This free SIE cheat sheet distills FINRA's Securities Industry Essentials exam into a single, printable page of the facts that show up most often. Download it above, then reinforce the concepts with the rest of your free SIE toolkit — the practice test, study guide, and flashcards. It's a review aid, not a substitute for working questions, so use it to cram the last 48 hours.
SIE exam at a glance
- Questions: 75 scored + 10 unscored pretest = 85 total
- Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Passing score: 70%
- Cost: $80 — no sponsor required (anyone 18+ can sit it)
What’s on the cheat sheet
- Knowledge of Capital Markets (16%) — regulators & SROs, primary vs. secondary market, the 1933 & 1934 Acts, economic factors.
- Understanding Products & Their Risks (44%) — equity, debt, packaged products, options, and the risks of each — the biggest section.
- Trading, Customer Accounts & Prohibited Activities (31%) — order types, account types, settlement, and prohibited practices.
- Overview of the Regulatory Framework (9%) — SRO registration, reportable events, and books & records.
The cheat sheet is your review layer — your SIE practice test drives the exam-readiness ring at the top of this page. Download it, review, then take a full practice exam (or drill with the study guide and flashcards) to see where you stand.
- 1.FINRA. “Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) Exam.” FINRA.org, 2026. ↑
- 2.FINRA. “SIE Content Outline.” FINRA.org, 2026. ↑
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