Bottom line
DB and Combined Plan members generally need 5.00 years of qualifying service for a future age-based retirement benefit, while DC employer money follows a separate vesting schedule. Leaving employment does not require immediate withdrawal.Key facts
- 5.00 years of qualifying service supports future DB or Combined Plan age-based retirement eligibility.
- 20% of the DC employer portion vests for each full membership year for members beginning on or after July 1, 2013.
- 1 year is the employer-portion vesting point for DC members whose membership began before July 1, 2013.
A vested Defined Benefit member can leave the account in place
STRS Ohio states that a Defined Benefit member who leaves Ohio public service and does not withdraw the account can receive a service retirement benefit later after meeting an applicable age-and-service requirement. The age-based routes require at least 5.00 years of qualifying service credit. That means a teacher who changes careers after vesting does not have to cash out simply because monthly retirement cannot begin immediately. The service can remain on the record until the member reaches a qualifying age or other threshold.
For a member with fewer than five qualifying years, leaving still does not create an automatic refund. The account can remain on file, and future Ohio public service may add to the record. The important distinction is between terminating covered employment and canceling service credit through a withdrawal. A withdrawal is an affirmative transaction with lasting consequences; merely resigning from a district is not the same event.
Defined Contribution vesting follows a different clock
STRS Ohio’s Defined Contribution Plan uses an employer-portion vesting schedule rather than the DB five-year pension concept. If membership began before July 1, 2013, the member is 100% vested in the employer portion after one year. For membership beginning on or after July 1, 2013, 20% of the employer portion vests for each full year of membership. Member contributions and investment gains or losses on those contributions are handled separately from the employer-share vesting calculation.
This difference can make the word “vested” misleading when colleagues compare plans. A DB teacher may be discussing eligibility for a future lifetime pension, while a DC participant may mean ownership of the employer-funded account balance. Combined Plan members have both defined benefit and defined contribution pieces, so leaving employment requires checking each component. The plan selected at enrollment is therefore the first item to confirm before applying any vesting rule.
Preserving service keeps future pension options alive; withdrawing cancels them
STRS Ohio warns DB and Combined Plan members that withdrawing the account cancels service credit and potential benefits for the member and family. That is why the system specifically encourages members with five or more years of service to review the account with a benefits counselor before withdrawing. A refund can provide liquidity or enable a rollover, but it also converts a pension record into a distribution and eliminates the deferred benefit attached to the withdrawn service unless the credit is later restored under applicable rules.
A teacher leaving at midcareer should compare at least three records before deciding: the current withdrawal value, the projected deferred monthly benefit at a future eligible age, and the plan’s survivor or disability protections that end or change after withdrawal. Those are not interchangeable dollar amounts. The withdrawal figure is an account value today; the deferred pension is a future lifetime stream. STRS Ohio can provide official estimates for both sides of that comparison.
Identify which STRS Ohio plan owns your vesting question
Vesting language changes by plan. In the Defined Benefit Plan, five qualifying years are important because they support future age-based service-retirement eligibility. In the Defined Contribution Plan, vesting describes ownership of the employer-funded account portion. The Combined Plan has both elements. Before asking whether you are “vested,” open the account record and identify DB, DC or Combined; otherwise two correct rules can sound contradictory.
This plan-first step is especially important for educators who made an election at the start of their Ohio career and have not looked at it for years. A colleague with the same hire date can have a different plan and a different leaving outcome. STRS Ohio’s plan-options material explains that benefits, investment responsibility and ancillary protections differ across the three designs.
| Plan | Primary vesting question |
|---|---|
| Defined Benefit | Future lifetime pension eligibility |
| Defined Contribution | Ownership of employer-funded account share |
| Combined | DB future benefit plus DC account ownership |
Leaving with DB service creates a deferred-benefit choice, not an automatic payout
A DB member can leave covered Ohio public service and keep the STRS Ohio account intact. STRS Ohio says the member may later receive retirement benefits after meeting an applicable age-and-service requirement. This is the deferred-benefit route. It preserves service credit and avoids turning the record into a current withdrawal, which can be valuable when the member already has five qualifying years or expects to return to Ohio public employment.
The deferred path also keeps future plan changes relevant. Eligibility schedules can be adjusted by the board under statutory authority, so a member leaving decades before retirement should review the rules again later. Keeping the account does not freeze today’s exact retirement age forever; it preserves the service record subject to the plan provisions that apply when benefits begin.
| Choice | Immediate effect |
|---|---|
| Leave account intact | Service remains on STRS Ohio record |
| Return later to covered service | May add service |
| Withdraw account | Cancels service and associated future rights |
DC employer money vests on a membership schedule
For Defined Contribution members who began before July 1, 2013, STRS Ohio says the employer portion is fully vested after one year of membership. For members beginning on or after that date, 20% of the employer portion vests for each full membership year. Leaving before full vesting can therefore reduce the employer-funded amount available in a withdrawal, even though the member’s own contributions and related gains or losses remain part of the account.
A member with four full years under the post-2013 schedule would generally be 80% vested in the employer portion, while five full years reaches 100%. The exact account value can still change with market gains or losses and fees. This is why the online withdrawal estimate is better than multiplying historical employer contributions by a vesting percentage without considering investment performance.
| Membership start | Schedule |
|---|---|
| Before 7/1/2013 | 100% after 1 year |
| On/after 7/1/2013 | 20% per full membership year |
| Five full years under later schedule | 100% |
Before you make a decision
- Identify DB, DC or Combined Plan.
- Verify qualifying service and DC vesting percentage.
- Request the current withdrawal value.
- Run a future pension estimate if DB/Combined.
- Do not submit a withdrawal until both paths are compared.
Frequently asked questions
How many years does it take to vest in STRS Ohio Defined Benefit?
Five qualifying years are the key minimum for the age-based DB retirement routes: reduced retirement at age 60 and unreduced retirement at age 65. STRS Ohio also has service-only paths with much higher year requirements. Confirm qualifying service rather than counting every year of public employment automatically.
What happens if I leave Ohio teaching after I am vested?
You can leave the STRS Ohio account intact and later claim a benefit when an applicable age-and-service rule is met. Leaving covered employment does not force a refund. Withdrawing is a separate election that cancels the associated DB or Combined service credit and future benefits.
How does STRS Ohio DC employer vesting work for newer members?
For DC membership beginning on or after July 1, 2013, STRS Ohio says 20% of the employer portion vests for each full year of membership. Five full years reaches 100%. Members who began before July 1, 2013 follow the older rule of full employer vesting after one year.
Can I return to Ohio teaching after leaving my STRS account in place?
Leaving the account in place preserves the service record, and later covered employment may add service subject to STRS Ohio rules. Before returning, verify the position’s retirement-system coverage and whether any prior service needs restoration or transfer. Do not assume every Ohio public job reports to STRS Ohio.
Does an STRS Ohio withdrawal only remove my own contributions?
No. The withdrawal amount can include interest or other amounts and, for DC components, vested employer money according to plan rules. More importantly, a DB or Combined withdrawal cancels the service credit and potential future benefits attached to that record. Obtain the official withdrawal estimate before deciding.
Official sources
Sources were reviewed on September 2, 2026. Rules and member records maintained by the retirement system control.
STRS Ohio — Eligibility RequirementsOfficial source ↗STRS Ohio — Account WithdrawalOfficial source ↗STRS Ohio — Plan OptionsOfficial source ↗This article provides general educational information. It is not a benefit determination or financial, tax, or legal advice. Confirm account-specific information with the retirement system.