Selling stock on E*TRADE means placing a sell order through your account, choosing how many shares to sell, and picking the price type you want

When you sell stock on E*TRADE, you are instructing the platform to find a buyer for your shares at a price you set or accept. The process takes minutes once you log in, but the actual sale — the moment a buyer matches your price — can happen when ready or take days depending on market conditions and the stock itself. E*TRADE handles the transaction and deposits the cash into your account, usually within two business days.

The steps are the same whether you are selling one share or one thousand, and whether the stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange or a smaller market. What changes is the order type you choose, which determines whether you accept whatever price the market offers right now or wait for a specific price you name.

Key Takeaways

  • You sell stock by navigating to your position, entering the number of shares, choosing an order type, and reviewing the details before confirming.
  • A market order sells when ready at the current market price, while a limit order waits for your chosen price and may not fill if the stock never reaches it.
  • E*TRADE shows you the bid price (what buyers are offering now) and the ask price (what sellers are asking) before you place the order.
  • Cash from a sale lands in your account within two business days, but you can use it to buy other stocks when ready.
  • Selling during market hours (9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday) gives you the tightest spreads and fastest fills.

Finding the stock you want to sell in your E*TRADE account

Log into your E*TRADE account and go to the Positions tab, which shows every stock you own. The list displays the stock symbol, the number of shares you hold, what you paid for them, and their current value. Click on the stock you want to sell — this opens a detail page showing the bid and ask prices right now, the day's trading range, and recent news about the company.

If you own the stock in multiple accounts (a brokerage account and an IRA, for example), E*TRADE shows each account separately. Make sure you are looking at the right account before you proceed, because selling from an IRA has tax consequences different from selling in a regular brokerage account.

Choosing between a market order and a limit order

A market order sells your shares at whatever price the market is offering right now. If the bid price is $47.50, your order fills at $47.50 (or very close to it). Market orders almost always fill completely and when ready during trading hours, which makes them the fastest choice. The trade-off is that you do not control the exact price — if the stock is moving fast, the price you get might be a few cents lower than what you saw on screen.

A limit order tells E*TRADE to sell only if the price reaches the number you set. If you own a stock trading at $47.50 and you set a limit order to sell at $50, your shares will not sell unless a buyer offers $50 or more. Limit orders give you price control but carry the risk that the stock never reaches your price and your order never fills. You can leave a limit order open for a day, a week, or longer, depending on what you choose.

For most people selling a stock they have owned for a while, a market order is simpler. Use a limit order if you are watching the stock closely and have a specific price in mind, or if you are selling a stock that does not trade often and you want to avoid a bad price.

Entering the number of shares and reviewing the order

Click the Sell button next to the stock. E*TRADE opens a form where you enter how many shares you want to sell. If you own 100 shares and want to sell all of them, type 100. If you want to sell only 30 shares and keep 70, type 30. E*TRADE will not let you enter a number larger than what you own.

Below the share count, you choose your order type. Select Market Order if you want to sell at today's price, or Limit Order if you want to name your price. If you pick Limit Order, a box appears where you type the price per share. You also see options for how long the order stays active — Day (expires at the end of today's trading), Good-Till-Canceled (stays open until you cancel it or it fills), or Good-Till-Date (you pick an end date).

Before you confirm, E*TRADE shows you an order summary: the number of shares, the order type, the estimated proceeds (what you will receive after commissions), and any fees. Review this carefully. If something looks wrong, click back and fix it. Once you click Confirm, the order goes to the market.

What happens after you place the sell order

If you placed a market order, it fills within seconds during trading hours. E*TRADE sends you a confirmation showing the exact price you received, the number of shares sold, and the total proceeds. The shares disappear from your Positions list when ready, but the cash does not appear in your account right away — it settles (officially becomes yours to use) within two business days.

You can use the cash to buy other stocks before it officially settles, but if you try to withdraw it before the two-day settlement period ends, E*TRADE may flag it as a violation of the settlement rules. To avoid this, wait until the settlement date before moving money out of your account.

If you placed a limit order, E*TRADE keeps it open and watches the market. If the stock reaches your price, the order fills automatically and you receive a confirmation. If the stock never reaches your price, the order expires on the date you set (or stays open indefinitely if you chose Good-Till-Canceled). You can cancel a limit order at any time by going back to your Orders page and clicking Cancel.

Understanding bid-ask spreads and why timing matters

When you look at a stock price, you are usually seeing the last price someone paid. But the real prices right now are the bid (what buyers are offering) and the ask (what sellers are asking). If a stock shows a bid of $47.48 and an ask of $47.52, that gap is the spread. When you place a market sell order, you get the bid price (or close to it), not the ask.

Spreads are tightest during the busiest trading hours — roughly 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern Time — when thousands of people are buying and selling. If you sell before 9:30 a.m. or after 4 p.m., you are trading during extended hours, when fewer people are active and spreads widen. For a stock that trades millions of shares a day, the spread might be just a penny. For a smaller company stock, the spread can be 10 cents or more, which adds up if you are selling hundreds of shares.

Taxes and what to know before you sell

Selling stock triggers a capital gain or loss, which you report on your tax return. If you held the stock for more than one year, the gain is long-term and taxed at a lower rate. If you held it for one year or less, the gain is short-term and taxed as ordinary income. E*TRADE tracks your cost basis (what you paid) and your holding period automatically, and sends you a tax form at the end of the year.

If you are selling stock in a regular brokerage account, you owe tax on the gain in the year you sell. If you are selling in an IRA or 401(k), the sale does not trigger a tax bill right away — the tax comes later when you withdraw money from the retirement account. Make sure you understand which account you are selling from before you place the order.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I sell stock after the market closes?

You can place an order after 4 p.m., but it will not fill until the next trading day opens at 9:30 a.m. E*TRADE lets you place after-hours orders, but the price you get may be very different from what you see on screen, because the stock price can move overnight. For most people, it is safer to wait and sell during regular market hours.

What if I want to sell only part of my position?

Enter the number of shares you want to sell, not the total you own. If you own 500 shares and sell 200, you will have 300 left. E*TRADE does not require you to sell all or nothing — you control exactly how many shares leave your account.

How long does it take to get the money after I sell?

The sale confirms when ready (for a market order) or when your price is hit (for a limit order). The cash settles in your account within two business days, meaning it is officially yours. You can use it to buy other stocks right away, but do not withdraw it before settlement or you may trigger a violation.

What is the difference between selling and short selling?

Selling means you own the shares and you are selling them. Short selling means you borrow shares, sell them, and buy them back later at a lower price. E*TRADE offers short selling, but it is more complex and carries higher risk. The steps described here are for regular selling of shares you own.

Do I pay a commission when I sell on E*TRADE?

E*TRADE does not charge a commission on stock sales for most account types. The order summary shows any fees before you confirm, so you know exactly what you are paying. Some account types or order types may have fees — check the summary before you place the order.