In response to years of complaints about the shoddy construction of mobile homes all across the country, Congress passed the “National Mobile Home Construction and Safety Standards Act,” and it was enacted into law by president Gerald Ford on August 22nd, 1974. But it did not take effect and begin enforcement until June 15th, 1976. All manufactured homes constructed after that date must meet the HUD-Code, so-called because it is adminstered by the Deparment of Housing and Urban Development. 

    Oh, and there is one other thing that became law with the bill: housing units that were formerly called “mobile homes” must now be referred to as “manufactured homes.” Yes, you cannot legally call them mobile homes anymore, although many people still do.

    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. 

    The State of Florida has added a few tougher regulations for mobile homes, primarily for hurricane resistance, called “Florida overrides.” You can read about them at our blog post What is a "Florida override" of HUD mobile/manufactured home installation standards? 

    Also, go to our HUD-CODE FOR MOBILE HOMES page for a listing of our other HUD-code articles.

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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? 

• 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.