Paste an OCC Option Symbol to Decode Root, Date, Type & Strike

Free

Paste an OCC option symbol or OSI ticker to decode the root, YYMMDD expiration, call or put flag, and strike price. The decoder accepts padded and compact symbols for SPY, QQQ, GLDM, SPXW, and single-stock contracts.

Direct format answer

OCC option symbol format: root + YYMMDD + C/P + strike

The fixed-width OSI form is 21 characters. The root field is six characters, the date is six digits, the contract type is one letter, and the final eight strike digits are divided by 1,000. Compact feeds may omit root padding spaces, so the decoder accepts both padded and compact forms and turns them into API-ready contract tickers.

SPY 260417C00500000

Common searches

SPYQQQGLDMSPXW

Use these examples to check OCC option symbol format, GLDM root padding, and SPXW weekly index tickers before contract lookup.

Read format guide

OSI field map

Fixed-width OCC option symbol fields

The table is the parser contract. Slice the string into fields first, then trim or convert each field by type.

FieldSliceExampleMeaning
RootCharacters 1-6SPY Underlying root padded to six characters in fixed-width OSI form. Compact displays may remove the spaces.
ExpirationCharacters 7-12260417YYMMDD expiration date. In this example, 260417 means April 17, 2026.
TypeCharacter 13CC for call or P for put.
StrikeCharacters 14-2100500000Eight strike digits stored in thousandths. 00500000 becomes 500.00.

Spaces between the ticker and date are optional but fully supported.

Waiting for symbol input...

OCC symbol builder

Build a compact ticker and fixed-width OSI symbol

Enter the four normalized fields and the builder generates both the CuteMarkets-friendly compact ticker and the padded 21-character OSI form. The compact form keeps the `O:` prefix so it can be copied directly into contract and snapshot requests.

Compact OCC ticker

O:SPY260515C00500000

Fixed-width OSI symbol

SPY 260515C00500000

Contract lookup URL

/v1/options/contracts/O:SPY260515C00500000/

Snapshot lookup URL

/v1/options/snapshot/SPY/O:SPY260515C00500000/

Common OCC Symbol Examples

Try real OSI ticker patterns for equity, ETF, commodity ETF, and index weekly option roots.

OCC symbol cluster

Parser guides and exact OCC symbol answers

Use the decoder for interactive parsing, then follow the supporting pages for fixed-width rules, root padding, GLDM examples, and OCC versus OSI terminology.

OCC symbol format guide

Read the exact OSI root, date, type, and strike breakdown with GLDM, SPY, QQQ, and SPXW examples.

SPXW expiration dates

Check SPXW short-dated index expirations before parsing SPXW option tickers.

Contracts API docs

Fetch a single contract by OCC ticker or filter listed contracts by expiration and strike.

What is the OCC format?

Direct answer page for root, YYMMDD expiration, call or put flag, and strike parsing.

Why OCC symbols have spaces

Root padding, compact display forms, and parser handling for fixed-width symbols.

GLDM OCC symbol example

Decode a GLDM option ticker and handle commodity ETF roots correctly.

OCC vs OSI

Clarify common terminology before naming contract fields in a database or API.

Parser checks

Common OCC parser checks before using a symbol in API requests

Root padding

Trim only after slicing the six-character root field. Do not split on spaces first.

Date parsing

Convert YYMMDD to a full date before validating the contract expiration.

Strike scaling

Divide the final eight digits by 1,000 before formatting dollars or index points.

Root variants

Keep SPX and SPXW separate. The weekly index root can carry different settlement behavior.

Understanding OCC Option Symbols

The Options Clearing Corporation (OCC) implemented the Options Symbology Initiative (OSI) in 2010 to standardize how options contracts are identified across exchanges, brokerages, and data providers. An OSI symbol identifies the underlying, expiration date, contract type, and strike, which is why the same format works for SPY, QQQ, GLDM, SPXW, and single-stock option tickers.

How to Read an OSI Option Symbol

While it looks like a long string of random numbers, the OSI string is split into four strict sections. Let's break down an example: NFLX 260424C00090000

1

Root Symbol (NFLX )

The first 6 characters represent the underlying asset. Because Netflix (NFLX) is only 4 letters, it is strictly padded with two spaces on the right side to reach exactly 6 characters.

2

Expiration Date (260424)

The next 6 characters represent the option's expiration date in YYMMDD format. Here, it stands for April 24, 2026.

3

Contract Type (C)

A single letter determining the contract type. It is always either C for Call options or P for Put options.

4

Strike Price (00090000)

The final 8 digits represent the strike price multiplied by 1,000. In this example, 90000 divided by 1000 equals a strike price of $90.00.

OCC Symbol FAQ

What is the OCC option symbol format?

The OCC option symbol format uses a root symbol, six-digit expiration date in YYMMDD format, C or P for call or put, and an eight-digit strike price multiplied by 1,000.

How long is an OCC option symbol?

The fixed-width OSI format is 21 characters: six root characters, six date digits, one C or P flag, and eight strike digits. Many displays remove root padding spaces, so parsers should accept compact symbols too.

Is the OCC symbol the same as the OSI ticker?

Yes. OSI is the Options Symbology Initiative format standardized by OCC. Traders often call the same 21-character contract identifier an OCC option symbol, OSI symbol, or option ticker.

How do I decode GLDM, SPY, QQQ, or SPXW option symbols?

Paste the full symbol into the decoder. The root identifies the underlying, the next six digits identify expiration, C or P identifies contract type, and the last eight digits convert to strike price.

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