Key Takeaways

• Margin accounts are flagged as PDT when performing more than 3 day trades in a rolling 5-business day period across all related margin accounts. Find more information on related margin accounts here. 
• Day trade count is cumulative across all related margin accounts.
• Traders are allowed one PDT reset per primary account for the life of the account.
• Margin accounts that are flagged as PDT and drop below $25,000 at the end of a trading day will receive an Equity Maintenance (EM) call the next trading day.
• The primary margin account must end the day at $25,000 or above to meet an EM Call
• PDT Rules do not apply to futures trading.
• Margin accounts that are eligible to maintain a PDT status can receive an EM call from a futures position held overnight if it causes your securities account balance to fall under $25,000.
• PDT reset requests must be submitted by 3:00 pm Central (Chicago Time).

What is an Equity Maintenance (EM) Call?

Issued when an account does not have enough money to maintain a PDT status

Multiple Margin Accounts Day Trade Counting

Please note that any cash held up in open futures or crypto positions will not count towards an account's aggreagte account equity. To closely estimate your aggregate account equity, sum all related margin account's net liquidating value. Then subtract that aggregate net liquidating value by any cash held up in crypto and futures positions to get your estimated account equity balanace. 

How to Meet an EM Call

Make a Deposit or Submit a Reset (if eligible)

A primary margin account equity balance must close above $25,000 or higher to meet an EM call. Any fluctuations above $25,000 intraday will not meet the call. However, if you cannot meet the call by depositing funds, then you may request a reset to remove a PDT status. Submitting a PDT reset 

How do I submit a PDT Reset?

To submit a PDT reset, log in to your account at my.tastytrade.com. After signing in, navigate to MANAGE > My Accounts > Risk Monitoring. Once inside the Risk Monitoring section, select the account you wish to reset by clicking under Current Account if you have multiple accounts. Scroll down to the Reset Pattern Day Trader (PDT) Status section. If your margin account is eligible for a reset then click the green RESET PDT STATUS button.

Please keep in mind that any day trades made on the same day that a PDT status reset request is processed will not be removed via the reset and could result in immediate re-classification as a pattern day trader. PDT resets submitted before 3:15 PM CT will be processed overnight. PDT reset requests submitted after 3:15 PM CT will be processed the following night.

Account is not eligible for a PDT reset

Account is not classified as a Pattern Day Trader

Lastly, if your margin account is not classified as a pattern day trader, then you will see NOT CLASSIFIED PDT because there is nothing to reset. 

Holding Futures or Cryptocurrencies Overnight

Accounts above $25,000 can receive an EM call when holding Futures or Digital Currencies overnight

Accounts eligible to maintain a PDT status are subject to an EM call when a futures position or cryptocurrency is held overnight, which can cause your securities account to fall below $25,000. Futures held overnight will result in the overnight requirement sweeping from your securities account (stock and options) to your futures account. When trading and holding digital currency positions over multiple days, the purchase value of the digital currency position purchase will sweep from your securities account to your cryptocurrency account. To learn more about the separation of your securities account from your futures or cryptocurrency account, then please click here.