Agency Guide

DMV vs. Housing Agency: Which Handles Your Mobile Home Title?

The most common mistake in manufactured home title transfers is walking into the wrong office. Some states use the DMV. Others use a state housing department. Some use county offices. Here's the complete guide.

Why There's No Simple Answer

When vehicles were first taxed and titled by states in the early 20th century, mobile homes were classified similarly to large vehicles — and many states put them under the same title system. As manufactured housing grew into a significant segment of the housing stock in the 1970s and 1980s, some states moved administration to a dedicated housing department. Others kept them in the DMV. Some created county-level systems.

The result is a patchwork with no national standard. The same home in Texas would have a completely different title document, filing process, and agency than the exact same home in Florida.

State-by-State Agency Lookup

StateAgencyTypePhone
AlabamaAlabama Manufactured Housing Commission (AMHC)Housing Dept(334) 242-4036
ArizonaArizona Department of Housing (ADOH)Housing Dept(602) 771-1000
ArkansasAR Dept. of Finance & AdministrationRevenue Dept(501) 682-4692
CaliforniaDept. of Housing and Community Dev. (HCD)Housing Dept(800) 952-8356
ColoradoColorado Division of Housing (CDOH)Housing Dept(303) 864-7820
FloridaDHSMV via County Tax CollectorDMV(850) 617-2000
GeorgiaGA Dept. of Revenue / County Tag OfficeCounty(855) 406-5221
IndianaIndiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV)DMV(888) 692-6841
LouisianaLouisiana Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV)DMV(225) 925-6146
MichiganMichigan Secretary of StateDMV(888) 767-6424
MississippiCounty Tax AssessorCountyVaries
MissouriMissouri Dept. of Revenue (License Offices)Revenue(573) 526-3669
NevadaNevada DMVDMV(702) 486-4368
New MexicoNM Motor Vehicle Division (MVD)DMV(888) 683-4636
North CarolinaNC DMVDMV(919) 715-7000
OhioOhio BMV / County Clerk of CourtsCounty/BMV(614) 752-7600
OklahomaOklahoma Tax Commission (via Tag Agents)Revenue(405) 521-3160
OregonOregon DMVDMV(503) 945-5000
PennsylvaniaPennDOT (via Messenger Services)DMV(717) 412-5300
South CarolinaSC DMVDMV(803) 896-5000
TennesseeCounty ClerkCountyVaries
TexasTexas TDHCA Manufactured Housing DivisionHousing Dept(512) 475-2200
VirginiaVirginia DMVDMV(804) 497-7100
WashingtonWA Dept. of Licensing (DOL)DMV(360) 902-3770

How to Find Your Agency If Your State Isn't Listed

  1. Search "[Your State] manufactured home title transfer" — the state agency's own page usually appears first. Look for a .gov domain.
  2. Look for "manufactured housing" specifically — not just "mobile home." States often use the term "manufactured housing" in their agency names even if residents say "mobile home."
  3. If in doubt, call your state's main information line — dial 411 or search "[State] official website" and use their department locator. Ask specifically about manufactured home title transfers.

Frequently Asked Questions

States that moved to housing agencies did so to better integrate manufactured housing into housing policy, inspection, and installation regulation — recognizing that these homes are housing, not vehicles. States that kept titles in the DMV often did so because the administrative infrastructure was already in place and the cost of migration was high. There is no right or wrong approach, just variation.

That happens frequently in housing-agency states. Ask the DMV clerk specifically which agency handles manufactured home title transfers in your state — they usually know and can give you a referral phone number. Alternatively, search your state's housing department or contact your county assessor's office, who often knows which state agency is correct.

It depends on the state. Some states process all titles at any DMV branch (Michigan, Virginia). Others route manufactured home titles specifically through county tax collectors, county clerks, or other specific offices. Our state guides note the correct filing location for each state.

Disclaimer Informational only. Not legal advice. Verify requirements with your state agency before filing.

Related: Title Transfer 101 · State Guides · Path Finder Tool