Redemption for pension purposes for those enrolled in the Civil Servants' Pension Fund

For "insured persons" who have been terminated from service, without the right to a pension, after 30 July 2010, the claim for redemption may be submitted beyond the applicable deadlines (90 days from the date of termination of the employment relationship, as indicated in the message no. 2802 of 2 August 2024 (in Italian)).

"Insured" means anyone who can claim a contribution accredited by the Civil Servants’ Pension Scheme who have not already been granted entitlement to a pension, even if they are no longer working (operating note ex INPDAP no. 56 of 22 December 2010 – section 1.1 (in Italian)).

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From 12 July 1997, the duration of the legal courses of university study may be redeemed even if the qualification obtained is not required for the position held. The right of redemption may also be exercised for two or more courses of study and redemption can also be requested partially (Circular ex INPDAP no. 12 of 24 February 1999).

Enrolment periods outside of the course are not eligible for redemption.

In the definition of university diploma, any qualification, even differently named, issued by universities or university-level institutes must be included, according to the various educational systems that have succeeded each other over time (information note ex INPDAP no. 5 of 24 January 2000 (in Italian)) (pdf 27KB).

Periods of university studies must not already be covered by compulsory, figurative, redemption or voluntary contributions, not only in the fund to which the claim is directed, but also in the other pension schemes indicated in Article 2, paragraph 1, of Legislative Decree no. 184/1997 (Employees' Pension Fund FPLD, special pension schemes of the Fund itself for self-employed workers, substitute and exclusive funds of the Compulsory General Insurance AGO for Disability, Old Age and Survivors, Separate Pension Scheme referred to in Article 2, paragraph 26 of Law no. 335/1995).

Academic qualifications introduced by Decree no. 509 of 3 November 1999 are eligible for redemption, namely:

• Bachelor's Degree;
• Master's Degree.

The diplomas awarded by the AFAM Institutions (Higher Education Institutions for Artistic, Musical, and Dance Training) for courses activated from the 2005/2006 academic year are eligible for redemption (operating note ex INPDAP no. 25 of 14 May 2009 (in Italian)).

In particular:

• first level academic diploma - degree;
• second level academic diploma - degree;
• postgraduate degree;
• academic research training diploma-degree;
• advanced diploma - degree.

The academic diplomas issued by the aforementioned AFAM Institutions, obtained according to the regulations prior to the entry into force of Law no. 508/1999, can be redeemed under the conditions indicated in INPS circular no. 95 of 21 August 2020 (in Italian).

 ITS Academy diplomas can also be redeemed for pension purposes, provided that they are issued in accordance with the legislation provided for by Law no. 99/2022 and the related accreditation of ITS foundations (INPS Circular no. 98 of 25 November 2024 (in Italian)).

Periods of study completed abroad
 Academic qualifications obtained abroad must be subject to specific recognition "for social security purposes", pursuant to Article 3, paragraph 1, letter b) of Presidential Decree no. 189 of 30 July 2009 (message no. 6208 of 22 July 2014 (in Italian)).

CALCULATION OF THE CHARGE

The charge of the redemption for the periods of the university course of study is determined by the rules governing the settlement of the pension with the remuneration or contributory system, taking into account the moment in time of the periods subject to redemption.

• Periods to be redeemed that are in the "remuneration system". If the periods subject to redemption are placed in the remuneration system, the amount of the sum to be paid is determined with the criteria provided for in Article 13 of Law no. 1338 of 12 August 1962 (mathematical reserve). The charge varies in relation to factors such as age, the period to be redeemed, gender and salaries received in recent years. The cost of the operation involving the calculation of the mathematical reserve is identified with the actuarial reserves corresponding to the portion of the pension that is potentially or actually acquired by the interested party as a result of the redemption (pension benefit).
• Periods to be redeemed that are in the "contributory system". With regard to the periods to be redeemed for which the relevant pension rate must be calculated with the contributory system, the corresponding charge is instead determined by applying the contribution rate in force on the date of submission of the claim for redemption, to the extent provided for the payment of the mandatory contribution due to the pension scheme from which the redemption itself is due. The salary to which the aforementioned contribution rate is to be applied is that which was subject to contribution payments in the most recent 12 months with respect to the date of the claim and is related to the period subject to redemption. The remuneration taken as the basis for the calculation of the charge and related to the redeemed period is credited to the position of the individual, placing it temporarily in correspondence with the periods subject to redemption. For the purposes of calculating the pension, the revaluation of the individual amount of contributions relating to the periods subject to redemption takes effect from the date of submission of the claim.
   
  Article 20, paragraph 6, of Decree-Law no. 4 of 28 January 2019, converted with amendments into Law no. 26/2019, introduced the so-called subsidised redemption of the degree for the periods that fall within the contributory system of the future pension.
   
  In this case, the charge is determined on the minimum of Artisans and Traders in force in the year of submission of the claim and based on the calculation rate of pension benefits in force, in the same period, in the Employees' Pension Fund (FPLD). The relevant remuneration amount is related to the period subject to redemption and is attributed temporarily and proportionally to the same periods. The contribution is re-evaluated according to the rules of the contributory system, in accordance with the date of the claim.
   
  For 2025, the minimum annual income to be taken into consideration for the calculation of the IVS contribution due by artisans and by traders is equal to 18,555 euro. The rate of 33% must be applied to this amount. Therefore, for claims submitted during 2025, the cost to redeem a course year is 6,123.15 euro.

In the case in which the settlement of the pension must take place exclusively within the contributory system (for example due to the option to the contributory system pursuant to Article 1, paragraph 23, Law no. 335/1995), the subsidised calculation methods of the redemption charge also apply if the periods of the degree programme are prior to 1 January 1996 (INPS Circular no. 6 of 22 January 2020 (in Italian) and INPS Circular no. 54 of 6 April 2021 (in Italian)). The fulfilment of the economic charge by paying at least one instalment of the redemption determined with the different criterion of the percentage calculation, as a result of exercising the option to the contributory system, makes the option itself irrevocable.
 
 The redemption determined according to one of the aforementioned methods, and whose charge has been paid in whole or in part, cannot be redetermined according to the alternative method. For further details, please refer to INPS Circular no. 106 of 25 July 2019 (in Italian).

The following periods and services may also be redeemed by way of a claim and at the expense of the interested party:

• periods after 31 December 1996 to the maximum extent of three years, in which the employment relationship is interrupted or suspended on the basis of specific legal or contractual provisions and which are without insurance coverage. For example, in cases of leave for family reasons, for study reasons and interruptions for disciplinary reasons (Article 5, Legislative Decree no. 564/1996; Circular ex INPDAP no. 9 of 14 February 1997);
• periods between one employment relationship and another in the case of discontinuous, seasonal or temporary work, after 31 December 1996, not covered by compulsory or figurative contributions (Article 7, Legislative Decree no. 564/1996 - Circular ex INPDAP no. 9 of 14 February 1997);
• periods following 31 December 1996 of non-performance of the work, in cases of part-time work of a vertical, horizontal or cyclical nature not covered by compulsory contribution (Article 8, Legislative Decree no. 564/1996 - Circular ex INPDAP no. 9 of 14 February 1997);
• periods corresponding to parental leave outside of the employment relationship pursuant to Article 35, paragraph 5, Legislative Decree no. 151/2001. Periods not covered by insurance that give way to parental leave may be redeemed up to a maximum of five years, provided that claimants can demonstrate at the time of claim at least five years of contributions paid during actual working activity. The right to redeem parental leave cannot be combined with the right to redeem the legal degree course for claims submitted up until 31 December 2015. From 1 January 2016, Article 1, paragraph 298, of Law no. 208/2015 abolished the regime of incompatibility/alternativeness. Consequently, for claims submitted from 1 January 2016, the right to redeem the period of parental leave and the legal period of the degree programme operates cumulatively, also with reference to "periods" prior to the aforementioned date of 1 January 2016 (INPS Circular no. 44 of 29 February 2016 (in Italian));
• periods of leave for serious family reasons prior to 31 December 1996, Article 1, paragraphs 789 and 790, Law no. 296/2006 – Ministerial Decree of 31 August 2007 (Circular ex INPDAP no. 6 of 8 April 2008 (in Italian));
• periods of work carried out abroad in countries not members of the European Union, pursuant to Article 3, paragraph 1, Italian Legislative Decree no. 184/1997 (Law no. 26/1980 as supplemented by Law no. 333/1985 - Circular ex INPDAP no. 12 of 24 February 1999);
• periods of leave in accordance with Article 3, paragraph 2, Legislative Decree no. 184/1997 (Circular ex INPDAP no. 12 of 24 February 1999);
• periods corresponding to civil service on a voluntary basis, not covered by any contribution, after 1 January 2009 (operating note ex INPDAP no. 24 of 7 May 2009);
• universal civil service, on a voluntary basis, Legislative Decree no. 40 of 6 March 2017 (information note ex INPDAP no. 7 of 25 January 2002 (in Italian)) (pdf 32KB); ruling of the Constitutional Court no. 52/2000). The post-secondary courses of study covered by the Ruling of the Constitutional Court no. 52/2000 must be accompanied by prior possession of upper secondary school qualifications of any duration. The operational scope of ruling no. 52/2000 also includes, when the required conditions are met, diplomas in the nursing, technical and rehabilitation fields, obtained from schools recognised or authorised by a specific ministerial decree. The relevant diploma must be required for entry into service or for the performance of certain functions or for career progression;
• diploma of the Academy of Fine Arts, for teachers who carry out teaching activities in the same academies (ruling of the Constitutional Court no. 535/1990);
• preparation courses for the recruitment of employees of state administrations, organised and held by the school for public administration (ruling of the Constitutional Court no. 257/1991);
• qualifying courses for school staff (operating note ex INPDAP no. 37 of 13 July 2010 (in Italian));
• courses necessary for the admission to service of Public Administration personnel (operating note ex INPDAP no. 11 of 18 March 2010 (in Italian));
• increases in the service provided by the personnel of the Armed Forces – Italian Army, Air Force, Navy, including the Carabinieri – pursuant to Article 5, paragraph 3, Legislative Decree no. 165/1997 (INPS Circular no. 119 of 18 December 2018 (in Italian));
• periods of time spent as scholarship recipients if they did not receive a contribution. The inclusion of the period is based on the condition that the relationship between the institution that provides the training and the holder of the scholarship has been conducted in such a manner as to constitute the performance of an activity attributable to a non-tenured employment relationship or it ensures that the scholarship certificate was required for employment in the roles of the state administration or for participation in the relevant competition;
• services referred to in Article 14, Presidential Decree no. 1092 of 29 December 1973, provided in the capacity of:
  • non-tenured civil servant without enrolment with the Compulsory General Insurance (AGO);
  • temporary deputy magistrate for a period of not less than six months;
  • non-appointed or voluntary extraordinary assistant in universities or higher education institutions;
  • appointed technician referred to in Article 2 paragraph 2, of Law No. 765/1960;
  • chancellor's office secretary referred to in Article 99 of Royal Decree-Law no. 745/1924;
  • employee hired under local contract for the needs of Italian offices abroad;
  • lecturer at foreign universities;
  • lecturer/reader of Italian language and literature at foreign universities;
• services that provided grounds for placement without enrolment with the Compulsory General Insurance (AGO), Article 15, Presidential Decree no. 1092 of 29 December 1973;
• periods of registration in professional registers or practical training required for admission to service (Article 13, paragraph 3, Presidential Decree no. 1092 of 29 December 1973);
• periods between the legal start and the economic start of the appointment (contributory arrangement, Articles 8 and 142, Presidential Decree no. 1092 of 29 December 1973);
• redemption of periods not covered by contributions, pursuant to Article 20, paragraphs 1 to 5, of the Decree-Law no. 4 of 28 January 2019, converted into Law no. 26 of 28 March 2019 – for claims submitted by 31 December 2021 – and Article 1, paragraphs 126 - 130, of the Law no. 213 of 30 December 2023 – for claims submitted between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2025;
• additional redemption periods provided for by specific legal provisions.

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Alternatively, the claim can be made by:

• Calling the contact centre at 803 164 (free from Italian landlines) or +39 06 164164 from a mobile phone; 
• On-line services offered by patronage institutes and intermediaries of the Institute.

For more information, please refer to INPS Circular no. 46 of 22 March 2021 (in Italian).

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The table (in Italian) attached to the Regulation shows both the deadlines for defining the measures established by the Institute that are longer than the normal 30-day period, and the indication of the relevant manager.

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