Skip to main content
Barbara Ford-Coates - Florida Tax Collector serving Sarasota County
Exceptional Staff - Exceptional Service

Manufactured Homes Overview

Manufactured homes (also known as mobile homes) are prefabricated homes built in a factory on a permanent chassis equipped with highway grade axles and tires so the home (or home section) can be pulled behind a tractor-trailer over public roads to a home site.

Title - Each section of a manufactured home must have a Florida Title as proof of ownership. Titles may be held in paper form or electronically in the database of the Florida DHSMV (Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles).

When you purchase a new manufactured home or purchase a manufactured home from an individual, you must apply for a registration and title in your name. Fees apply for these transactions; contact us for more information.

Registration - Each section of a manufactured home must be registered with a current decal at all times, even when unoccupied. Example: Single-wide = one registration and decal, Double-wide = two registrations and decals, Triple-wide = three registrations and decals. Different fees are paid based on whether the home is located on land rented by the homeowner or land owned by the homeowner.

Manufactured Home (MH) Registration/Decal (Land Rented)
When the owner of the home is not the owner of the land where the unit is located, the homeowner must pay the an annual registration fee and is issued an MH registration/decal. The decal serves as evidence of payment of registration fee and is to be displayed in the lower left corner of the window of the home that is closest to the street or road and provides access to the home. The registration fee is based on the length of the home, must be paid for each section of the home, and consists of:

  • Validation decal - expires December 31st of each year and renewed for one-year or two-years (biennial registration).
  • Registration certificate - issued showing the owner and manufactured home information, the expiration date and the decal number. The certificate should be with the home.

Biennial Registration - If renewing for two years, registration fees are doubled. Note: if the manufactured home is sold - refunds are not permitted. If the biennial registration is still valid, a credit may be allowed if registering another home.

Real Property (RP) Registration/Decal (Land Owned)
When the owner of the home is also the owner of the land where the unit is located, the homeowner needs to do the following:

  1. obtain a Declaration of Real Property (RP) form from the Property Appraiser and inquire about filing for homestead exemption.
  2. present the Declaration of Real Property to the Tax Collector and purchase an RP decal for a fee. (Note: the RP decal is permanent and does not need to be renewed annually.)
  3. place the RP decal in the lower left corner of the manufactured home window closest to the main road.

Manufactured home owners with RP decals are responsible for making sure they receive a real estate property tax notice in November each year. If not received by November 15th, contact this office. If a manufactured home is moved or sold separately from the land, the RP decal must be removed and turned in to the Tax Collector. An annual manufactured home MH decal will then be required.

Lost Decal or Registration: