Is a Louisiana mobile home real estate or movable property?

Movable, by default. La. R.S. 9:1149.3 provides that 'when any factory-built home is moved to and located upon immovable property, the factory-built home shall remain movable,' unless it is immobilized under R.S. 9:1149.6. While movable, it is titled through the Office of Motor Vehicles. This is general information, not advice about a specific title — consider consulting a licensed attorney in Louisiana.

How does a Louisiana manufactured home become part of the real estate?

By a declaration of immobilization. La. R.S. 9:1149.6(A) provides that 'a factory-built home shall be immovable when there is a declaration by the owner ... filed for registry in the conveyance records of the parish' where the land is located, and the declaration must include the home and land description, a statement of permanent attachment, and the concurrence of any secured party.

What happens to the title when a Louisiana home is sold with the land?

If the home was not immobilized, La. R.S. 9:1149.4 presumes that 'any transfer of an immovable on which a nonimmobilized factory-built home is located includes all of the transferor's interest in the factory-built home,' subject to the rights of third persons.

Mobile home titles in Louisiana

Louisiana treats a manufactured home as movable property by default. A factory-built home on land is titled through the Office of Motor Vehicles and stays movable unless the owner files a declaration of immobilization that makes it part of the real estate (La. R.S. 9:1149.1 et seq.). This page compiles that law. For a specific title question, consider consulting a licensed attorney in Louisiana.

What the statute says

On classification, La. R.S. 9:1149.3 provides:

Except as otherwise provided in R.S. 9:1149.6, when any factory-built home is moved to and located upon immovable property, the factory-built home shall remain movable.

On becoming real estate, La. R.S. 9:1149.6(A) provides that "a factory-built home shall be immovable when there is a declaration by the owner of the factory-built home filed for registry in the conveyance records of the parish in which the immovable ... is located." The declaration must describe the home and the land, declare the home "shall remain permanently attached," and include "the concurrence of the holder of any perfected security interest." Once filed, the home "shall cease to be subject to" the motor-vehicle law and "shall thereafter be subject to all laws concerning immovable property."

How it works in general

While the home is movable, ownership and liens are handled through the Office of Motor Vehicles certificate of title. To make the home part of the real estate, the owner records a declaration of immobilization in the parish conveyance records (with any secured party's concurrence) and files a certified copy with the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, which maintains a public database. After immobilization, the home is governed by immovable-property law. If a home is sold with the land without being immobilized, R.S. 9:1149.4 presumes the sale includes the home.

Common scenarios

General examples Louisiana residents commonly encounter:

A home sits on a rented lot. It is movable property titled through the Office of Motor Vehicles, transferred by the certificate of title.
An owner places the home on owned land and wants it treated as real estate. R.S. 9:1149.6 sets the declaration-of-immobilization path.
Land with a home is sold. R.S. 9:1149.4 presumes a nonimmobilized home is included in the transfer of the land.

Other authorities that may apply

The Office of Motor Vehicles administers the certificate of title and lien recording while the home is movable; the parish conveyance records and the Department of Public Safety and Corrections handle immobilization. Security interests are governed by the UCC (R.S. 10:9-101 et seq., per R.S. 9:1149.5), and the written purchase or financing documents also control.