Series 14 – Compliance Officer Exam | FINRA.org

Effective January 19, 2027, the waiting periods for retaking FINRA qualification exams will be reduced as follows:

  • 15 days (from 30 days) after the first and second unsuccessful attempts, and
  • 60 days (from 180 days) after the third 

The new waiting periods will automatically apply to new enrollments and any open enrollments without an appointment. Candidates who have a scheduled exam retake appointment after January 19, 2027, should review whether cancelling and rescheduling for an earlier date is beneficial as rescheduling fees may apply.

January 19, 2027, is the first date FINRA is able to reduce a candidate’s waiting period and requests prior to this date will not be processed.

For additional information, visit FINRA Regulatory Notice 26-18 and the FINRA Qualification Exam FAQ.

For information about NASAA exams, visit https://www.nasaa.org/exams/exam-faqs/.

For questions related to this communication, contact [email protected] for assistance.

Series 14 – Compliance Officer Exam

The Series 14 exam — the Compliance Officer Qualification Exam (CR) — assesses the competency of an entry-level principal to perform their job as a compliance officer.

The exam measures the degree to which each candidate possesses the knowledge needed to perform the critical functions of a compliance officer, including expertise in compliance processes and reporting requirements.

For more information about the Series 14 exam, refer to FINRA Rule 1210 and FINRA Rule 1220(a)(3).

Enroll for an exam
1. Enroll for an Exam
Schedule an exam
2. Schedule an Exam
On the day of your exam
3. On the Day of Your Exam

Content Outline

The Series 14 Content Outline provides a comprehensive guide to the range of compliance, regulatory and supervision topics covered on the exam, as well as the depth of knowledge required. The outline is comprised of the nine major job functions and knowledge areas of a compliance officer the table below lists the allocation of exam items for each major job function:

Major Job FunctionsNumber of Exam Items
(F1) Regulatory Agencies3
(F2) Markets and Operations20
(F3) Broker-Dealer Operations10
(F4) Credit Regulation/Capital Requirements7
(F5) General Supervision20
(F6) Investment Banking15
(F7) Registration9
(F8) Sales Practice – Customer/Employee Accounts16
(F9) Sales Practice – Solicitations10
TOTAL110

Download the Series 14 Content Outline

Eligibility

Candidates must be associated with and sponsored by a FINRA member firm or other applicable self-regulatory organization (SRO) member firm to be eligible to take FINRA principal-level qualification exams. For more information on registration requirements, refer to FINRA Rule 1210.

The Series 14 does not have a corequisite exam.

For more information on the registration process, see Register a New Candidate.

Permitted Activities

Covered supervisory activities include regulatory compliance over day-to-day activities of the firm.