Mobile home titles in Maryland

In Maryland, a mobile home is titled through the Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA), even though the lot tenancy is governed by the dedicated Mobile Homes law (Real Property Title 8A). Ownership transfers by certificate of title, and a home that is permanently installed may be converted to real property. The information below describes how the law generally works; anyone with a specific title question should consider consulting a licensed attorney in Maryland.

What the law says

Maryland's Mobile Homes law assumes the resident owns the home: Real Property §8A-101(j) defines a "resident" as "a mobile home owner who leases or rents a site for residential use and resides in a mobile home park." Title 8A does not itself create a title system — that comes from the vehicle-title law administered by the MVA.

The MVA's official guidance states that mobile homes "must be titled in Maryland," and that an applicant provides "proof of ownership (such as a title, manufacturer's certificate, or bill of sale)" together with the home's "vehicle identification number (VIN) or serial number." On tax, Md. Code, Transportation §13-810(a) provides that on issuance of "an original or subsequent certificate of title ... the vehicle is exempt from the excise tax ... if it is: (1) A mobile home over 35 feet long." For a home that is set permanently in place, the MVA directs the owner to "contact the MVA if the mobile home has been permanently installed or converted to real property."

How it works in general

Ownership of a Maryland mobile home is held and transferred through an MVA certificate of title, much like a vehicle: the seller assigns the title (or provides a manufacturer's certificate or bill of sale for a first titling) and the buyer applies for a new title in their name. A home longer than 35 feet — which covers most single- and multi-section homes — is exempt from the excise tax at titling, so the cost is mainly the title and any lien-recording fee. When a home is permanently installed on land and is being treated as real estate, the owner works through the MVA on the conversion rather than keeping a personal-property title. Either way, the resident's home is theirs to keep and to sell in the park (see the Maryland selling guide).

Common scenarios

General examples Maryland residents commonly encounter:

• A home is bought to keep on a rented lot. Ownership transfers by assigning the MVA certificate of title, and a home over 35 feet owes no excise tax (§13-810).
• A first-time titling with no prior title. The MVA accepts a manufacturer's certificate or bill of sale as proof of ownership.
• A home is set permanently on owned land. The owner contacts the MVA about converting the home to real property.

Other authorities that may apply

The Motor Vehicle Administration administers the certificate of title, lien recording, and conversion to real property; Transportation §13-810 governs the excise-tax exemption. The county finance or assessment office handles the local mobile home tax and any real-property assessment once a home is affixed. Real Property Title 8A governs the lot tenancy and the resident's right to sell the home in place, and the written bill of sale and any financing documents also control.