Check these before you buy or move a home
- Age: Polk's set-up checklist says pre-1976 mobile homes may not be moved unless it's a forced move, citing state rules.
- Used homes: in unincorporated Polk, a home more than 3 years old needs a pre-inspection before a set-up permit can be issued. A state-licensed dealer or a Florida architect or engineer can certify it instead. See Sec. 716 of Chapter 7.
- Data plate: Polk's used-home standard says it must show compliance with Wind Zone II and Climatic Zone I. Look before you pay.
- Condition: floors, walls, roof, wiring and the bottom board must meet the standard, and if repairs would cost more than the home is worth, Polk won't issue a set-up permit. See Polk's used home standards.
- Location: inside Lakeland city limits, mobile homes are allowed only in legally established parks. See Lakeland's zoning FAQs. Elsewhere, check zoning first.
- Parks: a home bought to stay in a park needs the park's approval, which can't be unreasonably withheld.
Who can do the work
- FLHSMV says only licensed mobile home installers may set up a home in Florida. State law defines setup to include transporting, positioning, blocking, leveling, foundation products and connecting utilities. See Fla. Stat. 320.822.
- Polk says homeowners can't pull owner-builder permits for setups, and a licensed installer must be on every application. See Polk's set-up checklist.
- Electrical work beyond connecting crossovers needs a licensed electrician.
- An installation decal with the date, the installer's name and license number goes next to the HUD label (Fla. Stat. 320.8249).
- For a new home, the installer's warranty lasts at least 12 months from the certificate of occupancy (Fla. Stat. 320.835).
- Check the installer on FLHSMV's list.
What Polk's set-up permit asks for
- A dimensioned site plan showing all structures, steps, the septic tank and the drain field.
- A pocket penetrometer soil test and anchoring affidavit from the installer.
- A blocking plan, plus a model-specific anchoring system and floor plan.
- A skirting affidavit.
- Before the first inspection: a current Florida registration in your name, or a manufacturer's certificate, or the invoice and data plate, plus a recorded Notice of Commencement.
- On septic: a septic permit or contingency letter from the Department of Health. In a registered park, a lot approval from the department.
In the City of Lakeland
Lakeland requires a setup permit for a new or replacement home in a mobile home community. The package includes the permit worksheet, a soil test, the manufacturer's information on the brace, a site plan, a floor plan, a blocking diagram, skirting details, and the title or data plate showing the home's age. See Lakeland's permit checklists. City permits from January 2014 to October 2026 include about 500 mobile home set-ups and replacements, and about 240 demolitions.
Polk impact fees are going up
Unincorporated Polk publishes impact fees for mobile homes. In 2026 they total about $7,400 to $7,600 per space in a park, and about $13,200 to $13,400 on a private lot, depending on the zone. On January 1, 2027, they rise to about $7,900 to $8,200 and about $16,000 to $16,400. Ask the county whether a credit applies if you're replacing a home. See Polk County permitting.
The steps of a move
- Line up the site, the permits and the park's approval before the home moves.
- Disconnect utilities, and remove skirting, steps and any attached decks or porches.
- Transport the home, with oversize permits and any escorts the route needs.
- Prepare the ground, then set piers and footings and level the home.
- Anchor it against wind.
- Join sections and connect crossovers for water, drains, ducts and electrical, then test them.
- Seal the belly and exterior, then add skirting, vents and steps.
- Pass final inspections. In Polk, power isn't released until skirting passes.
What a move costs
- Full-service move: about $5,000 to $8,000 for a single-wide, $8,000 to $15,000 for a double-wide, and $12,000 to $20,000 or more for a triple-wide.
- Transport only: about $1,000 to $2,000, $2,000 to $3,500, and $3,000 to $5,000.
- Setup alone, if it's not included: about $3,000 to $5,000.
- These are from HomeGuide. A transport-only price assumes the home is already disconnected and ready to go. Distance, permits, escorts, site work, new skirting and impact fees are often extra, so compare quotes line by line.
Land, title and taxes
If you own both the home and the land, and the home is tied down and connected to utilities, Florida taxes it as real property, with an RP sticker (Fla. Stat. 193.075). A separate process retires the title, so the home conveys by deed with the land (Fla. Stat. 319.261). If you're financing, ask your lender what it needs. Some loans call for a foundation certification.
Questions to ask before you sign
- What's your FLHSMV installer license number?
- Is this transport only, or full service? What exactly is included?
- Who gets the permits and schedules inspections?
- Who handles the plumbing, electrical and AC hookups?
- Who repairs damage from the move?
- What's the warranty on the setup?