Series 27 – Financial and Operations Principal Exam
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 27 exam — the Financial and Operations Principal Qualification Exam (FN) — assesses the competency of an entry-level principal to perform their job as a financial and operations principal.
The exam measures the degree to which each candidate possesses the knowledge needed to perform the critical functions of a financial and operations principal, including the financial responsibilities, rules and recordkeeping requirements of broker-dealers.
For more information about the Series 27 exam, refer to FINRA Rule 1210 and FINRA Rule 1220(a)(4).
Content Outline
The Series 27 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 the five major job functions of a financial and operations principal. The table below lists the allocation of exam items for each major job function:
| Major Job Functions | Number of Exam Items |
|---|---|
| (F1) Financial Reporting | 25 |
| (F2) Operations, General Securities Industry Regulations, and Preservation of Books and Records | 42 |
| (F3) Customer Protection | 24 |
| (F4) Net Capital | 41 |
| (F5) Funding and Cash Management | 13 |
| TOTAL | 145 |
Download Series 27 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 27 does not have a corequisite exam.
For more information on the registration process, see Register a New Candidate.
Permitted Activities
Covered supervisory activities include the following:
- back office operations;
- preparation and maintenance of a member firm’s books and records; and
- compliance with financial responsibility rules that apply to self-clearing broker-dealers and market makers.
Key Questions
1. What is the difference between the Series 27 and Series 28?
The Financial and Operations Principal Exam (Series 27) and the Introducing Broker-Dealer Financial and Operations Principal Exam (Series 28) are required by FINRA for the individual who prepares and maintains the books and records of the member as required under securities industry rules and regulations.
Broker-dealers that have a minimum net capital requirement of $250,000 and municipal securities brokers that have a minimum net capital requirement of $150,000 under SEC Rule 15c3-1 must pass the Series 27 exam.
All other broker-dealers are permitted to take the Series 28 exam, which is an abbreviated version of the Series 27.
[FINRA Registration Rules 1220(a)(4)]