Can I change my Park Model into a Regular House?

I have a park model home and have made upgrades to my home. I was told I need a HUD label now. How do I get one?

A HUD label means your home was built to HUD’s residential standards. You have to have permits and inspections during the original construction, before the work is covered up.

Regardless of the upgrades made to your park model, it is not possible to obtain a HUD label on any structure that was not produced and inspected as a manufactured home in accordance with HUD’s Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards and Regulations during its original construction.

HUD Logo U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development FAQ

Park  Model building standards are not the same as the standards for homes.  They are only supposed to “provide temporary living quarters for recreational, camping. or seasonal use.” Park Models are “not intended as a permanent dwelling unit…”

PARK MODEL RECREATIONAL VEHICLE – also known as Recreational Park Trailer and Park Model

As defined in ANSI A119.5, Park Model Recreational Vehicle Standard, 2015 Edition
A single living unit that is primarily designed and completed on a single chassis, mounted on wheels, to provide temporary living quarters for recreational, camping. or seasonal use, is certified by the manufacturer as complying with all applicable requirements of ANSI Al19.5 and:
(a) Has a gross trailer area not exceeding 400 square feet (37.15 square meters) in the setup mode or
(b) If having a gross trailer area not exceeding 320 square feet (29.72 square meters) in the setup mode, has a width greater than 8.5 ft. (2.59 meters) in the transport mode.

As defined by Article 552.2, NEC
A unit that is built on a single chassis mounted on wheels and has a gross trailer area not exceeding 37 m² (400 ft²) in the set-up mode.

General Requirements per Article 552.4, NEC
A park trailer as specified in 552.2 is intended for seasonal use. It is not intended as a permanent dwelling unit or for commercial uses such as banks, clinics, offices, or similar.

A Park Model is built to Recreational Vehicle standards.

RECREATIONAL VEHICLE: (defined by HUD in 24 CFR 3282.8 (g) Manufactured Home Procedural and Enforcement Regulations

As defined by HUD in 24 CFR 3282.8 (g) Manufactured Home Procedural and Enforcement Regulations
A recreational vehicle is a vehicle which is:
(1) Built on a single chassis;
(2) 400 Square feet or less when measured at the largest horizontal projections;
(3) Self-propelled or permanently towable by a light duty truck; and
(4) Designed primarily not for use as a permanent dwelling but as temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, travel, or seasonal use.

As defined in Article 551, NEC
A vehicular-type unit primarily designed as temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, or travel use, which either has its own motive power or is mounted on or drawn by another vehicle. The basic entities are travel trailer, camping trailer, truck camper, and motor home.

As defined in ANSI A119.5, Park Model Recreational Vehicle Standard, 2015 Edition
A vehicular type unit primarily designed as temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, travel or seasonal use, that either has its own motive power, or is mounted on, or towed by another vehicle. The basic entities are: camping trailer, fifth wheel trailer, motor home, travel trailer and truck camper.

But I have made a lot of improvements! It is not a camper anymore. I added a whole new roof and walls and everything. Now I want to get a loan based on my home equity.

I’m sorry. It really is important to pull permits and pass inspections before you cover up the work.

It may still be possible to sell the home to an investor. You can still have inspections done that can give some confidence in the quality of the work.

Can you build a shed and then decide to turn it into a house?

How can I tell if my house is a park model or a regular trailer?

Look for the data plate. The data plate is paper.

What is a Data Plate?

The Data Plate is a paper label affixed inside the home and is the size of a standard sheet of paper (8 ½” x 11”). The Data Plate can be found in a kitchen cabinet, an electrical panel, or a bedroom closet.  The Data Plate has maps of the United States to inform the owner of the Wind Zone, Snow Load, and Roof Load of the home

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Certification Labels (HUD Tags)

It is not the same thing as the metal tag on the outside of the home.

This is the manufactured home Label or Tag. It certifies that the home has been inspected during construction and has passed residential home standards.

As evidenced by this label (number) the manufacturer certifies to the best of the manufacture’s knowledge and belief that this manufactured home has been inspected in accordance with the requirements of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and is constructed in conformance with the federal manufactured home construction and safety standards in effect on the date of manufacture. See Data Plate.

The tag is not the data plate, but if there is a tag, there was almost certainly a data plate at one time, somewhere.

What is a HUD Label?

The Certification Label (also know as a HUD tag) is a metal plate that is affixed to the outside of the manufactured home.  Section 3280.11(b) states, “The label shall be approximately 2 in. by 4 in. in size and shall be permanently attached to the manufactured home by means of 4 blind rivets, drive screws, or other means that render it difficult to remove without defacing it. It shall be etched on 0.32 in. thick aluminum plate. The label number shall be etched or stamped with a 3 letter designation which identifies the production inspection primary inspection agency and which the Secretary shall assign. Each label shall be marked with a 6 digit number which the label supplier shall furnish. The labels shall be stamped with numbers sequentially.”