Quick answer
FINRA Rule 3220's gift limit rose from $100 to $300 per person per year, effective March 30, 2026. But the amended rule makes clear it does not apply to gifts to individual retail customers. It governs gifts to employees of other businesses, such as institutional clients, vendors and counterparties. For retail clients, your firm's own policy is what sets the limit.
A lot of what you'll read about advisor client gifts still quotes the old $100 limit, and much of what quotes the new $300 limit skips the most important detail: who the rule actually covers. Getting that right changes how you plan your year-end client gifts.
What Changed in 2026
The SEC approved FINRA's amendments to Rule 3220, the Gifts Rule.
The amended rule took effect: the limit went from $100, where it had been since 1992, to $300 per person per year.
The MSRB moved its own gift rule (G-20) to $300 as well, with compliance dates that vary by type of firm through December 1, 2026.
Who the Rule Covers, and Who It Doesn't
Rule 3220 exists to stop firms from influencing someone else's employees. The amendments spell out that it does not reach gifts to individual retail customers, or gifts from a firm to its own people.
Covered by the $300 limit
- Employees of institutional clients
- Vendors and service providers
- Counterparties and their staff
All gifts from your firm and its associated persons to the same recipient are added together for the year.
Not covered by Rule 3220
- Individual retail clients
- Your own firm's employees
Your firm's gift policy still applies, and many firms set their own caps for retail client gifts.
Registered investment advisers: the SEC doesn't set a fixed dollar gift limit. RIAs typically follow their own code of ethics, and many firms mirror FINRA's number or set something stricter.
Exceptions Worth Knowing
The amendments also codified guidance that had been scattered across notices. Among the gifts that sit outside the limit:
- Personal gifts for infrequent life events, such as a wedding or the birth of a child, when they are customary, reasonable, personal, and not tied to the recipient's employer's business.
- Bereavement gifts.
- De minimis, promotional or commemorative items.
- Donations connected to federally declared major disasters.
Whether a specific gift qualifies for an exception is exactly the kind of question to send to compliance before you order.
Client Gifts That Fit Comfortably
Advisors tend to keep client gifts modest even where the rules allow more. A personalized leather piece reads as thoughtful rather than extravagant, and it stays on the client's desk or in their pocket long after the holiday tin is gone.
The best client gift clears compliance easily and still feels like it was chosen for one person.
A Compliance-Friendly Ordering Checklist
Split your list into retail clients and institutional contacts. They are governed differently.
Check year-to-date gifts per institutional recipient, since everything your firm gave them counts toward the same $300.
Get compliance sign-off on the gift and the per-person value before ordering.
Keep the invoice with the recipient, date and value. It's useful for your firm's records and for the separate $25 business gift tax rule.
For more gift ideas at this price range, see 5 client appreciation gifts under $100, and for year-end timing, our corporate holiday gifting timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the FINRA gift limit in 2026?
$300 per person per year under amended FINRA Rule 3220, effective March 30, 2026. It was $100 before that.
Does the $300 limit apply to my retail clients?
The amended rule clarifies that it does not apply to gifts to individual retail customers. Your firm's internal policy still does, so check it before ordering.
Can several people at my firm each give the same person $300?
No. Gifts from the firm and each of its associated persons to the same recipient are aggregated over the year against one $300 limit.
Are gift cards a good idea?
Many firms restrict cash and cash equivalents regardless of value. A physical, personalized gift is usually the simpler path through compliance.
Sources: SEC approval of amendments to FINRA Rule 3220 (February 2026); FINRA effective date of March 30, 2026; MSRB amendments to Rule G-20. General information only, not legal or compliance advice.
Client gifts that clear compliance and stay on the desk
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