Series 23 – General Securities Principal Exam – Sales Supervisor Module
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.
The Series 23 exam — the General Securities Principal Qualification Exam – Sales Supervisor Module (GP) — assesses the competency of an entry-level principal to perform their job as a general securities principal The Series 23 exam is an alternative to taking the General Securities Principal Exam (Series 24) and is appropriate for a candidate who is registered as a General Securities Sales Supervisor (SU) and wants to register as a General Securities Principal.
The Series 23 exam measures the degree to which each candidate possesses the knowledge needed to perform the critical functions of a general securities principal, including the rules and statutory provisions applicable to the supervisory management of a general securities broker-dealer.
In addition to the Series 23 exam, candidates must have obtained the General Securities Sales Supervisor registration to hold the General Securities Principal registration.
For more information about the Series 23 exam, refer to FINRA Rule 1210 and FINRA Rule 1220(a)(2).
Content Outline
The Series 23 Content Outline provides a comprehensive guide to the range of subjects covered on the exam, as well as the depth of knowledge required.
The outline is comprised of five major job functions. The table below lists the allocation of exam items for each major job function.
| Major Job Functions | Number of Exam Items | |
|---|---|---|
| Function 1 | Supervision of Registration of the Broker-Dealer and Personnel Management Activities | 6 |
| Function 2 | Supervision of General Broker-Dealer Activities | 26 |
| Function 3 | Supervision of Retail and Institutional Customer-Related Activities | 12 |
| Function 4 | Supervision of Trading and Market Making Activities | 28 |
| Function 5 | Supervision of Investment Banking and Research | 28 |
| TOTAL | 100 | |
Download Series 23 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 eligibility requirements, refer to FINRA Rule 1210.
The Series 23 has corequisite exam requirements. Candidates must pass the SIE, Series 7 and Series 9 and 10 exams to hold the General Securities Sales Supervisor registration.
For more information on the registration process, see Register a New Candidate.
Permitted Activities
A general securities principal’s supervisory responsibilities are governed by the limitations of their representative-level registrations. Covered supervisory activities include regulatory compliance over:
- advertising,
- market making,
- trading and
- underwriting.