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Trading Options: Understanding Assignment

The options market can seem to have a language of its own. To the average investor, there are likely a number of unfamiliar terms, but for an individual with a short options position—someone who has sold call or put options—there is perhaps no term more important than " assignment "—the fulfilling of the requirements of an options contract.

Options trading carries risk and requires specific approval from an investor's brokerage firm. For information about the inherent risks and characteristics of the options market, refer to the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options also known as the Options Disclosure Document (ODD).

When someone buys options to open a new position ("Buy to Open"), they are buying a right —either the right to buy the underlying security at a specified price (the strike price) in the case of a call option, or the right to sell the underlying security in the case of a put option.

On the flip side, when an individual sells, or writes, an option to open a new position ("Sell to Open"), they are accepting an obligation —either an obligation to sell the underlying security at the strike price in the case of a call option or the obligation to buy that security in the case of a put option. When an individual sells options to open a new position, they are said to be "short" those options. The seller does this in exchange for receiving the option's premium from the buyer.

Learn more about  options from FINRA or access free courses like Options 101 at OCC Learning .

American-style options allow the buyer of a contract to exercise at any time during the life of the contract, whereas European-style options can be exercised only during a specified period just prior to expiration. For an investor selling American-style options, one of the risks is that the investor may be called upon at any time during the contract's term to fulfill its obligations. That is, as long as a short options position remains open, the seller may be subject to "assignment" on any day equity markets are open. 

What is assignment?

An option assignment represents the seller's obligation to fulfill the terms of the contract by either selling or buying the underlying security at the exercise price. This obligation is triggered when the buyer of an option contract exercises their right to buy or sell the underlying security.

To ensure fairness in the distribution of American-style and European-style option assignments, the Options Clearing Corporation (OCC), which is the options industry clearing house, has an established process to randomly assign exercise notices to firms with an account that has a short option position. Once a firm receives an assignment, it then assigns this notice to one of its customers who has a short option contract of the same series. This short option contract is selected from a pool of such customers, either at random or by some other procedure specific to the brokerage firm. 

How does an investor know if an option position will be assigned?

While an option seller will always have some level of uncertainty, being assigned may be a somewhat predictable event. Only about 7% of options positions are typically exercised, but that does not imply that investors can expect to be assigned on only 7% of their short positions. Investors may have some, all or none of their short positions assigned.

And while the majority of American-style options exercises (and assignments) happen on or near the contract's expiration, a long options holder can exercise their right at any time, even if the underlying security is halted for trading. Someone may exercise their options early based upon a significant price movement in the underlying security or if shares become difficult to borrow as the result of a pending corporate action such as a buyout or takeover. 

Note: European-style options can only be exercised during a specified period just prior to expiration. In U.S. markets, the majority of options on commodity and index futures are European-style, while options on stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETF) are American-style. So, while SPDR S&P 500, or SPY options, which are options tied to an ETF that tracks the S&P 500, are American-style options, S&P 500 Index options, or SPX options, which are tied to S&P 500 futures contracts, are European-style options.

What happens after an option is assigned?

An investor who is assigned on a short option position is required to meet the terms of the written option contract upon receiving notification of the assignment. In the case of a short equity call, the seller of the option must deliver stock at the strike price and in return receives cash. An investor who doesn't already own the shares will need to acquire and deliver shares in return for cash in the amount of the strike price, multiplied by 100, since each contract represents 100 shares. In the case of a short equity put, the seller of the option is required to purchase the stock at the strike price.

How might an investor's account balance fluctuate after opening a short options position?

It is normal to see an account balance fluctuate after opening a short option position. Investors who have questions or concerns or who do not understand reported trade balances and assets valuations should contact their brokerage firm immediately for an explanation. Please keep in mind that short option positions can incur substantial risk in certain situations.

For example, say XYZ stock is trading at $40 and an investor sells 10 contracts for XYZ July 50 calls at $1.00, collecting a premium of $1,000, since each contract represents 100 shares ($1.00 premium x 10 contracts x 100 shares). Consider what happens if XYZ stock increases to $60, the call is exercised by the option holder and the investor is assigned. Should the investor not own the stock, they must now acquire and deliver 1,000 shares of XYZ at a price of $50 per share. Given the current stock price of $60, the investor's short stock position would result in an unrealized loss of $9,000 (a $10,000 loss from delivering shares $10 below current stock price minus the $1,000 premium collected earlier).

Note: Even if the investor's short call position had not been assigned, the investor's account balance in this example would still be negatively affected—at least until the options expire if they are not exercised. The investor's account position would be updated to reflect the investor's unrealized loss—what they could lose if an option is exercised (and they are assigned) at the current market price. This update does not represent an actual loss (or gain) until the option is actually exercised and the investor is assigned. 

What happens if an investor opened a multi-leg strategy, but one leg is assigned?

American-style option holders have the right to exercise their options position prior to expiration regardless of whether the options are in-, at- or out-of-the-money. Investors can be assigned if any market participant holding calls or puts of the same series submits an exercise notice to their brokerage firm. When one leg is assigned, subsequent action may be required, which could include closing or adjusting the remaining position to avoid potential capital or margin implications resulting from the assignment. These actions may not be attractive and may result in a loss or a less-than-ideal gain.

If an investor's short option is assigned, the investor will be required to perform in accordance with their obligation to purchase or deliver the underlying security, regardless of the overall risk of their position when taking into account other options that may be owned as part of the overall multi-leg strategy. If the investor owns an option that serves to limit the risk of the overall spread position, it is up to the investor to exercise that option or to take other action to limit risk. 

Below are a couple of examples that underscore how important it is for every investor to understand the risks associated with potential assignment during market hours and potentially adverse price movements in afterhours trading.

Example #1: An investor is short March 50 XYZ puts and long March 55 XYZ puts. At the close of business on March expiration, XYZ is priced at $56 per share, and both puts are out of the money, which means they have no intrinsic value. However, due to an unexpected news announcement shortly after the closing bell, the price of XYZ drops to $40 in after-hours trading. This could result in an assignment of the short March 50 puts, requiring the investor to purchase shares of XYZ at $50 per share. The investor would have needed to exercise the long March 55 puts in order to realize the gain on the initial multi-leg position. If the investor did not exercise the March 55 puts, those puts may expire and the investor may be exposed to the loss on the XYZ purchase at $50, a $10 per share loss with XYZ now trading at $40 per share, without receiving the benefit of selling XYZ at $55.

Example #2: An investor is short March 50 XYZ puts and long April 50 XYZ puts. At the close of business on March expiration, XYZ is priced at $45 per share, and the investor is assigned XYZ stock at $50. The investor will now own shares of XYZ at $50, along with the April 50 XYZ puts, which may be exercised at the investor's discretion. If the investor chooses not to exercise the April 50 puts, they will be required to pay for the shares that were assigned to them on the short March 50 XYZ puts until the April 50 puts are exercised or shares are otherwise disposed of.

Note: In either example, the short put position may be assigned prior to expiration at the discretion of the option holder. Investors can check with their brokerage firm regarding their option exercise procedures and cut-off times.

For options-specific questions, you may contact OCC's Investor Education team at [email protected] , via chat on OptionsEducation.org or subscribe to the OIC newsletter . If you have questions about options trading in your brokerage account, we encourage you to contact your brokerage firm. If after doing so you have not resolved the issue or have additional concerns, you can contact FINRA .

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Options and Derivatives

Strategy & Education

Assignment: Definition in Finance, How It Works, and Examples

Adam Hayes, Ph.D., CFA, is a financial writer with 15+ years Wall Street experience as a derivatives trader. Besides his extensive derivative trading expertise, Adam is an expert in economics and behavioral finance. Adam received his master's in economics from The New School for Social Research and his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in sociology. He is a CFA charterholder as well as holding FINRA Series 7, 55 & 63 licenses. He currently researches and teaches economic sociology and the social studies of finance at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

Yarilet Perez is an experienced multimedia journalist and fact-checker with a Master of Science in Journalism. She has worked in multiple cities covering breaking news, politics, education, and more. Her expertise is in personal finance and investing, and real estate.

What Is an Assignment?

Assignment most often refers to one of two definitions in the financial world:

• The transfer of an individual's rights or property to another person or business. This concept exists in a variety of business transactions and is often spelled out contractually.
• In trading, assignment occurs when an option contract is exercised. The owner of the contract exercises the contract and assigns the option writer to an obligation to complete the requirements of the contract.

Key Takeaways

• Assignment is a transfer of rights or property from one party to another.
• Options assignments occur when option buyers exercise their rights to a position in a security.
• Other examples of assignments can be found in wages, mortgages, and leases.

Property Rights Assignment

Assignment refers to the transfer of some or all property rights and obligations associated with an asset, property, contract, etc. to another entity through a written agreement. For example, a payee assigns rights for collecting note payments to a bank. A trademark owner transfers, sells, or gives another person interest in the trademark. A homeowner who sells their house assigns the deed to the new buyer.

To be effective, an assignment must involve parties with legal capacity, consideration, consent, and legality of object.

A wage assignment is a forced payment of an obligation by automatic withholding from an employee’s pay. Courts issue wage assignments for people late with child or spousal support, taxes, loans, or other obligations. Money is automatically subtracted from a worker's paycheck without consent if they have a history of nonpayment. For example, a person delinquent on $100 monthly loan payments has a wage assignment deducting the money from their paycheck and sent to the lender. Wage assignments are helpful in paying back long-term debts.

Another instance can be found in a mortgage assignment. This is where a mortgage deed gives a lender interest in a mortgaged property in return for payments received. Lenders often sell mortgages to third parties, such as other lenders. A mortgage assignment document clarifies the assignment of contract and instructs the borrower in making future mortgage payments, and potentially modifies the mortgage terms.

A final example involves a lease assignment. This benefits a relocating tenant wanting to end a lease early or a landlord looking for rent payments to pay creditors. Once the new tenant signs the lease, taking over responsibility for rent payments and other obligations, the previous tenant is released from those responsibilities. In a separate lease assignment, a landlord agrees to pay a creditor through an assignment of rent due under rental property leases. The agreement is used to pay a mortgage lender if the landlord defaults on the loan or files for bankruptcy . Any rental income would then be paid directly to the lender.

Options Assignment

Options can be assigned when a buyer decides to exercise their right to buy (or sell) stock at a particular strike price . The corresponding seller of the option is not determined when a buyer opens an option trade, but only at the time that an option holder decides to exercise their right to buy stock. So an option seller with open positions is matched with the exercising buyer via automated lottery. The randomly selected seller is then assigned to fulfill the buyer's rights. This is known as an option assignment.

Once assigned, the writer (seller) of the option will have the obligation to sell (if a call option ) or buy (if a put option ) the designated number of shares of stock at the agreed-upon price (the strike price). For instance, if the writer sold calls they would be obligated to sell the stock, and the process is often referred to as having the stock called away . For puts, the buyer of the option sells stock (puts stock shares) to the writer in the form of a short-sold position.

Suppose a trader owns 100 call options on company ABC's stock with a strike price of $10 per share. The stock is now trading at $30 and ABC is due to pay a dividend shortly. As a result, the trader exercises the options early and receives 10,000 shares of ABC paid at $10. At the same time, the other side of the long call (the short call) is assigned the contract and must deliver the shares to the long.

Trading Instruments

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Options Assignment

How can i tell when i will be assigned.

You can never tell when you will be assigned. Once you sell an American-style option (put or call), you have the potential for assignment to fulfill your obligation to receive (and pay for) or deliver (and are paid for) shares of stock on any business day. In some circumstances, you may be assigned on a short option position while the underlying shares are halted for trading, or perhaps while they are the subjects of a buyout or takeover.

To ensure fairness in the distribution of equity and index option assignments, OCC utilizes a random procedure to assign exercise notices to clearing member accounts maintained with OCC. The assigned firm must then use an exchange-approved method (usually a random process or the first-in, first-out method) to allocate notices to its accounts that are short the options.

Some generalizations might help you understand likelihood of assignment on a short-option position:

• Option holders only exercise about 7% of options. The percentage hasn't varied much over the years. That does not mean that you can only be assigned on 7% of your short option. It means that, in general, option exercises are not that common.
• The majority of option exercises (and the corresponding assignments) occurs as the option gets closer to expiration. It usually doesn't make sense to exercise an option, which has any time premium over intrinsic value. For most options, that doesn't occur until close to expiration.
• In general terms, an investor is more likely to exercise a put that goes in-the-money than a call that goes in-the-money. Why? Think about the result of an exercise. An investor who exercises a put uses it to sell shares and receive cash. A person exercising a call option uses it to buy shares and must pay cash. Option holders are more likely to exercise options if it means they can receive cash sooner. The opposite is true for calls, where exercise means you have to pay cash sooner.

The bottom line is that you really don't have any sure-fire way to predict when you will be assigned on a short option position. It can happen any day the stock market is open for trading.

Could I be assigned if my covered calls are in-the-money?

If i am short a call option (on a covered write) and i buy back my short call, is it possible for..., if i am short a call option (on a covered write) and i buy back my short call, is it possible for me to be assigned (and the stock position to be called away) that night, i sold short 10 options contracts recently. unfortunately, i was assigned early on each contract..., i sold short 10 options contracts recently. unfortunately, i was assigned early on each contract, one at a time. couldn't all the contracts have been assigned at once, are options automatically assigned when they are in-the-money at expiration is there a way that..., are options automatically assigned when they are in-the-money at expiration is there a way that i can avoid assignment.

OCC encourages all investors to inform their brokerage firm of their exercise intentions for their long options at expiration. While each firm may have their own thresholds, OCC employs an administrative procedure where options that are $.01 in-the-money are exercised unless contrary instructions are provided. Customers and brokers should check with their firm's operations department to determine their company's policies regarding exercise thresholds.

An option holder has the right to exercise their option regardless of the price of the underlying security. It is a good practice for all option holders to express their exercise (or non-exercise) instructions to their broker. Is there a magic number that ensures that option writers will not be assigned? No. Although unlikely, an investor may choose to exercise a slightly out-of-the-money option or choose not to exercise an option that is in-the-money by greater than $.01.

Some investors use the saying, "when in doubt, close them out.” This means that if they buy back any short contracts, they are no longer at risk of assignment.

I wrote a slightly out-of-the-money covered call. The call has since moved in-the-money. Is there...

I wrote a slightly out-of-the-money covered call. the call has since moved in-the-money. is there any way to avoid assignment on that short call, if i buy-to-close a short option position, how can i be sure i will not be assigned.

You will want to first check with your broker to ensure that an assignment has not already occurred.

Because OCC processes closing buy transactions before exercises, there is no possibility of being assigned on positions that were closed during that day's trading hours.

When I sell an option to open, is my only chance of assignment (and being required to fulfill my...

When i sell an option to open, is my only chance of assignment (and being required to fulfill my obligations as the option writer) when the person or entity that bought from me decides to exercise.

No. There are several reasons why this is untrue. First, the buy side of your opening sale could have been a closing purchase by someone who was already short the option. Second, OCC allocates assignments randomly. Anyone short that particular option is at risk of assignment when an option holder decides to exercise. Third, assuming the other side of your trade was an opening purchase, they may sell to close at any time but since you are still short, you are at risk of assignment.

As long as you keep a short option position open, you are at risk of assignment. Assignment risk increases as the option becomes deeper in-the-money and as expiration approaches (the option trades with less time premium). Assignment risk also increases just before the ex-dividend date for short calls and just after the ex-dividend date for short puts.

At expiration, OCC exercises all equity options that are in-the-money by $.01 or more unless the option holder instructs their broker not to exercise or the stock has been removed from OCC’s exercise-by-exception processing.

The exchanges recently halted trading on a stock where I’m short puts. Am I still obligated to...

The exchanges recently halted trading on a stock where i’m short puts. am i still obligated to purchase the security if assigned.

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• Assets & Markets

What Is an Option Assignment?

Definition and Examples of Assignment

How does assignment work, what it means for individual investors.

Morsa Images / Getty Images

An option assignment represents the seller of an option’s obligation to fulfill the terms of the contract by either selling or purchasing the underlying security at the exercise price. Let’s explain what that means in more detail.

Key Takeaways

• An assignment represents the seller of an option’s obligation to fulfill the terms of the contract by either selling or purchasing the underlying security at the exercise price. 
• If you sell an option and get assigned, you have to fulfill the transaction outlined in the option.
• You can only get assigned if you sell options, not if you buy them.
• Assignment is relatively rare, with only 7% of options ultimately getting assigned.

An assignment represents the seller of an option’s obligation to fulfill the terms of the contract by either selling or purchasing the underlying security at the exercise price. Let’s explain what that means in more detail.

When you sell an option to someone, you’re selling them the right to make you engage in a future transaction. For example, if you sell someone a put option , you’re promising to buy a stock at a set price any time between when the transaction happens and the expiration date of the option.

If the holder of the option doesn’t do anything with the option by the expiration date, the option expires. However, if they decide that they want to go through with the transaction, they will exercise the option. 

If the holder of an option chooses to exercise it, the seller will receive a notification, called an assignment, letting them know that the option holder is exercising their right to complete the transaction. The seller is legally obligated to fulfill the terms of the options contract.

For example, if you sell a call option on XYZ with a strike price of $40 and the buyer chooses to exercise the option, you’ll be assigned the obligation to fulfill that contract. You’ll have to buy 100 shares of XYZ at whatever the market price is, or take the shares from your own portfolio and sell them to the option holder for $40 each.

Options traders only have to worry about assignment if they sell options contracts. Those who buy options don’t have to worry about assignment because in this case, they have the power to exercise a contract, or choose not to.

The options market is huge, in that options are traded on large exchanges and you likely do not know who you’re buying contracts from or selling them to. It’s not like you sell an option to someone you know and they send you an email if they choose to exercise the contract, rather it is an organized process.

In the U.S., the Options Clearing Corporation (OCC), which is considered the options industry clearinghouse, helps to facilitate the exchange of options contracts. It guarantees a fair process of option assignments, ensuring that the obligations in the contract are fulfilled.

When an investor chooses to exercise a contract, the OCC randomly assigns the obligation to someone who sold the option being exercised. For example, if 100 people sold XYZ calls with a strike of $40, and one of those options gets exercised, the OCC will randomly assign that obligation to one of the 100 sellers.

In general, assignments are uncommon. About 7% of options get exercised, with the remaining 93% expiring. Assignment also tends to grow more common as the expiration date nears.

If you are assigned the obligation to fulfill an options contract you sold, it means you have to accept the related loss and fulfill the contract. Usually, your broker will handle the transaction on your behalf automatically.

If you’re an individual investor, you only have to worry about assignment if you’re involved in selling options. Even then, assignments aren't incredibly common. Less than 7% of options get assigned and they tend to get assigned as the option’s expiration date gets closer.

Having an option assigned does mean that you are forced to lock in a loss on an option, which can hurt. However, if you’re truly worried about assignment, you can plan to close your position at some point before the expiration date or use options strategies that don’t involve selling options that could get exercised.

The Options Industry Council. " Options Assignment FAQ: How Can I Tell When I Will Be Assigned? " Accessed Oct. 18, 2021.

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Options Basics: How the Option Assignment Process Works

July 23, 2021 — 12:46 pm EDT

Written by [email protected] for Schaeffer  ->

There is a lot of technical jargon that is specific to the options market. For a beginner who is aiming to learn how to trade options, understanding these technical terms is crucial to optimizing trading results. One phrase that is a critical part of this options trading language is “assignment.” Simply defined, the assignment of an option refers to the fulfillment of the options contract by the seller. An option holder has the right to buy or sell the underlying equity at the given strike price. Once the holder decides to exercise the option, the option is said to be “assigned.” If a trader sells options, he must be aware of the assignment process and the risks it entails. We recommend subscribing to one of Schaeffer's options trading newsletters  to gain the ultimate insights into the language of the options market while making money, too.

What Does it Mean to Write an Option?

When an options seller writes an options contract, this is known as a “sell to open” trade, as he is essentially opening a new position. As the trader is selling the option to open this position, he is technically said to be “short” that underlying stock. The seller accepts a responsibility to sell or buy the underlying security in lieu of a premium received from the buyer. As a general rule, an option holder can exercise his rights any time before the contract expires. In order to learn to trade options, it is necessary to grasp this structure of corresponding rights and duties. It's important to also note that most options are exercised when they are nearing expiry because, after that, the options contract is worthless.

How Does the Option Assignment Process Work?

The assignment process is done at random by the Options Clearing Corporation (OCC) . A trader will become more acquainted with the operations of the OCC as he or she learns to trade options. When a buyer exercises his option, the OCC will randomly connect them with a brokerage that is short on options of that equity. Due to the lottery-like nature of the process, it is almost impossible to predict when an investor’s option may be assigned.

2 Categories of Options to Understand

As a brief summary, let’s go over the two basic categories of options. These categories and their respective merits become apparent as one learns to trade options. In a call option, the option holder possesses the right to buy the security before the contract expires. In this scenario, the seller’s obligation is to sell the option upon assignment.

The inverse of this is the put option. In this category, the holder has the right to sell to the security at the contract price. The consequence of this is that upon assignment, the seller must purchase the security at the strike price. If an investor does not own the stock, he must first buy it. After this, he must deliver it to the holder.

Initially, a seller has an edge in the options trading process. He starts with a net benefit as a premium is paid to him by the buyer without him giving any monetary return immediately. If an option is never exercised, the seller actually retains the premium if the contract expires.

However, the issues arise as the contract nears its expiry, as the chances of assignment increase exponentially. The problem for investors when called to assign are three-fold: 1) they have no control over when the option is exercised, 2) they must fulfill their end of the bargain irrespective of whether this could lead to a loss or a low gain, and 3) even if the underlying stock is not trading, in a call option the deliver the stock to the buyer.

Can an Options Seller Predict When an Option Will Be Exercised?

It would be misleading if we were say there is some magic formula that we could use to predict when an option will be exercised. Traders will understand how frequent assignment occurs once they more completely learn to trade options. However, a general statistic is that approximately 7% of options are actually ever exercised. Even though, technically, an option can be assigned any time while the contract remains open, option holders usually exercise their option near its expiration date. This is because traders usually wait to find the ideal time and observe trading prices. As you learn to trade options, you will realize that very few buyers ever exercise options ahead of expiration.

When is Options Assignment Less Likely?

Even though we cannot accurately predict when an option will be exercised, there are certain indicators traders can use. These indicators are easier to see when you learn to trade options and observe market trends.

An assignment is less probable when an option is out-of-the-money. An option is out-of-the-money when the security is trading at a higher value in the market as compared to the strike price. It is rarely recommended to sell an option that is out-of-the-money. This is because if the strike price is lower than the market value, the option holder will make a loss on the contract. If the strike price is $30, and the market value is $20 and the holder exercises the call option, they will end up taking a loss since they are buying it at a higher price. As investors learn to trade options, they can better predict the time of assignment with greater accuracy.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

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Understanding Options Assignment: What It Means and How to Respond

Mar 22, 2022 Educational

Some Quick Definitions

• Exercise — When an option contract is executed by the option buyer.
• Assignment — What happens to shares of an option contract. As an option seller, you can be assigned 100 long shares of stock per put option contract and 100 short shares of stock per call option.
• Call Option — Gives the owner the right to call (buy) shares from the option seller.
• Put Option — Gives the owner the right to put (sell) shares to the option seller.
• Short Option — Selling an option contract.
• Long Option — Buying an option contract.

A Cautionary Tale

What is option assignment, handling assignment, avoiding options assignment.

• The option is deep in the money, even if there is a lot of time until the expiration date
• The option is in the money and it is near or at expiration

Final Thoughts

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Ready for Options Trading? Make Sure You Understand Assignment First

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Your first assignment: decoding this important options term before you start trading.

The options market can seem to have a language of its own. To the average investor, there are likely a number of unfamiliar terms, but for an individual with a short options position—someone who has sold call or put options—there is perhaps no term more important than " assignment "—the fulfilling of the requirements of an options contract.

When someone buys options to open a new position ("Buy to Open"), they are buying a  right —either the right to buy the underlying security at a specified price (the strike price) in the case of a call option, or the right to sell the underlying security in the case of a put option.

Image source: Getty Images

On the flip side, when an individual sells, or writes, an option to open a new position ("Sell to Open"), they are accepting an  obligation —either an obligation to sell the underlying security at the strike price in the case of a call option or the obligation to buy that security in the case of a put option. When an individual sells options to open a new position, they are said to be "short" those options. The seller does this in exchange for receiving the option's premium from the buyer.

American-style options allow the buyer of a contract to exercise at any time during the life of the contract, whereas European-style options can be exercised only during a specified period just prior to expiration. For an investor selling American-style options, one of the risks is that the investor may be called upon at any time during the contract's term to fulfill its obligations. That is, as long as a short options position remains open, the seller may be subject to "assignment" on any day equity markets are open. 

What is assignment?

An option assignment represents the seller's obligation to fulfill the terms of the contract by either selling or buying the underlying security at the exercise price. This obligation is triggered when the buyer of an option contract exercises their right to buy or sell the underlying security.

To ensure fairness in the distribution of American-style and European-style option assignments, the Options Clearing Corporation (OCC), which is the options industry clearing house, has an established process to randomly assign exercise notices to firms with an account that has a short option position. Once a firm receives an assignment, it then assigns this notice to one of its customers who has a short option contract of the same series. This short option contract is selected from a pool of such customers, either at random or by some other procedure specific to the brokerage firm. 

How does an investor know if an option position will be assigned?

While an option seller will always have some level of uncertainty, being assigned may be a somewhat predictable event. Only about 7% of options positions are typically exercised, but that does not imply that investors can expect to be assigned on only 7% of their short positions. Investors may have some, all or none of their short positions assigned.

And while the majority of American-style options exercises (and assignments) happen on or near the contract's expiration, a long options holder can exercise their right at any time, even if the underlying security is halted for trading. Someone may exercise their options early based upon a significant price movement in the underlying security or if shares become difficult to borrow as the result of a pending corporate action such as a buyout or takeover. 

Note: European-style options can only be exercised during a specified period just prior to expiration. In U.S. markets, the majority of options on commodity and index futures are European-style, while options on stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETF) are American-style. So, while SPDR S&P 500 , or SPY options, which are options tied to an ETF that tracks the S&P 500, are American-style options, S&P 500 Index options, or SPX options, which are tied to S&P 500 futures contracts, are European-style options.

What happens after an option is assigned?

An investor who is assigned on a short option position is required to meet the terms of the written option contract upon receiving notification of the assignment. In the case of a short equity call, the seller of the option must deliver stock at the strike price and in return receives cash. An investor who doesn't already own the shares will need to acquire and deliver shares in return for cash in the amount of the strike price, multiplied by 100, since each contract represents 100 shares. In the case of a short equity put, the seller of the option is required to purchase the stock at the strike price.

How might an investor's account balance fluctuate after opening a short options position?

It is normal to see an account balance fluctuate after opening a short option position. Investors who have questions or concerns or who do not understand reported trade balances and assets valuations should contact their brokerage firm immediately for an explanation. Please keep in mind that short option positions can incur substantial risk in certain situations.

What does "XYZ July 50" mean? XYZ = the ticker symbol of the security July = the month when the option will expire 50 = $50, the strike price on the option

For example, say XYZ stock is trading at $40 and an investor sells 10 contracts for XYZ July 50 calls at $1.00, collecting a premium of $1,000, since each contract represents 100 shares ($1.00 premium x 10 contracts x 100 shares). Consider what happens if XYZ stock increases to $60, the call is exercised by the option holder and the investor is assigned. Should the investor not own the stock, they must now acquire and deliver 1,000 shares of XYZ at a price of $50 per share. Given the current stock price of $60, the investor's short stock position would result in an unrealized loss of $9,000 (a $10,000 loss from delivering shares $10 below current stock price minus the $1,000 premium collected earlier).

Note: Even if the investor's short call position had not been assigned, the investor's account balance in this example would still be negatively affected—at least until the options expire if they are not exercised. The investor's account position would be updated to reflect the investor's unrealized loss—what they  could  lose if an option is exercised (and they are assigned) at the current market price. This update does not represent an actual loss (or gain) until the option is actually exercised and the investor is assigned. 

What happens if an investor opened a multi-leg strategy, but one leg is assigned?

American-style option holders have the right to exercise their options position prior to expiration regardless of whether the options are in-, at- or out-of-the-money. Investors can be assigned if any market participant holding calls or puts of the same series submits an exercise notice to their brokerage firm. When one leg is assigned, subsequent action may be required, which could include closing or adjusting the remaining position to avoid potential capital or margin implications resulting from the assignment. These actions may not be attractive and may result in a loss or a less-than-ideal gain.

If an investor's short option is assigned, the investor will be required to perform in accordance with their obligation to purchase or deliver the underlying security, regardless of the overall risk of their position when taking into account other options that may be owned as part of the overall multi-leg strategy. If the investor owns an option that serves to limit the risk of the overall spread position, it is up to the investor to exercise that option or to take other action to limit risk. 

Below are a couple of examples that underscore how important it is for every investor to understand the risks associated with potential assignment during market hours and potentially adverse price movements in afterhours trading.

Example #1: An investor is short March 50 XYZ puts and long March 55 XYZ puts. At the close of business on March expiration, XYZ is priced at $56 per share, and both puts are out of the money, which means they have no intrinsic value. However, due to an unexpected news announcement shortly after the closing bell, the price of XYZ drops to $40 in after-hours trading. This could result in an assignment of the short March 50 puts, requiring the investor to purchase shares of XYZ at $50 per share. The investor would have needed to exercise the long March 55 puts in order to realize the gain on the initial multi-leg position. If the investor did not exercise the March 55 puts, those puts may expire and the investor may be exposed to the loss on the XYZ purchase at $50, a $10 per share loss with XYZ now trading at $40 per share, without receiving the benefit of selling XYZ at $55.

Example #2: An investor is short March 50 XYZ puts and long April 50 XYZ puts. At the close of business on March expiration, XYZ is priced at $45 per share, and the investor is assigned XYZ stock at $50. The investor will now own shares of XYZ at $50, along with the April 50 XYZ puts, which may be exercised at the investor's discretion. If the investor chooses not to exercise the April 50 puts, they will be required to pay for the shares that were assigned to them on the short March 50 XYZ puts until the April 50 puts are exercised or shares are otherwise disposed of.

Note: In either example, the short put position may be assigned prior to expiration at the discretion of the option holder. Investors can check with their brokerage firm regarding their option exercise procedures and cut-off times.

For options-specific questions, you may contact OCC's Investor Education team at  [email protected] , via chat on  OptionsEducation.org  or  subscribe to the OIC newsletter . If you have questions about options trading in your brokerage account, we encourage you to contact your brokerage firm. If after doing so you have not resolved the issue or have additional concerns, you can  contact FINRA .

Subscribe to  FINRA's newsletter  for more information about saving and investing.

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Option Exercise & Assignment

American Style vs European Style

American style options can be exercised anytime before the expiration date . European style options on the other hand can only be exercised on the expiration date itself. Currently, all of the stock options traded in the marketplaces are American-Style options.

When an option is exercised by the option holder , the option writer will be assigned the obligation to deliver the terms of the options contract.

If a call option is assigned, the options writer will have to sell the obligated quantity of the underlying security at the strike price .

If a put option is assigned, the options writer will have to buy the obligated quantity of the underlying securty at the strike price.

Once an option is sold, there exist a possibility for the option writer to be assigned to fulfil his or her obligation to buy or sell shares of the underlying stock on any business day. One can never tell when an assignment will take place. To ensure a fair distribution of assignments, the Options Clearing Corporation uses a random procedure to assign exercise notices to the accounts maintained with OCC by each Clearing Member. In turn, the assigned firm must use an exchange approved way to allocate those notices to individual accounts which have the short positions on those options.

Options are usually exercised when they get closer to expiration . The reason is that it does not make much sense to exercise an option when there is still time value left. Its more profitable to sell the option instead.

Over the years, only about 17% of options have been exercised. However, it does not mean that only 17% of your short options will be exercised. Many of those options that were not exercised were probably out-of-the-money to begin with and had expired worthless. In any case, at any point in time, the deeper into-the-money the short options, the more likely they will be exercised.

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Mar 13, 2023

Options Assignment | When Will I Be Assigned Stock?

Feb 21, 2017

By: Mike Butler

Don't let assignment cause you anxiety!

When we talk to our customers, one of their biggest fears when learning how to trade options is getting assigned stock (because remember, when you buy/sell an option, you control 100 shares of that option’s stock). Well, I’m hoping to help you put that anxiety to rest with this post.

Assignment of stock when trading options is just like being given a pop quiz in school - it’s generally unexpected, and usually not a good feeling!

Some people like to be assigned stock as a part of their strategy (i.e. one of the follow traders, Woody, likes to sell puts at a strike price that he is comfortable being assigned stock at, and will always take the assignment when his options are expiring in the money), but this post is more focused on those who do not want to be assigned stock.

The 3 most common questions we get asked related to trading options and being assigned stock are:

What situations would cause me to get assigned stock?

What can I do to prevent being assigned stock?

And…If I am assigned, what should I do?

WHEN WILL I GET ASSIGNED?

Let's tackle the first question that asks...when you invest in options, what scenario would cause you to be assigned shares of stock?

The most common way you will be assigned stock is if you short (sell) an option that expires in the money. 

Assignment Risk: Buying An Option

When you buy an option (a call or a put), you cannot be assigned stock unless you choose to exercise your option . Plain and simple, the purchaser of an option contract will always have the choice to exercise the option, but not the obligation to do so. 

Let’s say you bought an Apple (ticker symbol AAPL) option a few weeks ago that is set to expire today and the option is in the money (there is never risk of assignment if the option is not in the money), you may do one of two things:

you can let the option expire in the money, which will result in the option being exercised at your strike price and 100 open shares on Monday with a P/L equivalent to the distance between your strike price and the stock price, or...

you can exercise the option and collect 100 shares of the stock

Easy enough to understand, right?

Let’s now break that down even further, by looking at buying calls and buying puts separately to reinforce your understanding.

Assignment When Buying A Naked Call

Remember that if you buy a call, that gives you the right to buy 100 shares of stock at an agreed upon strike price . Let's take a look at an example scenario of getting assigned on a naked call.

As the call buyer, you have the choice whether or not you want to exercise the option. If you exercise your right to purchase shares of the stock (100 shares for each option contract), the seller of the call (let's call him Mike) will automatically have 100 shares called away from his account.

• Bought a FB (Facebook) call option from Mike, at a strike price of $75
• The option is expiring in the money and you decide to exercise the option
• You collect 100 shares of Facebook stock from Mike for $75/share (the strike price)
• Sold a FB (Facebook) call option to you at a strike price of $75
• The option is expiring in the money and you chose to exercise it
• Mike is forced to sell you 100 shares of Facebook stock (even if he doesn’t have the stock in his possession)

If Mike owns the stock already (like in a covered call position), his stock will be called away. If he does not own the stock, he will now be assigned -100 shares of stock per option contract. If Mike does not have enough buying power to short the stock, he will be forced to close the position immediately by his broker and will be charged an assignment fee (on top of regular commission rates).

The proper term for being assigned negative shares of stock is called being ’short stock’. Think about it like this. When you buy stock, you are taking a bullish position because the only way you profit from stock ownership, is if the stock goes up. But what if you wanted to take the opposite side of the bet by just investing in stock (a bearish position)? You would short the stock and own negative shares.

Assignment When Buying A Naked Put

If you purchase a put option, remember that that gives you the right (but not the obligation) to sell shares of stock at an agreed upon strike price. This means that if the put option expires in the money, the put seller has the obligation to purchase the stock at the same strike price. Let's again reference our example in which you are buying an option from Mike.

As the put buyer, if you exercise your right to sell stock, then Mike will automatically be sold 100 shares of stock per option contract. If the new stock is something Mike wants to keep, he certainly can if he has the available funds in his account. If he chooses to do so, he will now own 100 shares/contract at the strike price.

• Bought a FB (Facebook) put option from Mike, at a strike price of $72
• You sell 100 shares of Facebook stock to Mike for $72/share (the strike price)
• Sold a FB (Facebook) put option to you at a strike price of $72
• The option is expiring in the money and you chose to exercise it.
• Mike must purchase 100 shares of Facebook stock from you (even if he doesn’t have enough money in his account)

If Mike does not have enough capital to buy the stock, he will still own the stock temporarily, but will be forced to close the position immediately (this is usually a margin call from your broker) and he will be charged an assignment fee (in addition to the regular commission fees).

ASSIGNMENT WHEN BUYING A CALL/PUT SPREAD

Example of a long call spread - notice the green long call is in the money.

Remember that a vertical spread is made up of buying one option and selling the same type of option (both options would be calls or puts). 

Vertical spreads offer more protection than naked options when it comes to assignment. This isn’t to say there is less risk involved in actually getting assigned, but you have more tools to mitigate being long or short stock.

When buying a call spread or put spread, the risk of assignment is determined by how much of the spread is in the money. If both legs are in the money at expiration , you could still be assigned, but since your other leg is in the money, you can exercise that to collect max profit. If only one strike is in the money (the short strike - aka the option that you sold), that is where you run the risk of assignment.

When you’re the option buyer, you have the power over assignment . If you are the option seller, that is a different story...

Assignment Risk: Selling An Option

When you sell an option (a call or a put), you will be assigned stock if your option is in the money at expiration . As the option seller, you have no control over assignment, and it is impossible to know exactly when this could happen. Generally, assignment risk becomes greater closer to expiration. With that said, assignment can still happen at any time.

Let’s say you sold a GOOG (ticker symbol for Google) option a couple weeks ago that is set to expire today and the option is in the money. In this scenario, you will automatically be assigned 100 shares of stock (if you sold a call then you would be assigned -100 shares of stock and if you sold a put, you would be assigned 100 shares of stock). 

ASSIGNMENT WHEN Selling A NAKED CALL

Unlike when you are the buyer of a naked call, when you're the seller of a naked call option, you do not have control over assignment if your call expires in the money (it only has to be $.01 in the money). In this scenario, you will automatically be forced to sell 100 shares of stock to the purchaser of the option.

Let's go back to the example with you and Mike. If you sell a GOOG call option to Mike at a strike price of $525 and Mike decides to exercise (because the option is in the money), you have to sell him 100 GOOG shares per option contract for $525/share. Even if you do not have GOOG stock you will still have to sell Mike the shares (in which case you will be short 100 shares of GOOG stock).

• Bought a GOOG (Google) call option from you, at a strike price of $550
• The option is expiring in the money and Mike decides to exercise the option
• Mike collects 100 shares of Google stock from you for $550/share (the strike price)
• Sold a GOOG (Google) call option to Mike at a strike price of $550
• The option is expiring in the money and Mike chooses to exercise it
• You must sell Mike 100 shares of Google stock (even if you don’t have the stock in your possession)

Don't forget, if you do not close the trade or roll it before expiration and do have to sell the shares, you will also be charged an assignment fee and regular commission fees.

*One Important Note: there is additional assignment risk when a company has upcoming dividends (dividends are when a company distributes cash to shareholders).  Essentially, if the extrinsic value on an ITM short call is LESS than the dividend amount, the ITM call owner will have good reason to exercise their option so that they can realize the dividend associated with owning the stock.

ASSIGNMENT WHEN SELLING A NAKED PUT

Similar to selling a naked call, when you sell a naked put, you again do not have control over assignment if your option expires in the money at expiration. If your short put expires in the money at expiration, you will be assigned 100 shares of stock at the option's strike price and charged an assignment fee plus commissions.

Last time with the example, I swear (from my experience, repetition is key to understanding options): if you sell Mike a naked put that is expiring in the money and Mike chooses to exercise those shares, you will have to buy 100 shares of GOOG stock per option contract, at $525/share. And again, you will be charged an assignment fee and commission fees.

• Bought a GOOG (Google) Put Option from you at a strike price of $525
• The option is expiring in the money and you Mike chooses to exercise it. You must buy 100 shares of GOOG stock from Mike (even if you don't have enough money in your account)
• Sold a GOOG (Google) put option to Mike at a strike price of $525
• You must purchase 100 shares of Google stock from Mike (even if you don’t have enough money in your account)

ASSIGNMENT WHEN SELLING A Call/Put Spread

Example of a short call spread - notice the red short call in the money.

When you sell a put spread or call spread, the assignment risk comes from your short strike expiring in the money (just like when you buy a call/put spread). If both strikes expire in the money, they will essentially cancel each other out and you will not be assigned (you will be assigned on the short strike, and then you can excercise your long strike).

If you sell a call spread and the short strike is in the money at expiration, you will be forced to sell 100 shares per option contract to the buyer. If you sell a put spread and just the short strike is in the money at expiration, you will be assigned 100 shares of stock per contract.

Preventing Assignment

How can you avoid being assigned before it happens? There are two ways:

You can close the trade before it expires and take any profit or loss on the trade

You can roll the trade to extend the days to expiration, giving you more time to be right

When it comes to assignment, we totally understand the fear investors have. That's why the tastytrade trading platform was designed with a feature that can help prevent you from being assigned with a quick glance. Whenever you sell an option that is in the money, or has moved in the money, there is an 'ITM' symbol that will show up on your portfolio page.

Despite our best efforts to avoid unwanted assignment, it can still happen from time to time. This leaves new investors wondering what to do if this scenario occurs...

What Happens If I am assigned?

I imagine I looked a little like this when I realized I had been assigned.

Assignment can happen pretty easily if you are not monitoring you positions on a regular basis (and can happen even if you are).

Just last week, I had an ITM option expire on a day where I was wrapped up in meetings and projects, and ended up being assigned stock. If you get busy during the day or if you are trading an illiquid underlying (in which case there may not be any buyers/sellers available so you cannot close the position), this can happen to you.

We mentioned the following scenarios before, but wanted to hammer the points home in the event that you are assigned. There are two things that can happen if you sold an option that has expired in the money...

If you were assigned stock and had the money to cover the shares in your account, then you can choose to hold the long (or short) stock, or buy/sell the shares back for a profit or loss.

If you were assigned shares and don't have the money to cover the shares you were assigned (the term for this is a margin call), you will need to buy/sell back the shares ASAP. If you do not, the broker will do it for you before the end of the trading day.

There's a lot of information in this post, so let's recap the most important takeaways:

Assignment can happen at any time - it is contolled by the option buyer.

If you do not have enough funds in your account to cover long or short stock, you should close the position immediately (or your broker will do it for you).

Spreads give more protection against being assigned, but they do not protect you unless BOTH legs are in the money.

If you have a short call position, there is additional assignment risk if that call is in the money at the time of the dividend.

If you ever have any questions about assignment, don't hesitate to reach out to our support team at [email protected] !

Options involve risk and are not suitable for all investors. Please read Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options before deciding to invest in options.

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