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Police Pay Australia
Retiring · Super flagship

Police superannuation in Australia
every force's scheme, explained

Your super could end up being worth more than your house, and the rules are different in every force. This guide sets out what each of the eight forces pays, which scheme you're in, what insurance comes with it, and the 2026-27 rules that apply to everyone.

Updated 10 October 2026 20 min read Sources checked 10 October 2026 Independent, not advice

The short answer

Australian police super depends on your force. Queensland pays 18% employer super and the AFP 15.4%. Victoria's operational police are in the ESSS defined benefit scheme. NSW, WA, SA, Tasmania and the NT pay at least the 12% Superannuation Guarantee into accumulation super, and long-serving officers may be in closed defined benefit schemes.

Highest employer rate

18%

Queensland police

AFP employer rate

15.4%

PSSap or chosen fund

Concessional cap 2026-27

$32,500

from 1 July 2026

Preservation age

60

born after 30 June 1964

Contents +
  1. 1Every force at a glance
  2. 2Defined benefit vs accumulation
  3. 3NSW Police super
  4. 4Victoria Police super (ESSS)
  5. 5Queensland: 18% and QSuper
  6. 6WA (GESB) and SA (Super SA)
  7. 7Tasmania and the NT
  8. 8AFP: PSSap, CSS and PSS
  9. 9What the employer rate is worth
  10. 10Insurance inside police super
  11. 112026-27 super rules
  12. 12Changing forces or leaving
  13. 13Your super check-up
  14. 14FAQs
  15. 15Sources

Police super in every force at a glance

Employer rate, the scheme new officers join, and the closed schemes long-serving officers may still be in.

No two Australian police forces handle super the same way. Two pay well above the minimum to every accumulation member. One still runs an open defined benefit scheme. The rest pay at least the 12% Superannuation Guarantee into accumulation super, often with an older, closed scheme sitting behind it for officers who joined decades ago.

Police superannuation by force, 2026

NSW Police

Employer rate
12% unconfirmed
Open scheme (new officers)
Aware Super (accumulation)
Closed schemes
Police Superannuation Scheme (PSS); State Authorities Superannuation Scheme (SASS)

Victoria Police

Employer rate
Defined benefit (pooled)
Open scheme (new officers)
ESSS Defined Benefit Fund (ESSSuper); ESSS Accumulation Fund; Police Custody Officers (VPS) accumulation
Closed schemes
None recorded

QPS

Employer rate
18%
Open scheme (new officers)
QSuper Accumulation account (Australian Retirement Trust)
Closed schemes
QSuper Police account (defined benefit); QSuper Defined Benefit account (State)

WA Police

Employer rate
12%
Open scheme (new officers)
GESB Super or West State Super (default), or a fund of choice
Closed schemes
Gold State Super

SAPOL

Employer rate
12% SG minimum unconfirmed
Open scheme (new officers)
Super SA Triple S (Southern State Superannuation Scheme)
Closed schemes
SA Police Superannuation Pension Scheme (Police Superannuation Act 1990)

Tasmania Police

Employer rate
12% unconfirmed
Open scheme (new officers)
Tasmanian Accumulation Scheme (Public Sector Superannuation Reform Act 2016)
Closed schemes
Retirement Benefits Fund / Defined Benefits Scheme

NT Police

Employer rate
12% SG minimum unconfirmed
Open scheme (new officers)
Choice of fund (Superannuation Guarantee)
Closed schemes
Commonwealth Superannuation Scheme (CSS) / NTGPASS

AFP

Employer rate
15.4%
Open scheme (new officers)
PSSap (Public Sector Superannuation Accumulation Plan, run by CSC)
Closed schemes
CSS (Commonwealth Superannuation Scheme); PSS (Public Sector Superannuation Scheme)

From each force's data file. 'unconfirmed' means the rule comes from a secondary source and hasn't been confirmed on a primary source. '12% SG minimum' means no higher police rate has been confirmed.

Read the table with two cautions. First, a rate marked unconfirmed may be right, but we haven't read it in the agreement or the fund's own documents. Second, the scheme you're in depends on when you joined, not just which force you serve in. An officer who joined NSW in 1985 and one who joined in 2020 have completely different super.

Queensland

18%

no compulsory member contribution

AFP

15.4%

includes the 22% core composite

Victoria

Defined benefit

ESSS, open to new police

Everyone else

12%+

SG minimum, some unconfirmed

We're independent: not a force, a fund or a union. This guide is general information, not financial advice. Your fund, the ATO and a licensed financial adviser are the people who can tell you what applies to you.

Defined benefit or accumulation: which one are you in?

Every police super arrangement in Australia is one of two kinds. In an accumulation scheme, you have an account balance. Your employer's contributions and any of your own go in, investment returns are added, fees and tax come out, and at retirement you get whatever is there. The investment risk is yours.

In a defined benefit scheme, your benefit is set by a formula, usually years of service multiplied by a salary measure. Investment returns are the fund's problem. If markets fall the year before you retire, your benefit doesn't change. That's why closed police defined benefit schemes are so valuable to the people still in them.

Defined benefit

  • ✓Benefit set by a formula, not by markets
  • ✓Rewards long service and a high final salary
  • ✓Disability benefits are often built into the formula

Accumulation

  • ✕Balance depends on returns, fees and contributions
  • ✕Easy to see, consolidate and take with you
  • ✕A high employer rate (18% in Queensland) builds a large balance

For a full side-by-side, with worked illustrations of how each kind of scheme pays out, see defined benefit vs accumulation for police.

NSW Police super: legacy schemes and accumulation

Three generations of super, depending on when you joined.

NSW has the most layered arrangement of any force. Officers who joined before 1 April 1988 are in the Police Superannuation Scheme (PSS), a defined benefit scheme. Those who joined after that were placed in the State Authorities Superannuation Scheme (SASS), now also closed. Current officers are in accumulation super with Aware Super.

Police Superannuation Scheme (closed 1988)

Defined benefit scheme, closed to new members on 1 Apr 1988. Members contribute 6% of salary of office. Maximum pension 72.75% of salary after 30 years at 60+; maximum lump sum 7.95 x salary; early retirement at 55 up to a 58.20% pension or 7.58 x lump sum. Hurt-on-duty invalidity pension 72.75% of salary regardless of service (may be increased). Source: State Super PSS fact sheet dated 18 May 2026.

SASS and Aware Super

Officers joining after 1 Apr 1988 were placed in SASS (now closed). Police-specific closure date not confirmed. Accumulation super with Aware Super (formerly First State Super) is the default for current officers; the award lists the Aware Super Act 1992 among the schemes (cl 8.13.5 as varied). Whether officers can choose another fund is not verified.

NSW Police super in summary

Employer rate

NSW detail
12% Superannuation Guarantee (the Police Association of NSW quotes salaries 'plus 12% superannuation') unconfirmed

Member contribution to EPSS

NSW detail
1.8% of salary (0.88% for SASS/ABC officers)

Default fund now

NSW detail
Aware Super (accumulation)

Closed schemes

NSW detail
PSS (to 1 April 1988), SASS

The 12% rate is reported (PANSW quotes salaries 'plus 12% superannuation') and not confirmed in the award by us.

The 1.8% contribution matters for take-home pay. It funds the Enhanced Police Support Scheme (EPSS), which replaced Police Blue Ribbon Insurance from 1 October 2024. EPSS tops up workers compensation after an on-duty injury and provides off-duty income protection and death cover. There's no TPD lump sum under EPSS. Student police officers and pre-1988 PSS members aren't covered.

What we couldn't confirm for NSW

The exact split between SASS and Aware Super for officers who joined after 1988, the date SASS closed to police, whether officers can choose a fund other than Aware Super, and the 12% employer rate itself all come from secondary sources. Aware Super, State Super and the Police Association of NSW can confirm your position.

For pay context, see the NSW Police salary guide, and the NSW force profile.

Victoria Police super: the ESSS defined benefit fund

The only open police defined benefit scheme in Australia.

Operational Victoria Police officers join the ESSS Defined Benefit Fund automatically. PSOs who started on or after 5 July 2010 are classed as operational and join too. Your benefit is a lump sum: your Accrued Benefit Multiple times your Final Average Salary, which is the average of your last two years.

Operational police officers join automatically; PSOs starting on or after 5 Jul 2010 are classified operational and also join. Lump sum = Accrued Benefit Multiple x Final Average Salary (average of the last 2 years). Member contributions 0/3/5/6/7% after tax (catch-up 8/9/10%); the default is nil until the member elects. 7% for 30 years reaches the maximum multiple of 7.5 x FAS (8.4 untaxed Optional Benefit). Lump sum payable from age 50 (not disability); operational members who leave at 55+ get a lump sum rather than a disability pension.

Member contribution choices

0–7%

0, 3, 5, 6 or 7% after tax; catch-up 8–10%

Maximum benefit

7.5 × FAS

7% for 30 years (8.4 untaxed Optional Benefit)

Final average salary

Last 2 years

averaged

The default contribution is nil until you elect a rate. That's the decision that matters most for a young Victorian officer, because the multiple you build each year depends on the rate you choose. A nil contribution keeps more in your pay now but builds a smaller multiple.

Here's an illustration of scale, not a benefit estimate. If your final average salary were $118,945 (today's top senior constable rate, which includes the 13% commuted penalty), the maximum 7.5 multiple would be about $892,088. Whether every part of that salary counts for ESSS purposes is a question for ESSSuper.

When the employer switches to accumulation

Once you reach the maximum multiple, the employer pays extra accumulation contributions on top: 9% in 2024-25, 11% in 2025-26 and 12% in 2026-27. Police Reservists are in the ESSS Accumulation Fund, and Police Custody Officers get 12% of base salary as accumulation super.

Disability cover is built in

Operational members disabled under 55 get an ESSS disability pension based on their accrued multiple plus a projected multiple to age 55 at the maximum rate, CPI-indexed each June and December. The death benefit also projects to age 55. Recruits are not DB members but have a death benefit while training and can apply for extra cover in the Accumulation Plan. A $15m Disability and Death Contingency Fund (announced 10 Oct 2023) gives a lump-sum TPD/death payment to members aged 55-59 who have not reached the maximum DB benefit, calculated on age and FAS.

Compare pay on the Victoria Police salary page, and use ESSSuper's own tools for a personal benefit estimate.

Queensland police super: 18% through QSuper

The highest employer rate of any Australian force.

18% of ordinary time earnings for police officers (since 1 Jul 2023), with no compulsory member contribution. New non-casual police under 60 start on a default 6% member contribution, which they can reduce to zero. Other core government employees get 12.75%.

Default fund for current officers. QSuper is now part of Australian Retirement Trust after the 2022 merger with Sunsuper. Australian Retirement Trust is the trustee; QSuper remains the brand for Queensland government members.

Employer rate

18%

of ordinary time earnings, since 1 July 2023

Default member contribution

6%

new police under 60; can reduce to 0

Other government staff

12.75%

for comparison

The closed QSuper Police account

Closed to new members 1 Jan 1993. Members contribute 7% (joined after 26 Feb 1984); employer pays 17% plus a 3% award contribution to an Accumulation account, topped up to at least 18% of OTE. Pension at 60 = fortnightly final average salary x [3 x service before 1 Jul 1988 / 160 + service from 1 Jul 1988 / 62.5], capped at 75% of FAS and 40 years; CPI-indexed each August; commutable (factor 313.1 at 60). Retirement at 55-59 multiplies by (85 + 3 x (age - 55))/100.

A separate QSuper Defined Benefit account (State) closed to new members on 12 November 2008. Its police employer rate is reported but not confirmed by us.

The 18% eats into your cap

At 18%, a Queensland officer on $118,127 (top senior constable, QPS's official CPI Uplift Adjustment rate) receives about $21,263 of employer super, leaving about $11,237 of the $32,500 concessional cap for salary sacrifice. If you salary sacrifice, keep an eye on the total.

See the Queensland police salary guide for the pay that 18% is calculated on.

WA and SA: GESB and Super SA

Accumulation super at the SG rate, with closed schemes behind.

Western Australia: GESB

12% Superannuation Guarantee ('The WA Police Force contribute 12% as part of the Superannuation Guarantee scheme', recruiting site). WA Treasury's choice-of-fund brochure says shift loadings attract super. New officers default to GESB, the WA public sector super provider, or a fund of their choice. We couldn't confirm GESB's current product name for new joiners or their default insurance, because GESB's pages blocked our fetch.

West State Super is reported to be closed to new members, open only to people with an account from before April 2007, and Gold State Super is also closed. No open police defined benefit scheme was found for new WA officers. Injured WA officers have a separate medical-retirement compensation scheme, covered in police medical retirement.

South Australia: Super SA Triple S

Membership is mandatory for new SAPOL police officers. Triple S is untaxed, and police can access it on retirement from age 50 (55 for other members). Police must contribute at least 4.5% of super salary after tax or 5.3% before tax (from a public summaries of the Super SA form; not verified).

Only for officers who started before 1 June 1990: a defined-benefit lifetime pension, retirement benefits from age 50-55 and a Total and Permanent Invalidity pension. Officers who joined later are in Triple S.

WA and SA police super compared

Employer rate

WA
12% SG
SA
10% or SG, whichever is greater (12% now) unconfirmed

Default provider

WA
GESB (or fund of choice)
SA
Super SA Triple S (mandatory)

Member contribution

WA
None confirmed
SA
At least 4.5% after tax or 5.3% before tax (reported)

Closed schemes

WA
West State, Gold State
SA
Police Superannuation Scheme (pre-1 June 1990)

Early access for police

WA
Not confirmed
SA
From 50 on retirement (reported)

Most WA and SA details are from secondary sources and marked unconfirmed in our data. GESB and Super SA can confirm.

Most new SA public sector employees automatically get Death and TPD cover (to age 70) and Income Protection (to 65) in Triple S, with premiums paid from super. SAPOL also cites health and life cover through the Police Dependants' Fund (on joining and contributing). Police-specific default cover levels were not verified.

Tasmania and the Northern Territory

Accumulation super at the SG rate, with the detail still to be confirmed.

Tasmania Police

Not stated in the award. Tasmanian Government defined-contribution employer contributions are understood to be the Superannuation Guarantee rate (12% from 1 July 2025), but this is not confirmed for police on a primary source.

Police officers are members unless they elect another complying fund or are in the closed Defined Benefits Scheme; existing arrangements continue. The default fund is not confirmed. Employer pays SG-rate super on unpaid parental leave in the first 12 months and on the unpaid half of half-pay parental leave. The older Retirement Benefits Fund defined benefit scheme is closed to new members. Insurance depends on the fund you're in, and we haven't researched the default cover.

Northern Territory Police

Believed to be the 12% Superannuation Guarantee (from 1 July 2025) paid into the member's chosen fund; no police-specific higher employer rate was found. Not confirmed on a primary source. Salary for super purposes is gross salary before any salary sacrifice (CA 2022 cl.13, verified).

Officers who started after 9 August 1999 have the Superannuation Guarantee paid into their chosen fund, according to NT Treasury information we could only read in summary. Members appointed before 10 August 1999 must keep contributing to the Commonwealth Superannuation Scheme (CSS) or NTGPASS under the 2022 consent agreement; NTGPASS is reported to have closed to new NT Government employees after 9 August 1999.

Tasmania employer rate

12% (understood)

not confirmed for police on a primary source

NT employer rate

12% (believed)

into your chosen fund; not confirmed

If you serve in either force, check your payslip and your fund statement: the employer contribution should be at least 12% of your qualifying earnings. The Police Association of Tasmania and the NT Police Association can confirm whether any higher rate applies. See the Tasmania and NT force profiles for pay and conditions.

AFP super: PSSap, CSS and PSS

15.4% employer super, and two closed Commonwealth defined benefit schemes.

15.4% of ordinary time earnings for PSSap and other accumulation fund members (EA s17(5)), paid during paid leave including paid parental leave. Staff employed before the EA get 15.4% of Fortnightly Contribution Salary unless they opt to the OTE basis. The 22% Core Composite counts for super; the High Volume 35%, Critical Event Composite, Temporary Operational Composite, Remote Localities Allowance and Rapid Deployment Allowance do not.

Default fund. Employees may instead choose another fund that accepts fortnightly EFT. The Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation (CSC) runs PSSap and the two closed schemes.

AFP super schemes

PSSap (Public Sector Superannuation Accumulation Plan, run by CSC)

Type
Accumulation
Status
Open (default)

CSS (Commonwealth Superannuation Scheme)

Type
Defined benefit
Status
Defined benefit scheme established 1 Jul 1976 and reported closed to new members 30 June 1990 (unverified: CSC site blocked direct fetching).

PSS (Public Sector Superannuation Scheme)

Type
Defined benefit
Status
Defined benefit scheme established 1 Jul 1990 and reported closed to new members 30 June 2005 (unverified: CSC site blocked direct fetching).

CSS and PSS closure dates come from a summary of csc.gov.au; CSC's site blocked our direct fetch.

The super salary question matters at the AFP because so much of the package is composites. The 22% core composite counts for super. The High Volume 35%, Critical Event Composite, Temporary Operational Composite, Remote Localities Allowance and Rapid Deployment Allowance don't.

Invalidity retirement needs CSC

PSSap is an accumulation scheme: invalidity benefit is the account balance plus any insured death/invalidity cover (amounts not researched). Under AFP Act s32, CSS members below maximum retiring age and PSS or PSSap ordinary employer-sponsored members under 60 cannot be retired on invalidity grounds unless CSC certifies, which triggers scheme invalidity benefits.

For pay context see the AFP salary guide.

What your employer rate is worth over a career

Same officer, same salary, three employer rates.

A few percentage points of employer super sound small next to a pay rise. Over 30 years they aren't. Take a 30-year-old officer with $40,000 in super on $118,127, retiring at 60, using the same assumptions as our calculator: a 6.5% net return, 3% pay growth and 2.5% inflation.

18% (Queensland)

$1,190,000

at 60, today's dollars

15.4% (AFP)

$1,037,000

at 60, today's dollars

12% (SG minimum)

$836,000

at 60, today's dollars

Calculated by us, the gap between 18% and 12% is about $354,000 at 60 in today's dollars. That's an illustration, not a prediction: real returns vary year to year, and a small change in the assumed return moves the result a lot.

Employer super at the top of senior constable, calculated by us

NSW Police

Top senior constable
$139,688
Employer rate
12%
Employer super a year
$16,763

Victoria Police

Top senior constable
$118,945
Employer rate
Defined benefit
Employer super a year
Not a % of salary: pooled ESSS fund

QPS

Top senior constable
$118,127
Employer rate
18%
Employer super a year
$21,263

WA Police

Top senior constable
$124,558
Employer rate
12%
Employer super a year
$14,947

SAPOL

Top senior constable
$117,542
Employer rate
12% (minimum)
Employer super a year
$14,105

Tasmania Police

Top senior constable
$107,420
Employer rate
12%
Employer super a year
$12,890

NT Police

Top senior constable
$120,539 calc
Employer rate
12% (minimum)
Employer super a year
$14,465

AFP

Top senior constable
$111,861 calc
Employer rate
15.4%
Employer super a year
$17,227

Headline salary × employer rate. Your fund counts the contributions actually received, which can differ with allowances and the super salary definition.

Free tool

Project your own police super

Pick your force, enter your age, balance and salary, and see a projection at your force's employer rate with the 2026-27 caps. It tells you plainly if your scheme is defined benefit.

Open the super calculator →

Over a career, the employer super rate can matter as much as a pay rise.

Insurance inside police super

Death, TPD and income protection cover differs sharply between forces.

Police are more likely than most workers to be injured at work, so the insurance attached to your super matters. Some forces build disability benefits into a defined benefit formula; some rely on default cover in an accumulation fund; NSW runs a separate police-specific scheme you contribute to.

Insurance in police super by force

NSW Police

Insurance and disability cover
The Enhanced Police Support Scheme (EPSS) replaced Police Blue Ribbon Insurance (PBRI) from 1 Oct 2024. On-duty injury: supplementary payments topping up workers compensation to up to 100% of salary for 0-9 months, then up to 75% for up to 7 years, with a possible further 3 years for catastrophic or exceptional cases. Off-duty income protection via TAL for up to 3 years (was 2). On- and off-duty death benefits unchanged, via TAL, administered by Aware Super. EPSS has no TPD lump sum. Officers contribute 1.8% of salary (0.88% for SASS/ABC officers). Student police officers and pre-1988 (PSS) officers are not covered. unconfirmed

Victoria Police

Insurance and disability cover
Operational members disabled under 55 get an ESSS disability pension based on their accrued multiple plus a projected multiple to age 55 at the maximum rate, CPI-indexed each June and December. The death benefit also projects to age 55. Recruits are not DB members but have a death benefit while training and can apply for extra cover in the Accumulation Plan. A $15m Disability and Death Contingency Fund (announced 10 Oct 2023) gives a lump-sum TPD/death payment to members aged 55-59 who have not reached the maximum DB benefit, calculated on age and FAS.

QPS

Insurance and disability cover
Accumulation members who are QPS police get automatic Death and TPD cover from age 16, regardless of balance or age. Income Protection pays 87.75% of insured salary (including a 12.75% contribution replacement benefit) for 2 years, to age 59, capped at $20,000 a month. Waiting period: 90 days in the first 12 months, then 180 days or accrued sick leave plus approved QPS Sick Leave Bank, whichever is greater.

WA Police

Insurance and disability cover
Default death and TPD cover depends on the GESB product; check GESB's insurance terms for your account.

SAPOL

Insurance and disability cover
Most new SA public sector employees automatically get Death and TPD cover (to age 70) and Income Protection (to 65) in Triple S, with premiums paid from super. SAPOL also cites health and life cover through the Police Dependants' Fund (on joining and contributing). Police-specific default cover levels were not verified. unconfirmed

Tasmania Police

Insurance and disability cover
Not researched. Insurance cover depends on the member's super fund. unconfirmed

NT Police

Insurance and disability cover
Not confirmed. Invalidity benefits depend on the member's fund (CSS/NTGPASS for pre-August 1999 members; the chosen fund's TPD/income cover for later members); this is our inference. No primary source was found for an 'NT Police Supplementary Benefit Scheme'. unconfirmed

AFP

Insurance and disability cover
PSSap is an accumulation scheme: invalidity benefit is the account balance plus any insured death/invalidity cover (amounts not researched). Under AFP Act s32, CSS members below maximum retiring age and PSS or PSSap ordinary employer-sponsored members under 60 cannot be retired on invalidity grounds unless CSC certifies, which triggers scheme invalidity benefits.

From each force's data file. 'unconfirmed' marks forces where cover levels come from secondary sources or weren't researched.

Check your cover this year

  • ✓ Log in to your fund and find your death, TPD and income protection cover amounts
  • ✓ Check whether cover is default or one you chose, and what it costs each year
  • ✓ Read the definition of TPD: 'own occupation' and 'any occupation' pay very differently
  • ✓ Check the income protection waiting period against your sick leave balance
  • ✓ If you hold insurance in more than one fund, check you're not paying twice

More detail is in police TPD and income protection, and the medical retirement process is in police medical retirement.

The 2026-27 super rules every officer should know

Set by the ATO for everyone, police included.

Whatever your scheme, the federal rules apply on top. Several changed on 1 July 2026. The ATO's key superannuation rates and thresholds pages are the primary source for all of these.

Key super rates and thresholds for 2026-27

Superannuation Guarantee

2026-27
12%
What it means
Minimum employer rate; unchanged for 2026-27

Payday Super

2026-27
From 1 July 2026
What it means
SG paid with each pay on 'qualifying earnings'

Concessional cap

2026-27
$32,500
What it means
Employer + salary sacrifice + deductible personal contributions (up from $30,000)

Non-concessional cap

2026-27
$130,000
What it means
After-tax contributions (up from $120,000)

Division 293 threshold

2026-27
$250,000
What it means
Extra 15% on concessional contributions above it

Preservation age

2026-27
60
What it means
Everyone born after 30 June 1964

From the ATO's super guarantee, contributions caps and Division 293 pages, read in October 2026.

Payday Super

From 1 July 2026, employers must pay the Superannuation Guarantee with each pay, not quarterly, and it's calculated on qualifying earnings instead of ordinary time earnings. For police paid fortnightly, contributions should appear in your fund within days of payday. That makes missing contributions much easier to spot.

Contribution caps

The concessional cap of $32,500 covers employer contributions, salary sacrifice and personal contributions you claim a deduction for. The non-concessional cap of $130,000 covers after-tax contributions. Defined benefit members have special rules for how their contributions count, so ask your scheme.

Division 293

If your income plus concessional contributions is above $250,000, the ATO charges an extra 15% on the contributions above that line. That reaches only the most senior ranks. See Division 293 for police and salary sacrifice for police.

Preservation age is 60

For everyone born after 30 June 1964, super is preserved until 60. Some police schemes have earlier access, such as ESSS lump sums from 50. The full rules are in preservation age and access.

Changing forces, resigning or retiring: what happens to your super

There's no national police super scheme, so moving between forces means moving between super arrangements. If you're in accumulation super, your balance stays yours: you can leave it where it is or roll it into your new force's default fund. Watch the insurance: rolling over can cancel cover you rely on.

  1. 1

    Get a benefit statement before you resign

    Before notice

    Ask your fund what you'll have, in what form, and what insurance stops on the day you leave.

  2. 2

    Check defined benefit exit rules

    Long-serving officers

    Leaving a defined benefit scheme early usually freezes or converts your benefit. ESSS, QSuper Police and the NSW PSS each have their own rules.

  3. 3

    Decide whether to consolidate

    After you join

    One account means one set of fees, but compare insurance before you close anything.

  4. 4

    Tell your new force's payroll your fund

    First pay

    Where you have choice, give your new employer your fund details so contributions don't go to a new default account.

Our interstate transfer guide covers lateral programs, and resigning from the police covers notice, final pay and leave payouts.

Your police super check-up

Fifteen minutes now can be worth thousands later.

Do these once a year

  • ✓ Find out which scheme you're in, and whether it's defined benefit or accumulation
  • ✓ Check the employer contribution on your payslip against what reaches your fund
  • ✓ Victorian officers: confirm your ESSS member contribution rate is the one you chose
  • ✓ Queensland officers: decide whether to keep the default 6% member contribution
  • ✓ Add up employer and salary sacrifice contributions against the $32,500 cap
  • ✓ Review insurance cover amounts, definitions and premiums
  • ✓ Update your binding death benefit nomination after marriage, separation or children
  • ✓ Ask your fund for a benefit estimate if you're within 10 years of retiring

For your own state's detail, the per-force super guides go deeper:

NSW NSW Police super Scheme, employer rate and insurance in NSW Police Force. VIC Victoria Police super Scheme, employer rate and insurance in Victoria Police. QLD QPS super Scheme, employer rate and insurance in Queensland Police Service. WA WA Police super Scheme, employer rate and insurance in Western Australia Police Force. SA SAPOL super Scheme, employer rate and insurance in South Australia Police. TAS Tasmania Police super Scheme, employer rate and insurance in Tasmania Police. NT NT Police super Scheme, employer rate and insurance in Northern Territory Police Force. AFP AFP super Scheme, employer rate and insurance in Australian Federal Police (incl. ACT Policing).

General information only

This guide explains the rules; it doesn't tell you what to do. For a personal recommendation, speak to your fund or a licensed financial adviser. For tax questions, the ATO is the authority.

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Get told when police super rules or schemes change

Contribution caps, the SG, Payday Super and your force's scheme rules all move. We email you when something changes that affects police super, with what it means for your force.

  • ✓New caps and thresholds before 1 July
  • ✓Changes to ESSS, QSuper, GESB, Super SA and PSSap rules for police

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Frequently asked questions

How much super do police get in Australia?

It depends on your force. Queensland police get 18% employer super with no compulsory member contribution, and the AFP pays 15.4%. NSW, WA, SA, Tasmania and the NT pay at least the 12% Superannuation Guarantee, though several of those rates aren't confirmed on a primary source. Victoria's operational police are in a defined benefit scheme instead.

Do police still get a defined benefit pension?

Only in Victoria for new officers. The ESSS Defined Benefit Fund is still open to operational police and PSOs, and pays a lump sum worked out from your accrued multiple and final average salary. Other police defined benefit schemes, such as NSW's Police Superannuation Scheme and the QSuper Police account, are closed to new members.

What is the maximum ESSS benefit for Victoria Police?

The maximum is 7.5 times final average salary, reached by contributing 7% for 30 years. Final average salary is the average of your last two years. Members choose a contribution rate of 0, 3, 5, 6 or 7% after tax, and the default is nil until you elect, so the choice directly affects your benefit.

Is NSW Police super 12%?

NSW officers in accumulation super are reported to receive 12% employer super, matching the Superannuation Guarantee, but we haven't confirmed the rate on a primary source. Officers also contribute 1.8% of salary to the Enhanced Police Support Scheme, which provides death and disability cover. Pre-1988 officers are in the closed Police Superannuation Scheme.

Which super fund are WA police in?

New WA officers default to GESB, the WA public sector super provider, or a fund of their choice, with the 12% Superannuation Guarantee. We haven't confirmed GESB's product name or default insurance for new police. The West State and Gold State schemes are closed to new members.

What super do AFP members get?

AFP employees receive 15.4% employer super into PSSap, the default Commonwealth accumulation plan, or another fund they choose. The 22% core composite counts as super salary, but most other composites and allowances don't. Longer-serving members may be in the closed CSS or PSS defined benefit schemes.

When can police access their super?

Preservation age is 60 for everyone born after 30 June 1964. You can usually access super once you've reached it and retired, or left a job at 60 or older, and at 65 regardless. Some police schemes have earlier access: ESSS lump sums from 50, and Triple S police reportedly from 50.

What changed in super on 1 July 2026?

Payday Super started, so employers must pay the Superannuation Guarantee with each pay rather than quarterly. The concessional cap rose to $32,500 and the non-concessional cap to $130,000. The SG rate stays at 12% and the Division 293 threshold at $250,000.

Evidence

Sources and how we checked them

Every figure on this page comes from the sources below, read on 10 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.

  1. PANSW / NSWPF Enhanced Police Support Scheme FAQ v2 (21 Aug 2024) — NSW Police super
  2. ESSSuper: ESSS Defined Benefit Fund PDS (issued 28 Feb 2025) — Victoria Police super
  3. Superannuation (State Public Sector) Regulation 2023 (SL 2023 No 47), explanatory notes — QPS super
  4. WA Treasury: Choice of super fund in the WA state public sector (2026) — WA Police super
  5. Super SA: Triple S — SAPOL super
  6. Police Award No. 2 of 2026 (Consolidated), TIC T15311 of 2026 (read via Wayback Machine copy 2026-05-20) — Tasmania Police super
  7. NT Treasury: Other superannuation arrangements (as summarised publicly) — NT Police super
  8. Australian Federal Police Enterprise Agreement 2024-2027 (FWC AE526995, [2024] FWCA 4231) — AFP super
  9. State Super PSS Fact Sheet 1: Overview of the Police Superannuation Scheme (18 May 2026)
  10. QSuper Police Account Guide (issued 1 Jul 2026)
  11. Australian Federal Police Act 1979 (compilation 8 Nov 2025)
  12. ATO: Super guarantee rates — 12%; Payday Super from 1 July 2026
  13. ATO: Contributions caps — $32,500 concessional, $130,000 non-concessional for 2026-27
  14. ATO: Division 293 tax — $250,000 threshold
  15. ATO: Super withdrawal options — preservation age and access
  16. ATO: Explaining qualifying earnings (Payday Super) — Payday Super

Related guides

Police super calculator → Project your balance at your force's employer rate. Police pay in Australia → Salaries in every force, side by side. Transferring to another force → What happens to pay, super and leave.

Retiring and super

More in this series

Super Defined benefit vs accumulation super How each kind of police super pays out, with worked illustrations from ESSS, the QSuper Police account and the NSW PSS. Medical retirement Police medical retirement in Australia How medical retirement works in all 8 forces: the legal process, workers comp, disability pensions, TPD and income protection, tax, disputes and support. Medical retirement NSW Police medical retirement The Commissioner's process, EPSS top-ups for up to 10 years, the end of the TPD lump sum in 2024, and PSS hurt-on-duty pensions. Medical retirement Victoria Police medical retirement Section 67 ill-health retirement, the ESSS disability pension up to 70% of salary with worked examples, WorkCover make-up pay and the 55-59 fund. Medical retirement QLD Police medical retirement Section 8.3 of the PSAA, QSuper TPD and 87.75% income protection, the Police account disability pension, tax and disputes. Medical retirement WA Police medical retirement The Part IIC medical board process, the 2021 compensation scheme lump sum, current indexed caps, WAIRC appeals and support. Medical retirement SA Police medical retirement How SAPOL officers leave on medical grounds: the Police Act and Regulations, Super SA insurance, the closed pension scheme, Return to Work SA, disputes and support. Medical retirement Tasmania Police medical retirement Retiring from Tasmania Police on health grounds: Police Service Act ss 28-29, super and insurance, workers compensation, disputes and support. Medical retirement NT Police medical retirement Invalidity retirement under s 91 of the Police Administration Act, CSS and NTGPASS benefits, TPD in your own fund, Return to Work, disputes and support.
See every retiring and super guide →

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.