In Florida, a mobile home is usually titled by the state like a vehicle, and a private sale is finished when the buyer applies for a new title at a county tax collector office. The exception is a home declared real property (it carries an RP decal): if its title has been retired, it is sold by deed with the land, not through a title transfer. Which one you have decides almost every step below.
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This page is general information, not legal advice, and we are a referral service, not lawyers or title agents. Confirm everything with your county tax collector before you sign or pay.
Personal property or real property?
The Florida Department of Revenue says a mobile home is taxed in one of three ways: as real property, under an annual license tax (the MH decal), or as tangible personal property if it has no current decal.
- Titled home on rented land (MH decal): the FLHSMV certificate of title is the ownership record. A sale means the seller signs the title over and the buyer applies for a new one.
- Home on land the owner also owns (RP decal): the owner gets a Declaration of Mobile Home as Real Property (form DR-402) approved by the property appraiser, then buys the RP decal from the tax collector. The decal is permanent and passes to the new owner when land and home are sold together.
- Retired title: an RP owner may also retire the title under section 319.261, Florida Statutes, using form HSMV 82109. FLHSMV’s procedure TL-39 says a retired-title home is conveyed by deed or real estate contract and transfers together with the land it is affixed to. There is no state fee or tax collector service charge for retiring the title.
If the owner has an RP decal but did not retire the title, Hillsborough’s tax collector says a sale takes two transactions: a real estate sale for the land and a title transfer for the home. FLHSMV says only titles for mobile homes can be retired; park trailers and modular homes cannot.
Steps for a private sale of a titled home
- Seller clears the title. The seller completes and signs the Florida title. If a lien is printed on it, get the lien satisfaction first (see the lien section below).
- Buyer completes form HSMV 82040 MH. This is the Application for Certificate of Mobile Home Title. FLHSMV says to submit it to your local tax collector office or license plate agency. The form covers sale, gift, inheritance and other transfers, and a double or triple wide needs an application for each unit.
- Buyer applies in person. Polk County’s Tax Collector says the new owner brings the seller-completed title, a title application signed by each applicant, and valid photo ID or a passport. Hillsborough’s page lists proof of ownership as a title, a notarized bill of sale or an affidavit of ownership.
- Check taxes. Polk’s page says buyers should confirm there are no unpaid tangible personal property taxes on the home.
Buying from a Florida dealer is different: Polk’s Tax Collector says the dealer must process the title application for you.
The 30-day deadline
Section 319.23(6)(a), Florida Statutes, requires the title application within 30 days after the sale of the mobile home is completed. If you are late, the applicant must pay a $20 fee on top of everything else. Do not wait for the paperwork to feel finished.
VIN verification
The VIN verification form (HSMV 82042) is for used motor vehicles not titled in Florida. Polk’s Tax Collector lists mobile homes among the exemptions, so an out-of-state home normally does not need that form. Ask the office before you go. The 82040 MH itself has a box where you state that you physically inspected the VIN.
What it costs
FLHSMV’s fee schedule (revision 04/26) lists a transfer of title with no lien at $75.25 for an electronic title and $77.75 if you want a printed paper title. With one lien, it is $77.25 or $79.75. A tax collector may add a $0.50 branch fee for each title. Hillsborough lists same-day Fast Title Service at an extra $10.
Sales tax is separate. The Department of Revenue’s mobile home brochure says sales of used mobile homes classified as tangible personal property, including occasional or isolated sales between individuals, are subject to 6 percent state sales tax plus any local discretionary surtax. The occasional-sale exemption does not apply to them. The 82040 MH also lists reasons a transfer is not subject to sales tax, including inheritance, gift, divorce decree and transfer between spouses. We found no Department of Revenue statement on how sales tax applies to a home sold as real property, so ask the tax collector.
Lost title
Only the owner can apply for a duplicate, and if a lien is on record, FLHSMV says only the lienholder may apply. The form is HSMV 82101, Application for Duplicate or Lost in Transit/Reassignment, submitted to your tax collector. The fee schedule lists a duplicate with no lien at $75.25 electronic or $77.75 printed. If you ordered a title and it was lost in the mail, there is no fee when you apply within 180 days of issuance. A duplicate with immediate transfer to a buyer is also on the form, and both parties must be present with photo ID.
If you are the buyer and the seller cannot produce a title at all, section 319.23(7) lets the department accept a surety bond and affidavit in place of it. The bond must be for two times the value of the home as the department determines it. Talk to the tax collector first.
Liens
Section 319.27 requires a lien on a titled mobile home to be noted on the title, and lienholders report satisfactions to the department electronically. In practice, have the lienholder’s release in hand before closing so the buyer’s title comes back clean. If you are retiring a title, FLHSMV’s procedure also accepts a copy of the lien satisfaction, or a lienholder statement that the lien will be released on retirement. FLHSMV says a retired-title home is secured only through a mortgage or deed of trust on the real property.
Inherited homes
Section 319.28 covers transfer when an owner dies, and it includes mobile homes. For a death without a will, the heir files an affidavit that the estate owes no debts and that the surviving spouse and heirs agree on how it is divided, and no court order is needed. If there is a will, the rules ask for a certified copy of the will if it was probated, or an alternative affidavit. The 82040 MH has a section for release of a spouse’s or heir’s interest, and it lets heirs certify a lost title. A surviving spouse who wants to sell can assign the decedent’s title to the buyer. If the heirs want to retire the title instead, FLHSMV says they must first obtain a title in their own name.
Buying in a park
Under section 723.059, Florida Statutes, a buyer of a home in a mobile home park becomes a tenant by meeting the park’s entry requirements and getting the park owner’s approval, which may not be unreasonably withheld. Park rules may screen buyers, but only under properly promulgated rules. If the park owner has not approved your tenancy 5 days before closing, you can cancel the purchase contract. Get approval in writing before you pay. See our guide to Chapter 723 lot rights and our pages on buying and selling a mobile home.
Where to go in Polk and Hillsborough
- Polk County: the Polk County Tax Collector’s mobile home page covers titles and RP decals, and its site lists service centers and online appointments. Nearby: Lakeland.
- Hillsborough County: the Hillsborough County Tax Collector’s mobile home pages cover title transfers and declaring a home as real property. Walk-ins are welcome and appointments are optional. See also Plant City and Hillsborough County.
Once the title is yours, keep the decal current (see registration and decal) and review mobile home insurance. Forms and fees can change, so check the current HSMV 82040 MH before filing.
Frequently asked questions
Who handles a mobile home title transfer in Florida?
The county tax collector or a license plate agency, acting for FLHSMV. The buyer submits form HSMV 82040 MH with the title signed by the seller.
How long do I have to transfer the title after buying?
Section 319.23(6)(a), Florida Statutes, sets 30 days after the sale of the mobile home is completed. After that, a $20 late fee applies on top of the other fees.
Do I pay sales tax on a used mobile home?
The Department of Revenue says used homes classified as tangible personal property are taxed at 6 percent plus any local surtax, even in a private sale. The 82040 MH lists exceptions such as inheritance, gift and transfer between spouses.
What do I do if the title is lost?
The owner, or the lienholder if there is a lien, applies for a duplicate on form HSMV 82101 at the tax collector. FLHSMV’s schedule lists a duplicate with no lien at $75.25 for an electronic title.
How is a home on owned land with an RP decal sold?
If the title was retired, it is sold by deed with the land. If the title was not retired, Hillsborough’s tax collector says the sale takes a real estate transaction plus a title transfer.
Can a mobile home park refuse a buyer?
The park owner must approve the buyer as a tenant, but under section 723.059 approval may not be unreasonably withheld. If approval is missing 5 days before closing, the buyer can cancel the contract.
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