You must be sponsored by a financial company who is a part of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority or the Self-Regulatory Organization.
You must be fingerprinted. Most law enforcement agencies will fingerprint during specified hours. As of 2010, this will cost $35.25 for a first submission, and if the card is deemed ineligible by the FBI, $13.00 for the second submission.
You must submit to and pass a backround check. This is the process of looking up your criminal and financial history. Your sponsor will help you with this.
The Series 6 exam is administered by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), and passing this exam is required for licensure. The test consists of 200 multiple-choice questions and an essay, and a score of 70 percent or higher serves as a "Pass."
Besides the fingerprinting fee, there are other fees; as of 2010, the fee for the test is $75. There are other variable fees as well, so check "FINRA - Registration/Exam Fee Schedule" below in the Resources section.