A consistency rule caps how much of your total profit can come from a single day. It stops traders from passing on one lucky day, and it is a common reason a profitable trader cannot request a payout yet.
The math
Most rules compare your best day with your total profit for the evaluation or payout period:
best day profit ÷ total profit ≤ the firm's limit
With a 40% rule and $3,000 total profit, your best day can be at most $1,200. If you made $1,800 on one day, you need total profit of at least $4,500 ($1,800 ÷ 0.40) before you qualify. Nothing is lost; you just have to keep trading.
Where the rule applies
Firms differ: some apply it in the evaluation, some only to payouts from the funded account, some to both, and some have none. The percentage varies too. The comparison table shows where each firm applies one, and each review gives the exact wording.
How to trade with one
- Know your number before the day starts: the most you can make today without breaking the ratio.
- Scale size down after a big day rather than up.
- Expect the rule to cost time, not money, on most firms. Plan for a few extra trading days.