Checked 29 September 2026. Fees from FINRA's 2024-2029 fee schedule; enrolment, ID and surcharge rules from FINRA's TESS, Schedule and International Test Centers pages. Rupee figures are our conversion at the 28 Sep 2026 ECB rate and move daily.
Most FINRA exams are closed to you unless a US broker-dealer employs and sponsors you. The Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) exam is the exception. FINRA's SIE FAQ is blunt about it: you must be 18 or older, "you do not have to be a U.S. citizen", and "you do not have to have any association with a broker-dealer". That makes it the one FINRA exam an analyst, operations associate or student in India can pass on their own (a result, not a registration or licence), for example while working at a global capability centre that serves a US firm. This guide covers the parts that are different when you are not in the US: enrolling without a Social Security number, paying and budgeting in rupees, test centres and online delivery, and what the pass does and does not do for you. ProSyllabus is an independent study site, not part of FINRA, NASAA or Prometric. Every rule here is quoted or summarised from FINRA's own pages, rule filings and the SIE content outline; FINRA, and for the NASAA exams the state regulators, decide every individual case.
FINRA SIE page, SIE FAQ, Fee Adjustment Schedule, Enroll and TESS pages.
Where other pages get this wrong
You do not need a US Social Security number, and the fee is $100, not $80.
Commonly published instead: "You need an SSN to register for FINRA exams" and "the SIE costs $80", both still common on older prep pages.
FINRA's SIE FAQ says: "You must provide your Social Security number or, if you do not have one, your mother's maiden name when enrolling." The $80 fee applied in 2024 and 2025; FINRA's fee schedule sets $100 for 2026 through 2029, and the SIE page shows $100.
Who can take the SIE
| Question | What FINRA says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum age | 18 years or older | SIE FAQ (official) |
| US citizenship | Not required | SIE FAQ (official) |
| Employed or sponsored by a broker-dealer | Not required ("Association with a firm is not required") | SIE page, SIE FAQ (official) |
| Social Security number | SSN, or your mother's maiden name if you have none | SIE FAQ, TESS FAQ (official) |
| Degree or work experience | None stated | SIE page (official) |
| Currently registered in Web CRD | Cannot use TESS self-enrolment; your firm enrols you | TESS FAQ (official) |
Rule 1210.03 says the same thing in rule language: "individuals who are not associated persons shall be eligible to take the SIE". They must agree to the SIE Rules of Conduct, and anyone found to have cheated, or to have misrepresented their qualifications to the public after passing, may forfeit the result and be barred from retaking the SIE.
Enrolling without an SSN: the one detail to get right
You enrol yourself through FINRA's Test Enrollment Services System (TESS) at testenrollment.finra.org/sie. The TESS FAQ asks for your name, date of birth, two phone numbers and your current residential address, and says an SSN is needed "to verify your identity"; if you have none, "you will be required to enter your mother's maiden name". One line in the same FAQ lists "your US Social Security number or Individual CRD number" as profile information, which reads as if one of the two is compulsory. The answer further down the same page, and FINRA's SIE FAQ, both allow the mother's-maiden-name route, so a candidate with neither number is expected to use that.
The detail that matters later is consistency. The SIE FAQ warns that "the information you provide for your SIE exam must exactly match the information you provide to the broker-dealer to file the U4. Otherwise, your results will not be imported into your CRD record and you may be required to retest." If a US firm ever registers you, it files a Form U4 with your identity details. Our suggestion, not a FINRA rule: enrol exactly as your name appears in your passport (the ID you will show at the centre), use the same spelling of your mother's maiden name you would give an employer, and keep a note of both. An identity mismatch can stop the result importing into your CRD record and may mean retesting.
Step by step, from account to result
| Step | What happens | Timing (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Create a FINRA account | Continue with email or with Google; set security questions; accept the privacy statement | Same day |
| 2. Enrol for the SIE in TESS | Enter identity details (SSN or mother's maiden name), agree to the Rules of Conduct and payment agreement, pay $100 | Typically processed within two business days |
| 3. Window opens | FINRA posts a 120-calendar-day window. For a first enrolment it opens the day after enrolment; after a failed attempt TESS may set a later start date, because "the window start date takes into account these waiting periods" | 120 calendar days |
| 4. Book with Prometric | Choose a test centre, or online delivery (open to any SIE candidate with an open window); you need your name and the FINRA ID number from your enrolment email | Book early; seats vary by centre |
| 5. Sit the exam | 1 hour 45 minutes for 80 items (75 scored, 5 unscored), plus about 30 minutes for tutorial and survey | Pass or fail shown at the end |
| 6. Result in TESS | Result and test date appear under My Exams; a score report is available from the FINRA Support Center | Within 72 hours |
FINRA recommends enrolling from a Windows laptop or desktop; it says users have reported problems enrolling on Mac, mobile and tablet devices. TESS accepts credit cards, debit cards and ACH; an Indian card works only if your bank allows international online payments, which is a question for your bank, not FINRA.
What it costs in rupees
FINRA prices everything in US dollars. The rupee column below is our own arithmetic at the European Central Bank reference rate for 28 September 2026 (USD 1 = INR 95.98), rounded to the rupee. Your card statement will differ by your bank's rate and markup.
| Item | USD (official) | INR (our conversion) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| SIE exam fee, 2026 onwards | 100 | 9,598 | Fee schedule, SIE page |
| SIE exam fee, 2024 and 2025 | 80 | n/a (past fee) | Fee schedule |
| International delivery surcharge | 15, "charged to the participant's firm" | 1,440 | International Test Centers page |
| Cancel or reschedule 3 to 10 business days before | 50 | 4,799 | Cancellation policy |
| Cancel or reschedule within 2 business days, or no-show | 100 (fee forfeited, enrolment consumed) | 9,598 | Cancellation policy |
| A retake after a fail | 100 (a new enrolment) | 9,598 | TESS FAQ, fee schedule |
| Refund if you change your mind after paying | None ("refund requests are not accepted") | n/a | TESS FAQ |
What the SIE could cost you, in dollars and rupees
Count the attempts you want to budget for, any late changes, and whether to include the USD 15 international surcharge (FINRA says it is charged to "the participant's firm"; whether a self-enrolled candidate pays it is not published). The rate box starts at the ECB reference rate for 28 Sep 2026; replace it with today's rate or your card's rate.
Our arithmetic on FINRA's published fees. Your bank's foreign-transaction markup, GST on it, and any prep course are not included. A late change or no-show on a TESS enrolment forfeits the $100 fee and the enrolment, so a new $100 enrolment is needed before you can book again.
The USD 15 surcharge: who pays it is not published
FINRA's international test-centre page says "a registration fee surcharge of $15.00 for international delivery will be charged to the participant's firm upon completion of the session". A self-enrolled candidate in India has no firm. FINRA does not say whether that candidate is charged the $15, whether it is waived, or whether it is collected at booking. We could not find the answer on any FINRA page, so the calculator lets you include it or leave it out. If it matters to your budget, ask the FINRA Support Center before you book.
Test centre or online, from India
FINRA's Schedule an Exam page says the SIE "is available for online test delivery to any candidates with open enrollment windows", through Prometric's remote proctoring (the ProProctor application). Other FINRA exams need an approved accommodation to be taken online. What FINRA's pages do not say is whether online SIE delivery is open to a candidate who is physically outside the US, or which Prometric centres in India deliver FINRA exams. Lists of Prometric centres in Indian cities circulate online, but they come from other exam programmes. Prometric's FINRA Exams page has a public "Find a Test Center" link, which you can use to look for centres before you pay; what actually counts is what Prometric offers your enrolment when you schedule after your FINRA window opens.
If you test online
- You need equipment that can show the proctor a complete 360-degree view of your desk and room: a USB webcam or an undocked laptop with a built-in camera. FINRA says candidates without it "will not be permitted to test, and applicable testing fees will be charged".
- Install ProProctor and run the system check at least one day before, on the computer you will test on.
- On an office laptop, firewalls may block the app; FINRA tells firm users to consult their technology team.
- Cancellation and no-show fees apply to online appointments exactly as to centre appointments.
Sources: FINRA Schedule an Exam page and Online Test Delivery FAQ.
If you test at an international centre
- Bring one valid government-issued ID with both a photo and a signature; FINRA names a passport as an example.
- You will sign a Data Processing Consent Form at the centre for the collection of your personal data.
- Everything else, including the no-reference-materials rule, is the same as in the US.
Source: FINRA International Test Centers Policies and Procedures.
Deadlines are in US Eastern Time
FINRA does not ask you to count business days yourself. Its cancellation page publishes a fixed weekday table: you must cancel or reschedule "by midnight, Eastern Time (ET)" on the day it lists for your appointment's weekday. For a Friday appointment, for example, the deadline to avoid the $50 fee is Thursday two weeks before, and the deadline to avoid the full-fee late charge is Tuesday of the same week. FINRA adds that if a holiday falls in the period, "the policy remains the same". Use the table for your own weekday. Midnight ET is 9:30 am IST the next morning while US daylight time runs and 10:30 am IST in winter (our conversion: ET is UTC-4 in summer and UTC-5 in winter; IST is UTC+5:30), so an Indian candidate has until the following morning, IST.
Extra time if English is not your first language
FINRA gives candidates with Limited English Proficiency 30 extra minutes on exams up to two hours long, which covers the SIE. It applies to people who "do not speak English as their primary language and have limited ability to read, speak, write or understand English". SIE takers apply through a web-based LEP Request Form and should allow about five business days before booking; FINRA then reapplies the extra time to later exams opened within five years. Misrepresenting eligibility can lead to disciplinary action, so apply only if the description fits you.
What a pass does, and does not, do for you
Passing the SIE puts no registration on your record. The SIE FAQ says it "does not have a registration category", that passing it alone "does not qualify an individual for registration with FINRA or to engage in securities business", and that "by only passing the SIE, you will not appear in BrokerCheck". What it does is bank the common half of a US representative registration for four years: if a member firm later sponsors you for the Series 7, 6, 79 or another representative exam in that time, you do not sit the SIE again. FINRA publishes nothing about how Indian employers, capability centres or US visa processes treat the SIE, and we do not guess. Nothing on this page is investment advice: securities products appear here only as exam content.
ProSyllabus has no SIE practice quizzes yet, so this guide does not point you to any. FINRA's own free SIE practice test (75 questions, untimed) is linked from the SIE page.
Can an Indian citizen take the FINRA SIE exam?
Yes. FINRA says you do not have to be a US citizen and do not need any association with a broker-dealer. The only condition it states is age 18 or older.
Do I need a Social Security number for the SIE?
No. FINRA asks for your SSN or, if you do not have one, your mother's maiden name. The details must exactly match any Form U4 a firm files for you later, or the result may not be imported and you may have to retest.
How much does the SIE cost in rupees?
The fee is USD 100 from 1 January 2026. At the ECB rate of 28 September 2026 (USD 1 = INR 95.98) that is about Rs 9,598 by our conversion; your bank rate and markup will change it.
Is there an extra fee for taking the SIE outside the US?
FINRA lists a USD 15 international delivery surcharge charged to the participant's firm. It does not say whether a self-enrolled candidate with no firm pays it. Ask the FINRA Support Center before booking if it matters.
Can I take the SIE online from India?
FINRA says the SIE is available online to any candidate with an open enrolment window, but its pages do not say whether that includes candidates located outside the US. Check the options Prometric shows for your enrolment once the window opens.
Which Indian cities have FINRA test centres?
FINRA does not publish a list. Prometric's FINRA Exams page has a public "Find a Test Center" link you can check before paying; seats are confirmed only when you schedule after your window opens.
Can I get a refund if I cannot sit the exam?
No. FINRA's TESS FAQ says refund requests are not accepted once payment is processed, and FINRA has no hardship policy for a missed window.
What ID do I need at an international test centre?
One valid government-issued ID with both a photo and a signature, such as a passport. You will also sign a Data Processing Consent Form at the centre.
Does passing the SIE let me work as a broker?
No. The SIE has no registration category and does not put you on BrokerCheck. You also need a representative exam such as the Series 7, which requires a sponsoring member firm.
How long is the SIE result valid?
Four years from the pass date, or four years from the end of a later representative registration, whichever is later.
How soon do I get my SIE result?
You see pass or fail at the end of the session, with performance feedback if you fail. TESS shows the result within 72 hours.
Sources
- official — FINRA — SIE Exam and Exam Restructuring FAQ (age, citizenship, SSN or mother's maiden name, co-requisite, scoring, waiting periods, validity, BrokerCheck and CRD)
- official — FINRA — Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) Exam page ("At a glance": 75 questions, 1 hour 45 minutes, passing score 70, cost $100; enrolment routes; exams taken after the SIE)
- official — FINRA — Frequently Asked Questions about TESS (profile details, SSN or mother's maiden name, payment methods, no refunds, 120 calendar days, results within 72 hours)
- official — FINRA — Fee Adjustment Schedule under SR-FINRA-2024-019 (exam fees 2024 to 2029)
- official — FINRA — Reschedule or Cancel Your Appointment (SIE: $50 within 3 to 10 business days, $100 within 2 business days or no-show; TESS enrolment consumed)
- official — FINRA — International Test Centers Policies and Procedures (photo and signature ID, Data Processing Consent Form, $15 international delivery surcharge)
- official — FINRA — Schedule an Exam (120-day window, Prometric, online SIE for any candidate with an open window, online equipment rules)
- official — FINRA — Online Test Delivery FAQ
- official — FINRA — Enroll for an Exam (window opens the day after enrolment; NASAA exams online only with an accommodation)
- official — FINRA — Candidates with Limited English Proficiency (30 extra minutes for exams up to 2 hours; web form for SIE takers)
- official — FINRA Rule 1210 — Registration Requirements (.03 SIE plus representative exam; .05 SIE Rules of Conduct; .06 waiting periods as amended by SR-FINRA-2026-014; .08 lapse and SIE expiry; military tolling)
- official — FINRA — Qualification Exams (duration, questions and cost of every exam FINRA administers; appointments add 30 minutes for tutorial and survey)
- official — FINRA — SIE Content Outline, (c) 2025, the file the SIE page links (75 scored + 5 pretest = 80 items) (PDF)
- official — FINRA — Free SIE practice test (75 questions, untimed)
- official — Prometric — FINRA Exams page (FINRA's test delivery vendor; links "Find a Test Center", test-centre and remote scheduling)
- reported — Frankfurter API relaying the European Central Bank reference rate for 28 Sep 2026: USD 1 = INR 95.98 (used only for our own rupee conversions)
official = a document published by the conducting body. reported = a news or coaching site we could not check against an original. Where sources disagree this page says so rather than picking one.
