How is a mobile home titled in Arizona?

A mobile home in Arizona is generally titled as personal property through the state motor vehicle agency, much like a vehicle, unless an affidavit of affixture has been recorded to treat it as real property.

What is an affidavit of affixture in Arizona?

Arizona Revised Statutes §33-1501 lets a mobile home owner record an affidavit of affixture so that, when its conditions are met, 'the mobile home and the leasehold interest to which it is affixed shall be treated as real property.'

What does it take to record an affidavit of affixture in a park?

Section 33-1501 sets conditions including a minimum 20-year lease and proper installation, recorded with the county recorder. This is general information, not advice about a specific home — the requirements are specific, so consider consulting a licensed attorney in Arizona.

Mobile home titles in Arizona

In Arizona, a mobile home usually starts as personal property with its own title. A distinctive feature of Arizona law is that even a home on a rented lot can, under specific conditions, be treated as real property by recording an affidavit of affixture. This is a general overview; for a specific title question, consider consulting a licensed attorney in Arizona.

What the statute says

Arizona Revised Statutes §33-1501, "Affidavit of affixture for mobile home in mobile home park," allows a qualifying home to change status. Subsection (I) provides:

The mobile home and the leasehold interest to which it is affixed shall be treated as real property.

The section sets conditions for recording the affidavit with the county recorder, including a minimum 20-year lease and proper installation of the home.

How it works in general

Before any affidavit of affixture, an Arizona mobile home is personal property: it carries a title, much like a vehicle. What makes Arizona notable is §33-1501 — it lets a home in a park, affixed under a long-term (at least 20-year) lease, be treated as real property along with the leasehold interest, once the statute's conditions are met and the affidavit is recorded. That changes how the home and the leasehold are treated for transfer and related purposes.

Common scenarios

General examples Arizona mobile home owners commonly encounter:

An owner with a long-term lot lease wants the home treated as real property. The affidavit of affixture under §33-1501 is the mechanism.
A buyer asks whether a home is titled personal property or has had an affidavit of affixture recorded. Which one it is changes how the sale is documented.
An owner is unsure whether their lease term qualifies. The 20-year minimum and installation conditions in §33-1501 are the starting points.

Other authorities that may apply

Titling of mobile homes as personal property is handled through the state motor vehicle system, separate from the affixture process in Chapter 11. The county recorder handles the recorded affidavit and real property records. Financing brings in federal consumer-finance law. The affixture statute governs the home's status; these other authorities handle titling, recording, and lending.