noise-cancelling headphones at the station.
The note board enables the classic dump sheet technique: memorize a compact block of facts and formulas before test day, then write it down from memory in the first minutes of your exam. After that, you can glance at your own notes instead of recalling under pressure.
If you test online instead, the exam software replaces the board with an on-screen calculator and a virtual notepad. That said, NASAA offers online delivery of its exams by accommodation only (for candidates with qualifying health conditions), so nearly every Series 66 candidate tests in person.
One boundary to respect: writing down your own memorized facts is fine, but NASAA copyrights every exam question and prohibits reproducing or sharing them.
What to put on yours: the Series 66 cheat sheet
Verified from FINRA. Last checked 2026-07-03.
CertFuel's Series 66 prep is adaptive from day one. FSRS spaced-repetition flashcards, full-length practice exams weighted to NASAA's section weights, and a live exam-readiness score that tells you when you're actually ready to test.
About 15 seconds to your first question.