Purchasing Service (Tier 1)

This page is specifically for members who are Tier 1. If you wish to purchase a service contract and you are in Tier 2, please go to this page.

You may be eligible to purchase service credit for previous periods of employments, which will provide you with a higher monthly allowance when you retire, and may even, qualify you to retire earlier. If you have service for purchase, you should contact the Membership Section at (213) 367-1695 as soon as possible; significant interest penalties apply to some purchases if they are not started within a specified period.

Payments for a service purchase contract can be made by lump sum payment, rollover, or payroll deductions. Please note, IRS Section 415(c)(1)(A) limits how much after-tax contributions you can make in a calendar year, which may limit your ability to make payment(s) in your preferred manner.

City or Department Service

To purchase City or Department Service time for which you did not contribute to the either the Plan or LACERS, you must initiate the process by completing the inquiry form.

• Qualifying Period – Prior to July 1, 1991, you were not eligible for membership in the Plan until you completed six months (or 26 weeks) of employment.


• Ineligible Department or City Service Periods – If you were employed in the Department or the City in an in-eligible position, such as a part-time or exempt position, you were not eligible to Plan membership.


• Maternity Leaves – If you were on an unpaid leave, you may be eligible to purchase up to one year of the leave. Please note, if you were receiving Disability Benefits from the Plan, you do not need to purchase the time.


• Redeposit of Withdrawn Contributions – If you quit employment with the Department and withdrew your contributions, you may redeposit the amount you withdrew, plus interest, to restore your retirement credit. Please note, if you were rehired after January 1, 2014, you will not be able to redeposit your funds for Tier 1 and must redeposit under Tier 2.

Other Governmental Service Eligible for Purchase

You may also purchase service for time worked in another government agency, including time served in the military. The service must have been full-time for a minimum of 6 continuous months. To apply, please complete the certification form.