Manufactured Homes Subject to Titling

Any Manufactured Home with a year model of 2000 or newer must have a title.

Fees

  • Manufactured Home title application (including replacements): $23.00
  • Lien Release title application: $3.00

Helpful Links

What do I do if I lost my title?
The owner(s) may come in to one of our offices to apply for a replacement title. Please bring the VIN of the manufactured home and driver license(s).

The owner(s) may apply for a replacement title through the mail.

What do I do if I lost my title and there was a lien on the manufactured home?
If the lost title had a lien on it, you will need to bring with you (or mail with the Replacement Title Application) a lien release letter from the lienholder.

Seller’s Signature Requirements
The proper assignment of title by the registered owner or selling dealer is a necessary part of the transfer of a manufactured home. The signature of the seller must meet the Revenue Department’s requirements for transfer of title.  Seller must sign exactly as name shown on face of title e.g. Blackwood James M on face of title should sign legal signature as James M. Blackwood.  However, James Marshall Blackwood is also an acceptable signature.  The listing of Davis Wm T on face of title should sign legal signature as William T. Davis.

Buyer’s Name and Signature Requirements
The signature of owner must be the individual owner signature or a Power of Attorney

  • If joint ownership is reflected as and, then BOTH owners must sign the title/title application. If joint ownership is reflected as or, then only one owner must sign the title/title application. If joint ownership is reflected as and/or, then only one owner must sign the title/title application.
  • No more than two owners shall be listed on an application for certificate of title.

A title has one owner, who is now deceased, how do I transfer the title?

  • The title must be changed out of the deceased owner’s name.
  • If the owner had a will that was or will be probated, the executor/administrator must provide a copy of the Letter of Testamentary and sign as seller in place of the owner. The name of the executor/administrator on the Letter of Testamentary must be printed exactly the same on the title.
  • If the owner did not have a will or had a will that will not be probated, the next of kin must complete the Affidavit for a Vehicle with a Deceased Owner form and supply a copy of the death certificate for the owner. The next of kin will sign as seller in place of the deceased owner.

A title has two owners joined by and, one is now deceased, how do I transfer the title?

  • The deceased owner’s name must be removed from the title.
  • If the owner had a will that was or will be probated, the executor/administrator of the estate must provide a copy of the Letter of Testamentary and sign as seller in place of the deceased owner. The name of the executor/administrator on the Letter of Testamentary must be printed exactly the same on the title.
  • If the owner did not have a will or had a will that will not be probated, the next of kin must complete the Affidavit for a Vehicle with a Deceased Owner form and supply a copy of the death certificate for the owner. The next of kin will sign as seller in place of the deceased owner.

A title has two owners joined by or, one is now deceased, how do I transfer the title?

  • The deceased owner’s right to the vehicle is now forfeited to the surviving owner.
  • The surviving owner does not have to transfer the title into only their name; the title can be left as is.
  • If the surviving owner wants to remove the deceased owner’s name from the title, then they must bring the title and a copy of the death certificate to one of our offices.

How do I add a lien to my manufactured home?

  • If the lienholder is an Alabama Designated Agent, then they must add the lien to your title.
  • If the lienholder is not an Alabama Designated Agent, then the owner(s) must bring the title and lienholder information to our office.

I recently paid off my manufactured home. How do I remove the lien from my title?
The owner(s) must bring the title and lien release letter, if applicable, to our office in order to remove the lien.

The certificate of origin or certificate of title for a manufactured home that is not more than 20 model years old, as determined by the department, and is permanently affixed to a parcel of real property may be cancelled if the ownership of the manufactured home and real property is identical. The term “permanently affixed” means that the tongue, axles and wheels have been removed from the manufactured home and it has been installed in accordance with the Installation Rules and Regulations of the Alabama Manufactured Housing Commission as found in chapters 535-X-12 and 535-X-13.

Either the original retail purchaser or lienholder as recorded on the certificate of origin, or the titled owner or owner’s lienholder as recorded on the certificate of title or listed on a completed surety bond may apply for cancellation of a certificate of origin or certificate of title. The request for cancellation must be made through a designated agent appointed by the Alabama Department of Revenue. The department, upon approval of the cancellation request, will issue a certificate of cancellation of the certificate of origin or cancellation of the certificate of title to the manufactured home in accordance with the following procedures:

Cancellation of Certificate of Origin/Title

The original retail purchaser or lienholder for the original retail purchaser, or titled owner or owner’s lienholder as recorded on the certificate of origin/title must apply for a cancellation of certificate of origin/title through a designated agent of the department.

A designated agent will use the Electronic Title Application Processing System (ETAPS) to prepare a Form MVT 5-39E “Notice of Cancellation of a Certificate of Origin or Alabama Certificate of Title for a Manufactured Home Classified as Real Property” by entering the following information concerning the manufactured home:

  • Primary supporting document type (Alabama title or manufacturers certificate of origin)
  • Manufactured home identification number(s)
  • Year model, make, model, New/Used, color, date of purchase
  • Owner’s name and owner’s address
  • County of fixation

Note: The terms “manufactured home identification number” and “vehicle identification number” are used interchangeably within this rule.

ETAPS will assign a unique document control number (DCN) and creation date to each completed MVT 5-39E. The MVT 5-39E will be valid for 90 days from its creation to be used in conjunction with the Form MVT 5-44E “Application for Cancellation of Certificate of Origin/Title”.

All parties who have ownership in both the manufactured home and the realty to which the manufactured home has become permanently affixed must sign the MVT 5-39E attesting to the fact that the manufactured home has been permanently affixed, and recorded as real property.

Note: No more than two owners can be recorded on a certificate of cancellation.

The MVT 5-39E must be signed by the judge of probate (or his/her designee) in the county where the manufactured home is located attesting to the fact that the manufactured home has been recorded in that office as real property.

A designated agent will use ETAPS to complete an MVT 5-44E “Application for Cancellation of Certificate of Origin/Title”, for each manufactured home identification number listed on the MVT 5-39E, based on information listed on the MVT 5-39E.

The designated agent shall assemble the cancellation package (MVT 5-44E, MVT 5-39E, certificate of origin/title for each separate unit, lien release, etc.), and submit it to the department. The title application and Alabama Housing Foundation fees as required by Section 32-20-4, Code of Alabama 1975, as amended, shall be sent electronically through ETAPS utilizing either an Automated Clearing House (ACH) transaction or credit card payment.

The department will examine the documents received and, if approved, issue a Certificate of Cancellation For A Certificate of Origin/Title For A Manufactured Home Classified As Real Property, in the name of the first retail purchaser or the titled owner.

Certification of Cancellation by Posting a Surety Bond

When the current owner or owner’s lienholder is not properly recorded on a certificate of title, such parties may post a bond by applying through a designated agent.

In addition, if the department is not satisfied as to the ownership of the manufactured home or that there are no undisclosed security interests in it, as a condition of issuing a certificate of cancellation, the department may require the applicant to file with the department a surety bond executed by a person/company authorized to conduct a surety business in this state, or in lieu of, a deposit of cash with the department in the amount of the required bond.

The bond shall be conditioned to indemnify any prior owner and lienholder and any subsequent purchaser of the manufactured home or person acquiring any security interest in it.

A single bond shall be required for each manufactured home.

The bond shall be in an amount equal to fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00) for manufactured homes less than ten (10) model years old and twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) for all manufactured homes ten (10) model years old and less than 20 model years old, or in lieu of, a deposit of cash in the amount of the required bond will be accepted.

A designated agent will use the Electronic Title Application Processing System (ETAPS) to partially complete a Form MVT 11B “Manufactured Home Bond Form” by entering the following information for the manufactured home:

  • Manufactured home identification number(s),
  • Vehicle year, vehicle make, vehicle model, vehicle color,
  • New/Used,
  • Owner’s name and owner’s address,
  • Date of purchase, and
  • County of affixation.

Note: A maximum of four (4) manufactured home identification numbers can be entered on the Form MVT 11B, if the manufactured home contains more than one unit.

Note: ETAPS will print identical MVT 11B forms for each manufactured home identification number listed, because a separate MVT 11B is required for each unit of the home. The same certificate of title surety bond number will be recorded on each of the MVT 11B forms.

Note: ETAPS assigns the bond amount to the MVT 11B in accordance with section (b) (3) of this rule.

ETAPS will assign the partially completed MVT 11B a unique document control number (DCN) and creation date. The MVT 11B will be valid for 90 days from date of creation to be used in conjunction with the Form MVT 5-39E.

The MVT 11B shall be completed and executed by a surety company licensed and duly authorized to do business in Alabama.

A designated agent will use ETAPS to prepare a Form MVT 5-39E by entering the document control number (DCN) assigned to the MVT 11B, or in accordance with subsection (a) (2).

All parties who have ownership in both the manufactured home and the realty to which the manufactured home has become permanently affixed must sign the MVT 5-39E attesting to the fact that the manufactured home has been permanently affixed, and recorded as real property.

The MVT 5-39E must be signed by the judge of probate (or his/her designee) in the county where the manufactured home is located attesting to the fact that the manufactured home has been recorded in that office as real property.

A designated agent will use ETAPS to complete an Application for Cancellation of Certificate of Origin/Title (MVT 5-44E), for each manufactured home identification number listed on the MVT 5-39E, based on information listed on the MVT 5-39E.

The designated agent shall assemble the cancellation package (MVT 5-44E, MVT 5-39E, MVT 11B, and bond endorsement), and submit it to the department. The title application and Alabama Housing Foundation fees as required by Section 32-20-4, Code of Alabama 1975, as amended, shall be sent electronically through ETAPS utilizing either an Automated Clearing House (ACH) transaction or credit card payment.

The department will examine the documents received and, if approved, issue a Certificate of Cancellation For A Certificate of Origin/Title For A Manufactured Home Classified As Real Property, in the name of the owner.

Chapter 20 of Title 32, Code of Alabama 1975 does not provide for the issuance of a replacement certificate of cancellation. In the event that a certificate of cancellation is lost, stolen, mutilated, destroyed, or becomes illegible, a replacement certificate of cancellation cannot be issued. However, records of the cancellation may be obtained by completing the form MV DPPA1 (See rule 810-5-1-.485).