Park Model Home VS Mobile/Manufactured Home
How to Tell the Difference Between a Park Model Home and a Mobile/Manufactured Home
Here are the most reliable ways to distinguish them, in order of certainty:
1. HUD Data Plate (Most Definitive Method)
Every manufactured/mobile home has a HUD Data Plate affixed somewhere inside the unit, typically inside a kitchen cabinet, near the electrical panel, or on a bedroom wall. It explicitly says “manufactured home” and carries a HUD certification number. Park model homes do not have a HUD Data Plate.
2. ANSI Certification Label
Park model homes carry a small metal label on the exterior, usually on the rear of the unit, that reads “ANSI A119.5.” If you see that label, it is a park model. If you see a HUD label instead, it is a manufactured home.
3. Size
The main body of a park model home cannot exceed 400 square feet. Anything larger is a manufactured home. Lofts, screen rooms, and add-on porches are excluded from that calculation, but the primary structure must stay within the 400 sq ft limit.
4. Title and Registration
In Florida the distinction shows up clearly in the paperwork. A park model home is titled as a Recreational Vehicle and registered under that category with FLHSMV. A manufactured home carries a Mobile Home Title, also through FLHSMV but under an entirely separate classification.
5. VIN and Serial Number Format
Both types carry a VIN on the chassis, but the format differs. Park model VINs are structured under RV manufacturer codes and appear in the RV registry when searched. Manufactured home VINs follow the HUD format and appear under the mobile home registry.
6. Visual Clues (Helpful but Not Definitive)
Park model homes tend to look like small cottages with steeper rooflines, dormer windows, and loft dormers. Manufactured homes are typically longer, more rectangular, and built with flatter rooflines. These are general tendencies, not hard rules, so never rely on appearance alone.
Quick Reference Table
| Feature | Park Model Home | Manufactured Home |
|---|---|---|
| Building Standard | ANSI A119.5 | HUD Code |
| Identifying Label | ANSI exterior label | HUD Data Plate inside |
| Maximum Size | 400 sq ft main body | No size limit |
| Florida Registration | Registered as RV | Registered as Mobile Home |
| Installer License | Florida State Contractor | FLHSMV Licensed Installer |
If you have a specific unit in front of you and still cannot tell, take the serial number and run it through the FLHSMV online lookup system. If it comes back under the RV category, you are looking at a park model. If it comes back under the mobile home category, it is a manufactured home.
