Several types of prior service may be purchased and included in your total years of service. Purchasing service credit can increase your retirement benefit* and, in some cases, allow you to retire earlier.

VCERA offers two types of service purchases: prior County/District service and prior public service. For purposes of vesting and retirement eligibility, purchased County/District service counts toward these VCERA milestones, but purchased prior public service does not.

Click on a link below for more information about the types of prior service available for members to purchase.

* Purchasing prior service may not increase the pension of a member who is awarded a disability retirement, which is calculated as a percentage of a member’s final average compensation. Depending on various factors, a disability retirement benefit may exceed a service retirement benefit, even with the inclusion of additional service credit due to purchased prior service.