Mobile home titles in Rhode Island

Rhode Island treats a mobile or manufactured home as property conveyed through the land records: a recorded deed or instrument, a conveyance tax, and HUD-compliant construction, with the home taxed by the municipality. The information below describes how the law generally works; anyone with a specific title question should consider consulting a licensed attorney in Rhode Island.

What the statute says

Under R.I. Gen. Laws §31-44-4.1, "every deed, instrument, or writing by which an interest in any mobile or manufactured home is granted, assigned, transferred, or otherwise conveyed ... shall be filed with the recorder of deeds of the city or town in ... which the ... home is located, within ten (10) days after execution," with a filing fee under §34-13-7. The conveyance carries a tax under §31-44-20: "one dollar and forty cents ($1.40) for each five hundred dollars ($500) or fractional part thereof which is paid for the purchase of the home," payable on recording and, by default, "paid by the grantor."

Construction is governed by §31-44-15: "All dealers and purchasers of new manufactured homes shall present or buy only ... (HUD) approved and compliant manufactured structures," and must "record with the local building official data plate wind zone information as part of the installation application."

How it works in general

Rhode Island doesn't run mobile homes through a vehicle-style certificate-of-title system. Instead, ownership transfers by a written deed or instrument that must be recorded with the city or town recorder of deeds within ten days of signing — the same land-records office used for real estate. The sale carries a conveyance tax of $1.40 per $500 of price (normally paid by the seller), plus documentary stamps, and the price is recorded. The home is taxed by the municipality where it sits. A new home must be HUD-approved, and its wind-zone data plate is recorded with the local building official at installation. The recorded instrument, the conveyance-tax payment, and the municipal tax records are the key documents.

Common scenarios

General examples Rhode Island residents commonly encounter:

• A home is sold on its lot. The deed or instrument must be recorded with the city or town recorder of deeds within ten days (§31-44-4.1).
• A buyer asks about transfer taxes. A conveyance tax of $1.40 per $500 applies, normally paid by the seller (§31-44-20).
• A buyer orders a new home. It must be HUD-compliant, with wind-zone data recorded at installation (§31-44-15).

Other authorities that may apply

The recorder of deeds in each city or town records the conveyance (§31-44-4.1); the conveyance tax and documentary stamps follow §§31-44-20 to 31-44-22; the municipal tax assessor taxes the home. New-home construction follows the federal HUD code (§31-44-15). The recorded instrument, the deed, and any financing documents also control.