A manufactured home must be a minimum of 400 square feet to meet the standards set by HUD (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development), which has had jurisdiction over the construction of mobile homes since July 15, 1976. Other minimum HUD standards include:

• Ceiling height of 7 feet, except 6 feet 6 inches in hallways and closets.
• Two exterior doors for emergency exit, that must be located at least 12 feet apart in a single-wide and 20 feet apart in a double-wide.
• Every bedroom must have a window
• Bathrooms and kitchen must have mechanical ventilation
• The home's foundation and tie-downs must meet HUD standards, except that Florida has somewhat stricter tie-down requirements.

    A Park Model RV, on the other hand, looks similar to a small mobile home, but is titled as a recreational vehicle, and cannot exceed 400 square feet. Construction is governed by different standards issued by ANSI (American National Standards Institute). 

    Florida has a special exemption that allows a home of 400 to 500 square feet to be titled as a Park Model RV if built to HUD standards. The Florida HUD Park Models will not have some features offered with regular park models, such as a sleeping loft, because they do not comply with HUD code. 

    Also, go to our HUD-CODE FOR MOBILE HOMES page for a listing of our other HUD-code articles.

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Here’s links to a collection of our blog posts about MOBILE/MANUFACTURED HOMES:

• Where can I file a complaint if I have problems with my new or used manufactured/mobile home in Florida?

• What are the most common defects in mobile/manufactured home foundation piers?

• How do I determine the age of a very old mobile home?

• What is a "HUD label verification letter" for a mobile/manufactured home?  

• When did a ground cover vapor barrier (plastic sheet) become required under a mobile/manufactured home? 

• Is it safe to go under a mobile home? 

• Are older mobile homes unsafe? 

• What do I need to know about buying a foreclosed mobile home? 

• Does it make sense to buy an older mobile home and remodel it? 

• Where do I find the vehicle identification number (VIN) on a mobile home? 

• How do I find out how old a mobile home is and who manufactured it?

• What is the right price for a used mobile home?

• How energy efficient is a mobile home?

• When were the first double-wide mobile homes manufactured?

• How do I upgrade my old (pre-1976) mobile home to meet HUD standards?

• What size air conditioner is right for my mobile home? 

• Can you move an older mobile home in Florida? 

• What does the HUD tag look like and where do I find it on a mobile home? 

• How can I tell if a mobile home is well constructed?

• How can I tell the difference between a manufactured home and a modular home?

       Visit our MOBILE/MANUFACTURED HOMES  page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.