{"id":4463,"date":"2025-05-09T09:58:50","date_gmt":"2025-05-09T17:58:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mcclatchymhstg.wpenginepowered.com\/sabe-careers-education\/?p=4463"},"modified":"2026-06-19T06:34:44","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T14:34:44","slug":"series-66-exam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sacbee.com\/careers-education\/series-66-exam\/","title":{"rendered":"Series 66 Exam: What It Is, What It Covers, and How to Pass"},"content":{"rendered":" <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Passing the Series 66 exam (or more formally, the Uniform Combined State Law Examination) is one way to set yourself up for a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bls.gov\/ooh\/business-and-financial\/personal-financial-advisors.htm#tab-1\">six-figure<\/a> salary.<\/p> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you&#8217;re planning to give investment advice and sell securities without taking multiple exams, the Series 66 exam might be your best move. Whether you&#8217;re just starting out or trying to decide between licensing paths, this test is one of the fastest ways to qualify as both a securities agent and an investment adviser representative.<\/p> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So what exactly is the Series 66? Who needs it, what does it cover, and how hard is it to pass? Let\u2019s dig in and break it down so you can decide if it\u2019s the right path for your career in the securities industry.<\/p> <p class=\"custom_key wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Key Takeaways<\/strong><\/p> <ul class=\"wp-block-list custom_underline\"> <li><strong>Dual Purpose License:<\/strong> The Series 66 qualifies you to be both an investment adviser representative and a securities agent\u2014if you\u2019ve passed the Series 7.<\/li> <li><strong>One Exam, Two Roles:<\/strong> It combines the Series 63 and 65 content, saving you from having to take both tests separately.<\/li> <li><strong>Ethics and Laws Matter:<\/strong> A big part of the exam focuses on unethical business practices and state securities laws.<\/li> <li><strong>No Sponsoring Firm Needed:<\/strong> You can take the Series 66 without being employed by a firm, as long as you&#8217;ve completed the Series 7.<\/li> <li><strong>Cost-Effective Certification:<\/strong> At $177, it\u2019s one of the more affordable ways to gain broad registration across advisory and sales roles.<\/li> <\/ul> <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-the-series-66-exam\"><strong>\ud83e\udde9 What Is the Series 66 Exam?<\/strong><\/h2> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Series 66 exam is created by NASAA, delivered by Prometric testing centers, and registered through FINRA\u2019s online system. It was designed to qualify candidates who want to register as both investment advisor representatives and securities agents.<\/p> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Series 66 basically combines the content from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sacbee.com\/careers-education\/series-63-vs-65\/\">Series 63 and Series 65<\/a> into one exam. That means it covers registration requirements, fiduciary obligations, unethical business practices, and more\u2014everything you\u2019d need to know to act ethically and legally in client-facing roles.<\/p> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, there\u2019s a catch: you must also have successfully completed the Series 7 exam to use the 66 license. Think of it like this\u2014both the Series 7 and Series 66 work together to give you full advisory and sales permissions.<\/p> <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-the-exam-covers\"><strong>\ud83d\udcdd What the Exam Covers<\/strong><\/h2> <figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sacbee.com\/careers-education\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/05\/Series-66-Exam-info-1024x1024.png\" alt=\"topics on series 66 exam\" class=\"wp-image-4464\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sacbee.com\/careers-education\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/05\/Series-66-Exam-info-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.sacbee.com\/careers-education\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/05\/Series-66-Exam-info-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.sacbee.com\/careers-education\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/05\/Series-66-Exam-info-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.sacbee.com\/careers-education\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/05\/Series-66-Exam-info-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/www.sacbee.com\/careers-education\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/05\/Series-66-Exam-info-280x280.png 280w, https:\/\/www.sacbee.com\/careers-education\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/05\/Series-66-Exam-info.png 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s talk about the actual content. The exam covers topics across state securities law, ethics, investment vehicles, and portfolio strategies. It\u2019s not heavy on math, but it does test your basic understanding of how investments work and how to interact with clients responsibly.<\/p> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s a general breakdown:<\/p> <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><strong>State Securities Acts &amp; Rules:<\/strong> Focuses on the uniform combined state law, including who must register, what\u2019s considered unethical, and administrative procedures.<\/li> <li><strong>Investment Advice &amp; Ethics:<\/strong> Tests how to provide investment advice while honoring fiduciary obligations and avoiding conflicts of interest.<\/li> <li><strong>Client Communication:<\/strong> You\u2019ll get scenario-based questions around working with different types of clients, suitability, and disclosure.<\/li> <li><strong>Economic &amp; Financial Concepts:<\/strong> Covers interest rates, risk, inflation, and market dynamics\u2014what you\u2019d need to discuss intelligently with a client.<\/li> <li><strong>Portfolio Strategies &amp; Products:<\/strong> Includes topics like diversification, mutual funds, and retirement accounts.<\/li> <\/ul> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s a closed-book test with<a href=\"https:\/\/www.finra.org\/registration-exams-ce\/qualification-exams\/series66\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> 100<\/a> multiple-choice questions. You\u2019ll have 150 minutes to complete it, and the passing score is 73% (an overall test score of 73\/100 or higher).<\/p> <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-who-should-take-the-series-66\"><strong>\ud83e\uddd1\u200d\ud83d\udcbc Who Should Take the Series 66?<\/strong><\/h2> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You should take the Series 66 if you\u2019ve already passed the Series 7 (or plan to) and want to legally do both of these:<\/p> <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li>Sell securities like stocks, bonds, and mutual funds<\/li> <li>Offer fee-based investment advice or financial planning<\/li> <\/ul> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you&#8217;re aiming to become a registered representative who also advises clients without needing to take both the 63 and 65, this combo is your shortcut. Many investment advisors and financial professionals working at larger firms or independent practices take this route for maximum flexibility.<\/p> <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-much-does-it-cost\"><strong>\ud83d\udcb5 How Much Does It Cost?<\/strong><\/h2> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is subject to change, but currently the exam fee for the Series 66 is $177. That\u2019s the flat fee to sit for the test\u2014you\u2019ll likely want to budget an extra $500 for study materials, depending on how you prep.<\/p> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Considering this license qualifies you for dual roles, it\u2019s one of the more cost-effective options in the world of securities licenses.<\/p> <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-study-tips-for-the-series-66\"><strong>\ud83d\udcda Study Tips for the Series 66<\/strong><\/h2> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Series 66 isn\u2019t considered brutal, but it\u2019s also not something you can breeze through. Most test takers find the ethics and state law sections the trickiest\u2014there\u2019s a lot of gray area and scenario-based thinking.<\/p> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s what helped me (and others) prep smarter:<\/p> <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><strong>Use lots of practice exams.<\/strong> These help you master the tone of questions and spot your weak points fast.<\/li> <li><strong>Make ethics a priority.<\/strong> Questions about unethical business practices aren\u2019t just common\u2014they\u2019re sneaky. Learn how to spot the traps.<\/li> <li><strong>Don\u2019t skip the basics.<\/strong> Even though this is a law-heavy test, your understanding of the fundamentals\u2014how investments work, for example\u2014is key.<\/li> <li><strong>Create a weekly study plan.<\/strong> Aim for 3\u20134 weeks of consistent study, even if it&#8217;s just 30\u201360 minutes a day.<\/li> <li><strong>Invest in a prep course<\/strong>. They will help you to study efficiently and prepare you to pass on your first try if you put the study time in. Check out the top Series 66 study materials <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sacbee.com\/careers-education\/best-series-66-exam-prep-courses\/\">here<\/a>.<\/li> <\/ul> <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-you-can-do-with-a-series-66-license\"><strong>\ud83d\udcc8 What You Can Do With a Series 66 License<\/strong><\/h2> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Passing the Series 66 (along with the Series 7) opens up a wide range of client-facing roles in the financial services industry, including:<\/p> <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><strong>Financial advisor<\/strong> or <strong>wealth manager<\/strong><\/li> <li><strong>Investment adviser representative<\/strong><\/li> <li><strong>Securities agent<\/strong> at a brokerage or RIA<\/li> <li><strong>Client relationship manager<\/strong> in advisory firms<\/li> <\/ul> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sacbee.com\/careers-education\/what-is-the-series-65-license\/\">Series 66 license<\/a> is especially useful for professionals at hybrid firms that offer both commission-based sales and fee-based advisory services. You\u2019ll be fully licensed to handle a wide variety of client needs, which makes you a more versatile\u2014and valuable\u2014professional.<\/p> <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-final-thoughts\"><strong>\u2705 Final Thoughts<\/strong><\/h2> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Series 66 is a smart choice if you want to cover more ground with fewer tests. Paired with the Series 7, it qualifies you to sell securities, give investment advice, and operate under both federal and state law.<\/p> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It&#8217;s not the most difficult exam out there, but it <em>is<\/em> broad, so give yourself time to prep, especially around ethics and law. If you&#8217;re aiming to build a long-term career as a dual-licensed advisor, the Series 66 is your ticket to doing it all under one roof.<\/p> <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-faqs\"><strong>FAQs<\/strong><\/h2> <div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1746684311727\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>What is the Series 66 exam for?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">The Series 66 qualifies you to act as both a securities agent and an investment adviser representative, assuming you\u2019ve also passed the Series 7 exam.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1746684316032\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>How long should I study for the Series 66 exam?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Most candidates spend about 60\u2013100 hours studying. A solid study plan, focused on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sacbee.com\/careers-education\/series-66-practice-questions\/\">Series 66 practice questions<\/a> and understanding state securities laws, can make a big difference.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1746684321850\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Is the Series 66 exam hard?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">The Series 66 exam is challenging due to its legal and ethical focus, but most candidates pass with consistent study and practice, especially on scenario-based questions.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1748606542045\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>What is the pass rate for the Series 66 exam?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sacbee.com\/careers-education\/series-66-pass-rate\/\">Series 66 pass rate<\/a> is estimated to be around 65% to 70%, making it a moderately difficult exam that sits between the Series 63 and 65 in complexity.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1746684325795\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Can I take the Series 66 without sponsorship?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes, you can take the Series 66 without a sponsoring firm, but you must have passed the Series 7 to use the license professionally.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1746684331443\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Is the Series 66 better than the Series 65?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">It depends on your goals. The 66 is ideal if you\u2019ve already passed the Series 7 and want dual registration; the 65 is better if you&#8217;re focusing solely on advisory roles.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1748606364808\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Which exam is tougher: Series 66 or Series 63?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Most find the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sacbee.com\/careers-education\/series-66-vs-63\/\">Series 66 tougher than the Series 63<\/a> since it covers more material, blending topics from both the Series 63 and 65<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1748606417712\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Which license is harder to get: Series 65 or Series 66?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Between the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sacbee.com\/careers-education\/series-65-vs-series-66\/\">Series 65 and 66<\/a>, many consider the Series 66 slightly more challenging since it requires a Series 7 as a co-requisite and combines elements of both the Series 63 and 65.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div> ","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Passing the Series 66 exam (or more formally, the Uniform Combined State Law Examination) is one way to set yourself up for a six-figure salary. If you&#8217;re planning to give investment advice and sell securities without taking multiple exams, the Series 66 exam might be your best move. Whether you&#8217;re just starting out or trying [&hellip;]<\/p> ","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":4465,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,244],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4463","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-careers-education","category-finance"],"acf":{"external_author":[129],"external_editor":"","select_template":"default","not_show_feature_image":false,"hide_toc":false},"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.sacbee.com\/careers-education\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/05\/Series-66-Exam-feature-image-768x427.png","author_info":{"display_name":"","author_link":"https:\/\/www.sacbee.com\/careers-education\/author\/"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.7 (Yoast SEO v27.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Series 66 Exam: What It Is, What It Covers, and How to Pass<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Thinking about the Series 66 exam? Learn what it covers, who needs it, how to pass, and why it might be the smartest move for your advisory career.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sacbee.com\/careers-education\/series-66-exam\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Series 66 Exam: What It Is, What It Covers, and How to Pass\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Thinking about the Series 66 exam? Learn what it covers, who needs it, how to pass, and why it might be the smartest move for your advisory career.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.sacbee.com\/careers-education\/series-66-exam\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Sacramento Bee - Careers &amp; Education\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-05-09T17:58:50+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-06-19T14:34:44+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.sacbee.com\/careers-education\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/05\/Series-66-Exam-feature-image.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"889\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.sacbee.com\\\/careers-education\\\/series-66-exam\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.sacbee.com\\\/careers-education\\\/series-66-exam\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"\",\"@id\":\"\"},\"headline\":\"Series 66 Exam: What It Is, What It Covers, and How to Pass\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-05-09T17:58:50+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-19T14:34:44+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.sacbee.com\\\/careers-education\\\/series-66-exam\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1303,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.sacbee.com\\\/careers-education\\\/series-66-exam\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.sacbee.com\\\/careers-education\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/6\\\/2025\\\/05\\\/Series-66-Exam-feature-image.png\",\"articleSection\":[\"Careers &amp; Education\",\"Finance\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":[\"WebPage\",\"FAQPage\"],\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.sacbee.com\\\/careers-education\\\/series-66-exam\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.sacbee.com\\\/careers-education\\\/series-66-exam\\\/\",\"name\":\"Series 66 Exam: What It Is, What It Covers, and How to Pass\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.sacbee.com\\\/careers-education\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.sacbee.com\\\/careers-education\\\/series-66-exam\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.sacbee.com\\\/careers-education\\\/series-66-exam\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.sacbee.com\\\/careers-education\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/6\\\/2025\\\/05\\\/Series-66-Exam-feature-image.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-05-09T17:58:50+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-19T14:34:44+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"\"},\"description\":\"Thinking about the Series 66 exam? 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