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To buy Berkshire Hathaway stock, open and fund a brokerage account, search for the share class you want—BRK.A or BRK.B—then review and submit an order. The broker’s order ticket will show whether it supports that class, the order types available, and any fractional-share options.
1. Choose a brokerage account
Compare firms before opening an account. Check the account agreement and fees, available order types, customer support, and whether the firm offers the Berkshire share class and fractional orders you want. Brokers generally must register with the SEC and become FINRA members; use Investor.gov’s brokerage-account guidance and its resources for checking investment professionals to understand accounts and check firms or professionals.
You do not need a margin account to buy Berkshire. A cash account requires full payment for securities purchased. A margin account involves borrowing from the brokerage firm and has separate terms and risks; review those terms before choosing it.
2. Open and fund the account
Follow the firm’s current instructions to open the account, complete any required identity and account forms, and add funds. Confirm the available cash balance before placing an order. The broker’s instructions and account agreement govern how deposits become available for trading.
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3. Choose the Berkshire share class
Berkshire Hathaway has two classes of common stock. The company’s filing identifies their trading symbols as BRK.A and BRK.B. Search for the symbol in your broker’s trade ticket and verify that the displayed company and class are correct before entering an order.
| Class | What to know |
|---|---|
| BRK.A (Class A) | One Class A share can be converted, at the holder’s option, into 30 Class B shares, according to Berkshire Hathaway’s 1998 filing. |
| BRK.B (Class B) | Class B shares cannot be converted into Class A shares, according to the same 1998 filing. |
Voting rights are not the same as the conversion ratio. At the record date covered by Berkshire Hathaway’s 2022 proxy statement, each Class A share carried one vote and each Class B share carried 1/10,000 of one vote on matters submitted to shareholders. That is the proxy’s dated description, not a reason to treat a Class B share as having one-thirtieth of a vote.
4. Set the amount and order type
Enter either the number of shares or, if the broker permits it for the selected security, a dollar amount. A displayed quote or last trade is not a guaranteed price for your eventual purchase. The SEC’s guide to order types explains the main trade-offs:
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems- Market order: Seeks prompt execution, but does not guarantee the execution price. The price may change while the order is routed.
- Buy limit order: Sets the highest price you are willing to pay. The SEC defines a limit order as an order to buy or sell a stock “at a specific price or better.” A buy limit can execute only at the limit price or lower, but it may not execute at all.
Execution is not necessarily instantaneous. The broker routes orders under its processes and obligations, and prices can move before an order fills. For more on how orders are handled, see the SEC’s explanation of execution quality.
5. Review, submit, and confirm the trade
- On the order ticket, verify the company name and symbol (BRK.A or BRK.B), then check the share or dollar amount.
- Select the order type and, if the ticket offers it, review the time-in-force setting.
- Read the preview carefully, including the estimated total and any displayed fees or other charges. The estimate is not a promise of the final fill price for a market order.
- Submit the order and check its status in the account. It may be open, partially filled, filled, or canceled, depending on the broker’s status labels and what happens in the market.
- After execution, review the trade confirmation for the final quantity, price, and charges. If you cancel an order, verify that cancellation is complete before placing a replacement; an order that has not yet been canceled could still execute.
Can you buy fractional Berkshire Hathaway shares?
Possibly, depending on the broker and the exact security. Some brokerage firms let customers place orders for less than one whole share or enter an amount in dollars, but fractional trading is not available for every stock or through every platform. Ask whether BRK.B is eligible at your firm and check its rules for minimums, order types, trading hours, and platform access. Firms may aggregate fractional orders rather than execute each one in real time. The SEC’s fractional-share overview describes these differences. Do not assume that either Berkshire class is available fractionally without confirming it with your broker.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What brokerage protection does—and does not—cover
SIPC may protect eligible customer cash and securities if a SIPC-member brokerage fails, up to $500,000, including a $250,000 limit for cash, as described by Investor.gov. SIPC protection does not cover losses caused by a decline in Berkshire’s market value. Check the broker’s membership and the terms of SIPC protection rather than treating it as insurance against investment losses.
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