Painting in Old Town Alexandria: What the BAR Reviews — and What It Doesn't

Does the BAR Apply to Your House?

Alexandria has seven National Register historic districts, but only two are regulated locally: the Old and Historic Alexandria District and the Parker-Gray District. The Board of Architectural Review (BAR) also covers buildings City Council has designated as 100-Year-Old Buildings. The rest, including Rosemont, Parkfairfax and Fairlington, are not regulated by the city's historic preservation staff (opens in a new tab).

To check an address, search it in the city's Historic Preservation Map Viewer (opens in a new tab) or ask the staff who handle BAR cases: Historic Preservation in the Department of Planning & Zoning, (703) 746-3833 or preservation@alexandriava.gov. (Not the Office of Historic Alexandria, which handles the city's museums, archaeology and preservation easements.)

What Needs BAR Approval When You Paint, and What Doesn't

The city's January 2024 letter to historic-district owners (opens in a new tab) sums it up: “While the Boards do not review paint color, painting of previously unpainted masonry requires a Certificate of Appropriateness.” The current guideline sheets for both districts set the review level task by task:

The rules come from the city's Siding + Trim sheets (Old and Historic (opens in a new tab), Parker-Gray (opens in a new tab)), amended November 19, 2025, and its Masonry sheets (Old and Historic (opens in a new tab), Parker-Gray (opens in a new tab)), amended July 16, 2025.

Two details trip people up. The Board does review color that comes from the factory: the masonry sheets say it “reviews all material and factory-applied finish colors.” And carpentry can need approval even when paint doesn't.

Can You Paint Brick in Old Town Alexandria?

Already-painted brick, yes, with no review. Never-painted brick needs Board approval, and the Board “strongly discourages” it. The masonry sheets call brick walls character-defining and note that unpainted masonry is “particularly durable and low-maintenance, typically requiring repointing only every 75 to 100 years.” Paint is hard to undo, too. Sandblasting or power washing it off can strip the hard-fired face of the brick and expose its softer core.

If you still want a change, here is what the guidelines say:

• Limewash may be an appropriate alternative because it isn't permanent, but on unpainted masonry it still needs Board review.
• Stain requests start with a mock-up on a minimally visible wall, which staff inspect before the Board sees the request.
• Paint, if approved, should be a “high-quality, porous, mineral-based” product, and “acrylic latex paints are not appropriate.” That rules out ordinary acrylic masonry paint, so name the exact product in your application before anyone orders paint.
• Cleaning and paint removal need staff review. High-pressure power washing and sandblasting are called inappropriate, staff advise on water pressure, and runoff control may need a separate permit from Transportation & Environmental Services.
• Patterned, textured or polychrome brick should not be obscured.

Choosing Historically Appropriate Paint Colors

On wood, color is your call, but the Board “strongly encourages” colors that suit the building's architectural style. Staff can provide a color chart of historically accurate body, trim, door and roof colors for each architectural period in the districts, so ask for it before you buy samples. Not sure of your period? The city's doors sheet (opens in a new tab) dates the main styles: Georgian (1700–1780), Federal (1780–1830), Greek Revival (1825–1860), Victorian (1850–1910) and Colonial Revival (1880–1955).

Both paint brands we work with publish heritage palettes that make a good next step. Benjamin Moore's Historical Color Collection (opens in a new tab) runs from HC-1 to HC-191 and dates to the 1976 Bicentennial (opens in a new tab). Sherwin-Williams' Exterior Preservation Palette cards group colors by period, such as Classical/Colonial (opens in a new tab) and Victorian (opens in a new tab). Neither is a city-approved list, Benjamin Moore Alexandria Beige (HC-77) included.

Screen colors are approximations, so judge physical samples in daylight next to your brick and roof. For help narrowing a palette, book a color consultation.

How to Get a Repaint Approved and Scheduled

1. 1

   Step 1: Confirm your district

   Check the map viewer or call staff. If the house is outside both districts and isn't a designated 100-Year-Old Building, the BAR isn't involved.

2. 2

   Step 2: Sort the scope

   Match each part of the job to a row in the table above: no review, staff review or Board review.

3. 3

   Step 3: Talk to staff early

   The city encourages owners and contractors to call early and offers pre-application meetings and site visits. Ask which review level applies, and request the color chart.

4. 4

   Step 4: Get association sign-off first

   If a homeowners association governs the property, the city's BAR applications require its approval letter, and a Board application without one is deferred. If the property has a preservation easement, the easement holder must approve too. Our HOA approval guide covers the association side.

5. 5

   Step 5: File in APEX

   Applications go through the city's APEX permitting portal. Many changes can be approved by staff within 1–3 business days, and the city says about 75% of requests are approved administratively (August 2026 presentation (opens in a new tab)).

6. 6

   Step 6: Plan around the hearing calendar

   Board hearings are typically the first and third Wednesday at 7 p.m. On the 2026 calendar (opens in a new tab), the Board took August off and complete applications were due about five weeks before each hearing. You mail notice to abutting owners 10 to 30 days ahead, the city posts a placard, and you or a representative must attend (hearing application (opens in a new tab)).

7. 7

   Step 7: Book the painter after approval

   A Board approval lapses if work hasn't started and been substantially undertaken within one year. On the 2026 calendar, a complete application filed by June 8 made a July hearing; the next hearing after that was September 2. Exterior paint also needs dry weather and temperatures inside the product's limits, so a late approval may mean a spring start.

More Questions About Painting in Old Town

Do I need BAR approval to paint my front door a new color?

Not for the color. The city says the Boards do not review paint color, and the doors sheet's review table covers replacing doors, frames, transoms and sidelites, not repainting them. Replacing a door staff consider historically significant goes to the Board.

Can my painter file the BAR application for me?

The city's forms allow an authorized agent to apply with the owner's permission. Our practice is to supply the product, color and sheen details for your application and leave the filing with you, as we do for HOA applications.

Does the BAR cover Rosemont, Parkfairfax or Fairlington?

Not unless the building is a designated 100-Year-Old Building. Those are National Register districts, which the city's preservation staff don't regulate. A homeowners or condo association there may still have its own exterior rules.

Are these rules changing?

The guidelines are being rewritten. The city is replacing its 1993 guidelines chapter by chapter and aims to finish in 2027, so check the amendment date on each sheet and the city's preservation page for new chapters before you file.

Or Let Us Handle the Painting

Gold House Painting serves the City of Alexandria from our Annandale office. At a free walkthrough we go over which parts of your job are likely to need review, then list the products, color names, codes and sheens in a written quote you can use for your application. We set the start date once the approval is in hand.

Siding, trim and shutters fall under exterior painting; front doors and detailed trim work fall under trim and door painting.