A registered representative at Mantei and Associates in South Carolina, Kathy Nishnic helps clients achieve their personal financial goals and assists with estate and tax planning. The winner of the senior vice president of investments Employee of the Year award, Kathy Nishnic holds both a Series 7 and Series 63 license.

The Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, or Series 63 exam, qualifies professionals as securities agents. This qualification enables professionals to sell securities products in their state and ensures they have a solid understanding of ethical practices and regulations in the field. The Series 63 is a required exam for registered representatives in most states in the United States, with the exception of Ohio, Vermont, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Louisiana, New Jersey, and the District of Columbia.

Created by the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA), the Series 63 exam is administered by FINRA and comprises 60 scored, multiple-choice questions. These questions predominantly related to regulations within the securities industry, though they also cover ethical practices, customer communication, business obligations, and administrative provisions. Professionals are given 75 minutes to complete the examination and they must score at least 72 percent on the test before earning the registration.

Before selling securities, agents must also pass the Series 6 or Series 7 examination alongside the Series 63.