Executive Takeaways
- Passing threshold: 70% (105 correct out of 150 scored questions).
- Exam structure: 160 Multiple Choice Questions (150 scored + 10 unscored pretest). Total 3 hours 45 minutes.
- Governing standards tested: FINRA Rule 3110 (Supervision), FINRA Rule 3120 (Supervisory Control System), FINRA Rule 3130 (Annual Certification of Compliance), Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
- Unscored experimental pretest items are seeded throughout the exam—never let an unfamiliar question derail your clock.
The Series 24 Psychometric Reality Filter
A 3-step mental model for handling high-difficulty FINRA items without losing pacing momentum.
- 1Respect the Blueprint Weights: Anchor your study hours to the highest-weighted domains (S24-F1: Function 1: Supervision of Registration of Broker-Dealer and Personnel Management Activities (6% (9 Qs)) and S24-F2: Function 2: Supervision of General Broker-Dealer Activities (30% (45 Qs))).
- 2Spot Pretest Anomalies: If a prompt tests an obscure edge case outside the published syllabus, treat it as an unscored experimental item, make your best analytical choice, and move on.
- 3Answer Every Single Item: FINRA uses rights-only scoring with zero penalty for incorrect guesses—never leave a question blank.
How FINRA Calculates Your Passing Score
The General Securities Principal Qualification Examination is administered via Prometric under 2026 FINRA Content Outline. To pass, candidates must achieve: 70% (105 correct out of 150 scored questions). Because FINRA equates exam forms statistically to account for slight variations in form difficulty, your goal is consistent mastery across the heavily weighted blueprint domains rather than perfection on obscure trivia.
What Makes This Exam Challenging
Intricate supervisory rules: Written Supervisory Procedures (WSPs), OSJ vs branch office inspection cycles, communication approvals, and net capital computations. High-scoring candidates overcome this by anchoring every concept to FINRA's primary statutory and regulatory authorities (FINRA Rule 3110 (Supervision), FINRA Rule 3120 (Supervisory Control System), FINRA Rule 3130 (Annual Certification of Compliance)) rather than memorizing surface-level definitions.