Statement of Ownership: Title Transfers for Texas Manufactured Homes
In Texas, a manufactured home does not have a DMV title. Instead, ownership is tracked by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs through a document called the Statement of Ownership, often abbreviated SOL (historically "Statement of Ownership and Location"). If you are buying, selling, refinancing, or inheriting a manufactured home in Texas, you cannot close the deal cleanly until a new Statement of Ownership is issued in the correct name with the correct lien status. This guide walks through how the process works and how to avoid the most common mistakes.
Quick Answer: The Statement of Ownership is the official TDHCA-issued proof of ownership for any manufactured home in Texas. To transfer ownership, the seller signs the existing SOL or a bill of sale, and the buyer files an Application for Statement of Ownership (TDHCA Form 1023) along with the $55 issuance fee. That fee is charged per application, not per section, so a single-wide and a triple-wide both cost $55. Standard processing is 15 working days once TDHCA has a complete file. Priority Handling adds $55, for $110 total, and gets the application reviewed within five working days.
Why Texas Uses a Statement of Ownership Instead of a DMV Title
Before 2003, manufactured homes in Texas were titled through the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, similar to cars and RVs. That changed when the Legislature moved authority to TDHCA and created the Statement of Ownership system. The reasoning was that manufactured homes are housing, not vehicles, and they need a document that can reflect real-estate-style status, including whether the home has been converted to real property and where it is physically located.
A Statement of Ownership lists the home's HUD label numbers, VIN or serial numbers, make, model, year, section count, current owner of record, any lienholders, and the physical address where the home sits. It also records whether the home is classified as personal property (chattel) or has been elected as real property and merged into the land title. That election matters enormously for financing, property tax treatment, and resale value. For background on that distinction, see our guide to mobile home park vs private land and our overview of Texas manufactured home regulations.
How to Apply for a Statement of Ownership
The primary form is the Application for Statement of Ownership, TDHCA Form 1023. You submit it to the TDHCA Manufactured Housing Division along with supporting documents and the $55 issuance fee. TDHCA also accepts Statement of Ownership applications through its online system.
Fees and Processing Times
This is the part most people get wrong. The TDHCA fee is charged per application, not per section. A single-wide, a double-wide, and a triple-wide all pay the same $55. The only fee that scales with section count is the Texas Seal, and that only applies when the home has no HUD label on it.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Statement of Ownership issuance (any size home) | $55 per application |
| Priority Handling (optional, reviewed within 5 working days) | $55 more, so $110 total |
| Texas Seal, only if the home has no HUD label | $35 per section ($35 single, $70 double, $105 triple) |
| Late filing fee if the seller files after the 60th day from the date of sale | $100 |
| Certified copy of a current Statement of Ownership | Free on request |
| Standard processing time | 15 working days from the date TDHCA receives a complete application, not counting mail time |
Fees must be paid by certified funds, cashier's check, or money order made payable to TDHCA-MHD, and they are non-refundable. Priority Handling is worth the extra $55 if you have a closing date lined up, or if the buyer is financing and the lender needs TDHCA confirmation before funding. Note that Priority Handling speeds up the review, not any inspection that may be required.
Fee amounts come from the TDHCA Manufactured Housing Division fee schedule (Form 1022) and are subject to change by the MHD Governing Board. Confirm current amounts on the TDHCA Statement of Ownership instructions page before you mail a payment.
Where to Send It
Completed applications go to the TDHCA Manufactured Housing Division in Austin (P.O. Box 12489, Austin, TX 78711-2489). Always double-check the current mailing address and form versions on the official TDHCA Statement of Ownership instructions page. You can also confirm processing status online using the home's label or serial number.
Required Documents
A clean Statement of Ownership application usually includes all of the following:
- Completed Form 1023, the Application for Statement of Ownership, signed by the buyer and notarized where required
- Proof of ownership transfer, typically the current SOL signed over to the buyer, or a chain of bills of sale if no SOL exists
- Tax statement or paid-in-full receipt from the county tax assessor-collector. TDHCA requires this when the home was sold within the previous 18 months, and the document must reference the HUD label or serial number
- Lien release from any prior lender if the home was financed
- Copy of the HUD label or data plate where applicable, or a TDHCA-issued alternative label letter
- Government-issued photo ID for the new owner
- Filing fee in the correct amount
If the home is being moved, you also need a moving permit, which comes from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles rather than TDHCA. Include a copy with the application. The new setup also gets reported to TDHCA through a Notice of Installation, which carries its own fee of $75 for the first section and $25 for each additional section. Moving triggers additional paperwork, which is covered in our article on how to buy, move, and sell a used mobile home in Texas.
Common Rejection Reasons
TDHCA rejects a significant percentage of applications on first submission. The most frequent problems are easy to avoid if you know what to watch for.
- Missing tax certificate. TDHCA will not issue a new SOL if the county shows delinquent taxes. Get the tax certificate before you file, not after.
- Unreleased prior lien. If a previous loan was paid off but the lender never filed the release with TDHCA, the old lien still appears on the record. You need a signed, notarized lien release from the lender.
- Mismatched VIN or label numbers. Serial numbers on the home, on the existing SOL, and on the application must all match exactly. A single transposed digit is enough to bounce the file.
- Missing notarization. Certain blocks on Form 1023 require notary acknowledgment. A notary stamp on the wrong page is a common cause of rejection.
- Incorrect fee. The $55 issuance fee itself is flat, but people still short the payment by forgetting an add-on, most often the $35-per-section Texas Seal fee on a home with no HUD label, or the $55 Priority Handling fee they thought they had paid for. Fees also have to be certified funds, a cashier's check, or a money order made out to TDHCA-MHD. A personal check comes back.
- Filing late. If the seller does not get the application and fee to TDHCA before the 61st day after the date of sale, TDHCA assesses a $100 late fee against the seller, and the new title can be held until it is paid.
- No HUD label or data plate info. For homes built after June 15, 1976, TDHCA wants the red HUD certification label number. If missing, you need a label verification letter from HUD through the Institute for Building Technology and Safety.
Lien Releases and Lender Payoffs
When a manufactured home is financed, the lender is recorded as a lienholder on the Statement of Ownership. The loan must be released on the TDHCA record before a clean transfer can happen. This is where deals often stall.
After payoff, the lender is legally required to file a release, but many lenders are slow. As a seller, request the release in writing at payoff and follow up weekly. As a buyer, insist on seeing the recorded release before you hand over funds. If the lender has gone out of business or merged, you may need to contact the successor institution or work with a real estate attorney to get a bonded release through TDHCA.
For consumer-protection context around manufactured home financing and payoff practices, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau manufactured housing page is a useful reference.
Electing Real Property Status
One of the most valuable options on the Statement of Ownership is the real-property election. If you own both the home and the land, and the home is on a permanent foundation, you can file a Statement of Ownership electing treatment as real property along with a Statement of Location in the county real property records. Once that election is recorded, the home is treated like a stick-built house: conventional mortgages become available, interest rates drop, and the home is taxed as real property instead of personal property.
To reverse the election, you file a Statement of Ownership reversing treatment as real property, which returns the home to personal-property status, usually so it can be moved. Both directions require owner signature, lienholder consent where applicable, and updates to the county real property records.
Tips for a Smooth Transfer
- Pull the current SOL from TDHCA before you close so you can see any surprise liens or ownership mismatches up front.
- Get a current tax certificate from each taxing jurisdiction, not just the county.
- Use a TDHCA-licensed retailer, broker, or real estate attorney for complex transfers, especially inheritances and abandoned homes.
- Pay for Priority Handling if you have any deadline at all. $55 is cheap insurance.
- File within 60 days of the date of sale. Past that, the seller eats a $100 late fee.
- Keep the new SOL with your other real estate records; you will need it to sell, refinance, or move the home later.
If you are planning to sell to a cash buyer, our guide to selling your mobile home walks through how Statement of Ownership timing interacts with closing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a Statement of Ownership for a home built before 1976?
Yes. Pre-HUD mobile homes still require a Statement of Ownership if they are in Texas and have changed hands since 2003. TDHCA issues SOLs for older homes, but you may need additional documentation because they lack the red HUD label. A label verification letter is not required for pre-1976 homes; TDHCA has a separate process for them.
Can I get a Statement of Ownership on an abandoned home?
Possibly. If you own the land and the home has been abandoned, TDHCA has an abandoned home procedure that requires a notice to the last known owner, a waiting period, and an application. You usually need a licensed retailer or attorney to help, because the process has strict notice and evidence requirements.
How do I transfer a Statement of Ownership after the owner dies?
You file with TDHCA using the probate documents (Letters Testamentary or an Affidavit of Heirship) plus the standard application and fee. If the estate is not going through probate, an Affidavit of Heirship recorded in the county real property records is usually enough for TDHCA to transfer the home to the heirs.
What happens if a Statement of Ownership is lost?
Start with the free options. If the home is currently titled as personal property or retailer inventory, you can print a copy of the record straight from the TDHCA website. A certified copy of a current Statement of Ownership with no changes is also free on request, by mail, fax, or email to TDHCA processing. You only pay the $55 issuance fee if the original title is lost or destroyed and TDHCA has to issue a new Statement of Ownership, which takes a Form 1023 application plus a lien release or lienholder consent if a lien is on record.
Do I still need a Statement of Ownership if the home is on my land as real property?
Yes. Even after you elect real-property status, the TDHCA record still exists and must be kept accurate. The SOL continues to reflect the home's identity, the real-property election, and any lienholders. Failing to keep the SOL current is a common reason title companies refuse to insure a sale later.
Title questions slowing down your sale or purchase? Mobile Buy Buy works with TDHCA on Statement of Ownership transfers every week. Call (737) 777-9437 or start a buyer inquiry and we will walk you through the paperwork.