{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/51.1-134.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/51.1-134.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/51.1-134.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/51.1-134.html"}],"law_id":57542,"edition_id":1,"section_id":57542,"structure_id":15102,"section_number":"51.1-134","catch_line":"Optional membership; creditable service","history":"1952, c. 157, \u00a7 51-111.32; 1960, c. 400; 1974, c. 353; 1990, c. 832.","full_text":"Membership in the retirement system for eligible employees in service on the date of coverage shall be optional. Any employee who elects to join the retirement system within one calendar year after the date of coverage shall be entitled to credit for service rendered prior to the date of coverage as certified by his employer for service rendered to the employer, his predecessor, the Commonwealth, or in any other capacity approved by the employer and the Board.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":210817,"text":"Membership in the retirement system for eligible employees in service on the date of coverage shall be optional. Any employee who elects to join the retirement system within one calendar year after the date of coverage shall be entitled to credit for service rendered prior to the date of coverage as certified by his employer for service rendered to the employer, his predecessor, the Commonwealth, or in any other capacity approved by the employer and the Board.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":15102,"edition_id":1,"name":"Participation of Political Subdivisions in Retirement System","identifier":"5","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13056,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:52:09","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:52:09","permalink":{"id":235243,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15102,"identifier":"5","token":"51.1\/1\/5","url":"\/51.1\/1\/5\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13056,"edition_id":1,"name":"Virginia Retirement System","identifier":"1","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12947,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:11","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:11","permalink":{"id":235031,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13056,"identifier":"1","token":"51.1\/1","url":"\/51.1\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12947,"edition_id":1,"name":"Pensions, Benefits, and Retirement","identifier":"51.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:04","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:04","permalink":{"id":235029,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12947,"identifier":"51.1","token":"51.1","url":"\/51.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":72480,"structure_id":15102,"section_number":"51.1-130","catch_line":"Resolution of governing body; approval by Board","url":"\/51.1-130\/","token":"51.1\/1\/5\/51.1-130","metadata":false},{"id":73929,"structure_id":15102,"section_number":"51.1-131","catch_line":"Local pension systems; transfer to retirement system","url":"\/51.1-131\/","token":"51.1\/1\/5\/51.1-131","metadata":false},{"id":81431,"structure_id":15102,"section_number":"51.1-132","catch_line":"Eligible employees","url":"\/51.1-132\/","token":"51.1\/1\/5\/51.1-132","metadata":false},{"id":83773,"structure_id":15102,"section_number":"51.1-133","catch_line":"Limitation on membership","url":"\/51.1-133\/","token":"51.1\/1\/5\/51.1-133","metadata":false},{"id":57542,"structure_id":15102,"section_number":"51.1-134","catch_line":"Optional membership; creditable service","url":"\/51.1-134\/","token":"51.1\/1\/5\/51.1-134","metadata":false},{"id":62836,"structure_id":15102,"section_number":"51.1-135","catch_line":"Compulsory membership","url":"\/51.1-135\/","token":"51.1\/1\/5\/51.1-135","metadata":false},{"id":85532,"structure_id":15102,"section_number":"51.1-136","catch_line":"Submitting information and performing duties prescribed by Board","url":"\/51.1-136\/","token":"51.1\/1\/5\/51.1-136","metadata":false},{"id":78267,"structure_id":15102,"section_number":"51.1-137","catch_line":"Computation of employer contribution rates; reimbursement by Commonwealth","url":"\/51.1-137\/","token":"51.1\/1\/5\/51.1-137","metadata":false},{"id":84786,"structure_id":15102,"section_number":"51.1-137.1","catch_line":"Certain local data to be provided","url":"\/51.1-137.1\/","token":"51.1\/1\/5\/51.1-137.1","metadata":false},{"id":60634,"structure_id":15102,"section_number":"51.1-138","catch_line":"Benefits","url":"\/51.1-138\/","token":"51.1\/1\/5\/51.1-138","metadata":false},{"id":76070,"structure_id":15102,"section_number":"51.1-139","catch_line":"Procedure when employer in default","url":"\/51.1-139\/","token":"51.1\/1\/5\/51.1-139","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":83773,"structure_id":15102,"section_number":"51.1-133","catch_line":"Limitation on membership","url":"\/51.1-133\/","token":"51.1\/1\/5\/51.1-133","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":62836,"structure_id":15102,"section_number":"51.1-135","catch_line":"Compulsory membership","url":"\/51.1-135\/","token":"51.1\/1\/5\/51.1-135","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/51.1-134\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1952. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 157 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1952 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 3 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1960, chapter 400; in 1974, chapter 353; in 1990, chapter 832.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":235261,"object_type":"law","relational_id":57542,"identifier":"51.1-134","token":"51.1\/1\/5\/51.1-134","url":"\/51.1-134\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/51.1-134\/","token":"51.1\/1\/5\/51.1-134","dublin_core":{"Title":"Optional membership; creditable service","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 51.1-134","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Membership in the retirement system<\/span> for eligible employees<\/span> in service<\/span> on the date of coverage shall be optional. Any employee<\/span> who elects to join the retirement system<\/span> within one calendar year after the date of coverage shall be entitled to credit for service<\/span> rendered prior to the date of coverage as certified by his employer<\/span> for service<\/span> rendered to the employer<\/span>, his predecessor, the Commonwealth, or in any other capacity approved by the employer<\/span> and the Board<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nOPTIONAL MEMBERSHIP; CREDITABLE SERVICE (\u00a7 51.1-134)\n\nMembership in the retirement system for eligible employees in service on the\ndate of coverage shall be optional. Any employee who elects to join the\nretirement system within one calendar year after the date of coverage shall be\nentitled to credit for service rendered prior to the date of coverage as\ncertified by his employer for service rendered to the employer, his predecessor,\nthe Commonwealth, or in any other capacity approved by the employer and the\nBoard.\n\nHISTORY: 1952, c. 157, \u00a7 51-111.32; 1960, c. 400; 1974, c. 353; 1990, c. 832.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}