You cannot sell options during after-hours trading on Robinhood

Options trading on Robinhood stops at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, when the regular market closes. After-hours trading (4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET) and pre-market trading (before 9:30 a.m. ET) are not available for options. If you hold an options contract and want to close it, you must do so during regular market hours: 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.

This restriction applies to all options strategies on Robinhood — whether you are selling calls, puts, spreads, or any other contract type. The limitation exists because options markets themselves do not operate outside regular hours. Unlike stocks, which trade in after-hours sessions on some brokers, options have no formal after-hours market infrastructure.

Key Takeaways

  • Options can only be sold during regular market hours (9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET), not during after-hours or pre-market sessions on Robinhood.
  • If you need to close a position before market open, you will have to wait until 9:30 a.m. ET the next trading day.
  • Options expire at 4:00 p.m. ET on their expiration date, and you cannot sell them after that time even if you hold them.
  • Setting a sell order before market close can help you exit a position automatically when the market opens the next day if you cannot trade during regular hours.

Why options have no after-hours market

Options are derivatives — their value depends on an underlying stock price. After-hours stock trading happens on electronic communication networks (ECNs) with limited volume and wider bid-ask spreads. Options market makers do not operate during these windows because the underlying stock prices are too thin and volatile to price options reliably.

The options exchanges (CBOE, NASDAQ OMX, NYSE Arca, and others) simply close at 4:00 p.m. ET. There is no secondary market for options outside these hours. Robinhood cannot offer after-hours options trading because there is nowhere to route the order.

What happens if you hold an option through market close

If you own an options contract and do not sell it before 4:00 p.m. ET, it remains in your account. You can sell it the next trading day during regular hours, provided the contract has not expired. The contract's value will change overnight based on news, but you have no way to exit the position until the market reopens.

If your contract is deep in the money (profitable), Robinhood may automatically exercise it at expiration if you do not close it first. For example, if you own a call option that expires in the money, Robinhood will buy 100 shares of the underlying stock at the strike price. If you own a put option that expires in the money, Robinhood will sell 100 shares. This can happen without your action, so it is important to close or roll options before expiration if you do not want automatic exercise.

Using standing orders to sell when you cannot trade live

If you know you will not be available during market hours, you can place a sell order before the market closes. This order will sit in the queue and execute the next time the market opens, assuming the price reaches your limit. This is not the same as after-hours trading — the order does not execute after hours — but it lets you exit a position without being present when the market opens.

Set your limit price carefully. If you set it too high, the order may never fill and you will still hold the contract. If you set it too low, it will fill immediately when the market opens, possibly at a worse price than you wanted. Many traders use this method to lock in a sale price the night before they know they will be unavailable.

Expiration day and the 4:00 p.m. deadline

Options expire at 4:00 p.m. ET on their expiration date — usually the third Friday of each month for standard monthly contracts. You must close or roll an option before 4:00 p.m. on that day if you want to avoid automatic exercise. After 4:00 p.m. on expiration day, you cannot sell the contract. It is gone, and Robinhood's system will automatically exercise it if it is in the money.

Robinhood sends notifications as expiration approaches, but the responsibility to act is yours. Set a calendar reminder for expiration Fridays if you trade options regularly. Missing the deadline can lock you into a stock position you did not intend to hold.

Comparing Robinhood to other brokers

Most brokers that offer options trading — including TD Ameritrade, E-Trade, Charles Schwab, and Interactive Brokers — have the same restriction: options can only be sold during regular market hours. Some brokers offer extended hours for stock trading, but none offer after-hours options trading because the options exchanges do not operate then.

The only meaningful difference between brokers is how they handle automatic exercise at expiration and whether they allow you to place orders before the market opens. Robinhood does allow pre-market order placement, so you can queue a sell order before 9:30 a.m. if you want to exit at market open.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I sell an option at 4:01 p.m. if I place the order at 3:59 p.m.?

No. Any order placed after 4:00 p.m. ET will not execute until the next trading day during regular hours. If you place an order at 3:59 p.m., it will execute before 4:00 p.m. if there is a buyer at your price. If it does not fill by 4:00 p.m., it will sit until the next market open.

What if I need to close a position before tomorrow's market open?

You cannot. Options do not trade after hours on any broker. Your only option is to wait for the market to open the next day. If you are concerned about overnight risk, you can place a sell order before close with a limit price, but you cannot force an immediate sale after hours.

Will my option automatically sell if it expires in the money?

No, it will automatically exercise. If you own a call that expires in the money, Robinhood will buy 100 shares at the strike price. If you own a put, it will sell 100 shares. You must close the option before 4:00 p.m. on expiration day if you want to avoid this.

Can I place a sell order for an option before the market opens?

Yes. You can place orders on Robinhood before 9:30 a.m. ET, and they will queue to execute when the market opens. This is useful if you want to exit a position at a specific price without being present at market open.

Do options prices change after the market closes?

The official options price does not change because there is no trading. However, the value of your contract changes based on the underlying stock's after-hours price movement and other factors. You will see the updated theoretical value in your Robinhood account, but you cannot sell at that price until the market reopens.