On June 29, 2026, FINRA filed a rule change s i effective immediately upon filing to update Rule 1210, which governs registration requirements for securities industry candidates. The key change would significantly reduce the waiting periods for candidates who fail a FINRA qualification exam. While the rule change itself is now in effect, FINRA has not yet announced an implementation date for the new waiting periods and will do so via a future regulatory notice.
| Attempt | Current Wait | Proposed Wait |
| 1st failed attempt | 30 days | 15 days |
| 2nd failed attempt | 30 days | 15 days |
| 3rd+ failed attempt | 180 days | 60 days |
What Exams Does This Cover?
This change applies only to FINRA qualification exams. That includes the SIE, Series 7, and Series 24, as well as the Series 4, 6, 9, 10, 14, 16, 26, 27, 56, 79, 86, 87, and 99.
Exams administered by the NFA, MSRB, and NASAA are not impacted at this time. Candidates retaking exams like the Series 63, 65, 66, or the Series 3, 50–54 series should continue to plan around the existing 30-, 30-, and 180-day wait periods for now. That said, those organizations may choose to align their policies with FINRA’s proposal in the future.
What Happens Next
Once the implementation date is announced. STC will send a follow-up notice and host a public webinar to walk through the changes, their impact, and what candidates and firms should expect going forward.
STC will be conducting an informational webinar once FINRA releases the implementation date.
Stay tuned for updates as this proposal moves through the regulatory process.
