Selling a mobile home in South Carolina

South Carolina has no dedicated mobile home park law, so there is no statutory right to sell a home in place or limit on how a park screens the buyer. A sale is governed by the written lease, the park's rules, and the title-and-permit process. The information below describes how the law generally works; anyone selling should consider consulting a licensed attorney in South Carolina.

What the statute says

There is no South Carolina statute granting a manufactured home owner the right to sell the home on its lot and keep it there, or barring a park from refusing to rent to the buyer. Those terms come from the written rental agreement and park rules.

On how ownership moves, a manufactured home is titled by the SCDMV (S.C. Code Ann. §56-19-210 et seq.), so a sale is completed by assigning that certificate of title; a home whose title has been retired under §56-19-510 (affixed to real property) transfers by deed with the land. To relocate a home, §31-17-360 requires a moving permit issued with a certificate concerning taxes, so county taxes must be cleared first and the electric supplier notified.

How it works in general

A South Carolina resident who owns the home can sell it, but the law does not guarantee the home can stay on the lot or limit what the park may require of a buyer who wants to keep it there — those terms come from the lease and park rules, so a seller should check them early. Ownership transfers by assigning the SCDMV certificate of title (the buyer applies for a new one), or by deed with the land if the title has been retired. If the home is to be moved off the lot, the seller needs a moving permit, which the county issues only after taxes are cleared. A buyer who intends to keep the home in the park should confirm the park's approval and lease terms before closing.

Common scenarios

General examples South Carolina park residents commonly encounter:

• A resident wants to sell and keep the home on the lot. The lease and park rules — not a statute — decide whether that's allowed.
• Ownership changes hands. The home transfers by assigning its SCDMV certificate of title (§56-19-210 et seq.).
• A home is moved to a new site. A moving permit and cleared taxes are required (§31-17-360).

Other authorities that may apply

Title transfer runs through the SCDMV (Title 56, Chapter 19), and the county handles the license, moving permit, and tax clearance (Title 31, Chapter 17). Because South Carolina has no park-specific act, there is no sell-in-place right, buyer-approval standard, or limit on sale commissions — gaps this guide flags honestly. Federal law such as the Fair Housing Act can apply to buyer screening, and the bill of sale, lease, and any financing documents also control.