- 1). Apply at a New York financial services firm. Most firms have training programs for brokers applicants, and you must be sponsored by a firm in order to take the licensing tests. The more financial education and experience in your background, the more likely you are to be hired. During your training period, you will study the information that will appear on the exams and learn about the real-world practices of the firm that hires you.
- 2). Pass the general securities licensing exam. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority offers a series of licensing exams for different areas of the securities industry. The one you must pass to become a broker is the Series 7. The exam is a multi-hour test of various aspects of the securities industry, and it is multiple-choice only.
- 3). Take the Series 63 or 66 exam. The Series 63 exam focuses on states securities laws, and passing it allows you to become registered as a state securities agent. The Series 66 exam is twice as long as the Series 63 but qualifies you as both a securities agent and an investment adviser representative.
- 4). Register with the state. In order to sell stocks in New York, you must register with the state. Usually, your firm will handle your registration for you. If you intend to have clients in other states, you must register with the state securities administrator in those states as well.
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