Park model is a newer name for what was formerly called a park trailer. Park models are manufactured under the American National Standards Institute’s ANSI119.5 Park Model Recreational Vehicle (PMRV) standard, whereas mobile/manufactured homes must meet a different set of HUD standards. Because certification to either standard is only issued at the factory at time of manufacture, and only after approval of the design and factory inspections, a park model cannot be retrofitted to meet HUD standards, or vice versa. 

    Park models often look like a small mobile home, but they are classified as a recreational vehicle and specifically excluded from HUD's definition of a manufactured home at 24 CFR 3282.8(g), shown below.

    There is, however, one exception to this rule: a special category of park model that is over 400 sq. ft., but less than 500 sq. ft., and is actually manufactured to HUD standards. It’s called a “HUD Park Model,” as opposed to an “ANSI park model, and only approved for the state of Florida. Although it meets HUD construction standards, a HUD Park Model is still classified as a recreational vehicle, not a manufactured home. So approval for installation in some mobile home parks may not be possible.   

    Go to our HUD-CODE FOR MOBILE HOMES page for a listing of our other HUD-code articles. Also, see our blog post  What is the difference between a park trailer and a park model recreational vehicle?

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

Want to learn more about inspecting
manufactured/mobile homes? 
Get our  Handbook for 
Manufactured Home Inspectors 
at amazon.com for $19.95

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

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? 

• Can you put a zone 1 mobile home in Florida?

• How can I remove water under my mobile home?

• What's the differences between a trailer, a mobile home, a manufactured home, and a modular home? 

• What is a D-sticker mobile home? 

• What are the tie-down requirements for a mobile home?

• How fireproof is a mobile home?  

• Can I install a mobile home myself?

• What is a Park Model mobile home?  

• Does an addition to a mobile home have to comply with the HUD Code? 

• What walls can I remove in a mobile home?

• What can I do to prevent dampness and mold in my 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.