Effective October 1, 2018 Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) changed the licensing of those that wish to work in the financial services industry. There is now a required prerequisite for most of the Licensing tests and this is the Securities Industry Essentials Exam

Securities Industry Essentials Exam is a new FINRA exam for prospective securities industry professionals. This introductory-level exam assesses a candidate’s knowledge of basic securities industry information including concepts fundamental to working in the industry, such as types of products and their risks; the structure of the securities industry markets, regulatory agencies and their functions; and prohibited practices.

Unlike the licensing exams such as the Series 4,6, 7, 9, 10… which require te candidate to be employed by a member firm, Securities Industry Essentials Exam is open to anyone over te age of 18 including students and prospective candidates interested in demonstrating basic industry knowledge to potential employers.
Association with a firm is not required, and individuals are permitted to take the exam before or after associating with a firm.
Essentials exam results are valid for four years.