390 Professional Orders Rule

The 390 Professional Orders Rule is a regulatory guideline established by the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) to classify high-frequency options traders as professional Trader.

Customers are classified as professional Traders if they place an average of 390 option orders per trading day in a calendar month.

 

How Orders Are Counted Under the 390 Rule

Every submitted options order—whether filled, rejected, or canceled—counts toward the 390-order threshold, including:

1.Single-Leg Orders

Each individual buy or sell order is counted separately.

 

2.Complex Orders

  • 8 legs or fewer → Counts as 1 order

  • 9 legs or more → Each leg counts as a separate order

 

3.Cancel and Replace Orders

  • Each modification counts as a new order

  • Exceptions apply when replacing "child" orders within a parent-child structure

4. Pegged Orders

  • Orders that adjust based on Best Bid Offer (BBO) or National Best Bid and Offer (NBBO) count as a new order each time they update.

 

The above content is only a summary of the 390 Professional Orders Rule. For more detailed information, refer to the CBOE Regulatory Notice