Start here: the retirement guides officers need most
Leaving the police is one of the biggest financial decisions of your life, and the rules are different in every force. Your super might be a defined benefit worth a multiple of your salary, or an accumulation balance that rises and falls with markets. Your retirement age might be fixed by law, or entirely up to you.
These guides are organised around the questions officers actually ask as they get closer to the end of a career. What is my super, and what will it be worth? When can I go, and when can I touch the money? What happens if injury or illness decides for me? And what do I do next?
We're independent: not a force, a fund, a union or a government body. Every scheme detail comes from our force data files, which cite each fund's or force's own documents, and where something isn't confirmed we say so. Nothing here is financial advice.
Police super in every force
Employer rate, the open scheme and the closed schemes, from each force's data file.
- Employer rate
- 12% unconfirmed
- Open scheme
- Aware Super (accumulation)
- Closed schemes
- Police Superannuation Scheme (PSS); State Authorities Superannuation Scheme (SASS)
- Employer rate
- Defined benefit (pooled)
- Open scheme
- ESSS Defined Benefit Fund (ESSSuper); ESSS Accumulation Fund; Police Custody Officers (VPS) accumulation
- Closed schemes
- None recorded
- Employer rate
- 18%
- Open scheme
- QSuper Accumulation account (Australian Retirement Trust)
- Closed schemes
- QSuper Police account (defined benefit); QSuper Defined Benefit account (State)
- Employer rate
- 12%
- Open scheme
- GESB Super or West State Super (default), or a fund of choice
- Closed schemes
- Gold State Super
- Employer rate
- 12% SG minimum unconfirmed
- Open scheme
- Super SA Triple S (Southern State Superannuation Scheme)
- Closed schemes
- SA Police Superannuation Pension Scheme (Police Superannuation Act 1990)
- Employer rate
- 12% unconfirmed
- Open scheme
- Tasmanian Accumulation Scheme (Public Sector Superannuation Reform Act 2016)
- Closed schemes
- Retirement Benefits Fund / Defined Benefits Scheme
- Employer rate
- 12% SG minimum unconfirmed
- Open scheme
- Choice of fund (Superannuation Guarantee)
- Closed schemes
- Commonwealth Superannuation Scheme (CSS) / NTGPASS
- Employer rate
- 15.4%
- Open scheme
- PSSap (Public Sector Superannuation Accumulation Plan, run by CSC)
- Closed schemes
- CSS (Commonwealth Superannuation Scheme); PSS (Public Sector Superannuation Scheme)
| Force | Employer rate | Open scheme | Closed schemes |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW Police | 12% unconfirmed | Aware Super (accumulation) | Police Superannuation Scheme (PSS); State Authorities Superannuation Scheme (SASS) |
| Victoria Police | Defined benefit (pooled) | ESSS Defined Benefit Fund (ESSSuper); ESSS Accumulation Fund; Police Custody Officers (VPS) accumulation | None recorded |
| QPS | 18% | QSuper Accumulation account (Australian Retirement Trust) | QSuper Police account (defined benefit); QSuper Defined Benefit account (State) |
| WA Police | 12% | GESB Super or West State Super (default), or a fund of choice | Gold State Super |
| SAPOL | 12% SG minimum unconfirmed | Super SA Triple S (Southern State Superannuation Scheme) | SA Police Superannuation Pension Scheme (Police Superannuation Act 1990) |
| Tasmania Police | 12% unconfirmed | Tasmanian Accumulation Scheme (Public Sector Superannuation Reform Act 2016) | Retirement Benefits Fund / Defined Benefits Scheme |
| NT Police | 12% SG minimum unconfirmed | Choice of fund (Superannuation Guarantee) | Commonwealth Superannuation Scheme (CSS) / NTGPASS |
| AFP | 15.4% | PSSap (Public Sector Superannuation Accumulation Plan, run by CSC) | CSS (Commonwealth Superannuation Scheme); PSS (Public Sector Superannuation Scheme) |
'unconfirmed' means the rule comes from a secondary source. '12% SG minimum' means no higher police rate has been confirmed.
Two forces stand out on employer contributions. Queensland pays 18% of ordinary time earnings and the AFP pays 15.4%. Victoria is the only force where new officers still join a defined benefit scheme, ESSS, which pays up to 7.5 times final average salary after 30 years of contributing 7%. NSW, WA, SA, Tasmania and the NT pay at least the 12% Superannuation Guarantee into accumulation super.
Queensland
18%
QSuper, no compulsory member contribution
AFP
15.4%
PSSap or chosen fund
Victoria
7.5 × FAS
ESSS maximum benefit
Our flagship police superannuation guide explains every scheme in depth, including the closed NSW Police Superannuation Scheme, the QSuper Police account, SA's pre-1990 pension scheme and the Commonwealth CSS and PSS.
Project your police super
Pick your force, enter your age, balance and salary, and see what your super could grow to at your force's employer rate under the 2026-27 rules.
When do police have to retire?
Retirement ages are set by each force's police Act, and they vary more than most officers realise. The Northern Territory raised its compulsory age from 65 to 67 in December 2023, and the AFP's current Act has no compulsory age at all.
- Compulsory age
- None found unconfirmed
- Voluntary / early
- Not stated
- Notes
- No age-based compulsory retirement found in the Police Act 1990 (s94C covers retirement by notice). The historic rule was 60, not confirmed as current.
- Compulsory age
- Not confirmed unconfirmed
- Voluntary / early
- Not confirmed
- Notes
- We could not confirm a compulsory retirement age from a primary source. ESSS lump sums are payable from 50.
- Compulsory age
- 60
- Voluntary / early
- QSuper Police account: from 55
- Notes
- Compulsory retirement at 60 per our Queensland data (QSuper information); we haven't checked the section of the Police Service Administration Act ourselves.
- Compulsory age
- Not confirmed unconfirmed
- Voluntary / early
- Not confirmed
- Notes
- No WA retirement age was verified.
- Compulsory age
- Not confirmed unconfirmed
- Voluntary / early
- Triple S access from 50 (reported)
- Notes
- No compulsory age verified. Triple S is reported to let police access super on retirement from 50.
- Compulsory age
- 65
- Voluntary / early
- From 55
- Notes
- Police Service Act 2003 (Tas).
- Compulsory age
- 67
- Voluntary / early
- From 55
- Notes
- Police Administration Act s22(2), raised to 67 from 7 December 2023. The NTPFES recruiting FAQ still says 65, which is out of date.
- Compulsory age
- None
- Voluntary / early
- Minimum retiring age 55
- Notes
- No compulsory retirement age in the current AFP Act 1979; employees may retire any time after 55 (s31).
| Force | Compulsory age | Voluntary / early | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW Police | None found unconfirmed | Not stated | No age-based compulsory retirement found in the Police Act 1990 (s94C covers retirement by notice). The historic rule was 60, not confirmed as current. |
| Victoria Police | Not confirmed unconfirmed | Not confirmed | We could not confirm a compulsory retirement age from a primary source. ESSS lump sums are payable from 50. |
| QPS | 60 | QSuper Police account: from 55 | Compulsory retirement at 60 per our Queensland data (QSuper information); we haven't checked the section of the Police Service Administration Act ourselves. |
| WA Police | Not confirmed unconfirmed | Not confirmed | No WA retirement age was verified. |
| SAPOL | Not confirmed unconfirmed | Triple S access from 50 (reported) | No compulsory age verified. Triple S is reported to let police access super on retirement from 50. |
| Tasmania Police | 65 | From 55 | Police Service Act 2003 (Tas). |
| NT Police | 67 | From 55 | Police Administration Act s22(2), raised to 67 from 7 December 2023. The NTPFES recruiting FAQ still says 65, which is out of date. |
| AFP | None | Minimum retiring age 55 | No compulsory retirement age in the current AFP Act 1979; employees may retire any time after 55 (s31). |
'unconfirmed' means we couldn't verify the rule on a primary source.
The full picture, including early-retirement factors in the closed defined benefit schemes and how to bridge the gap to your super, is in police retirement age in Australia.
When you can actually use your super
Leaving the police and getting your super are two different events. For accumulation super, preservation age is 60 for everyone born after 30 June 1964, and you generally also need to meet a condition of release, such as retiring. At 65 you can access it regardless.
- 1
From 50 (some schemes)
Scheme rulesVictoria's ESSS lump sum is payable from 50. SA police are reported to access Triple S on retirement from 50.
- 2
From 55 (reduced benefits)
Closed DB schemesThe closed NSW PSS and QSuper Police account pay reduced early-retirement benefits from 55.
- 3
From 60
EveryonePreservation age: retire, or leave any job at 60 or over, and access accumulation super. Transition to retirement is available while working.
- 4
From 65
UnconditionalAccess your super whether or not you've retired.
Medical grounds can release super earlier. All the conditions are in preservation age and access.
Medical retirement
A significant share of officers don't choose when they leave: injury or illness, physical or psychological, decides for them. What happens next depends on your force's process and on several separate sources of money: your super scheme, insurance in super, workers compensation and any police-specific scheme.
- Medical retirement benefit (summary)
- PSS members (joined before 1 Apr 1988): hurt-on-duty invalidity pension of 72.75% of salary regardless of service. unconfirmed
- Medical retirement benefit (summary)
- ESSS DB disability pension for operational members under 55, based on accrued plus projected multiple; agreement cl 125 (Fitness for Work) and cl 110 (relocation expenses on ill-health retirement). unconfirmed
- Medical retirement benefit (summary)
- Police account members: permanent disability pension = FAS x 3 x (service had they stayed to 60)/160, CPI-indexed, commutable within 6 months.
- Medical retirement benefit (summary)
- Police Amendment (Compensation Scheme) Act 2021: officers medically retired for a work-related injury or illness receive a lump sum (impairment payment plus up to 12 months' salary), capped at $239,179 (an enhanced cap of up to $418,563 in certain circumstances), plus $16,743 for vocational support and retraining. unconfirmed
- Medical retirement benefit (summary)
- Members of the pre-1990 Police Pension Scheme get a Total and Permanent Invalidity pension. unconfirmed
- Medical retirement benefit (summary)
- The Commissioner may determine that an officer is unable to perform their duties due to mental illness, injury, illness, disease or general physical unfitness (s 29), direct a medical examination, and the officer may retire with the Commissioner's written agreement (s 28(3)).
- Medical retirement benefit (summary)
- If a member is totally and permanently incapacitated, the Commissioner may retire them on the grounds of invalidity after considering the applicable superannuation legislation (s.91(1)-(5)).
- Medical retirement benefit (summary)
- The Commissioner may retire an employee for physical or mental incapacity, with or without consent (AFP Act s32); non-consensual retirement is reviewable (s33).
| Force | Medical retirement benefit (summary) |
|---|---|
| NSW Police | PSS members (joined before 1 Apr 1988): hurt-on-duty invalidity pension of 72.75% of salary regardless of service. unconfirmed |
| Victoria Police | ESSS DB disability pension for operational members under 55, based on accrued plus projected multiple; agreement cl 125 (Fitness for Work) and cl 110 (relocation expenses on ill-health retirement). unconfirmed |
| QPS | Police account members: permanent disability pension = FAS x 3 x (service had they stayed to 60)/160, CPI-indexed, commutable within 6 months. |
| WA Police | Police Amendment (Compensation Scheme) Act 2021: officers medically retired for a work-related injury or illness receive a lump sum (impairment payment plus up to 12 months' salary), capped at $239,179 (an enhanced cap of up to $418,563 in certain circumstances), plus $16,743 for vocational support and retraining. unconfirmed |
| SAPOL | Members of the pre-1990 Police Pension Scheme get a Total and Permanent Invalidity pension. unconfirmed |
| Tasmania Police | The Commissioner may determine that an officer is unable to perform their duties due to mental illness, injury, illness, disease or general physical unfitness (s 29), direct a medical examination, and the officer may retire with the Commissioner's written agreement (s 28(3)). |
| NT Police | If a member is totally and permanently incapacitated, the Commissioner may retire them on the grounds of invalidity after considering the applicable superannuation legislation (s.91(1)-(5)). |
| AFP | The Commissioner may retire an employee for physical or mental incapacity, with or without consent (AFP Act s32); non-consensual retirement is reviewable (s33). |
First sentence of each force's entry in our data. Several are only partly confirmed; the per-force guides set out what is and isn't verified.
Start with the national guide to police medical retirement. If you're struggling, Lifeline is 13 11 14 and Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636; call 000 in an emergency. Your force's welfare service and police association can help with the process.
TPD and income protection
Insurance attached to your super can matter as much as the balance if you're injured. Cover differs sharply between forces. Queensland's QSuper gives automatic death and TPD cover to QPS police, plus income protection. NSW officers contribute 1.8% of salary to the Enhanced Police Support Scheme, which tops up workers compensation and provides off-duty income protection, but no TPD lump sum. Victoria builds disability benefits into the ESSS formula.
Check before you need it
- ✓ Your death, TPD and income protection cover amounts
- ✓ Whether TPD is 'own occupation' or 'any occupation'
- ✓ The income protection waiting period and benefit period
- ✓ What cover stops when you resign, transfer or retire
Resigning from the police
Resigning is different from retiring, and the difference can be expensive in a defined benefit scheme. Before you hand in notice, find out what happens to your super, your insurance, your leave balances and anything your force needs back, such as equipment.
- 1
Get a benefit estimate
Before noticeAsk your fund what you'll have and in what form if you resign on a given date.
- 2
Check your insurance
Before noticeFind out what stops on your last day and whether you can keep cover.
- 3
Ask HR about leave
Final payAnnual leave and long service leave payouts depend on your force's rules and your service.
- 4
Decide where super goes
After you leaveLeave accumulation super where it is or roll it over, comparing fees and insurance first.
Moving to another force instead? See transferring to another police force. For the full resignation checklist, see resigning from the police.
Careers after policing
Police leave with skills employers want: investigations, risk assessment, de-escalation, writing evidence-grade reports and staying calm under pressure. Many go into investigations, compliance, security, emergency management, training or the public service. Others return to policing in a different role.
Victoria
- Route back into policing
- Retired officers with at least 2 years' prior service are being recruited as reservists, paid $86,188 full time on the current table
NSW
- Route back into policing
- Reappointment for former officers with 3+ years' service who left less than 3 years ago
Northern Territory
- Route back into policing
- Retired members may be reappointed at a rank not above their last, but not at 67 or over
| Force | Route back into policing |
|---|---|
| Victoria | Retired officers with at least 2 years' prior service are being recruited as reservists, paid $86,188 full time on the current table |
| NSW | Reappointment for former officers with 3+ years' service who left less than 3 years ago |
| Northern Territory | Retired members may be reappointed at a rank not above their last, but not at 67 or over |
Going back can affect a pension or super arrangement, so check with your scheme first. Our careers after policing guide covers the options in more depth.
Your skills don't retire when you hand in your warrant card.
The 2026-27 super rules that apply to everyone
Superannuation Guarantee
- 2026-27
- 12%
Payday Super
- 2026-27
- SG paid with each pay from 1 July 2026
Concessional cap
- 2026-27
- $32,500
Non-concessional cap
- 2026-27
- $130,000
Division 293 threshold
- 2026-27
- $250,000
Preservation age
- 2026-27
- 60
| Rule | 2026-27 |
|---|---|
| Superannuation Guarantee | 12% |
| Payday Super | SG paid with each pay from 1 July 2026 |
| Concessional cap | $32,500 |
| Non-concessional cap | $130,000 |
| Division 293 threshold | $250,000 |
| Preservation age | 60 |
From the ATO's key superannuation rates and thresholds pages.
If you salary sacrifice, keep employer and sacrificed contributions within the $32,500 concessional cap; at 18% employer super, Queensland officers have the least room. Senior officers near $250,000 should read about Division 293.
Guides for your force
Super and medical retirement guides for each force, plus its profile and pay.
NSW Police
- Super
- Super
- Medical retirement
- Medical retirement
- Profile
- Force profile
- Pay
- Salary
Victoria Police
- Super
- Super
- Medical retirement
- Medical retirement
- Profile
- Force profile
- Pay
- Salary
QPS
- Super
- Super
- Medical retirement
- Medical retirement
- Profile
- Force profile
- Pay
- Salary
WA Police
- Super
- Super
- Medical retirement
- Medical retirement
- Profile
- Force profile
- Pay
- Salary
SAPOL
- Super
- Super
- Medical retirement
- Medical retirement
- Profile
- Force profile
- Pay
- Salary
Tasmania Police
- Super
- Super
- Medical retirement
- Medical retirement
- Profile
- Force profile
- Pay
- Salary
NT Police
- Super
- Super
- Medical retirement
- Medical retirement
- Profile
- Force profile
- Pay
- Salary
AFP
- Super
- Super
- Medical retirement
- Medical retirement
- Profile
- Force profile
- Pay
- Salary
| Force | Super | Medical retirement | Profile | Pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSW Police | Super | Medical retirement | Force profile | Salary |
| Victoria Police | Super | Medical retirement | Force profile | Salary |
| QPS | Super | Medical retirement | Force profile | Salary |
| WA Police | Super | Medical retirement | Force profile | Salary |
| SAPOL | Super | Medical retirement | Force profile | Salary |
| Tasmania Police | Super | Medical retirement | Force profile | Salary |
| NT Police | Super | Medical retirement | Force profile | Salary |
| AFP | Super | Medical retirement | Force profile | Salary |
Who to ask
Your super fund for benefit estimates; your police association for the rules in your agreement and help with medical retirement; the ATO for tax and super law; and a licensed financial adviser for personal advice.
Free email alerts
Super rule changes and scheme updates for police
Caps, the SG, Payday Super, retirement ages and your force's scheme rules all change. We'll email you when something changes that affects retiring officers, with what it means for your force.
- ✓New caps and thresholds before 1 July
- ✓Police scheme and retirement-age changes by force
Frequently asked questions
What super do police get when they retire?
It depends on your force and when you joined. Most officers now have accumulation super, built from employer contributions of 12% to 18% plus returns. Victoria's operational police are in the ESSS defined benefit scheme, which pays a multiple of final average salary. Long-serving officers elsewhere may be in closed defined benefit schemes paying a pension.
At what age do police retire in Australia?
Compulsory ages differ: 60 in Queensland, 65 in Tasmania and 67 in the Northern Territory. The AFP has no compulsory age and allows retirement from 55. We couldn't confirm a current compulsory age for NSW, Victoria, WA or SA. Many officers leave earlier by choice or on medical grounds.
Can police retire early with a pension?
Only in some schemes. Victoria's ESSS pays a lump sum from 50, and the closed NSW PSS and QSuper Police account pay reduced pensions from 55. Accumulation super, which most officers now have, stays preserved until 60 unless you meet another condition of release, such as permanent incapacity.
What happens to my super if I resign from the police?
Accumulation super stays yours: you can leave it in the fund or roll it to another. It stays preserved until 60 or another condition of release. Insurance cover may stop or change when you leave. If you're in a defined benefit scheme, resigning usually freezes or converts your benefit under the scheme's rules, so get an estimate first.
How does medical retirement work for police?
Each force has its own process under its police Act, usually involving medical assessment and a decision by the Commissioner. What you receive depends on your super scheme, insurance in super, workers compensation and, in some forces, a separate scheme, such as WA's lump-sum compensation for officers medically retired with a work-related injury or illness.
Can retired police officers go back to policing?
Often. Victoria Police is recruiting retired officers with at least 2 years' prior service as reservists, NSW has a reappointment program for former officers who left less than 3 years ago, and the NT allows retired members to be reappointed at a rank not above their last, but not at 67 or over.
Is this financial advice?
No. These guides explain the rules for police super and retirement in general terms. For advice about your own situation, speak to your fund, a licensed financial adviser, or your police association. The ATO is the authority on tax and super law.
Evidence
Sources and how we checked them
Every figure on this page comes from the sources below, read on 9 October 2026. Pay rates and rules change when new agreements are made, so check the source for the date you're reading this. Where we couldn't confirm something from an official source, the page says so instead of guessing. Spotted an error? Read our corrections policy.
- PANSW / NSWPF Enhanced Police Support Scheme FAQ v2 (21 Aug 2024) — NSW Police super
- ESSSuper: ESSS Defined Benefit Fund PDS (issued 28 Feb 2025) — Victoria Police super
- Superannuation (State Public Sector) Regulation 2023 (SL 2023 No 47), explanatory notes — QPS super
- WA Treasury: Choice of super fund in the WA state public sector (2026) — WA Police super
- Super SA: Triple S — SAPOL super
- Police Award No. 2 of 2026 (Consolidated), TIC T15311 of 2026 (read via Wayback Machine copy 2026-05-20) — Tasmania Police super
- NT Treasury: Other superannuation arrangements (as summarised publicly) — NT Police super
- Australian Federal Police Enterprise Agreement 2024-2027 (FWC AE526995, [2024] FWCA 4231) — AFP super
- ATO: Super guarantee rates — 12%; Payday Super from 1 July 2026
- ATO: Contributions caps — $32,500 concessional, $130,000 non-concessional for 2026-27
- ATO: Division 293 tax — $250,000 threshold
- ATO: Super withdrawal options — preservation age and access
Related guides
Retiring and super
More in this series
General information, not advice. This guide explains published rules and rates. It doesn't consider your personal circumstances and isn't financial, legal, tax or credit advice. Confirm anything you rely on with your force, your police association, the ATO or a licensed professional.