Series 22 exam-day guide
Series 22 · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring an unexpired, primary form of identification with a photo and signature (driver's license, passport, or state ID). The name on the ID must match your registration record exactly - confirm the primary/secondary ID requirements with the test provider before test day, since accepted document lists differ by vendor. Flag for review: verify the specific ID list with your provider.
Appointment confirmation
Print or screenshot your scheduling confirmation with the appointment number, test center address, and start time. You will likely need this to check in if there is any discrepancy in the system.
Confirm your registration window
Exam enrollments are typically valid only for a limited window (commonly about 120 days) from the date the enrollment is processed. Verify your window has not lapsed - an expired enrollment means you cannot sit and may forfeit the fee. Confirm the exact window with your firm's registration contact or the provider.
Verify you meet the prerequisites
The Direct Participation Programs representative exam is typically taken in conjunction with, or after, a general securities or investment company products/variable contracts representative qualification, and the SIE is a prerequisite for all representative-level exams. Confirm with your compliance department that your registration sequence is correct before you sit.
Test center logistics
Reconfirm the address, parking situation, and transit time 24 hours ahead. Test centers are often in office parks with limited signage; plan to arrive roughly 30 minutes early to allow for check-in and security screening.
Leave prohibited items behind
Do not bring notes, textbooks, study cards, smart watches, fitness trackers, phones, or earbuds into the testing room. Personal calculators are generally not permitted - an on-screen calculator is typically provided if the exam requires one.
Accommodations request, if needed
If you require testing accommodations, they must be requested and approved in advance - do not expect to arrange them on test day. Confirm the request deadline and documentation requirements with the provider.
Medication and small necessities
Bring only what you need for health reasons (e.g., medication, eyeglasses, tissues) and be prepared to declare them at check-in. Rules on what may be brought to the desk vary by center - confirm with the provider.
A plan for scratch work
The center typically supplies an erasable writing surface or scratch paper and a marker/pen, which must be returned at the end of the session. Mental math for partnership cash-flow and depreciation questions is faster if you practice without paper during your final review.
Check the format and passing standard one last time
Confirm the current question count, time limit, and passing score on the provider's content outline, since these are periodically updated. Do not rely on secondhand numbers from a prep course.
Plan the day
Stop learning new material. Rework your error log only: partnership taxation basics (basis, passive losses, at-risk rules), DPP suitability (income vs. growth objectives, illiquidity, long holding periods), subscription and rescission mechanics, and the distinctions among limited partner, general partner, and sponsor roles. Do two timed sets of roughly 50 questions each under exam pacing.
Confirm your appointment one final time - date, time, test center address, and the name exactly as registered. If any element is wrong, call the provider immediately; name mismatches are a common cause of being turned away.
Do a short, light review of your one-page summary sheet and formulas, then stop. Pack your ID and confirmation in the same place. Lay out your route, set two alarms, and get a full night's sleep. Do not attempt a fresh full-length practice exam the night before.
Eat a normal meal and arrive about 30 minutes early. At check-in you will present ID, sign in, store personal belongings in a locker, and receive your writing materials and instructions. Read the candidate agreement screens carefully before the clock starts.
Note the total question count and remaining time, then budget roughly one minute per question with a buffer. Answer every question - there is generally no penalty for guessing, so never leave a blank.
Do two passes. On pass one, answer what you know and flag anything requiring calculation or extended reasoning. On pass two, return to flagged items. Watch for qualifier words (EXCEPT, NOT, BEST) and for answer choices that are true statements but do not respond to the question asked.
Stop re-deriving answers. Confirm no unanswered questions remain, confirm your review queue is cleared, and submit. Your preliminary result is typically displayed or printed at the center; official reporting follows through your firm.
Rules to check
Bring valid, unexpired government-issued photo identification with a signature. If the name on your ID does not match your registration record, you may be refused admission and your fee may not be refunded - confirm the ID and name-change procedures with the provider.
Personal belongings are not permitted at the workstation. Phones, watches, notes, and study materials must be stored as directed; possession of unauthorized materials during the session can result in your exam being voided and a conduct referral.
Scheduled breaks are not typically built into this exam. If you take an unscheduled break, the clock generally keeps running and you will be subject to re-entry screening - confirm the break policy with the provider before test day.
Scoring is based on the number of scored questions answered correctly; there is generally no penalty for incorrect answers, so answer every question. The reported result is typically a scaled score against a passing standard set by the administrator - do not assume the raw percentage you calculated equals your reported score.
Results: a preliminary pass/fail is usually provided at the test center, with official results transmitted to your firm through the Central Registration Depository. Do not treat the preliminary result as final.
Retake limits: candidates who fail are generally subject to a waiting period before retaking (commonly about 30 days, lengthening after repeated failures). Confirm the exact waiting period with the provider or your compliance department.
Report any irregularity - equipment failure, distraction, or a testing-environment problem - to the proctor immediately and note it on any comment form provided. Issues raised after you leave the center are much harder to remedy.
Testing accommodations must be approved in advance through the provider's accommodation process with supporting documentation; they cannot be arranged on the day of the exam.