Orlando City Hall is located at 400 South Orange Avenue in downtown Orlando.

Completed in 1991, it is a modern 10-story building, featuring a typical American municipal building style with a mix of glass and concrete.

In front of the building, there is a well-manicured plaza, and as you ascend the stairs, automatic doors open to welcome you into the lobby. Some first-time visitors may wonder, "Is this really City Hall?" If they were expecting a grand classical style, they might be slightly disappointed. However, it is a well-equipped administrative hub in terms of functionality.

The Orlando city government adopts a Strong Mayor-Commission structure. The mayor is directly elected by all city voters and holds executive authority over city administration. Mayor Buddy Dyer has been in office since 2003, making him the longest-serving mayor in Orlando's history. The city council is composed of representatives from six districts, with each district commissioner elected by the voters in that district. Both the mayor and commissioners serve four-year terms with term limits.

Inside City Hall, you will find the mayor's office, city commission chambers, the finance department, the permitting/building department, and the public works department, among others. Regular city council meetings are held every other Monday morning, and the general public is welcome to attend or submit comments. Meeting minutes and agendas are posted on the official Orlando city website (cityoforlando.net).

Next to City Hall is the headquarters of the Orlando Police Department. The Orlando Police is a medium-sized city police force with over 800 personnel. They are responsible for maintaining public safety in the downtown area, as well as ensuring safety at major events and patrolling tourist spots. Given Orlando's nature as a tourist city, responding to visitor-related crimes (such as pickpocketing and rental car theft) is also an important part of police work.

In terms of administrative services, residents do not often need to visit Orlando City Hall in person. Driver's licenses are handled by the DMV (Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles), vehicle registration is managed by the Orange County Tax Collector's Office, and property taxes are processed by the Orange County Property Appraiser's Office.

Matters handled directly by Orlando City Hall include building permits, business licenses, applications for garbage and recycling collection, and utility-related inquiries (water and sewer). Newcomers from Korea may find it confusing that in the U.S., the jurisdiction is divided between city and county governments, making it initially difficult to determine where to handle certain tasks.

Orlando is the fourth largest city in Florida, but only about 25% of the total population of Orange County lives within the city limits. The rest reside in the Orlando metropolitan area but are either in unincorporated areas outside the city limits or in independent municipalities like Winter Park, Maitland, and Apopka. This distinction affects school districts, property tax rates, police jurisdiction, and utility sources. This is why it is important to check whether the address you plan to move to is within Orlando city limits.

If you need business permits or administrative processing related to construction, much of it can be done online through the city's permitting portal (permittingportal.cityoforlando.net). While there is no official support in Korean, translation services can be requested within the city building. Opening a city utility (water/sewer) account can be done at City Hall or online, requiring identification and a rental agreement. Official notifications from the city can be received via email subscription or through Orlando's social media channels.