Privacy Act Statement
Cites Section 6303 of 5 U.S.C., Annual Leave Accrual, and Part 351.503, 5 C.F.R., Length of Service. It says the information is kept in your Official Personnel Folder (OPF) and that furnishing it is voluntary.
SF144
Statement of Prior Federal Service
- Agency
- GSA
- Revision
- Rev. 10/1995
- Fillable fields
- 44
- Pages
- 2
- Official source
- GSA form page
- Checked
- October 20, 2026
Standard Form 144 (SF 144): Statement of Prior Federal Service
Standard Form 144 (SF 144), Statement of Prior Federal Service, is a U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) form. Its header names the Office of Personnel Management and The Guide to Processing Personnel Actions, and the edition printed on it is Standard Form 144 (Rev. 10/95). GSA hosts a copy in its forms library.
The form says your employing agency needs the dates of your active uniformed service and the types and dates of your civilian appointments verified before it can credit prior Federal service for benefits such as leave accrual and reduction-in-force retention. Page 1 explains how that service is verified, from Notifications of Personnel Action and payroll records to Social Security earnings statements and secondary evidence such as affidavits. Page 2, To be Completed by Employee, asks for prior civilian service, long absences without pay, uniformed service and any unverified veterans' preference, and ends with a signed certification.
The form asks you to read page 1 before completing it. You can fill it out free in your browser on this page and download the result without an account.
What's on SF 144
Part I: what is needed to verify prior service
Uniformed service is verified from records of the branch of service; civilian service from Standard Form 50 and payroll records such as Standard Form 2806 or Standard Form 3100, or a Social Security earnings statement.
Part II: secondary evidence
Documentary evidence in three tiers, affidavit evidence, and a warning that any submission may be investigated.
Items 1 to 4: identity and resume check
Name, Social Security number, date of birth, and whether your application or resume lists all your Federal civilian and uniformed service with dates, type of appointment and work schedule.
Items 5 to 7: service and absences
Prior civilian service with agency, dates, type of appointment and work schedule; any total of more than 6 months' absence without pay in one calendar year; and uniformed service with branch, dates and discharge.
Items 8 and 9: preference and certification
Whether you claim veterans' preference that has not been verified, as a spouse, mother or unmarried widow or widower of a veteran, then the certification, signature and date.
How to complete SF 144
- 1
Read page 1 first
The form says PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION BEFORE COMPLETING THIS FORM, then gives the Privacy Act Statement and the rules for verifying service.
- 2
Answer item 4
If your application or resume lists all your Federal service, check Yes and skip to item 8. If not, check No and complete items 5 to 9.
- 3
List civilian service and absences
Item 5 asks for prior civilian service, including service with the DC Government on appointments made before October 1, 1987. Item 6 asks about absences such as LWOP, furlough, suspension, AWOL or nonpay status.
- 4
List uniformed service
Item 7 asks for active service in any branch of the Armed Forces, including active duty as a reservist, and in the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
- 5
Answer item 8 and sign item 9
Check whether you claim unverified veterans' preference, then sign and date the certification that the listed service is your entire record of Federal employment.
- 6
Gather evidence if records are missing
Page 1 says secondary evidence is considered only when official records are lost, destroyed or incomplete, and that it is important to submit all documents in your possession that tend to prove the service.
Why fill Form SF144 on indox
You get the real form, filled in a browser tab, with nothing standing between you and the finished PDF.
- Fill the form right in your browser, no software to install
- Free to fill and free to download, with no account
- The official blank straight from the GSA, not a copy someone retyped
- Works on a phone, tablet or computer
Where it goes and what the form says
Where it goes
The PDF gives no filing address. It describes the employing agency verifying and crediting the service, and says the information is kept in your Official Personnel Folder (OPF).
Social Security records
When personnel or payroll records cannot be located and the service was covered by Social Security, the form says a detailed statement of earnings from the Social Security Administration will be accepted as proof of service.
Voluntary, with a consequence
The Privacy Act Statement says furnishing this information is voluntary; however, failure to do so may result in your not receiving credit for prior Federal service.
Warning printed on the form
Any submission may be investigated. Intentional false statements, willful concealments, or using documents you know are false, fictitious, or fraudulent is punishable by fine/imprisonment (18 U.S.C.1001).
Edition notes
The footer prints NSN 7540-00-634-4101, Previous Edition Usable, and 144-114.
Related forms
Who completes SF 144?
Page 2 is headed To be Completed by Employee. Page 1 describes the other people involved.
Official sources and the blank
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Questions about Form SF144
Who issues SF 144?
The header names the Office of Personnel Management and The Guide to Processing Personnel Actions. GSA hosts a copy in its forms library.
Who fills out SF 144?
Page 2 says To be Completed by Employee. The employing agency then verifies the service and decides creditability.
What is SF 144 used for?
The form says the employing agency needs prior Federal service verified to credit it for benefits such as leave accrual and reduction-in-force retention.
What if my resume already lists all my Federal service?
Item 4 says to check Yes and skip to item 8. If it does not list all of it, check No and complete items 5 to 9.
What if official records cannot be found?
The form says a Social Security earnings statement can be accepted when the service was covered by Social Security. If no records can be located, the agency can accept secondary evidence such as documents and affidavits.
Is filling out SF 144 voluntary?
The Privacy Act Statement says furnishing the information is voluntary, but failure to do so may result in your not receiving credit for prior Federal service.
Which other forms does SF 144 mention?
It names Standard Form 50, Notification of Personnel Action, and payroll records such as Standard Form 2806 for the Civil Service Retirement System and Standard Form 3100 for the Federal Employees Retirement System.