Minnesota Manufactured Home Titling has had many changes over the past several decades affecting the process. More specifically, many of those changes pertain to titling manufactured homes when the home is considered real property. As a Minnesota Modular and Manufactured Home Dealer we have witnessed how these changes have brought about an abundance of confusion and unknowns for consumers, realtors and lenders. Our goal is to educate others and hopefully answer some of the great Minnesota Manufactured Home Titling unknowns.
Minnesota Manufactured Home Titling: New Homes
Do all new manufactured homes have a title? This can be a tricky question because technically when a new manufactured home is built the home is issued a Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin. Once the home is sold to a consumer the Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin must either accompany an Application to Title a Vehicle (Form# PS2000-44) or a Manufactured Home Affixed to Real Property (Form# PS2725-02) form.
Now, you might wonder how to determine if the home should be titled or surrendered. Here is a simple answer:
- If you are placing the home on leased property, such as a mobile home community or you are renting the location, the home is considered personal property. The home must be TITLED.
- If you are placing the home on private property that you own and have a Mortgage this home is then permanently affixed to real property. In this scenario the Certificate of Origin would need to be SURRENDERED to the Driver and Vehicle Services and it is canceled. Once it is surrendered the homeowner then needs to record the Affidavit of Affixed Manufactured Home to Real Property with the county recorder or register of titles for the county where the real property on which the manufactured home is affixed or located.
Minnesota Manufactured Home Titling: Used Homes
For used homes is Minnesota Manufactured home titling any different than with new homes? The answer is YES! In order to transfer used manufactured homes in Minnesota from one person to another, two items are needed.
Those items are:
- Title: This title will look just like a motor vehicle title. The Seller must sign off as the seller and the Buyer must sign as the buyer and complete the application portion on the title. Within 10 days the Seller must also complete the Seller’s Notice of Sale.
- Taxes Paid Statement. The owner of the manufactured home must obtain a tax clearance form signed by the assessor and/or auditor treasurer from the county where the home is located. This form states that there are no current or delinquent taxes due. Taxes must be paid in full for the entire year before they will issue this tax clearance. The Department of Motor Vehicle will not transfer the title unless the title is accompanied by the taxes paid statement.
Minnesota Manufactured Home Titling: Title Issues
Due to the fact that laws and processes have changed over the years, people run into Minnesota Manufactured Home Titling issues when they decide to sell their Manufactured home. In order to alleviate some of the issues, a new section of Minnesota law was passed (MN Statute 168A.143). This law allows the Department of Public Safety Driver and Vehicle Services to issue titles where titles or Certificates may have been lost. Stay tuned for further discussion on Minnesota Manufactured Home Titling issues.
