Both, typically — they're separate approvals from separate authorities addressing separate questions: the HOA reviews design/aesthetic compatibility with community rules, and the county or city reviews code compliance and safety.

Not automatically, but Florida law does provide a real default-approval protection if the association misses the response deadline stated in its own governing documents — that deadline and its documentation matter, so track it carefully rather than assuming silence means approval.

Not with a vague objection — Florida law requires denials to be in writing and to cite the specific governing rule and the specific nonconforming element, not just a general dislike of the design.

It's the required approval for exterior work on a property inside a designated historic district or individually designated historic structure, reviewing whether changes are compatible with the district's historic character — it only applies if the property carries that designation.

Generally no — exterior changes including windows, doors, and often paint color are exactly the kind of work a Certificate of Appropriateness review is designed to evaluate in a historic district.

It can trigger code enforcement action requiring the work to be undone or brought into compliance, separate from and in addition to any building permit issues the unapproved work might also create.

Some jurisdictions require documented HOA or historic board approval as part of the building permit package for properties subject to either, though this varies by city and county — it's worth confirming rather than assuming.

It varies by jurisdiction and the complexity of the proposed change, but it runs on its own timeline separate from the building permit's statutory review clock, so it should be started early rather than in parallel with a permit submission already underway.