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North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA), administered by FINRA and delivered by Prometric

Series 63 — Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination

NASAA's state-law exam for securities agents — the Uniform Securities Act, ethical practices and what the state Administrator can do.

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Questions65 — 60 scored and 5 unscored pretest
Time75 minutes
BlueprintBDs 12% · Agents 13% · Ethics 25% · Communications 20% · Securities & Issuers 9% · IAs 5% · IARs 5% · Remedies 11%
WherePrometric test centers only (online only as a medical accommodation)
Fee$147
Who sits itSecurities agents registering in a state — usually alongside the SIE and Series 7; no firm sponsorship required
Scoring43 of 60 scored questions correct (72%) passes

About the exam

The Series 63 qualifies you to do business as a securities agent under state law. Most states require it alongside the SIE and Series 7 before a registered representative can solicit customers there. It tests the Uniform Securities Act, NASAA model rules and statements of policy, and the ethical standards that apply to broker-dealers, agents, investment advisers and their representatives.

The exam has 65 multiple-choice questions in 75 minutes: 60 scored and 5 unscored pretest items. You pass by answering 43 of the 60 scored questions correctly (72%). No firm sponsorship is required to sit it.

Our practice covers all eight sections of NASAA's June 2023 test specifications with scenario questions on registration, exemptions, unethical practices and Administrator powers, plus flashcards, case simulations where an agent's choices play out under state law, and interactive illustrated guides to who must register and who is exempt.

How we track your progress

Every blueprint domain moves through five levels as you study:

  1. Not startedNo questions answered in this domain yet.
  2. Getting startedFirst questions answered — not enough yet to judge.
  3. DevelopingAt least 5 answered and 50% or better on your recent questions.
  4. ProficientAt least 15 answered and 70% or better on your recent questions.
  5. Exam readyAt least 25 answered, 80% or better recently, and holding up on hard questions.

The exam blueprint

NASAA Series 63 test specifications effective June 12, 2023 (Exam Study Guide, September 2023) — 8 sections of state securities law — Ethical Practices and Obligations is the largest at 25%. Tap a domain to see its topics.

1 Regulation of Broker-Dealers 12% of the exam
Definition of broker-dealer and exclusionsRegistration: Form BD and state registrationPost-registration: books and records, net capital, changesSupervision standardsExclusions and exemptionsNotice of changes and renewals

52 practice questions in this domain so far

2 Regulation of Broker-Dealer Agents 13% of the exam
Definition of agent and exclusionsRegistration process (Form U4)Changes, transfers and termination (Form U5)Agent accounts at other firmsPayments to unregistered personsAgent of an issuer exclusions

60 practice questions in this domain so far

3 Ethical Practices and Obligations 25% of the exam
Churning, front-running and unauthorized tradingMisrepresentations, omissions and market manipulationInsider tradingSEC Regulation Best InterestSoft dollar standardsNASAA dishonest or unethical practices statementsProtecting vulnerable adults from financial exploitationUniform Prudent Investor ActConflicts, loans and borrowing, selling away, guarantees

114 practice questions in this domain so far

4 Communication with Customers and Prospects 20% of the exam
Broker-dealer books and recordsAdvertising, correspondence and social mediaDisclosure of conflicts and compensationOptions communicationsMargin account handlingPrivacy (Regulation S-P)

90 practice questions in this domain so far

5 Regulation of Securities and Issuers 9% of the exam
Definition of a security (Howey test)Registration by notice filing, coordination and qualificationExempt securities and exempt transactionsOffering process and underwriter standardsNotice filing for federal covered securitiesRegistration statements: contents and effectiveness

38 practice questions in this domain so far

6 Regulation of Investment Advisers 5% of the exam
Definitions: state-registered vs. federal covered advisersRegistration and the state–federal dividing lineExclusions from the adviser definitionDe minimis exemptionPost-registration: books, records and notice of changesNASAA model rules: conduct, recordkeeping, custody, privacy

22 practice questions in this domain so far

7 Regulation of Investment Adviser Representatives 5% of the exam
Definition of investment adviser representativeExclusions from the IAR definitionRegistration standardsPost-registration: changes, transfers and terminationNASAA registration model rulesIAR continuing education

22 practice questions in this domain so far

8 Remedies and Administrative Provisions 11% of the exam
Administrator powers: investigations, subpoenas, ordersDenial, suspension and revocationCease and desist ordersCivil liability and rescissionCriminal penalties (imposed by courts)SIPC scopeStatute of limitations and jurisdiction

52 practice questions in this domain so far

What you get when you access this exam

Free with your QuizMe account.

Questions built on the official outline

Every question is tagged to one of the 8 Series 63 sections and its topics — written as client and trade scenarios, not trivia.

Hints that teach the rule

Reveal the principle behind the question — the rule, the calculation, the exception. Every answer comes with the full rationale.

Adaptive practice

Questions steer toward your weakest areas, weighted like the real exam, and get harder as you get stronger.

Timed practice exams

Outline-weighted exams at the real pace — 60 scored questions in about 69 minutes — with a pacing indicator and full review.

Flashcards, case simulations and guides

120 flashcards, 8 unfolding agent cases where every decision shows its consequence, and interactive illustrated guides you explore hotspot by hotspot.

Progress in every section

Each section moves from Not started to Exam ready, so you know exactly what to study next.

Test at home or at a center

NASAA develops the Series 63; FINRA handles enrollment and Prometric delivers it. You can enroll without a firm sponsor, and you have a 120-day window to test once enrolled.

At a Prometric test center

  • NASAA exams have been test-center only since April 1, 2022 — online delivery is available only as an approved medical accommodation.
  • Schedule with Prometric once your 120-day enrollment window is open.
  • Arrive about 30 minutes early with current government-issued photo ID that matches your enrollment exactly.
  • Phones, bags, watches and notes go in a locker; scratch material is provided.

Exam-day game plan

How to walk in ready — and how to pace 60 scored multiple-choice questions at the real pace.

Pacing checkpoints

The real Series 63 gives you 75 minutes for 65 questions, including 5 unscored pretest items. Our simulation drops the pretest items and keeps the real pace: 60 questions in about 69 minutes.

15questions0:17
30questions0:34
45questions0:52
60questions1:09

The week before

  • Take one full-length timed practice exam 3–5 days out, then rest.
  • Spend your last sessions on Ethical Practices and Communications — together they're 45% of the exam.
  • Make a one-page sheet of who's a broker-dealer, agent, adviser or IAR — and the exclusions for each.
  • Confirm your Prometric appointment, ID and route.

During the exam

  • Read the whole question and find the cue: best, first, most likely, except, not.
  • Ask who the person is and who regulates them before you pick an answer.
  • Remember what the Administrator can and can't do — criminal penalties come from the courts.
  • Pick your best answer, flag it and move on; revisit flags at the end.
  • Answer every question — there's no penalty for guessing.

Keep your head

  • A few nerves sharpen focus. If you freeze, take three slow breaths and reread the question.
  • You're measured against a fixed standard — 43 of 60 passes — not other test-takers.
  • Change an answer only when you find a real reason in the question.

After you pass

  • Your pass qualifies you for 2 years — register as an agent within that window or you'll need to retest.
  • Once registered, keep up FINRA's annual Regulatory Element continuing education and your firm's program.
  • Next step: if you'll also give investment advice for a fee, add the Series 65 — or take the Series 66 instead of the 63.

Official sources and further reading

Ready to start?

450 questions and scenarios across the blueprint — and growing.

Enroll free

NASAA® is a registered trademark of the North American Securities Administrators Association, Inc.; FINRA® is a registered trademark of Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. QuizMe and thinQtank Learning are not affiliated with or endorsed by NASAA, FINRA or Prometric. Details are summarized from NASAA's Series 63 Exam Study Guide (test specifications effective June 12, 2023) and the NASAA Exams FAQ; fees and policies change — always confirm at nasaa.org. Our Exam ready level asks for 80% or better.