N.C. Gen. Stat. § 135-57 (2026)
Service retirement
(a) Any member on or after January 1, 1974, who has attained his fiftieth birthday and five years of membership service may retire upon electronic submission or written application to the board of trustees setting forth at what time, as of the first day of a calendar month, not less than one day nor more than 120 days subsequent to the execution and filing thereof, he desires to be retired.
(a1) Repealed by Session Laws 2014-88, s. 3(h), effective July 30, 2014.
(b) Any member who is a justice or judge of the General Court of Justice shall be automatically retired as of the last day of the calendar month in which the justice or judge reaches the maximum age for judicial service under G.S. 7A-5(b), 7A-40.1, or 7A-140.1, whichever is applicable.
(c) Any member who terminates service on or after January 1, 1974, having accumulated five or more years of creditable service may retire under the provisions of subsection (a) above, provided that he shall not have withdrawn his accumulated contributions prior to the effective date of his retirement, and the requirement of subsection (a) that the member be in service shall not apply.
(c1) Repealed by Session Laws 2014-88, s. 3(h), effective July 30, 2014.
(d) Any member who was in service October 8, 1981, who had attained 50 years of age, may retire upon electronic submission or written application to the board of trustees setting forth at what time, as of the first day of a calendar month, not less than one day nor more than 120 days subsequent to the execution and filing thereof, he desires to be retired. (1973, c. 640, s. 1; 1981, c. 378, s. 6; 1983, c. 761, s. 230; 1987, c. 513, s. 1; 1991 (Reg. Sess., 1992), c. 873, s. 2; 2007-431, s. 4; 2009-66, ss. 3(e), 12(i), (j); 2011-232, s. 8; 2014-88, s. 3(h); 2023-134, s. 16.14(l).)