Alabama mobile home laws cover four main areas for owners and renters: titling and annual registration through the Department of Revenue, sales and property tax treatment that depends on whether you own the land, local zoning that controls where a home can be placed, and the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, which governs park tenancies and evictions. The rules shift depending on whether the home sits on land you own or on a rented lot, so that distinction runs through almost every part of the law.
Titling and Annual Registration
Every manufactured home in Alabama that sits on land the homeowner does not own needs a certificate of title from the Alabama Department of Revenue. Homes on leased lots, rented land, and park spaces all fall under this requirement.1Alabama Department of Revenue. Manufactured Homes
A first certificate of title costs $20. Transfers and cancellations also run $20 each, and replacement or corrected titles are $15. Five dollars of each fee goes to the Alabama Housing Foundation. Any lienholder must appear on the title.2Alabama Department of Revenue. Manufactured Home Title and Cancellation Fee
Homes that stay personal property must also be registered annually with the county. New owners have 30 days after purchase, or 30 days after the home enters Alabama, to register. After that, renewal is due by October 1 each year and becomes delinquent after November 30.3Alabama Department of Revenue. When Is My Registration Due on My Manufactured Home?
The base registration fee is $24 for a single-wide and $48 for a double-wide used as a residence. Commercial units pay double: $48 for a single-wide and $96 for a double-wide. Every registration also carries a $5 decal issuance fee. Homeowners age 65 and older are exempt from the registration fee on their owner-occupied home but still owe the $5 issuance fee.4Alabama Department of Revenue. Am I Required to Display the Registration Decal on My Manufactured Home?
The decal must be attached immediately to the outside of the home at eye level, one foot from the right corner on the side facing the street, so it is clearly visible. Lost, stolen, or damaged decals can be replaced by the county issuing official for another $5 issuance fee, with no additional registration charge.5Alabama Department of Revenue. 810-4-2-.06 Registration Decals – Displaying, Issuing, and Replacing
How the Home Is Taxed
Alabama charges a reduced sales tax on manufactured home purchases. The state rate is 2% of the net price paid, not the standard 4% that applies to most tangible personal property.6Alabama Department of Revenue. What Are the State Sales Tax Rates? County and city sales taxes may apply on top of that, so the total depends on where the sale takes place.
Ongoing taxation depends on the land. A manufactured home on someone else’s land is treated as personal property and taxed through the annual registration described above. A manufactured home on land the owner also owns, not rented or leased for business, is assessed as real property for ad valorem tax purposes.1Alabama Department of Revenue. Manufactured Homes
To move a home from the personal-property track to the real-property track, the owner permanently affixes it to land they own, confirms it is not rented or leased for business, and files a Request for Cancellation of Certificate of Title with the Department of Revenue. From that point on, the home is taxed as an improvement to the land.1Alabama Department of Revenue. Manufactured Homes Owners who make this conversion may also qualify for Alabama’s homestead exemption, which reduces the assessed value of an owner-occupied primary residence.7Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 40-9-19
Where You Can Put a Manufactured Home
Placement is almost entirely a matter of local zoning. Counties and cities set their own rules on lot sizes, setback distances, foundation requirements, and which districts allow manufactured housing. Some communities designate specific zones for these homes; others allow them in broader residential districts with conditions. Common patterns include minimum lot sizes, setbacks of 10 to 30 feet from property lines and roads, and permanent foundation requirements. Your county or city planning department can tell you exactly what applies to your lot.
Most jurisdictions require HUD-compliant tie-downs to anchor the home against severe weather, and permanent skirting of brick, vinyl, or treated wood is commonly mandated. A building permit is typically required before installation, and utility connections must pass inspection before anyone moves in. Homes not on a municipal sewer system generally need a septic permit from the county health department before placement.
HUD Labels and Wind Zone Rating
Every manufactured home built after June 15, 1976 must meet the federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards, known as the HUD Code. The standards cover structural design, fire safety, plumbing, electrical, heating, and energy efficiency.8eCFR. Part 3280 – Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards A compliant home carries a HUD certification label on the exterior and a data plate inside, usually near the main electrical panel, inside a kitchen cabinet, or in a bedroom closet. The data plate lists the label numbers, the manufacturer’s certification, and the wind and thermal zone the home was designed for.9U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Manufactured Housing HUD Labels (Tags) A home missing its HUD tag may be difficult to finance, insure, or place in a regulated community.
Alabama spans two HUD wind zones. Most of the state is Wind Zone I, requiring homes designed for 70 mph winds. Baldwin and Mobile counties on the Gulf Coast are Wind Zone II, requiring construction rated for 100 mph winds with higher standards for anchoring, roof framing, wall sheathing, and window resistance. Steel strapping or engineered connectors must be installed at a maximum spacing of 24 inches on center throughout the structure.10eCFR. 24 CFR 3280.305 – Structural Design Requirements A home built to Wind Zone I standards cannot legally be placed in Baldwin or Mobile County, so if you’re buying used, check the data plate to confirm the wind zone matches your intended location.
Renting a Lot in a Mobile Home Park
Tenants in Alabama manufactured home parks are covered by the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, codified in Chapter 9A of Title 35. A landlord and tenant can agree to whatever lease terms they want, so long as those terms do not conflict with the Act. The rental agreement should spell out rent, payment timing, the lease term, utilities, and any park rules.11Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 35-9A-161 – Terms and Conditions of Rental Agreement
If no term is specified, the tenancy defaults to month-to-month for tenants paying monthly rent, or week-to-week for those paying weekly. Either party can end a month-to-month tenancy with at least 30 days’ written notice.
Park owners can adopt rules after a tenant moves in, but the rules must serve a legitimate purpose such as safety, property preservation, or fair distribution of services, apply equally to all tenants, and be clear enough that a reasonable person understands what is required. A new rule that works a substantial change to how the tenant uses the leased space is not enforceable unless the tenant agrees to it in writing.12Macon County ALaCourt. Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act – Section 35-9A-302
Except in emergencies, a landlord must give at least two days’ notice before entering the rented space for inspections, repairs, or other non-emergency purposes, and can only enter at reasonable times. A note posted on the primary entry door stating the intended time and purpose counts as proper notice under the statute.13Macon County ALaCourt. Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act – Section 35-9A-303
Parks that submeter water or electricity to individual lots must follow the applicable Public Service Commission rules. Rule W-13 generally requires water sold by utilities with 100 or more customers to be metered. If a park includes utilities in the rent, the lease should say so; if utilities are billed separately, the billing method and any markups should be in writing.
Eviction Rules
Eviction from a park follows the same Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act as any other Alabama residential rental, with the process turning on the reason.
For nonpayment of rent, the landlord delivers a written notice giving the tenant seven days to pay. If the tenant pays within that window, the tenancy continues. For other lease violations that materially affect health and safety, the landlord sends written notice describing the breach. The tenant has seven days to fix the problem; if the breach is not corrected, the rental agreement terminates 14 days after the notice was delivered. If the same type of violation recurs within six months, the landlord can terminate with 14 days’ notice and no cure period.
Once the agreement is terminated, a tenant who does not leave voluntarily can only be removed through a court eviction action. The tenant has the right to appear, present defenses, and contest the eviction. If the court rules for the landlord, the tenant is given a set number of days to vacate, and a writ of possession authorizes law enforcement to carry out the removal if they still refuse to go.
Property left behind matters here. If personal property remains in the unit more than 14 days after termination, the landlord has no obligation to store or protect it and can dispose of it without liability. A unit is also considered abandoned if electric service has been cut off for seven consecutive days. A lot landlord cannot seize the mobile home itself for unpaid rent, but removing a manufactured home from a park lot takes time and money, so prompt action after a termination is critical.
Financing a Manufactured Home
How you finance a manufactured home depends on whether it is personal property or real property. Homes on leased land or in a park are personal property in Alabama, financed through chattel loans. Homes permanently affixed to land the borrower owns can qualify for traditional mortgage financing.
The two paths differ in more than name. Chattel loans typically carry higher interest rates, shorter repayment terms, and fewer consumer protections. They are governed by the Uniform Commercial Code rather than real estate law, so lien recording, disclosures, and foreclosure procedures all follow different rules. The lender’s security interest is noted on the certificate of title or filed as a UCC-1 financing statement with the Secretary of State, rather than recorded in public land records.
The FHA also offers Title I manufactured home loans through approved private lenders. To qualify, the borrower must meet FHA credit standards, intend to occupy the home as a principal residence, and have a suitable site. If the home will sit on a leased lot, the initial lease term must be at least three years, and the lease must require the landlord to give at least 180 days’ written notice before termination.14U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Financing Manufactured Homes (Title I) Title I loans carry upfront and annual mortgage insurance premiums, so comparing the total cost against conventional options is worth the effort.15FDIC. Manufactured Home Loan Insurance Guide
Converting to real property requires a permanent foundation that meets HUD’s definition: durable materials like concrete, mortared masonry, or treated wood; site-built rather than prefabricated; footings below the frost line; rated anchorage against uplift and overturning; and a continuous wall enclosing a basement or crawl space. Screw-in soil anchors do not qualify as permanent anchorage.16HUD User. Permanent Foundations Guide for Manufactured Housing An improper foundation can disqualify the home from mortgage financing, homestead tax treatment, and certain insurance coverages.
Moving a Manufactured Home
Transporting a manufactured home on Alabama roads requires a move permit from the Alabama Department of Revenue. The transporter must show proof of ownership through a tag, decal, bill of sale, bill of lading, or title, and any lienholder must be notified when a home they hold a security interest in is being moved.
Federal Department of Transportation rules apply to the transport itself. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration requires that building materials and supplies shipped inside the home be secured so they cannot shift during towing; placing items in closets, utility rooms, or other confined spaces generally satisfies this. Drivers must comply with hours-of-service regulations, including limits of 11 hours driving time and 2.2 hours of other on-duty time.
Costs vary widely depending on distance, home size, and local permit fees. Escort vehicles are commonly required for oversized loads, and multi-county or multi-state moves may need separate permits for each jurisdiction. Budget for delivery, blocking, and leveling on top of the transportation fee itself, and verify a mover’s license and insurance in writing before signing anything.