Checked 15 October 2026 against FINRA's SIE exam page. Fees can change, so confirm on that page before you pay.
The short answer
FINRA lists the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) exam fee at $100. You pay it when you enroll, using a credit card or ACH, or by redeeming a voucher. Some older guides quote a lower fee, so go by the FINRA page.
What the fee does and does not cover
The $100 is the exam fee. It does not include study material. FINRA's page lists one fee and does not describe a separate price for a retake, so check the amount at enrollment if you ever need to sit the exam again.
You do not need a sponsoring firm to take the SIE. FINRA says association with a firm is not required, which is why many people enroll on their own before they have a job offer. If a firm is already involved, ask whether it pays the fee.
How to register
You create an account with FINRA, enroll and pay, then book a time at a Prometric test center or choose online testing. The scheduling window opens the day after you enroll, and you then have a 120-day window to sit the exam. The full steps are in our guide to how to schedule the SIE exam.
What prep costs on top of the fee
Prep ranges widely. Some courses cost more than the exam fee several times over, and some include videos, live classes or a refund promise. CertQuestUSA is a lower-cost question bank: one full SIE practice paper is free, and a pass for the whole bank is $14.99 for 30 days. It has no video lessons and no pass guarantee. We put the options side by side, with sources and dates, in best SIE exam prep compared.
See all the exams, fees and passing scores in one place on the securities exams page.