HUD enforcement of construction standards for manufactured homes took effect on June 15, 1976. It was part of he “National Mobile Home Construction and Safety Standards Act” that was passed by Congress and enacted into law by president Gerald Ford on August 22nd, 1974, with a delayed date of enforcement. All manufactured homes constructed after June15, 1976, must meet the HUD Code. 

    The code has been revised multiple times since the original rollout, with a major improvement on tie-down standards coming after the devastation of Hurricane Andrew to South Florida in 1991. See our blog post What year were mobile homes required to become more storm resistant? for a timeline of the steps that toughened the HUD Code over the years. 

  It is our country’s only national building code and the only one that is primarily performance-based rather than prescriptive. A prescriptive building code provides specific instructions for the type, size, spacing, and connections of the building components. HUD is more of a performance code. It allows a manufacturer to have some leeway to choose their own materials and methods as long as they can prove to HUD that it meets the standards for each of the three climate regions for thermal efficiency, wind load, roof load, durability, livability and safety.

    For a list of our extensive articles about HUD-Code requirements, go to the HUD-CODE FOR MOBILE HOMES page, and click on the link below to review the code document. 

HUD 24 CFR Part 3280_2008.pdf

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

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.