Sell Your Mobile Home in Alabama
In Alabama, check the model year: homes from model year 2000 onward need titles.
At a glance
Alabama mobile homes at a glance
Mobile homes in Alabama
286,771
12.3% of all homes in the state
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (2020-2024).
Selling steps
How a sale works in Alabama
Your Alabama home's model year tells you whether to look for a title. After that, check registration, sale papers and any move permits.
- 1
Read the model year
Check the model year first, because Alabama requires titles for homes from model year 2000 onward.
- 2
Check for canceled titles
Find any papers showing title cancellation after permanent installation and removal of the wheels and hitch.
- 3
Gather the sale papers
For a home that needs a title, bring the signed title and bill of sale.
- 4
Get the application started
Ask an office approved by Alabama Revenue to prepare and submit your title application.
- 5
Check before a move
If moving, ask the county about permit exceptions and proof of paid taxes or current registration.
Park or land
In a park, or on your own land
Your Alabama home's location affects taxes and registration. Check whether it needs a title and whether the buyer plans to move it.
In a mobile home park
If your Alabama home sits on someone else's land, it needs registration and decals. Its model year decides whether it needs a title.
- Registration and decals on rented land
- Title needed for newer model years
- Permit exceptions for some moves
Read more
County move-permit exceptions cover specified dealer, manufacturer and lienholder moves, plus homes brought into or through Alabama. Other required transport permits still apply. The Alabama Manufactured Housing Commission says hiring an uncertified installer breaks the law. If the buyer plans relocation, discuss both transport and installation before agreeing to the move.
Alabama has 286,771 mobile homes, or 12.3% of housing units, based on the Census Bureau's American Community Survey for 2020-2024.
For a county move permit, bring proof of applicable tax payment or current registration, along with issuance fees and penalties.
On land you own
If you sell without land, you can send an Alabama home request. Check whether permanent installation led to a canceled title.
- 2000+ homes: same owner as land
- 2000+ homes: wheels, axles, tongue off
- Check the title cancellation papers
Read more
Title cancellation for qualifying model-year 2000 or newer homes requires identical home and land ownership. Check title status with the titling agency before a separate sale. The department's agent prepares MVT 5-39E and MVT 5-1E for cancellation. With the land excluded, a home on its owner's land is taxed as a land improvement unless rented or leased for business.
An Alabama home sold together with the land sells as real estate, generally through a closing attorney, real estate agent or title company. Requests including that land are not passed on by this site.
The rules, with sources
Alabama rules for selling a mobile home
Check your Alabama home's model year and title records first, then match the tax, registration and permit requirements to your planned sale or move.
See all Alabama rules
| Who titles the home | Alabama Department of Revenue, through designated agents source |
|---|---|
| Ownership document | Certificate of title for each separately titled unit source |
| Transferring it in a private sale | For a home subject to titling, the seller supplies the properly assigned title and bill of sale. sourceMoreA designated agent generates the title application and submits the ownership documents, supporting documents and fees; a home not already titled in Alabama requires identification-number inspection. |
| If the title is lost | The first lienholder, or otherwise the named owner or legal representative, applies through a designated agent or the public title portal using Application for Replacement Title, Form MVT 12-1. source |
| Tax clearance | Yes. Before issuing the county move permit, Rule 810-4-2-.09 requires proof of payment of applicable ad valorem tax or current registration and issuance fees and penalties. sourceMoreThe rule exempts specified dealer, manufacturer and lienholder moves and homes transported into or through Alabama. |
| How the home is taxed | A home on its owner's land, when not rented or leased for business purposes, is assessed as an improvement to the land for ad valorem tax. sourceMoreHomes on someone else's land and business rental homes instead fall under manufactured-home registration and decal requirements. |
| Sales tax on a used home | Rule 810-6-1-.33 expressly subjects casual manufactured-home sales to sales or use tax under sections 40-23-100 et seq. sourceMoreIts related provision excludes homes constituting real property from those manufactured-home casual sales/use taxes. |
| When it counts as real estate | For a model-year 2000 or newer home, identical ownership of home and land and permanent installation with tongue, axles and wheels removed permit title cancellation. sourceMoreThe designated agent prepares MVT 5-39E and MVT 5-1E; owners and the probate judge or designee certify the recorded real-property status, and the agent submits titles, lien releases and the cancellation package. |
| Moving the home | A nonexempt home move requires the county revenue move permit in addition to other legally required permits, including applicable ALDOT oversize/overweight authorization. sourceMoreAMHC states that contracting with an uncertified installer violates the law. |
| Who needs a dealer licence | Rule 535-X-17-.03 requires annual AMHC licenses for manufacturers and retailers/dealers selling homes shipped into or sited in Alabama, including businesses rebuilding or selling rebuilt units. sourceMoreThe rule also covers out-of-state manufacturers and retailers. |
- Alabama requires titles for manufactured homes of model year 2000 and newer and expressly excludes model-year 1999 and older manufactured homes from titling. source
- AMHC Rule 535-X-12-.04 restricts bringing homes without a HUD label and data plate into Alabama, with an exception for a trade-in to an Alabama-licensed retailer. source
More
It also bars specified structurally altered or flood-, wind- or fire-damaged homes from out-of-state relocation.
Sell options
Other ways to sell in Alabama
Guides
Read before you sell
Selling a mobile home in Alabama: common questions
Still unsure? Send us a question and we will answer it in plain words.
Does my older Alabama mobile home need a title?
Model-year 1999 and older manufactured homes are excluded from Alabama titling. The title requirement starts with model year 2000. Check the year before looking for a replacement title for an older home.
How do I replace a lost mobile home title in Alabama?
Use Application for Replacement Title, Form MVT 12-1, through the department's agent or public title portal. The first lienholder applies if there is one. Otherwise, the named owner or legal representative applies.
Is a private Alabama mobile home sale subject to sales tax?
Yes, a private sale between two owners is subject to Alabama's manufactured-home sales or use tax. Homes that are real property are excluded from those taxes. Selling privately does not by itself make the transaction tax-exempt.
What if my home has never been titled in Alabama?
A home that needs a title must have an identification-number inspection if it has never been titled in Alabama. The department's agent sends the ownership papers, supporting documents and fees with the application.
Can a damaged mobile home be brought into Alabama from another state?
Alabama bars out-of-state relocation of specified structurally altered or flood-, wind- or fire-damaged homes. Its rules also restrict entry without a HUD label and data plate, with an exception for qualifying trade-ins to an Alabama retailer. Check the applicable restrictions with the Alabama Manufactured Housing Commission.
Does Alabama require a title for each unit of a multi-section home?
Yes, each separately titled unit has its own certificate of title. If your home needs titles, bring the assigned titles and bill of sale. The department's agent prepares the application.
Hear from a buyer in Alabama
Tell us where the home is and what shape it is in. One buyer in our network that buys there contacts you.