You can buy credit for some past work and leaves, which may raise your benefit or let you retire sooner. You can get at most one year of credit per fiscal year. Out-of-state and private teaching, federal and other public service, waived service, military service, other Ohio public service without contributions, pre-July 1982 pregnancy or adoption leaves and school board service cost 100% of the liability they create. Restored withdrawn credit, leaves of absence and transfers from other Ohio systems are priced on pay, contribution rates and interest. Purchasing Service Credit, pp. 1-3, Cost; Plan Summary, pp. 16-19
Limits by type
| Type | Limit |
|---|---|
| Out-of-state, private, federal or other public service | Up to 5 years combined across STRS Ohio, OPERS and SERS; you need one year of STRS Ohio service for each year bought. Purchasing Service Credit, pp. 10-11 |
| Military service | Up to 5 years (including National Guard and reserve), plus up to 5 years of prisoner-of-war time; one STRS year needed for each year bought. Purchasing Service Credit, pp. 14-17 |
| Free military credit | Up to 10 years free if you left Ohio public teaching for military duty and came back after discharge within the time limits. Purchasing Service Credit, pp. 18-19 |
| Restoring withdrawn Ohio credit | After 1.50 years of Ohio contributing service since the withdrawal. Purchasing Service Credit, pp. 18-19 |
| Leaves of absence | Up to two years for each leave. Purchasing Service Credit, pp. 20-21 |
| School board service before July 1, 1991 | One-quarter year for each year on the board. Purchasing Service Credit, pp. 12-13 |
Paying for it
Lump sum (check, pretax rollover or employer payment; minimum $200 or the cost of .01 year), or payroll deduction pretax or after-tax. 100%-liability credit is bought in whole years; payroll deduction plans run at most three years. Purchasing Service Credit, pp. 2-5
Credit must be certified, with a cost statement issued, before your retirement date, and paid within three months after it (or before your benefit is final, if earlier). Otherwise your retirement date moves to the month after you pay, or you retire without it. Purchasing Service Credit, pp. 8-9, Deadline for purchasing credit; Plans of Payment, pp. 2-5
To see what extra years would do to your own benefit, add them to your service in the STRS Ohio calculator. If you left teaching and took a withdrawal, restoring it is one of the purchases above; see leaving teaching.
What the brochures say
- You can buy credit for some past work and leaves, which may raise your benefit or let you retire sooner. You get at most one year of credit per year.Purchasing Service Credit, pp. 1-3
- Out-of-state, private school, federal and military service, among others, cost 100% of the added liability. Restored refunds and leaves are priced on pay, contribution rates and interest.Purchasing Service Credit, pp. 1-3
- Out-of-state, private and federal service: up to 5 years combined with OPERS and SERS. Military: up to 5 years, and up to 10 years free if you left teaching for military duty and came back.Purchasing Service Credit, pp. 10-11 and 14-19
- Credit must be certified before your retirement date and paid within three months after it, or your retirement date moves to after you pay.Purchasing Service Credit, pp. 8-9
Questions
What can I buy service credit for with STRS Ohio?
Out-of-state, private school and federal teaching, military service, restored refunds, leaves of absence and some other public service, each with its own limits.
When do I have to pay?
The credit must be certified before your retirement date and paid within three months after it.
Source: STRS Ohio, Understanding Your STRS Ohio Benefits: Plan Summary, 2026|2027 (form 20-101, Aug. 2026), pp. 16-19, 16-17. Also: STRS Ohio Purchasing Service Credit (Defined Benefit Plan), 2026|2027 (form 15-119, 6/26), pp. 1-3, 2-5, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13, 14-17, 14-19, 18-19, 20-21. Also: STRS Ohio Service Retirement and Plans of Payment (Defined Benefit Plan), 2026|2027 (form 15-126, 6/26), pp. 2-5, 2-3. Background: Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3307. Last reviewed .