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ARTICLE · 30 OCTOBER 2026

SEC Publishes New Examination Handbook

The SEC Division of Examinations has released a comprehensive handbook consolidating guidance on the examination process for registrants. This practical resource provides unprecedented transparency into examination procedures, staff expectations, and the critical role that cooperation and corrective action play in potential enforcement referrals. Understanding these formalized practices offers registrants strategic advantages in examination readiness and engagement with SEC staff.

United StatesCorporate/Commercial Law

On October 1, 2026, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Division of Examinations (EXAMS or the Division) released The SEC Exam Handbook: A Practical Guide on Process and Engagement (the Handbook), which consolidates the Division’s guidance on the examination process. The Handbook updates the Division’s 2023 examination brochure and combines the Division’s examination procedures and expectations into a single resource. As the SEC notes, the Handbook is intended as an informational resource and does not create any rights or obligations; nevertheless, it provides registrants with a useful roadmap of the examination process.

No New Rules But, Greater Transparency into Examinations

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