Air Traffic Controller Retirement Application: SF-3107 Filing Process and Timeline

The Paperwork That Turns 20 Years of Service Into a Pension

The retirement application process for air traffic controllers follows the same OPM framework as every other federal employee, but the timeline has ATC-specific pressure points. Mandatory separation at 56 means some controllers file under a statutory deadline — miss the window and the agency's 60-day notice creates the timeline for you.

Here's the full sequence from application to first pension payment.

The Application Package: What You File

The core document is Standard Form 3107 (Application for Immediate Retirement under FERS). For controllers retiring under the special provisions of 5 U.S.C. § 8412(e), the package also includes:

• SF-3107-2: Attachment relating to the FERS Special Retirement Supplement (required to initiate SRS payments)
• SF-3107-1: Certified Summary of Federal Service (prepared and certified by your agency)
• SF-2818: Continuation of Life Insurance Coverage (if electing to maintain FEGLI into retirement)
• TSP-70 or online TSP withdrawal election: Your initial distribution instructions for the Thrift Savings Plan
• Survivor benefit election documentation: Your irrevocable choice on spousal survivor annuity coverage
• FEHB enrollment verification: Proof of continuous enrollment for the 5 years preceding separation

Your agency HR office — the FAA Servicing Personnel Office for FAA controllers, or the Civilian Personnel Advisory Center (CPAC) for DoD controllers — prepares the package and transmits it to OPM.

The Timeline: When to File What

Five years out: Begin auditing your electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF for FAA, DCPDS for DoD). Every SF-50 should show the correct Special Category retirement code in Block 30. Fix miscoded periods now — correcting them during the application process delays everything.

One year out: Request an official certified retirement annuity estimate from your agency HR office. This is the formal projection of your monthly pension based on your actual service record, not a calculator estimate. Complete any pending military service buyback deposits under 5 U.S.C. § 8411 before this stage — deposits made after separation are more complicated and may not be credited correctly.

60 to 90 days out: Submit the complete SF-3107 retirement package to your agency HR benefits counselor. This is the optimal window — early enough for HR to process the paperwork, late enough that your final salary figures are accurate.

For a controller otherwise eligible for immediate ATC retirement, 5 U.S.C. § 8425(a) requires separation on the last day of the month they reach age 56, or, if they are already over 56, when they complete 20 years of service. The agency must give at least 60 days' written notice. Without the employee's consent, separation is not effective until the last day of the month in which the 60-day notice period expires. This isn't a firing — it's a statutory operation of law, not an adverse personnel action.

Separation date: For a controller covered by the mandatory rule, separation takes effect at the statutory date described above; a voluntary retirement can take effect on a date you choose. The agency closes out your payroll record, generates the final separating SF-50, and transmits the certified retirement file to OPM's Retirement Operations Center in Boyers, Pennsylvania.

The Waiting Period: Interim Pay and OPM Processing

After your agency sends the package to OPM, expect a wait. OPM's current average processing time is approximately 108 days from receipt of the agency package, as of mid-2026. The backlog fluctuates — it was higher in early 2025 and has improved somewhat, but still averages over three months.

During the wait, OPM places you on interim pay status:

• Interim payments begin within 7–30 days of OPM receiving your package
• Payments are approximately 60% to 80% of your calculated net monthly annuity
• The lower percentage reflects OPM's conservative estimate pending final verification

Once OPM completes adjudication, they issue a retroactive adjustment payment covering the difference between your interim payments and your finalized annuity. Your full monthly pension payment begins, and the FERS Special Retirement Supplement activates (if you retired under § 8412(e) and are under age 62).

Common Application Delays and How to Avoid Them

Incomplete military buyback deposits: If your military service deposit isn't fully paid before separation, OPM may hold the case until the deposit is resolved. Pay it off early.

Miscoded SF-50 retirement codes: A Block 30 code showing standard FERS instead of Special Category forces OPM to investigate, adding weeks or months to processing. Audit before you file.

Missing FEHB enrollment documentation: If HR can't verify your 5-year continuous FEHB enrollment, they'll request additional records. Keep your own copies of enrollment confirmations.

Survivor benefit election errors: The election is irrevocable. If the form is incomplete or contradictory, OPM sends it back. Decide on full survivor, partial survivor, or no survivor coverage before you sit down with the paperwork.

After Adjudication

Once OPM finalizes your case, you receive:

• A letter with your final annuity amount and CSA claim number
• The retroactive payment covering interim-to-final differences
• Your ongoing monthly pension payment schedule (typically deposited on the first business day of the month)
• Annual COLA adjustments starting the first January after retirement (immediate for Special Category Employees)
• The FERS Annuity Supplement Survey annually once you reach MRA, requiring you to report earned income

The Air Traffic Controller Retirement Guide includes a Pre-Retirement Application Checklist that maps every document and deadline from 5 years out through OPM adjudication, plus an Agency Communication Log for tracking interactions with HR and OPM.

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