Mobile home park pass-through fees
A pass-through fee is a charge a park passes on to residents — for property taxes, utilities, trash, or other costs — on top of lot rent. Here's how they work, when they're allowed, and what to check.
Published June 4, 2026
Lot rent is rarely the only line on a manufactured home community bill. Many parks also charge pass-through fees — separate charges that pass a cost the park incurs on to residents. Understanding them helps residents tell a legitimate charge from one worth questioning. This article is general information, not legal advice; because the rules are set by state law and the lease, see your state's FightMyPark fees and utilities guides.
What a pass-through fee is
A pass-through fee recovers a cost the community pays and then bills to residents, on top of lot rent. Common examples include:
- Property taxes on the community (or a local "mobile home" tax or municipal permit fee);
- Utilities — water, sewer, gas, electricity, or trash — billed by submeter or allocation;
- Government fees — recycling, waste hauling, inspection;
- Administrative or "community" charges.
The defining feature is that the fee is tied to a cost the park passes along, rather than being folded into the base rent.
When pass-throughs are allowed
Whether and how a park can charge a pass-through depends heavily on state law:
- Disclosure. Many states require every charge to be disclosed in the lease and make an undisclosed fee uncollectible — sometimes also barring the park from using a refused undisclosed fee as a ground for eviction.
- Caps on utilities. Several states limit utility pass-throughs to the park's actual cost (no markup) and require itemized bills.
- Notice. New or increased fees often require advance written notice, and some states bar changes during a fixed lease term.
- No dedicated law. In states without a park statute, the lease largely controls what can be passed through.
Questions worth asking
When a pass-through fee appears, a few questions commonly come up:
- Is it in my lease? A charge not listed in the lease may be uncollectible where a disclosure law applies.
- Did I get notice? New or increased fees usually require advance notice.
- Does it match the actual cost? For utilities, many states bar markups above the park's cost.
- Is the bill itemized? Itemization lets you verify the charge.
Where to learn more
Because the legality of a pass-through turns on your state and your lease, the FightMyPark fees and utilities guides for your state are the place to confirm the rule. The pass-through-fee-legality cheat sheet summarizes the common patterns, the fee-tracker calculator can help you log charges over time, and the article on reading a park lease covers where these charges should appear.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a pass-through fee?
- It is a charge a community passes on to residents to recover a cost the park incurs — common examples are property taxes, water and sewer, trash collection, or government fees — billed separately from (and in addition to) lot rent. This is general information, not legal advice; whether a particular pass-through is allowed depends on your lease and your state's law.
- Are pass-through fees legal?
- It depends on the state and the lease. Many state park laws require every charge to be disclosed in the lease and bar fees that aren't listed, and some limit specific charges (like capping utility pass-throughs at the park's actual cost). In states without a dedicated park law, the lease largely controls. Check your state's FightMyPark fees and utilities guides.
- Can a park add a new pass-through fee mid-lease?
- Often not without proper notice — and in some states not during a fixed lease term at all. Many states require advance notice of new or increased fees and bar collecting a fee that wasn't disclosed. A new charge that appears without notice or isn't in your lease may be worth questioning.