The Series 7 licenses an individual to solicit, purchase and sell most securities products: equities, bonds, options, mutual funds, variable products and packaged offerings. Candidates must be sponsored by a member firm and must also pass the Securities Industry Essentials exam, which covers general industry knowledge.
It is a competence and conduct gate, not a trading credential. Nothing about it certifies skill at making money, and holding one does not permit giving advisory services for a fee, which needs a series-65 or series-66 route.
Pair it with a state registration, usually the series-63, before dealing with customers. Firm-level roles such as branch principal require further principal exams.
Related: series-63, series-65, series-66, registered-representative, form-u4