Series 63, 65, 66
Series 65 passing score and pass rate
Type the share of practice questions you get right: the estimate shows the chance of reaching 92 correct over 130, under a simple model whose limits are stated.
What my practice rate means on exam day
Chance of 92 or more out of 130
98%
| Expected score | 101 of 130 |
| Line used | 92 of 130 |
| Model | every question right at the same rate |
A binomial estimate from your own rate, not a forecast: the real questions are worded differently and a weak section can pull the score down.
Many candidates search for the Series 65 pass rate, but there is no official one to quote: NASAA, which writes the exam, and FINRA, which delivers it, publish no current share of candidates who pass. What NASAA does publish is the passing score, and it is unusually clear. To pass, a candidate must get at least 92 right out of the 130 scored questions (NASAA study guide). That is 70.8% of the scored items, and it leaves room for 38 wrong answers. The 10 pretest questions mixed into the exam do not count either way. There is no scaling: NASAA describes the Series 65 as a criterion-based minimum competency exam, and keeps forms comparable by assembling each one from its pool with controls on content and difficulty, rather than by adjusting scores afterwards. So the target is concrete. Your own odds depend on your level, and the calculator above turns a practice rate into a rough probability of reaching 92. Any pass rate you see quoted elsewhere is an estimate, not an official statistic.
Your score · Series 65
0 / 0
0 / 5 answered
Choose an answer to begin
| Pass: 92 of 130 correct, so 4 of 5 here |
| You can still miss 1 |
Practice questions written by Radif Partners from the official outline topics. They are not questions from the real exam. Progress is kept in this browser only (local storage) and never sent.
Questions, formats and fees by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method
The line in numbers
| Share correct | Correct answers | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 66% | 86 of 130 | fail, 6 short |
| 70% | 91 of 130 | fail, 1 short |
| 72% | 94 of 130 | pass, 2 to spare |
| 75% | 98 of 130 | pass, 6 to spare |
| 80% | 104 of 130 | pass, 12 to spare |
| 85% | 111 of 130 | pass, 19 to spare |
The table shows how narrow the band is. Around 71% correct, a swing of a few questions decides the result, which is why a practice average just at the line is not a comfortable place to be.
Why there is no official pass rate
NASAA's guide describes how the exam is built and scored, and what candidates are told: pass or fail at the end, and subject scores after a fail. It says nothing about publishing aggregate results, and neither does the FINRA Series 65 page. Old figures or survey numbers sometimes quoted are not current and not verifiable, so this site does not repeat them. A pass rate would in any case describe other candidates, with other backgrounds and preparation; it cannot tell you much about your own chances.
How NASAA keeps the line fair
A fixed count only works if every form of the exam is about as hard as the others. NASAA's guide explains how that is achieved: each Series 65 is assembled individually by an algorithm from a pool of approved questions, using difficulty and content parameters attached to each item, so that every candidate gets an exam of the same scope and comparable difficulty even though the questions differ. The 10 pretest items are how new questions earn those parameters before they ever count. This is a different route from the equating FINRA uses for its own exams, and it is why NASAA can state the line as a plain number.
What the line means for preparation
A fixed count makes targets easy to set. If you want a cushion of five answers, you need 97 correct out of 130, about 75%. Measure your mocks against that figure rather than against the bare line, and let the subject scores tell you where the extra answers will come from.
Estimating your own chance
The calculator at the top uses your practice rate to compute the probability of at least 92 correct in 130 questions, assuming each question is answered at that same rate. Three cautions:
- Measure the rate on fresh questions: repeated items inflate it.
- Look at the weakest subject, not only the average; law and recommendations together decide 78 questions.
- Expect a small drop on the day, from new wording and fatigue over 180 minutes.
The most direct measure remains the full timed mock, which uses the exact NASAA line on 130 questions.
If you fall short
A failed Series 65 is followed by NASAA's waiting periods: 30 days after a first or second failure, 180 after a third. FINRA's shorter periods announced for January 19, 2027 do not apply to NASAA exams. Each attempt costs the full $187 fee in 2026. Use the subject scores you receive to rebuild the weakest areas with the practice sets; the retake calculator gives your earliest date. For comparison, FINRA's scaled line is explained on the SIE passing score page.