- With five years of service you can buy up to five more years. You pay the full actuarial cost for your age, service and average compensation, by lump sum, installments or a rollover from a 401(a), 401(k), 403(b), 457 or IRA.Summary Plan Description (REV 8/25), pp. 2-3, Purchase of Service; NRS 286.300(2)
- Check with Nevada PERSThe cost of one year is a percentage of your 36-month average salary from Nevada PERS's tables. For example, a member hired before 2010, age 50 with 20 years, pays 39.15% of average salary per year bought.Appendix B carries no effective date (Appendix A was effective until June 30, 2024).Official Policies (2024), p. 30, Policy 6.6; p. 108, Appendix B
- If you enrolled on or after July 1, 2015, bought service raises your benefit but does not help you qualify to retire sooner, unless you have a qualifying family medical emergency. If you want to buy service before retiring, notify Nevada PERS at least 30 days before you leave.Summary Plan Description (REV 8/25), p. 3; Pre-Retirement Guide (REV 1/25), p. 3
With five years of creditable service you may buy up to five years of additional service credit at the full actuarial cost based on your age, total service credit and average compensation at purchase. Pay in a lump sum, by installments, or with a rollover from 401(a), 401(k), 403(b), 457 plans or IRAs. Members enrolled on or after July 1, 2015 may buy service, but it does not count toward retirement eligibility unless there is a qualifying family medical emergency. Summary Plan Description (REV 8/25), pp. 2-3, Purchase of Service; Pre-Retirement Guide (REV 1/25), p. 3
- Members first enrolled on or after Jan. 1, 2000 can buy service only while employed in a position eligible for Nevada PERS membership. NRS 286.300(5); Official Policies revisions eff. Apr. 15, 2026 (memo of Mar. 26, 2026, attachment PDF p. 3, Policy 6.2)
- Service purchased after Jan. 1, 2010 may only be credited to the tier in which it was purchased. Official Policies (2024), p. 30, Policy 6.6
- Members with 5 years who served on active duty in Operation Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom or Iraqi Freedom may buy months of service equal to full months on duty, up to 3 years, in addition to the 5-year purchase. NRS 286.300(3); Official Policies (2024), p. 34, Policy 6.23
- A licensed teacher with 5 years whose district pays for unused sick leave as purchased service may have up to 1 year (or the unused hours, if less) bought on their behalf, counted within the 5-year purchase. NRS 286.300(4)
Cost vs. what you get
Cost of one year = factor (by age at purchase and service at purchase) x your 36-month average salary (with the EPC salary factor and, for post-2015 members, the salary limit). Official Policies (2024), p. 30, Policy 6.6; p. 108 (Appendix B note); p. 116 (Appendix F note); Official Policies revisions eff. Apr. 15, 2026 (memo of Mar. 26, 2026, attachment PDF p. 3, Policy 6.6)
Worked exampleEnrolled before 2010, age 50 with 20 years, average salary $60,000: one year costs 39.15% × $60,000 = $23,490. That year adds 2.67% of average pay to your pension (see the formula), $133.50 a month for life (if you're under the cap).
Our arithmetic on Nevada PERS's factor. Official Policies (2024), pp. 108-109, Appendix B (Regular members hired prior to 1/1/2010)
Nevada PERS's cost factors
Percent of your average annual salary for each year bought, by age and years of service when you buy. Each enrollment group has its own table. A selection from each:
Enrolled before January 1, 2010
| Age | 5 yrs | 10 yrs | 15 yrs | 20 yrs | 25 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 22.68% | 31.83% | 38.38% | 49.87% | — |
| 45 | 25.78% | 23.34% | 34.44% | 43.38% | 57.26% |
| 50 | 27.84% | 27.82% | 25.16% | 39.15% | 56.58% |
| 55 | 29.77% | 29.77% | 30.01% | 28.93% | 49.83% |
| 60 | 29.43% | 30.88% | 31.46% | 34.33% | 31.64% |
| 62 | 29.46% | 30.01% | 30.52% | 31.75% | 31.14% |
| 65 | 29.02% | 28.95% | 29.45% | 28.67% | 30.53% |
Enrolled January 1, 2010 to June 30, 2015
| Age | 5 yrs | 10 yrs | 15 yrs | 20 yrs | 25 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 22.17% | 35.59% | 40.13% | 40.91% | — |
| 45 | 21.5% | 22.82% | 38.51% | 45.27% | 47.3% |
| 50 | 23.37% | 22.15% | 24.61% | 43.37% | 52.27% |
| 55 | 24.33% | 25.34% | 24.01% | 28.65% | 53.77% |
| 60 | 26.13% | 27.56% | 27.31% | 29.29% | 36.15% |
| 62 | 26.09% | 27.78% | 28.33% | 29.62% | 29.84% |
| 65 | 27.02% | 26.86% | 27.3% | 26.72% | 29.24% |
Enrolled on or after July 1, 2015
| Age | 5 yrs | 10 yrs | 15 yrs | 20 yrs | 25 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 16.97% | 16.07% | 18.72% | 19.91% | — |
| 45 | 18.63% | 17.43% | 17.28% | 20.99% | 22.82% |
| 50 | 20.42% | 19.1% | 18.74% | 19.36% | 24.08% |
| 55 | 22.22% | 21.02% | 20.63% | 21.11% | 22.32% |
| 60 | 22.55% | 23% | 22.5% | 23.02% | 24.06% |
| 62 | 23.14% | 23.43% | 22.9% | 23.57% | 24.27% |
| 65 | 23.49% | 22.85% | 22.45% | 22.79% | 22.79% |
A dash: not in the table (not possible at that age). Each extra year of service adds 2.67% (before 2010), 2.5% (2010 to mid-2015), 2.25% (july 2015 on) of average pay; on $5,000 a month that's $134, $125, $113 a month.
Nevada PERS's cost tables by age and service carry no effective date. Its older tables say they ended June 30, 2024, so we treat these as the current ones.
What would settle it: A Nevada PERS purchase-of-service cost estimate, or a complete 2026 Official Policies edition.
The cost tables use whole years of age and service. The sources don't say whether a part year is rounded or dropped. We drop it.
What would settle it: A Nevada PERS purchase-of-service cost estimate.
If you buy service before retiring, notify Nevada PERS at least 30 days before you terminate employment. Pre-Retirement Guide (REV 1/25), p. 3 Then try the extra years in the calculator, or see one more year.
Questions
Can I buy service credit in Nevada PERS?
Yes, once you have 5 years of service: up to 5 more years, at the full actuarial cost.
How much does a year cost?
A percentage of your 36-month average salary from Nevada PERS's tables, by your age and service when you buy. For example, a member enrolled before 2010, age 50 with 20 years, pays 39.15% of average salary for each year bought.
Does bought service help me retire sooner?
If you enrolled before July 1, 2015, yes. If you enrolled on or after that date, it raises your benefit but doesn't count toward retirement eligibility, unless you have a qualifying family medical emergency.
Source: Nevada PERS Summary Plan Description for Regular Members, REV 8/25 (law through the 2025 Legislature), pp. 2-3. Also: Nevada PERS Pre-Retirement Guide (REV 1/25) p. 3; Nevada PERS Official Policies revisions eff. Apr. 15, 2026; Nevada PERS Official Policies (eff. Sept. 1, 2024) pp. 30, 34, 108-109, 112-113, 116-117; NRS §§ 286.300, 286.510. Last reviewed .