FRS and DROP Help for Orange County Public Employees

Orange County has one of the largest public workforces in Florida, and many of those jobs are FRS-covered. We help Orange County employees through DROP and retirement from our DeBary office, about 30 to 40 minutes up I-4 from downtown Orlando, or by phone or Zoom if the drive doesn’t work.

We know FRS. We help you understand DROP, check your forms and dates before anything is filed, and connect you with a licensed financial professional when you need one. We can’t promise any outcome, but we can help make sure nothing gets missed.

FRS employers in Orange County

These Orange County employers appear on the FRS list of participating employers for 2026-27.¹ If yours is on it, your job is likely FRS-covered, but always confirm your plan in FRS Online.

• Orange County School Board (Orange County Public Schools, OCPS), one of the largest school districts in the country
• Orange County Board of County Commissioners, the Office of the Comptroller, Clerk of Circuit Court, Property Appraiser, Supervisor of Elections and Tax Collector
• Orange County Sheriff’s Office
• University of Central Florida and Valencia College
• Florida Virtual School, headquartered in Orange County
• Central Florida Expressway Authority, Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, Lake Apopka Natural Gas District, City of Edgewood, and the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (for its fire employees)
• Several charter schools, including Nap Ford Community School and the Orlando Science schools

State agency employees working in the county (for example, Department of Corrections, FDOT, Department of Health and DCF) are FRS members too.¹

Orange County has more than one retirement system

This is the county where we most often hear “I assumed I was in FRS.” If you work for a city here, confirm your plan before you plan around DROP.

UCF and Valencia employees have a different question. Some university and college staff can choose an optional retirement program instead of FRS, so it’s important to know which one you’re in. And if you’re one of the thousands of OCPS instructional staff, the K-12 DROP extension may let you stay in DROP longer than other members.

The deadlines that can’t be undone

• Your benefit payment option becomes permanent once your first payment is cashed or credited to DROP.⁴
• After your DROP end date, you can’t work for any FRS employer for six calendar months, paid or unpaid. Doing so can void your retirement.²
• FRS must receive your DROP payout form (DP-PAYT) within 60 days of termination, or the balance is paid as a lump sum with 20% withheld.³

Read the full guide: What Is DROP? · FRS Pension Plan vs. Investment Plan

How we meet

• In person at our office: 301 N Pine Meadow Dr, DeBary, FL 32713
• By phone: (850) 296-8828
• On Zoom, so you can share your FRS statement on screen

Hours: Monday to Friday 8 AM to 7 PM, and Saturday 9 AM to 1 PM. Bring your latest FRS statement or estimate, any DROP forms you’ve received, and your questions.

Frequently asked questions

I’m at UCF. Am I in FRS?

Possibly. UCF participates in FRS, but some eligible university employees choose the State University System Optional Retirement Program instead. Your HR benefits office or FRS Online can confirm which plan you’re in.

What happens if I miss the DROP payout deadline?

If FRS doesn’t receive Form DP-PAYT within 60 days of your DROP termination date, it is required by law to pay your balance as a lump sum with 20% federal tax withheld.³

Book your free Orange County FRS review

In about 30 minutes, we’ll go through your dates and forms with you so you know what to file and when. There’s no pressure and no sales pitch.

Book your free review · Call (850) 296-8828 · Contact us

Final benefit decisions are made by the FRS Division of Retirement. This page is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice.