Before you buy a mobile home in Florida, find out two things: who owns the land under it, and whether the home carries a federal HUD label. Land ownership decides whether you pay lot rent and need park approval. The label tells you which construction rules the home was built to. This guide walks through the checks in the order most buyers need them.
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Park lot or your own land
You can buy a home that sits in a park on rented ground, or one on land you will own. They work very differently.
- Home on a rented lot in a park: You own the home and pay the park owner lot rent. Chapter 723 of the Florida Statutes covers these park tenancies. Our chapter 723 guide covers owner rights in more detail.
- Home on land you own: You own the land and the home, so there is no park lot rent. The title paperwork and tax treatment differ, as covered below.
What a park must give you
Under s. 723.011, the park owner must deliver an approved prospectus before a lot rental agreement is signed or when occupancy begins, whichever comes first. Section 723.031 says the park rules and the prospectus are treated as part of the rental agreement. Read both before you commit, because they set the rent terms and the park’s rules.
The park can approve or reject you
Section 723.059 says a buyer who wants to live in the home in the park is subject to the park owner’s approval, but approval may not be unreasonably withheld. If your tenancy has not been approved 5 days before closing, the statute lets you cancel the purchase contract. Any approval requirement has to come from properly promulgated park rules. If someone occupies the home without required approval, s. 723.061(1)(e) lets the park owner pursue eviction, and the person must vacate within 7 days after notice of the failure to be approved. Get approval in writing before you close.
Lot rent increases
Section 723.037 requires the park owner to give written notice at least 90 days before any increase in lot rent, to each affected home owner and to the homeowners’ association board if there is one. If you take over the seller’s lease, s. 723.059(4) says that when it ends the owner may raise the rent, but the increase must be disclosed to you before you occupy the home. Ask for the current rent, the lease end date and any planned increase in writing.
Pre-1976 homes and HUD-code homes
HUD says every transportable section of a manufactured home built in the U.S. after June 15, 1976 must carry a certification label, commonly called the HUD tag. HUD describes it as a red label on the outside of each section. A home built before that date falls outside that labeling requirement, which is why buyers and insurers ask about the build date first. Ask your insurer and lender how they treat the home’s age before you make an offer.
The label and the data plate
- Label: look for the red tag on the outside of each section. Write down the label numbers.
- Data plate: the data plate inside the home shows the zones the home was built for. Citizens Property Insurance says the HUD data plate on the interior is where you confirm a mobile home’s age and manufacturer.
Wind zone
HUD says a manufactured home should never be placed in a more restrictive wind zone than the one it was built for. The federal rule at 24 CFR 3280.305 puts all Florida counties in Wind Zone II except those it lists in Wind Zone III. Polk and Hillsborough are not on the Zone III list, so they fall in Zone II. Compare that with the zone shown on the data plate.
Check the title
Section 319.22 says a buyer does not acquire marketable title to a mobile home until a certificate of title is issued to them. Ask to see the seller’s title before you pay. If a lienholder is named on it, ask the seller for written proof the loan is paid off. That last step is our practical advice, not a statutory requirement. Our title transfer guide covers the paperwork. For a private sale in Polk County, the tax collector says the new owner brings the completed Florida title, a signed title application and proof of identity to a tag agency or service center.
Real or personal property
Florida lets an owner retire a mobile home title when the home is permanently affixed to land that same person owns. Section 319.261 says a home with a retired title can then be sold or transferred only by deed or real estate contract, together with the land. If a seller says the home is real property, ask to see the recorded documents.
Decals and taxes
The Polk County Tax Collector says a mobile home on rented land needs a current MH decal, which expires December 31 each year. If the owner also owns the land, the home needs a permanent RP decal, obtained with a Declaration of Real Property from the Property Appraiser. A home without a current decal is subject to tangible personal property taxation, and the tax collector advises buyers to verify that no tangible personal property taxes are outstanding before buying. See our decal guide. Selling instead? Read selling a mobile home in Florida.
Inspect the home
- Level and settling: look for sticking doors, gaps and sloping floors. See signs a home needs releveling and our leveling page.
- Tie-downs: Florida’s standards are in Rule 15C-1.0104, “Installation Standards for Anchors and Tie-downs.” See our tie-down requirements guide. Citizens says a policy will be cancelled or not renewed if the insured refuses its tie-down inspection.
- Roof: ask for its age and any repair records. See roof-overs.
- Insurance inspection: Citizens requires a four-point inspection for mobile home applications on properties more than 20 years old. See our 4-point inspection page and insurance guide, and get an insurance quote before you close.
- Flood zone: FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center lets you enter a street address and see which flood zone it is in.
- Permits: the state’s mobile home installer FAQ says set-up permits are required and are applied for at the local building department. It also says only licensed mobile home installers set up a home in Florida. If the home is being moved or reset, ask who is pulling the permit.
Financing at a high level
HUD says manufactured homes had traditionally been financed as personal property. In plain terms, a loan secured by the home alone (often called a chattel loan) is different from a mortgage secured by the home and the land together. HUD’s FHA Title I program insures loans that private lenders make to finance the purchase or refinancing of a new or used manufactured home. Lenders set their own terms, so compare offers and ask what each requires about the home’s age and label.
Primary sources: s. 723.059, HUD manufactured home resources and FEMA Flood Map Service Center.
We are a free quote service that connects you with local pros in places like Lakeland and Plant City. We are not a lender, inspector, insurance agent or law firm. This is general information, not legal or financial advice. Rules change, so confirm with the park, your insurer and the county.
Frequently asked questions
Can a mobile home park refuse me as a buyer?
Section 723.059 makes a buyer’s tenancy subject to the park owner’s approval, but approval may not be unreasonably withheld. If it has not been approved 5 days before closing, you may cancel the purchase contract.
How much notice does a park give before raising lot rent?
Section 723.037 requires written notice at least 90 days before any increase in lot rent, sent to each affected home owner and to the homeowners’ association board if one exists.
How do I know if a home is HUD-code?
Look for the red HUD certification label on the outside of each section. HUD says homes built after June 15, 1976 must have it. The data plate inside the home also shows the zones it was built for.
What wind zone is Polk County?
The federal rule at 24 CFR 3280.305 puts Florida counties in Wind Zone II unless it lists them in Wind Zone III. Polk is not on the Zone III list, so it is Zone II. Check the data plate too.
Do I need a title to buy a mobile home in Florida?
Section 319.22 says you do not acquire marketable title until a certificate of title is issued to you. If the title was retired onto land, the home transfers by deed with the land instead.
Can a mobile home be financed?
HUD’s FHA Title I program insures loans from private lenders for new or used manufactured homes, and lenders set their own terms. Compare lenders and ask what each requires about the home.
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