How to Fill Out and Submit Form 1023: Texas Statement of Ownership

To record ownership of a manufactured home in Texas, you file Form 1023, the Statement of Ownership application, with the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA). You complete the form with the home’s identification details, every buyer’s and seller’s information, any liens, and your election of personal or real property status, then mail it with a $55 check to the Manufactured Housing Division in Austin within 60 days of the sale. Until TDHCA receives a complete application, ownership of the home does not legally pass to the buyer.1Texas Public Law. Texas Occupations Code 1201.206 – Application for Issuance of Statement of Ownership

What to Gather Before You Open the Form

Missing information is the single biggest reason applications stall. Pull everything together first.

  • Manufacturer’s name and address, model designation, and the serial (identification) number for each section of the home. A double-wide has two serial numbers; a triple-wide has three.
  • The HUD certification label number from each section. The label is a small aluminum plate riveted to the rear exterior. The data plate inside the home (near the main electrical panel or in a kitchen cabinet) lists the manufacturer, serial number, wind and thermal zone ratings, and manufacture date.
  • Outside dimensions when installed, measured to the nearest half-foot at the base, excluding the tongue, plus approximate square footage.2Texas Public Law. Texas Occupations Code 1201.205 – Statement of Ownership Form
  • The physical street address where the home is installed, including the county. If your mailing address differs, you need both.
  • Proof of ownership appropriate to the situation: a signed-over previous Statement of Ownership or bill of sale for a standard purchase, a court order or affidavit of heirship for an inheritance, or a divorce decree or property settlement for a divorce transfer.
  • A tax certificate from the county tax assessor-collector if the home is used and not in a retailer’s inventory, or if you are converting from personal to real property. The certificate must confirm no outstanding tax liens for each January 1 in the 18 months before the sale.1Texas Public Law. Texas Occupations Code 1201.206 – Application for Issuance of Statement of Ownership
  • For every lender with a financial interest in the home: full legal name, mailing address, daytime phone number, and the date the lien was created.

Before buying a used home or filing a transfer, search TDHCA’s online database for current ownership, mortgage liens, and tax liens. You can search by serial number, HUD label number, or Texas Seal number.3Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. Instructions and Information – Applying for a Statement of Ownership An unresolved lien discovered after you buy is far harder to deal with than one caught beforehand.

Filling Out Form 1023 Block by Block

Download the current Form 1023 from the TDHCA forms page, which also lists the fee schedule (Form 1022) and detailed instructions (Form 1037).4Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. Forms and Affidavits for Statement of Ownership Applications

Buyer and Seller Information

Enter the full legal name and mailing address of every purchaser and every seller. The names you put here become the legally recognized owners. Discrepancies with other documents, like a deed or loan paperwork, create problems later.

Block 5: Right of Survivorship

This block decides what happens to the home if one owner dies. A married couple who will be the sole owners can check the box providing that ownership passes automatically to the surviving spouse. Joint owners who are not married must attach a completed Affidavit of Fact for Right of Survivorship or another affidavit meeting the requirements of Section 1201.213.5Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. Statement of Ownership Form Leave the block blank and the home passes through probate instead.

Block 6: Personal or Real Property

Manufactured homes default to personal property unless you affirmatively elect real property. Real property is only available when the home is attached to land you own or to land you lease under a qualifying long-term lease.6State of Texas. Texas Occupations Code 1201.2055 – Election by Owner If you live in a manufactured home community or on someone else’s land without that kind of lease, personal property is your only option.

Buyers using a conventional mortgage usually need the real property election. Fannie Mae, for example, requires the home to be titled as real property before it will purchase the loan on the secondary market.7Fannie Mae. Titling Manufactured Homes as Real Property When you elect real property, attach a legal description of the land. A copy of the deed or title commitment works.5Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. Statement of Ownership Form

Block 8(b): Liens

Space is provided for up to two liens. For each one, enter the date the lien was created, the lienholder’s full legal name, mailing address, and daytime phone number. If there is no lien, say so. TDHCA uses this information to notify lenders of future ownership changes, so an error here can cause trouble well after the ink dries.

Block 10: Signatures

Every seller and every buyer signs. Notarization is optional on Form 1023. The form itself says so, and a notary block is included only for those who choose to use it. An application without a notary stamp will not be rejected on that basis.5Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. Statement of Ownership Form

Where to Send It and What It Costs

Mail the completed Form 1023 and all supporting documents to:

Manufactured Housing Division
P.O. Box 12489
Austin, Texas 78711-24898Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. Contact the Manufactured Housing Division

The fee is a flat $55 for any transaction that results in a new Statement of Ownership, whether that’s a sale, a lien assignment, a repossession, or an update after divorce or inheritance. There is no fee for a lien release processed as part of a transfer. A certified copy of an existing Statement of Ownership is free.9Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. Fee Schedule Pay by check or money order made out to TDHCA. The wrong amount, or no payment at all, means the application comes back unprocessed.

If you need faster review, TDHCA offers Priority Handling Service for an additional $55. Priority applications are reviewed within five working days of the fees being deposited, compared to the standard 15-business-day window. Priority handling only moves your file to the front of the review queue; it does not guarantee approval.10Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. MHD Announcement – Priority Handling Service Now Available

The 60-Day Deadline

Texas law gives you 60 days to file, with the clock starting on the date of the sale, transfer, or relocation.

  • First retail sale: the retailer is responsible for filing within 60 days. If the retailer fails to file, the buyer may file directly.
  • Subsequent sales or transfers of personal property: the seller or transferor must file within 60 days. Again, the buyer can step in if the seller does not.
  • Relocation: moving the home requires a new Statement of Ownership within 60 days, along with evidence that the move complied with Texas Department of Motor Vehicles requirements.1Texas Public Law. Texas Occupations Code 1201.206 – Application for Issuance of Statement of Ownership

Missing the window does not block filing, but TDHCA may assess penalties against a seller who files late. More importantly, the buyer’s ownership isn’t legally recognized until the application reaches the department, which leaves the buyer exposed until it does.

After You Submit

Standard processing takes up to 15 business days from the date TDHCA receives a complete application, not counting mail time.11Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. Statement of Ownership Application Instructions Staff verify HUD labels and serial numbers against existing records to confirm there are no conflicting claims or unresolved liens.

If something is missing or wrong, TDHCA mails a Request for Additional Information (RAI). Processing stops until you respond.12Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. Frequently Asked Questions – Statement of Ownership Don’t let an RAI sit; the department can close the application, and reopening it means paying another $55.

Once approved, the Statement of Ownership is issued. Keep it somewhere safe. You will need it for any future sale, refinance, or insurance claim. Current records can be looked up at any time through TDHCA’s online database.

If You Elected Real Property, You’re Not Done

Checking the real property box on Form 1023 is only the first step. Within 60 days after TDHCA issues the Statement of Ownership, you must also:

  • File a copy of the Statement of Ownership in the real property records of the county where the home is located.
  • Notify both TDHCA and the chief appraiser of the applicable appraisal district that you have filed the copy.6State of Texas. Texas Occupations Code 1201.2055 – Election by Owner

Skip the county recording and the conversion is incomplete. The home may still be treated as personal property for tax and lien purposes despite what the Statement of Ownership says.12Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. Frequently Asked Questions – Statement of Ownership Notifying the county tax assessor also matters so your property tax assessment reflects the change.

Mistakes That Trigger a Request for Additional Information

The same handful of errors causes most of the delays TDHCA sees.

  • Listing only one serial number when the home has multiple sections. Each section has its own number and HUD label number, and every one belongs on the form.
  • Omitting the tax certificate when buying a used home from an individual. The 18-month certificate from the county tax assessor-collector is required and routinely forgotten.
  • Checking the real property box without attaching a legal description of the land. Without a deed or title commitment, TDHCA cannot process the election.
  • Sending the wrong fee. It’s always $55 for a new Statement of Ownership. A short payment or a bounced check halts the file.
  • Skipping the database search before purchase. Hidden liens and prior-owner title gaps surface in the search; after closing they become your problem.