Mobile home storm and disaster rules in Florida
How Florida regulates mobile home installation and anchoring against wind and flood, who sets the standards, and where storm and insurance issues fit.
Published May 31, 2026
Florida is a hurricane state, and a key part of how the law addresses storms for manufactured housing is on the front end: how a home must be installed and anchored. Those standards are set statewide by statute and rule. Insurance and post-storm questions are governed separately. This is general information; for a specific situation — including any insurance claim — consider consulting a licensed attorney or qualified professional in Florida.
What the statute says
Florida Statutes §320.8325, "Mobile homes, manufactured homes, and park trailers; uniform installation standards," ties installation to resisting storm forces. It requires that the home be installed on a permanent foundation that
resists wind, flood, flotation, overturning, sliding, and lateral movement.
The statute centralizes who writes the rules, providing that the state department adopts uniform installation standards and that
No entity, other than the department, has authority to amend these uniform standards.
How it works in general
The installation-standards approach means anchoring and tie-down requirements come from a single statewide source rather than a patchwork of local rules. A home installed to the current standard is meant to resist the specific forces the statute names. The detailed tie-down specifications live in the department's installation rules, which the statute authorizes. Storm preparation, evacuation decisions, and insurance coverage sit outside this section — they are practical and policy matters rather than parts of the installation statute.
Common scenarios
General examples Florida mobile home residents commonly encounter:
- A home is being set up on a new lot. The §320.8325 standard — a permanent foundation resisting wind, flood, and lateral movement — is what the installation must meet.
- A resident asks whether a local rule can change the anchoring requirement. The statute reserves that authority to the state department.
- A storm causes damage. Installation standards are one issue; what an insurance policy covers is a separate question entirely.
Other authorities that may apply
The department's installation rules supply the technical anchoring details under §320.8325. Insurance coverage is governed by the policy and Florida insurance law. Federal disaster programs, such as those administered by FEMA, can apply after a declared disaster. And a park's own rules and the lot rental agreement may address storm-related responsibilities. The installation statute is one piece of a larger picture.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Florida require mobile homes to be anchored against storms?
- Florida Statutes §320.8325 requires that a manufactured or mobile home be installed on a permanent foundation that 'resists wind, flood, flotation, overturning, sliding, and lateral movement,' under uniform installation standards adopted by the state.
- Who sets mobile home installation standards in Florida?
- Under §320.8325, the state department adopts the uniform installation standards, and the statute provides that 'No entity, other than the department, has authority to amend these uniform standards.' Local rules cannot rewrite the statewide installation standard.
- Does Florida law cover storm insurance for mobile homes?
- Installation and anchoring are set by statute, but insurance coverage is a separate matter governed by your policy and Florida insurance law. This is general information — for questions about coverage or a claim, consider consulting a licensed attorney or a qualified insurance professional in Florida.