Chapter 7: Transmittal Codes

In this section

This chapter provides information about the codes used in the monthly transmittal reporting to DRS, including details about status codes and type codes.

Employer responsibility

Employers must use a status code and a type code on transactions reported to DRS on transmittals. 

• Status codes determine the service credit and retirement benefit a member is entitled to 
• Type codes identify the type of employer an employee works for or the type of job an employee performs 

It’s important to choose correct status and type codes to ensure member contributions and interest are calculated and posted accurately, member retirement benefits are calculated correctly and member requests to withdraw contributions are processed on time.

Status codes

What is a status code?

Status codes determine the service credit and retirement benefit a member is entitled to. DRS depends on your accurate reporting of these codes. Please read the status code section carefully to verify you’re using the codes correctly. 

In your reporting, use only one status code per line in an MRL file. Or use one status code per entry in Interactive. If you need more than one status code to report information for an individual employee, use a separate line for each code. 

Please read the status code section carefully to verify you’re using the codes correctly. The Quick Reference Status Code Charts below summarize the use of each code.

Quick reference status code charts

List of status codes for current reporting

Refer to this list for descriptions of the status codes currently used for reporting. Refer to the Quick Reference Status Code Charts above for a summary of the status codes for active members, retirees and substitutes. 

A: For reporting a member’s regular service or a retiree’s return to work

Use this code to report a member’s or a retiree’s earned compensation (or basic salary for LEOFF) for hours or days of regular service. Reportable compensation varies by system and plan.

If a member or retiree uses any of the following leave types, and the compensation is reportable for the system and plan you’re reporting, treat the leave as regular paid service and report it with status code A. (You don’t need to identify the leave separately on the transmittal.):

• Annual leave
• Sick leave
• Holiday leave
• Compensatory time
  • If you use compensatory time in place of a scheduled work day, use status code A to report accumulated compensatory time. Report the actual hours when they were used with status code A. You don’t need to identify compensatory time separately from regular compensation on the transmittal.
  • If compensatory time is cashed out, report the time as regular compensation with status code A. Report the compensation when it was earned with the actual hours worked when the compensatory time was accrued, not time and a half.
• Overtime
  • If overtime is reportable compensation for the system and plan you’re reporting, use status code A along with the actual hours worked. You don’t need to identify overtime pay separately from regular compensation on the transmittal.
  • You can use optional code A1 instead to report overtime earnings greater than two times the hourly rate of pay.
• A1: For reporting a member with overtime earnings greater than two times the hourly rate of pay

B: For reporting a member or a retiree returning to work on unpaid leave (see the exception for LEOFF members below.)

Use this code to report that a member or a retiree returning to work who is employed with you but had no reportable compensation during an entire calendar month.

Don’t use status code B for an earning period after an employee has terminated employment or is no longer eligible for membership. Report the associated end date to DRS.

Exceptions for LEOFF members

• Disability leave (LEOFF Plan 2 only)
  • Use status code B to report LEOFF Plan 2 members on disability leave for more than three days within an earning period. You don’t need to identify leave without pay lasting three days or less on the transmittal. Report disability begin or end dates to document the period of disability. (For LEOFF Plan 1, see status code E.)
• Other authorized leave without pay
  • Use status code B to report a LEOFF Plan 1 or Plan 2 member on leave without pay for more than three days within an earning period. You don’t need to identify leave without pay lasting three days or less on the transmittal.

E: For reporting a LEOFF Plan 1 member on disability leave

Use this code to report a LEOFF Plan 1 member on disability leave authorized by the disability board for more than three days within an earning period. You don’t need to identify leave without pay lasting three days or less on the transmittal. Report a disability begin and end date to document the period of the disability. (For LEOFF Plan 2, see status code B.)

Don’t report basic salary, contributions and hours of service to DRS during the disability period. Disability payments aren’t reportable to DRS.

F: For reporting a TRS member on paid sabbatical leave

Use this code to report a TRS member on sabbatical leave. The employee may have been paid all, a portion of, or no regular salary during the period reported with status code F. When using this code, report compensation and contributions only; don’t report hours or days of service.

If the sabbatical leave has been paid as a lump sum, use status code F and report the total compensation and contributions, but no service in the month the lump sum payment was made.

In all other months of the leave, use status code F and report zero compensation, contributions and hours or days of service.

G: For reporting a TRS Plan 1 member working part time

Use this code to report a TRS Plan 1 member working part time. The part-time employee must have an ongoing contract and work regularly scheduled days that are less than those of a full-time employee. (See the section called “TRS membership” in Chapter 2 for details about part-time and full-time employment.)

If you report using manual upload or SFT for a new employee who has not been previously reported on your transmittal, be sure to report the employee’s name, address, gender code, birth date, system/plan, type code and begin date.

M: For reporting a member’s lump sum payments

Use this code to report lump sum payments earned in prior periods. When reporting with status code M, the lump sum payment must be reportable compensation. No hours or days of service should be reported with status code M, since the hours or days of service must have been previously reported.

If the earning period for the lump sum payment falls into more than one contribution rate period, use separate lines on the transmittal to report the earnings applicable to each rate period.

DRS recommends using status code A instead of status code M for any compensation you expect to be part of the member’s AFC period. If you use code M, and the earning period for the lump sum payment falls into the AFC period used to calculate the member’s retirement benefit, a month-by-month breakdown of the lump sum payment will be required at the time of the member’s retirement.

The following are examples of the types of lump sum payments that may be reported with status code M:

• Longevity pay
• Lump sum bonus payments (if reportable compensation)
• Retroactive salary increases or decreases

Do not use status code M to report:

• Holiday Leave Bank cash outs
• Compensatory Time cash outs

Holiday Bank cash outs and Compensatory Time cash outs are overtime. Use status code A to report these types of payments to DRS as earned by calendar month.

School districts should refer to Chapter 5, school district and educational service district pay adjustments for more information about status code M.

Status codes for cash outs

Before using a cash out code

Cash outs of vacation, sick leave, personal holiday, personal days or any accrued leave are reportable for PERS Plan 1, TRS Plan 1 and WSPRS Plan 1 members who were commissioned before July 1, 2001.

Compensation reported with cash out codes must be considered reportable compensation.

Some cash out codes can be used for reporting retirees returning to work and substitutes working in school districts or educational service districts. Refer to the quick reference status code charts for a summary of all status codes (including cash out status codes) for active members, retirees and 

substitutes.

Don’t report cash outs of compensatory time with a cash out code; instead, use status code A. (See the explanation of compensatory time under status code A.)

How to report a cash out code for PERS Plan 1 and TRS Plan 1 only

If you use a cash out code to report a lump sum leave payment, be sure to use one record for your reporting and assign the total lump sum payment to a single earning period.

You can report a cash out payment on the transmittal for an employee who is separated. In the Earning Period field enter the month and year of the date the employee was last reported. If you want to use the June 2004 transmittal to report a cash out for an employee who was separated in March 2004, enter 03/04 as the earning period.

Report the lump sum payment in the compensation field, report the contributions due on that payment in the contributions field and report the service in the Hours/Days field.

Keep a record of the payment and the months in which the leave cash out was earned. DRS may request this record if the cash out falls within the period of time used to determine a member’s retirement benefit (the AFC period). Your documentation will help identify the calendar months in which the leave was earned.

List of status codes for reporting cash outs

N: Reporting vacation leave cash outs (non-retiree or retiree returning to work)

Use this code to report vacation leave cash outs. This code is valid for non-retiring PERS Plan 1, TRS Plan 1 and WSPRS Plan 1 members commissioned before July 1, 2001, or retirees returning to work. Report compensation, contributions (not for retirees) and the hours or days used to determine the cash out amount.

P: For reporting sick leave cash outs (non-retiree or retiree returning to work)

Use this code to report sick leave cash outs. This code is valid for non-retiring PERS Plan 1 members or retirees returning to work. Report compensation, contributions (not for retirees) and the hours used to determine the cash out amount.

If you’re a state agency or an education employer, do not report sick leave cash outs for your employees. Sick leave cash outs aren’t included in the employee’s retirement benefit calculation.

R: For reporting other cash out payments (non-retiree or retiree returning to work)

Use this code to report cash out payments other than regular compensation, overtime, sabbatical leave, vacation leave, compensatory leave or sick leave. Examples of other cash out payments include severance pay accrued over time and personal days. The cash out payment must be considered reportable compensation. This code is valid for non-retiring PERS Plan 1 and TRS Plan 1 members or retirees returning to work. The cash out payment must be considered reportable compensation. Report compensation, contributions (not for retirees) and the amount of hours or days used to determine the cash out amount.

T: For reporting vacation leave cash outs (member who is retiring)

Use this code to report vacation leave cash outs earned during the employee’s last 24 months of employment. PERS and WSPRS members may cash out up to 240 hours; TRS members, up to 30 days. This code is valid for retiring PERS Plan 1, TRS Plan 1 and WSPRS Plan 1 members commissioned before July 1, 2001. Report compensation, contributions and the hours or days used to determine the cash out amount.

See status code U if an employee has a vacation leave cash out in excess of 240 hours (PERS, WSPRS) or 30 days (TRS) to report.

U: For reporting excess vacation leave cash outs (member who is retiring)

Use this code to report the portion of a cash out of vacation leave earned during the last 24 months of employment that is over 240 hours or 30 days. This code is valid for retiring PERS Plan 1, TRS Plan 1 and WSPRS Plan 1 members commissioned before July 1, 2001. Report compensation, contributions and the hours or days used to determine the cash out amount. Compensation reported with this code will result in an excess compensation billing if the compensation was earned in the AFC period.

Vacation leave cash outs in excess of 240 hours or 30 days shouldn’t be reported for employees of state agencies or higher education institutions unless the employee has a letter of necessity authorizing this reporting. Per RCW 43.01.042, state institutions of higher learning may prescribe such rules and regulations as they can determine how to govern vacation leave for academic and professional personnel. For these cases, a letter of necessity is not required. If instructed to use status code U, report only that portion of the vacation leave cash out more than 240 hours (PERS, WSPRS) or 30 days (TRS).

V: For reporting vacation leave cash outs (member who is retiring)

Use this code to report vacation leave cash outs earned before the employee’s last 24 months of employment. This code is valid for retiring PERS Plan 1 and TRS Plan 1 members. Report compensation, contributions and the hours or days used to determine the cash out amount.

W: For reporting sick leave cash outs (member who is retiring)

Use this code to report sick leave cash outs earned during the last 24 months of employment. This code is valid for retiring PERS Plan 1 members, provided the member can have the cash out payment included in the computation of the retirement benefit. Report compensation, contributions and the hours used to determine the cash out amount. Compensation reported with this code will result in an excess compensation billing if the compensation was earned in the AFC period.

If you’re a state agency or an education employer, don’t report sick leave cash outs for your employees. Sick leave cash outs aren’t included in the employee’s retirement benefit calculation.

X: For reporting sick leave cash outs (member who is retiring)

Use this code to report sick leave cash outs earned before the last 24 months of employment. This code is valid for retiring PERS Plan 1 members. Report compensation, contributions and the hours used to determine the cash out amount.

If you’re a state agency or an education employer, don’t report sick leave cash outs for your employees. Sick leave cash outs aren’t included in the employee’s retirement benefit calculation.

Y: For reporting other cash out payments (member who is retiring)

Use this code to report cash out payments other than regular compensation, overtime, sabbatical leave, vacation leave, compensatory leave or sick leave. Examples of other cash out payments are severance pay accrued over time and personal days. The cash out payment must be considered reportable compensation. This code is valid for retiring PERS Plan 1 and TRS Plan 1 members. Report compensation, contributions and the hours or days used to determine the cash out amount. Compensation reported with this code will result in an excess compensation billing if it was earned in the AFC period.

Status codes for prior periods

C: For reporting PERS school district members

Valid only for earning periods from September 1983 through August 1990.

This code was used to report a PERS or SERS member working for a school district. Reporting with status code C entitled the member to service credit in a month when the member’s hours of employment fell below 70 hours (Plan 1) or 90 hours (Plan 2) because of a scheduled school closure of five consecutive calendar days or more.

D: For reporting PERS higher education members

Valid only for earning periods of August 1989 and earlier.

This code was used to report a break in service for a PERS Plan 1 or Plan 2 member working for a community college or a four-year college or university. Reporting with status code D entitled the member to service credit in a month when they did not work. Legislation was passed in 1989 that made retroactive changes to PERS service credit rules and eliminated the need for this code.

H: For reporting TRS substitute teachers

Valid only for earning periods in August 1990 and earlier.

This code was used to report a TRS member working as a substitute teacher for an education employer. The member was reported with this code in the months when the member’s only employment was as a substitute teacher. Legislation was passed in 1990 that exempted substitute teachers from TRS membership, but provided the option of purchasing service credit for periods of employment as a substitute.

J: For reporting member name changes

This code became invalid after the December 1992 reporting period.

This code was used to report an employee whose name had changed. Using it did not change the name on record at DRS but did suppress the input warning message generated when a different name was reported. It can no longer be used in transmittal reporting for any earning period.

K: For reporting taxed member contributions

This code became invalid after the December 1992 reporting period.

This code was used to report a member’s taxed contributions for a prior earning period when compensation and service had previously been reported. It was valid for PERS Plans 1 and 2, LEOFF, WSPRS and JRS members. It can no longer be used in transmittal reporting for any earning period.

L: For reporting members who did not earn service credit

Valid only for earning periods from January 1987 through August 1991.

This code was used to report a member employed in an eligible position whose hours of employment fell below 70 hours (Plan 1) or 90 hours (Plan 2) for a month. It was valid for Plan 2 and 3 members of PERS, SERS and TRS, and LEOFF Plan 2 members. Compensation and service were reported with status code L, but zero contributions were reported. Status code L was not used by educational employers if the member was eligible to receive a full year of service credit.

Q: For reporting certain PERS Plan 2 elected officials

Valid only for earning periods for December 1992 and earlier.

This code was used to report compensation and contributions for certain PERS Plan 2 elected officials. Compensation and contributions were reported, but not service. To be reported with status code Q, the elected official needed to:

• Earn a monthly salary more than 90 times the state minimum wage at the time
• Provide a signed statement indicating they worked 90 hours or more during the month

Be reported with type code 10 through 16 (see the section, ‘list of type codes by system’ for definitions of these type codes)

Type codes 

What is a type code?

A type code is a two-digit number that identifies the type of employer an employee works for or the type of job an employee performs. In determining type codes, there is a hierarchy for reporting employees based on their retirement status and the type of position in which they are working. The charts below should be used in the order listed. When determining type codes, retirees take precedence over all types of reporting.

1. Retiree return-to-work reporting charts: These charts include retirees returning to eligible, ineligible and substitute positions. If your employee isn’t a retiree, go to number 2.
2. Substitute reporting chart: If your employee does not fit this category, go to number 3.
3. List of type codes by system for employees working in one eligible position: If your employee is working in more than one system, refer to each system’s plan rules.

List of type codes by system

JRF and JRS codes

Judicial employers must report any retiree working in a PERS position using P/0 (system/plan) and should refer to PERS Codes for the appropriate type code. Call DRS if you hire any retiree into a judicial position.

52 – Judge elected or appointed to superior court, court of appeals or supreme court

53 – No longer valid code for reporting a judge in the Judges Retirement Fund

LEOFF codes

40 – Firefighter employed by Washington State University

41 – Law enforcement officer employed by a first class city

42 – Law enforcement officer employed by an entity other than a first class city

43 – Law enforcement officer employed by a county

44 – Firefighter employed by a first class city

45 – Firefighter employed by an entity other than a first class city

46 – Firefighter employed by any other entity (port authority, fire protection district, etc.)

47 – LEOFF member serving as an elected or appointed official at the state level

48 – Law enforcement officer employed by a university

49 – Law enforcement officer employed by a port authority

55 – Law Enforcement officer employed by the Department of Fish and Wildlife

PERS codes

01 – Employee of state government

02 – Employee of a county

03 – Employee of a city

04 – Employee of a port authority

05 – Employee of a public utility district

06 – Employee of the Washington Public Power Supply System

07 – Employee of a fire, conservation, irrigation, mosquito, sewer, water or weed district

08 – Employee of a non-state government entity not covered by codes 02-07

PERS codes for elected officials

09 – Elected state official

10 – Elected county government official, including PERS non-JBM district judge, superior court judge or appeals court judge who chose not to become JBM member prior to January 1, 2007

11 – Elected city government official, including PERS non-JBM municipal judge who chose not to become JBM member prior to January 1, 2007

12 – Elected official of a port authority

13 – Elected official of a public utility district

14 – Elected official of the Washington Public Power Supply System

15 – Elected official of a fire, conservation, irrigation, mosquito, sewer, water or weed district

16 – Elected official of a non-state government entity not covered by codes 10-15

59 – Elected PERS non-JBM supreme court justice who chose not to become JBM member prior to January 1, 2007

PERS codes for education employees

17 – Employee of the State School for the Blind or the State School for the Deaf

18 – Employee of a school district working in a non-certificated, non-teaching position

19 – Employee of a community or technical college

20 – Employee of a four-year college or university

21 – Educational staff associate with service credit in PERS Plan 1 before July 7, 1984, who chose not to transfer to TRS

22 – Valid code before March 31, 1991, for reporting an employee working at a community or technical college

23 – Valid code before March 31, 1991, for reporting an employee working at a four-year college or university

PERS codes for governor-appointed officials:

24 – State official appointed by the governor (such as an agency director)

25 – Official appointed by the governor to a state board, commission or committee

Judges benefit multiplier (JBM) program:

26 – PERS-JBM court of appeals or superior court judge

27 – PERS-JBM district judge elected or appointed to a vacant elected position

28 – PERS-JBM municipal judge elected or appointed to a vacant elected position

29 – PERS-JBM supreme court justice

54 – PERS-JBM district judge appointed to a non-elected position

56 – PERS-JBM municipal judge appointed to a non-elected position

Retirees returning to work

93 – PERS, SERS, or TRS retiree working in an eligible PERS, SERS, or TRS-eligible non-administrative position. Valid 1/1/2024.

94 – PERS, SERS, or TRS retiree working in a TRS-eligible administrative position at a second-class school district and retired prior to 1/1/2022. Valid 1/1/2024.

95 – PERS or PSERS retiree working in a PERS-eligible or PSERS-eligible non-administrative licensed nursing position for a state agency or institution of higher education. Valid 1/1/2024

96– Valid code before 12/31/2023.

• SERS or TRS 2008 ERF retiree, under age 65, returning to work in a non-administrative position for an educational employer. Valid 5/8/2019 through 12/31/2023.
• PERS 2008 ERF retiree, under age 65, returning to work in a non-administrative position at a school district.* Valid 3/23/2022 through 12/31/2023.

97 – TRS Plan 1 retirees working for educational employers

98 – Retirees working in eligible positions

99 – Retirees working in ineligible positions

Use ERA Member Management to determine retirement status; refer to the Retiree-return-to work (RRTW) reporting charts in Chapter 5 for the specific RRTW type code.

PSERS codes

60 – City employee (this code doesn’t apply to employees of Seattle, Tacoma and Spokane)

61 – County employee

62 – State Department of Corrections employee working in a prison, work camp or pre-release institution

63 – State Department of Corrections employee working in the community

64 – State agency employee, other than Department of Corrections

65 – Statewide elected or Governor-appointed official

66 – Employees not covered by codes 60 – 65

SERS codes

30 – Employee of an educational service district

31 – Elected official of an educational service district

32 – Employee of a school district working in a non-certificated, non-teaching position

33 – Educational staff associate with service credit in PERS Plan 2 before July 7, 1984, who chose not to transfer to TRS

34 – Elected state official

39 – Employee working as a substitute of a school district

TRS codes

70 – TRS Plan 1 JBM supreme court justice, court of appeals judge, or superior court judge

71 – Employee of a school district, educational service district, the School for the Blind or the School for the Deaf working in a position that requires certification

72 – Employee of a community or technical college working in a position that requires certification

73 – Employee of a four-year college or university working in a position that requires certification

74 – TRS member working in a school district or educational service district position that doesn’t require certification

75 – TRS member serving as elected or appointed official

76 – Valid code before March 31, 1991, for reporting a certificated employee working at a community college who does not have a contract for a full academic year

77 – Valid code before March 31, 1991, for reporting a certificated employee working at a four-year college or university who does not have a contract for a full academic year

78 – TRS member employed by a non-educational state agency (TRS Plans 2 and 3 members must also be employed at a school district with an ongoing contract) or a TRS Plan 1 member who is a non-JBM supreme court justice

79 – TRS Plan 2 or Plan 3 member working in a school district or educational service district certificated position as a substitute

80 – TRS Plan 1 member working in a school district or educational service district certificated position as a substitute

WSPRS codes

51 – Commissioned officer of the Washington State Patrol

Page feedback

We’re interested in your website feedback.