The basic process: find the stock, tap sell, confirm the order

To sell a stock on Robinhood, open the app, search for or navigate to the stock you own, tap the sell button, enter how many shares you want to sell, review the price and total, and confirm. The order executes during market hours — typically 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern time on weekdays. If you place an order after market close or on a weekend, it queues until the market opens.

The stock must be in a settled state before you can sell it. Robinhood holds newly purchased stocks for two business days after the trade date before they settle. If you try to sell unsettled shares, the app will show a message saying the shares are not yet available to sell. You can still place the order, but it will not execute until settlement completes.

Robinhood charges no commission on stock sales. You pay no fee to the platform itself, though you may owe capital gains tax to the IRS depending on how long you held the stock and your income level.

Key Takeaways

  • Open the stock detail page, tap the sell button, enter the number of shares, and confirm the order during market hours (9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern, weekdays only).
  • Newly purchased stocks must settle for two business days after you buy them before you can sell them.
  • Orders placed after market close or on weekends queue until the market opens the next trading day.
  • You can set a limit order (sell at a specific price or higher) or a market order (sell at the current price immediately).
  • Robinhood does not charge a commission, but you may owe capital gains tax when you sell at a profit.

Finding the stock you want to sell

Tap the search icon at the bottom of the Robinhood home screen. Type the stock ticker symbol (for example, AAPL for Apple or TSLA for Tesla) or the company name. The stock will appear in the results. Tap it to open the stock detail page.

If you want to see all your holdings at once, tap the Account icon at the bottom right, then tap Investing. Scroll through your list of stocks and tap the one you want to sell. This route is faster if you own many stocks and need to find a specific one.

Choosing between a market order and a limit order

A market order sells your shares at the current market price as soon as the order executes. The price you see on screen may shift slightly by the time your order reaches the exchange, especially during busy trading periods. Market orders execute almost instantly during market hours.

A limit order lets you set a minimum price. Your shares will only sell if the stock reaches that price or higher. If the stock never reaches your limit price, the order stays open until you cancel it or until the market closes that day (if you set it as a day order). Limit orders take longer to fill or may not fill at all, but they give you control over the price.

To choose which type: after you tap sell and enter the number of shares, look for the order type selector. It usually defaults to market order. Tap it to switch to limit order if you want to set a specific price.

Reviewing your order before it executes

After you enter the number of shares and choose your order type, Robinhood shows a summary screen. This screen displays the number of shares, the order type, the estimated price or price range, and the total dollar amount you will receive (minus any applicable fees). Review these details carefully — this is your last chance to catch a mistake before the order goes through.

If something looks wrong, tap the back button or close the order screen without confirming. You can then start over. Once you tap the confirm button, the order is submitted to the market and cannot be cancelled instantly, though you may be able to cancel it within seconds if it has not yet executed.

What happens after you sell

Once your order executes, the cash from the sale appears in your Robinhood account as buying power — money you can use to buy other stocks or withdraw. The cash is available to trade with immediately, but it takes two business days to settle. During those two days, you can still use the cash to buy stocks, but you cannot withdraw it to your bank account.

After two business days, the cash settles and you can withdraw it. Go to Account, tap Transfers, and select Withdraw. Choose your linked bank account and the amount. The money typically arrives in your bank within one to three business days, depending on your bank.

Robinhood sends you a confirmation email after the sale executes. You can view the trade details in the History section of the app. Keep this record for your tax return — you will need to report the sale price and the date you sold to calculate your capital gains or losses.

Selling fractional shares

If you own a fractional share (a piece of a share, not a whole one), you can sell it the same way you sell whole shares. Enter the exact number you want to sell, including the decimal. For example, if you own 5.5 shares of a stock, you can sell 2.25 shares and keep 3.25.

Fractional shares execute at the same price as whole shares during market hours. The process is identical — find the stock, tap sell, enter the amount, and confirm.

Troubleshooting common selling problems

If the sell button is greyed out or missing, the stock has not yet settled. Wait until two business days have passed since you purchased it. Weekends and market holidays do not count as business days, so a purchase on Friday does not settle until Wednesday.

If you see a message that says "Insufficient shares," you are trying to sell more shares than you own. Check your holdings in the Account section to see the exact number you have, then try again with a smaller amount.

If your limit order did not fill by the end of the day, it cancelled automatically (assuming you placed it as a day order, which is the default). The shares remain in your account unsold. You can place a new order the next day at a different price if you want.

If the app shows an error message when you try to confirm, try closing the app completely and reopening it. If the problem persists, check Robinhood's status page to see if there is a known outage. During major market events or system maintenance, selling may be temporarily unavailable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I sell my stocks after the market closes?

You can place an order after market close, but it will not execute until the market opens the next trading day. The price may be different from what you see when you place the order. If you need to sell at a specific time, place your order during market hours (9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern, weekdays).

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

You can buy it back right away — there is no waiting period. However, if you are a pattern day trader (someone who makes four or more day trades in five business days), you must maintain a minimum account balance of $25,000 to avoid restrictions. Check Robinhood's rules on day trading if you plan to trade frequently.

Do I have to pay taxes when I sell?

You may owe capital gains tax to the IRS if you sold the stock for more than you paid for it. Short-term gains (stocks held less than one year) are taxed as regular income. Long-term gains (stocks held one year or more) usually have a lower tax rate. Robinhood sends you a tax document (Form 8949) at the end of the year showing all your trades.

Why is my order taking so long to fill?

Market orders usually fill within seconds during normal trading hours. Limit orders may take hours or days to fill, or may not fill at all if the stock never reaches your price. If a market order is still pending after several minutes, check your internet connection and try refreshing the app.

Can I cancel a sell order after I place it?

Yes, but only if it has not yet executed. Tap the order in your History section and look for a cancel button. If the order has already executed, you cannot cancel it — the sale is final. You would have to buy the stock again if you want it back.