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A plain-English checklist of the colors, codes, product specs, photos, and documents your Jacksonville HOA may ask for before approving an exterior repaint — plus a sample packet format, a free printable checklist, and the most common reasons submissions get delayed.
A complete Jacksonville HOA paint submission usually includes your property address, HOA name, body color, trim color, door or accent colors, paint manufacturer, color codes, sheen, product line, LRV (when required), photos or color samples, surface preparation details, and contractor documentation. Some communities also require an official ARB or ARC form, neighbor acknowledgement, or submission through the management company. Every HOA is different — always confirm final requirements with your association before submitting.
Every HOA is different. This guide is general homeowner education and does not replace your community’s covenants, architectural guidelines, management company instructions, or legal advice. Always confirm final requirements directly with your HOA, ARB, ARC, ACC, property manager, or association documents before painting.
A New Leaf Painting helps Jacksonville homeowners organize the paint-related information commonly requested by HOAs — color codes, product specs, sheens, LRV details, prep scope, photos, and contractor documentation.
An HOA paint submission packet is the information your homeowners association or architectural review board uses to approve your exterior paint project before work begins. Different communities call it different things — an ARB application, an ARC submission, an architectural change request, or a design review packet — but the function is the same.
The packet typically covers the colors you want to use, where each color will be applied, product specifications (manufacturer, product line, sheen), photos or color samples, surface preparation details, contractor information, and any required HOA forms.
The HOA reviews this against your community’s covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&Rs) and its current architectural guidelines. If everything matches the approved standards and the packet is complete, the application is typically approved. If anything is missing or unclear, it is usually returned for clarification — which can mean waiting for the next review cycle.
Most homeowners assume the hardest part of an HOA paint application is picking a color the review board will like. After preparing paint specifications across Northeast Florida since 2001, what we see most often isn’t color rejection — it’s incomplete information.
Many HOA paint applications are delayed on the first review because they are incomplete, not because the color is automatically wrong. Missing color codes, sheen details, LRV values, photos, samples, or contractor documentation can push the request into another review cycle.
Why first-pass completeness matters: An incomplete submission can delay approval and may push the work beyond your preferred scheduling window. Getting the packet right the first time is the simplest way to protect your timeline.
The items below are commonly requested in Northeast Florida HOA exterior-paint applications. Your community may require fewer, additional, or different documents — always confirm the active requirements with your HOA or management company first.
The current version of your community’s application — sometimes called an Architectural Review Request, Architectural Modification Request, or Design Review Application. Pull it directly from your management company’s portal; communities update forms periodically, and an outdated version can trigger a rejection. Complete every field, sign, and date it. Joint owners, trusts, or LLCs typically require the appropriate signatures.
Specify the manufacturer and the specific product line, not just the brand name. Sherwin-Williams® and Benjamin Moore® both offer multiple exterior coating systems. The right product depends on the substrate, exposure, condition of the existing coating, desired warranty coverage, and project scope.
Color names alone are usually not enough. Boards typically want the manufacturer’s color code so they can verify the color, confirm the LRV, and compare it against the approved palette. Specify body, trim, and accent colors separately, and list each placement for multi-color homes.
Sheen — flat, satin, semi-gloss, or gloss — affects how the color reads and how the film performs. Many standards specify sheen separately for body, trim, and accents, so list a sheen for each surface rather than a single color name.
LRV is a number from 0 (black) to 100 (white) measuring how much light a color reflects. Some Jacksonville communities specify LRV ranges — often for body walls, with separate ranges for trim and accents. Manufacturers publish LRV in their color cards and online databases.
A written description — and ideally a simple sketch or annotated photo — showing where each color goes: body on walls, trim on fascia/soffits/casings, accent on shutters and front door, garage door to match body. This is where many submissions stall: three colors are listed, but the board can’t tell which goes where. If your community provides a fillable diagram, use it.
Some communities request manufacturer chips, large-format color cards, painted sample boards, or on-home samples — confirm your HOA’s current requirement before purchasing or preparing samples. Physical samples matter because monitors and printed brochures distort color; a soft beige on a chip can read pink-orange on a south-facing wall in afternoon Florida sun.
Many communities ask for several current photos showing all elevations — front, sides, rear, plus close-ups of features that affect color placement (gables, columns, dormers). Take them recently, in good daylight, at high enough resolution to see detail. Avoid old listing photos or Street View captures.
Prep is half the job on any exterior repaint, and boards know it. A clear prep scope typically describes pressure washing, dry time, scraping and sanding, primer where appropriate, caulking, any wood or stucco repair, masking, and the number of topcoats. Submissions that spell out prep tend to clear more smoothly than ones that gloss over it.
Many HOAs ask for proof the contractor is properly registered, insured, and qualified for the work. Depending on the project, that can include a certificate of general liability insurance (sometimes with the HOA as additional insured), workers’ compensation or exemption documentation, business name and address, applicable registration information, warranty terms, and a written scope of work matching the submission.
For approved projects, we can provide the paint-related specifications and business documentation requested in the written scope or by the HOA, subject to the community’s requirements. Our process and Iron-Clad Guarantee page explains how we document each project.
An estimated start and completion date so the board knows when work will be visible. Many full-home exterior projects take roughly 5–10 working days, but timing depends on home size, repair scope, access, weather, dry time, and approved change orders — so give a realistic window rather than a tight promise.
Optional but recommended: a short reference document listing a few completed projects in a similar HOA community, with dates. Boards aren’t required to review references, but offering them voluntarily signals professionalism and can shorten internal back-and-forth.
A free, printable one-page checklist plus a fill-in sample packet template, so you can confirm the color codes, sheens, LRV values, photos, product specs, and contractor documents your HOA may ask for before you submit.
Here’s the shape of a complete submission, formatted as a typical Northeast Florida HOA repaint. Use it as a model — substitute your home’s actual address, your community’s actual ARB form, and the colors and products from your own project.
A complete packet leaves nothing for the board to assume: every color has a code, every surface has a sheen, the prep scope is specific, and the contractor information is documented.
Most delays aren’t because the homeowner chose a bad color — they happen because the submission is incomplete or unclear, which forces the board to ask for more information. Here are the patterns we see most:
“Tan body, white trim” without manufacturer codes. The board can’t verify the color, check the palette, or confirm LRV.
The same color name can exist at multiple manufacturers. Always pair the name with the manufacturer’s specific code.
Colors listed with no sheen for any of them. Many boards require sheen specified separately per surface.
Colors approved but no description of which goes where. Always include a written placement plan.
Some communities require LRV for each color. Submitting without it can stall the application.
Body and trim listed but garage door, shutters, or front door left off. Address every visible surface.
Choosing a color outside the community’s approved list without explicitly requesting a variance.
“We will paint the exterior” with no prep details, or no insurance/business documentation the HOA requires.
MLS listings, Street View, or years-old phone shots. Boards want current photos in good daylight, all elevations.
The HOA application is technically the homeowner’s responsibility — your name, your signature, your property. But preparing the technical content is where a knowledgeable Jacksonville painting contractor makes the process much easier.
When you hire A New Leaf Painting for an HOA exterior repaint, we help organize the paint-related details so you’re not guessing on the technical fields. You still sign and submit — but the spec details shouldn’t be a homework assignment.
HOA approval is a process between the homeowner and the association. We help with the parts where painting expertise matters — and we’re transparent about the parts no contractor controls.
We recommend homeowners confirm final requirements directly with their HOA, property manager, or architectural review board before submitting any application.
These are the questions that catch homeowners off guard most often. A few minutes up front can save weeks of resubmission later.
For approved palettes by community, see our Jacksonville HOA Paint Color Guide.
In many Jacksonville communities, yes. Even repainting the same color, the association may still require written approval before exterior painting begins. Some HOAs offer a simplified or expedited review for same-color repaints — confirm this in writing before scheduling.
The risk of skipping the request: if the existing paint has faded over several years, the fresh coat won’t match what the board has on file, and that mismatch can trigger a violation even though you used the “same” color. The safer path is a brief written request stating “repainting in [color name and code], same as existing,” with current photos attached.
If your HOA sent a notice about faded paint, peeling paint, mildew, or an unapproved color, the worst move is to wait. Many HOAs give a set window (often 30 to 60 days) to come into compliance, and fines that accrue after that can add up.
Review the notice carefully, confirm exactly what the HOA is requesting, and prepare a clear repaint plan with colors, products, prep details, and a timeline. If the fix requires returning to an approved color you no longer have on file, the HOA office or management company can usually provide the original approved palette or color records.
Bring Your Violation Letter to Your EstimateThe faster a complete packet gets in front of the board, the faster the violation tends to close.
Most HOA paint approvals are not instant. Some communities review weekly, others monthly or only at scheduled ARB meetings. To avoid delaying your project, submit your request before locking a firm start date.
Florida-specific timing note: The strongest exterior painting window in Northeast Florida tends to run fall through spring — lower humidity, cooler temperatures, and fewer afternoon storms. If you want a fall start, begin assembling your packet in late summer; for a spring start, begin in mid-winter.
Requirements vary by community, sub-association, architectural review board, and current governing documents. Always confirm the active rules and submission process directly with your HOA or management company before making color or project decisions. For management contacts and submission methods across Northeast Florida communities, see our Jacksonville HOA Master Directory.
Most Jacksonville HOA communities require written approval before exterior painting begins. The covenants typically require approval for any exterior change visible from the street, and a fresh coat of paint qualifies — even repainting the same color often requires at least a brief written request. Always confirm with your management company before scheduling work.
You may be required to repaint, pay fines, or submit a retroactive application. Many Jacksonville HOAs give a set window to come into compliance once a violation is issued, and unresolved fines can lead to further enforcement. If you’ve already received a violation letter, see the violation letter section above.
Some HOAs allow contractor involvement; others require the homeowner to submit directly. The application is technically the homeowner’s responsibility, but contractors can typically prepare and attach the technical content. A New Leaf Painting can help provide the paint-related details — color codes, product specs, sheen, LRV, prep scope, contractor documentation — and you sign and submit.
Most HOAs want color names with manufacturer codes, the manufacturer and product line, sheen for each surface, and where each color will be applied. Many also request LRV, current property photos, surface preparation details, and contractor documentation. The full list is in the components section above.
Yes. It’s best to have written approval before scheduling exterior painting. Verbal approval doesn’t count, and starting without written approval can trigger a violation even if the colors are within the approved palette. Build the review window into your project timeline and don’t lock crew dates until the approval is in hand.
Florida HOA architectural review timelines depend on the statute, your association’s governing documents, and how your application was submitted. Florida Statute 720.3035 governs HOA architectural review. If your HOA doesn’t respond within the stated period, do not assume you’re approved without written confirmation — request written status from the management company and consult your governing documents or a qualified attorney before assuming any default approval.
This varies by community. Some Jacksonville HOAs require work to begin within a set number of days of approval; others allow longer; a few don’t set a strict expiration. Always check your specific approval letter for any time limits, and if your project is delayed, most communities will renew approval with a brief written request.
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