The “National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974” became federal law on June 15, 1976, and provided the framework of what we now know as the HUD Code, a national building code for manufactured/mobile homes. It was the first, and remains the only, national building code.

    A HUD-approved inspection agency supervises and inspects manufactured homes at the factory for HUD-code compliance. Each home receives a “HUD Certification Label,” commonly called a “HUD tag,” affixed on the exterior of each section of the home, certifying approval. A “HUD number” is imprinted on the tag, and the number (or numbers, for a double or triple-wide) are listed on the paper data plate inside the home, along the name of the inspection agency. An example is shown above.

   But there are no guidelines for upgrading a pre-1976 mobile home to HUD requirements, and no inspection agency authorized to inspect an upgrade. So, while improving the structural integrity, insulation, and overall safety of an old mobile home is a good thing to do, you cannot get a HUD tag for your improvements to a pre-1976 home.

       Go to our HUD-CODE FOR MOBILE HOMES page for a listing of our other HUD-code articles. Also, see our blog posts How fireproof is a mobile home? and Are older mobile homes unsafe?

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

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? 

 • 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?

• 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.