What is the SIE retake policy?
You must wait 30 days to retake the SIE after a first or second fail. After three or more fails within two years, the wait is 180 days. From January 19, 2027, the waits drop to 15 days and 60 days. If you're still waiting on that date and haven't booked, your wait shrinks too. Each attempt costs $100.
- First attempt$100 exam fee
- Fail? Wait 30 days. From January 19, 2027, it's 15.
- Second attempt$100 again
- Fail again? Wait another 30 days. From January 19, 2027, it's 15.
- Third attempt$100 again
- Third fail in a row within two years? Wait 180 days. From January 19, 2027, it's 60.
- Fourth attempt and beyond$100 each time. Each later fail within two years means the long wait again.
Two details are easy to miss:
- Only recent fails count. Fails more than two years old don't count toward the long wait.
- Only the exam you failed. A failed SIE doesn't put a wait on the Series 7 or any other exam.
SIE retake waiting period: what changes on January 19, 2027
From January 19, 2027, you'll wait 15 days after a first or second fail and 60 days after a third. FINRA announced the change in Regulatory Notice 26-18. It covers every FINRA qualification exam, including the SIE.
If you fail before January 19, 2027
The shorter waits also apply if you're still waiting on January 19, 2027. Say your third fail was in late October 2026. If you haven't booked, you can test from January 19 instead of late April. What happens depends on where your retake enrollment stands:
- You enroll on or after January 19. The new wait applies automatically.
- You enrolled earlier but haven't booked a date. Your window shows the old wait at first. FINRA shortens it on January 19.
- You've already booked a date. Your window keeps the old wait. FINRA can't change it while you hold the appointment.
In FINRA's example, you fail on January 13, 2027 and enroll the next day without booking. Your window first opens February 12. On January 19, FINRA moves it to January 28. If that was your third fail, it moves from July 12 to March 14.
How many times can you take the SIE?
As many times as you need. Neither FINRA Rule 1210 nor FINRA's SIE exam page sets a maximum number of attempts.
Most people who fail try again: about two in three, according to FINRA's 2026 filing. About one in four first-timers fails, as our SIE pass rate guide explains.
Avoid a third fail above all. The long wait can push you past a job start date.
How much does it cost to retake the SIE?
Every SIE retake is a new enrollment with the full $100 fee, the same as your first attempt. So a fail and one retake cost $200 in exam fees.
Our SIE exam cost guide lists the $50 and $100 fees for changing an appointment late.
A late cancel or no-show costs the full $100. If you enrolled yourself through TESS, FINRA's enrollment system, you lose your exam fee and the enrollment. You then pay $100 again to re-enroll. If a firm enrolled you, FINRA bills the firm and your enrollment stays open.
When can you book your SIE retake?
You can enroll for your retake during the wait. FINRA sets your 120-day window to start when the wait is over, and you test inside it.
- Book early. Seats can fill up, so FINRA suggests booking well ahead. Pick a date at the end of your study plan, and move it for free if you need to, up to 10 business days before. If your current wait ends after January 19, 2027, hold off booking until that date.
- Don't let the window lapse. If you don't test within 120 days, the enrollment expires. FINRA doesn't refund the fee, so you pay again to re-enroll.
For the exam format and who can take it, see our guide to the SIE exam. Our SIE registration guide walks through enrolling and booking.
What does the SIE score report show if you fail?
A fail report shows your overall score and your performance in each topic section. A pass report shows only that you passed. FINRA says the extra detail is there to guide your study before a retake. If you lose your report, FINRA's Support Center can send you a copy.
Failed the SIE? How to pass on your retake
Build your plan from your score report, then book a date at the end of it. Work through it in this order:
- Size up the gap. You need 70 to pass. If you scored in the high 60s, target your weakest sections. If you scored well below 70, plan a full review.
- Start where the points are. Section 2, products and their risks, is 44% of the exam. Section 4 is only 9%. A weak section 2 costs you far more points than a weak section 4. Fix weak sections with the most points first.
- Practice on fresh, timed questions. Sit the retake once you score 80% or more on fresh, full-length, timed practice. If you're not there 10 business days before the date, move it for free. Questions you've seen before mostly test your memory. Start with our free SIE practice test.
- Don't rush the date. FINRA's own filing warns that a quick retake without changes can lead to another fail. Four in ten people who take the SIE a second time wait more than 60 days.
If you need a full review, our SIE course includes three timed mock exams. Their questions don't appear in the lesson quizzes, so your mock scores show what you actually know.
SIE retake FAQs
Will I get the same questions on my SIE retake?
Don't count on it. FINRA says its high-volume exams draw on banks of thousands of questions, and each candidate sees only a small share. Study the topics, not the questions you remember.
Can I take the Series 7 while I wait to retake the SIE?
Yes, if a firm sponsors you for the Series 7. You still need to pass both exams to get registered.
Do I need a firm to retake the SIE?
No. You can enroll yourself through TESS, FINRA's enrollment system. If a firm enrolled you and you still work there, the firm requests the retake for you.
Can I get a refund if I can't take my SIE retake?
No. Once FINRA processes a TESS payment, it doesn't accept refund requests. It has no hardship policy either.
When will I know if I passed my SIE retake?
Right away. The result appears on screen when you finish. If you test online, that result is unofficial until the emailed report arrives within three business days.
My firm sponsored me. Does it have its own retake rules?
Ask your firm. Firms set their own deadlines and decide who pays for a retake, so check before you book.
Related SIE guides
Sources
- FINRA Rule 1210, Supplementary Material .06: waiting periods for retaking a failed exam
- FINRA Regulatory Notice 26-18 (October 14, 2026): shorter retake waiting periods from January 19, 2027, the 120-day testing window and how open enrollments are handled
- FINRA, Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Qualification Exam Waiting Periods: what to do if you're waiting or booked on January 19, 2027
- SEC Release No. 34-105885 (FINRA filing SR-FINRA-2026-014), July 13, 2026: 2024 SIE retake data and FINRA's reasons for the change
- FINRA, Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) Exam: fee, results feedback and the January 2027 retake change
- FINRA, Reschedule or Cancel Your Appointment: change fees and deadlines
- FINRA, Test Enrollment Services System (TESS) FAQ: enrollment, payment and refunds
- FINRA, Schedule an Exam: the 120-day window and booking with Prometric
- FINRA, Prepare for Your Online Test Appointment: what a fail report shows
- FINRA, SIE Content Outline (2025): section weights
- FINRA, Series 7 exam page: the SIE corequisite and sponsorship
Every figure on this page is checked against the sources listed above. Spotted something out of date? Tell us through the contact page and we'll fix it.