Exterior
Exterior Painting: Cost, Permits & Timeline
Pressure washing, patching and repainting stucco, siding and trim. Florida UV and afternoon rain make elastomeric and acrylic coatings the standard choice on stucco.
Verified August 2026
Typical cost
$6,400
$2,800 – $15,000
per sq ft of wall area
$2.2 – $6
Permit
Rarely
$0 – $0
Timeline
4-8 days of work
4-8 days of work
Do you need a permit for exterior painting?
Usually no
Exterior Painting is permitted and inspected work in nearly every jurisdiction. Typical fees run $0 to $0, and homeowners can usually pull an owner-builder permit on a home they own and occupy.
What drives the cost
- Wall square footage and number of stories
- Stucco crack patching before painting
- Elastomeric versus standard acrylic coating
- Trim, soffit and shutter detail
- Pressure washing and mildew treatment
Permit, inspections and documents
| Permit status | rarely required |
|---|---|
| Typical permit fee | $0 – $0 |
| Licensed contractor required | Not always |
| Owner-builder allowed | Yes, on owner-occupied homes |
| Inspections | |
| Timeline | 4-8 days of work |
| DIY difficulty | 3/5 difficulty |
Documents typically required
- • HOA color approval where applicable
Exterior Painting cost by city
Local labor and material pricing applied to the national baseline.
| City | Typical range | vs national |
|---|---|---|
| Miami | $3,300 – $17,700 | +18% |
| Tampa | $2,900 – $15,600 | +4% |
| Orlando | $2,900 – $15,300 | +2% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $3,200 – $17,100 | +14% |
| Jacksonville | $2,700 – $14,400 | -4% |
| West Palm Beach | $3,100 – $16,800 | +12% |
| St. Petersburg | $2,900 – $15,500 | +3% |
| Fort Myers | $3,100 – $16,400 | +9% |
| Cape Coral | $3,000 – $16,100 | +7% |
| Sarasota | $3,000 – $16,200 | +8% |
| Naples | $3,500 – $18,600 | +24% |
| Port St. Lucie | $2,900 – $15,300 | +2% |
Frequently asked questions
How often should a Florida house be repainted?
Expect 5 to 7 years for standard acrylic on stucco in coastal Florida and 8 to 12 years for a properly applied elastomeric coating. South-facing walls fail first.
Sources
Sources & verification
Last verified August 2026. Cost figures are modeled estimates based on national baselines adjusted for local labor and material pricing — they are not quotes. Permit rules change; confirm with the building department before starting work.