Code of Virginia — Title 51.1 (Pensions, Benefits, and Retirement), Chapter 1 (VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEM)
§ 51.1-153. Service retirement.
A. Normal retirement. -- Any member in service at his normal retirement date with five or more years of creditable service may retire at any time upon written notification to the Board setting forth the date the retirement is to become effective. Any member in service who was denied membership prior to July 1, 1987, as a result of being age 60 or over when first employed may retire at any time after his normal retirement date and the requirement of having five or more years of service shall not apply.

B. Early retirement. -- 1. Any member in service who has attained his fifty-fifth birthday with five or more years of creditable service may retire prior to his normal retirement date upon written notification to the Board setting forth the date the retirement is to become effective.

However, a person who becomes a member on or after July 1, 2010, or a member who does not have at least 60 months of creditable service as of January 1, 2013, under this chapter shall be allowed to retire under this subdivision prior to his normal retirement date only if the person is in service and has attained his sixtieth birthday with five or more years of creditable service, and the benefit for such person shall be calculated in accordance with the provisions of subdivision A 3 of § 51.1-155.

2. Subject to the provisions of subdivision 3, any state employee, teacher, or employee of a political subdivision who is a member of the retirement system may retire prior to his normal retirement date after attaining age 50 and 30 years of creditable service, upon written notification to the Board setting forth the date the retirement is to become effective. The benefit for such member shall be calculated in accordance with the provisions of subdivision A 1 of § 51.1-155.

3. A person who becomes a member on or after July 1, 2010, or a member who does not have at least 60 months of creditable service as of January 1, 2013, as a state employee, teacher, or employee of a political subdivision may retire prior to his normal retirement date after the sum of his age and years of creditable service equals 90, upon written notification to the Board setting forth the date the retirement is to become effective. The benefit for such member shall be calculated in accordance with the provisions of subdivision A 1 of § 51.1-155.

4. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a political subdivision by legally adopted resolution may declare to the Board that, for purposes of subdivisions B 1 and B 3 and subsection D, and subdivision A 3 of § 51.1-155, any person who is an individual who meets the definition of "emergency medical services personnel" in § 32.1-111.1 or who is employed as a firefighter, or law-enforcement officer as those terms are defined in § 15.2-1512.2 (i) shall not be considered a person who becomes a member on or after July 1, 2010, and (ii) shall be deemed to have at least 60 months of creditable service as of January 1, 2013. Such resolution shall be irrevocable.

C. Deferred retirement for members terminating service. -- Any member who terminates service after five or more years of creditable service, regardless of termination date, may retire under the provisions of subsection A, B, or D if he has not withdrawn his accumulated contributions prior to the effective date of his retirement or if he has five or more years of creditable service for which his employer has paid the contributions and such contributions cannot be withdrawn. For the purposes of this subsection, any requirements as to the member being in service shall not apply.

D. 50/10 retirement. -- Any member in service on or after January 1, 1994, who has attained his fiftieth birthday with 10 or more years of creditable service may retire prior to his normal retirement date upon written notification to the Board setting forth the date the retirement is to become effective. A person who becomes a member on or after July 1, 2010, or a member who does not have at least 60 months of creditable service as of January 1, 2013, shall not be allowed to retire pursuant to this subsection.

E. Effective date of retirement. -- The effective date of retirement shall be after the last day of service of the member, but shall not be more than 90 days prior to the filing of the notice of retirement.

F. Notification on behalf of member. -- If the member is physically or mentally unable to submit written notification of his intention to retire, the member's appointing authority may submit notification on his behalf.

1952, c. 157, § 51-111.53; 1966, c. 174; 1970, c. 476; 1976, c. 429; 1977, c. 620; 1982, c. 427; 1986, c. 474; 1988, c. 222; 1990, c. 832; 1995, cc. 152, 692, 811; 1996, cc. 768, 997; 1999, cc. 111, 567, 568, 569, 591, 592, 598, 599; 2000, cc. 66, 657, 911; 2010, cc. 737, 738; 2011, c. 483; 2012, cc. 701, 811, 823; 2013, cc. 456, 666; 2015, cc. 502, 503.