Eligibility for retirement coverage is not determined by the number of hours worked or the benefits provided, but is based on the minimum monthly earnings requirement for elected and appointed officials during the first full month of the term of office.

An appointive officer is an employee who is appointed to a position for a definite and fixed term of office, by official and duly recorded action of a participating employer, whose appointed position is recorded in the employer's charter, creation document, or similar document.

If elected or appointed officials of a city, town, county, or other political subdivision, who are not entitled to merit protection, meet the minimum earnings requirement for membership, they may enroll by completing a Defined Benefit Enrollment Form—Public Employees' Noncontributory Retirement System (Form MEMS-2), or they may exempt from coverage.

The state of Utah elected or appointed positions may exempt from coverage in accordance with Utah Code Ann. 67-22-2.