Selling stock on E*TRADE takes four steps: find the position in your account, click the sell button, enter how many shares you want to sell, and confirm the order

The actual mechanics are straightforward once you know where to look. You log into your E*TRADE account, locate the stock you own in your portfolio, and use the sell function to place an order at the current market price or a price you set yourself. The order goes through during market hours (9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern time on weekdays), and the cash from the sale lands in your account within two business days.

The harder part is deciding when to sell and understanding what happens to your money after the sale completes. This guide walks you through both.

Key Takeaways

  • You sell stock through the Positions tab in your E*TRADE account by selecting the stock, clicking Sell, and entering the number of shares.
  • Market orders sell immediately at the current price; limit orders let you set a minimum price but may not fill if the stock doesn't reach that price.
  • The sale settles in two business days, meaning the cash becomes available to withdraw or reinvest after that period.
  • E*TRADE charges no commission on stock sales, but you may owe capital gains tax on any profit from the sale.
  • Selling during market hours (9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern, weekdays) ensures your order executes the same day; after-hours orders wait until the next market open.

Finding your stock position and starting the sell order

Log into your E*TRADE account and click the Positions tab, usually visible in the main navigation. This shows every stock you currently own, listed by symbol, number of shares, and current value. Find the stock you want to sell and click on it or look for a menu icon (often three dots) next to the position.

Click Sell from the options that appear. E*TRADE will open an order form showing the stock symbol, the current bid price (the price buyers are offering right now), and a field for you to enter how many shares to sell. You can sell all your shares or just some of them. If you own 100 shares and enter 30, you will still own 70 after the sale.

Choosing between a market order and a limit order

E*TRADE gives you two main ways to sell: a market order or a limit order. A market order sells your shares immediately at whatever price the market is offering right now. This almost always fills the same day during market hours, but you do not control the exact price — it could be a few cents higher or lower than what you saw when you clicked Sell.

A limit order lets you set a minimum price. You tell E*TRADE, "Sell my shares, but only if the price reaches $50 or higher." If the stock never hits that price, your order never fills, and you still own the shares. Limit orders can sit for days or weeks waiting for the right price. They are useful if you want to avoid selling at a temporary dip, but they carry the risk that the price moves away from your target and your shares never sell.

For most people selling a position they have decided to exit, a market order is simpler and more reliable. For people trying to sell at a specific price point, a limit order makes sense even if it takes longer.

Confirming the order and understanding the timeline

After you choose your order type and enter the number of shares, E*TRADE shows you a confirmation screen with the stock symbol, number of shares, order type, and estimated proceeds (the money you will receive, minus any fees). Review this carefully — this is your last chance to catch a mistake before the order goes through.

Click Submit or Confirm to place the order. If you are selling during market hours (9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern, Monday through Friday), a market order will fill within seconds or minutes. If you place an order after 4 p.m. or on a weekend, it waits until the market opens the next trading day.

Once the order fills, the sale is complete, but your cash is not yet available to withdraw. Stock sales settle in two business days, meaning the money clears on the second business day after the sale. If you sell on a Tuesday, the cash settles on Thursday. If you sell on a Friday, it settles on Tuesday (skipping the weekend). During those two days, the cash sits in your account but is not withdrawable — you can use it to buy other stocks, but you cannot transfer it to your bank.

What happens to your cash after the sale settles

Once the sale settles, the cash lands in your E*TRADE cash account (usually called your money market fund or settlement fund). From there, you can reinvest it in other stocks, move it to a different investment, or transfer it to your linked bank account. Transfers to your bank typically take one to three business days depending on your bank.

E*TRADE does not charge a commission on stock sales, so the full proceeds go into your account. However, if you sold the stock for more than you paid for it, you will owe capital gains tax on the profit. E*TRADE will send you a 1099 form at tax time showing your sales and proceeds, but calculating what you actually owe is your responsibility (or your tax preparer's). Short-term capital gains (stocks held less than one year) are taxed as ordinary income; long-term gains (held one year or more) usually have a lower tax rate.

Selling partial positions and tracking your cost basis

If you own multiple lots of the same stock — meaning you bought shares at different times and different prices — E*TRADE lets you choose which lot to sell. This matters for taxes because selling your highest-cost shares first (the ones you paid the most for) minimizes your taxable gain.

When you place a sell order for a stock you own in multiple lots, E*TRADE usually defaults to selling the oldest shares first (called FIFO, or first-in-first-out). You can change this by selecting a specific lot before you confirm the order. Look for an option like Select Lot or Specify Lot on the order form. If you do not see it, contact E*TRADE support — some account types or stocks may require a phone call to specify which lot you want to sell.

Selling stock in a retirement account versus a taxable account

The steps above work the same whether you are selling in a regular taxable brokerage account or a retirement account like an IRA or 401(k). The main difference is tax timing. In a taxable account, you owe capital gains tax on the profit in the year you sell. In a traditional IRA or 401(k), you do not owe tax when you sell — you owe tax later when you withdraw the money from the account. In a Roth IRA, you do not owe tax on the sale or the withdrawal (as long as you follow the withdrawal rules).

The selling process itself is identical across all account types. The account type just determines when and how you pay taxes on the gain.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I sell stock after market hours on E*TRADE?

Yes, you can place an order after 4 p.m. Eastern or on weekends, but it will not fill until the market opens the next trading day. If you place a market order after hours, E*TRADE will execute it at the opening price (or as close to it as possible) when trading resumes. Limit orders placed after hours will wait for your price target during the next market session.

What if I sell a stock and then want to buy it back immediately?

You can buy it back right away — there is no waiting period. However, if you are in a margin account and you sell a stock and buy it back within two business days, you may trigger a "good faith violation" if you do not have enough cash to cover the sale. Check your account type and cash balance before doing rapid buy-sell cycles.

How do I know if my sell order actually went through?

Log into your E*TRADE account and click the Orders or Activity tab. You will see a history of all your recent orders, including whether they filled, the price they filled at, and the date and time. You can also check your Positions tab — if the stock is no longer listed or the share count has decreased, the sale went through.

Do I have to sell all my shares at once?

No. You can sell any number of shares from 1 to your total position. If you own 500 shares, you can sell 100 and keep 400. Each sale is a separate order and settles independently.

What if the stock price drops between when I place my order and when it fills?

With a market order, you accept whatever price the market offers when your order executes. If the price drops, you will receive less money than you expected. This is why some people use limit orders — to may provide a minimum price. The trade-off is that your order might not fill if the price never reaches your limit.