USDA Manufactured home loans

Some additional rules for a USDA manufactured home

Additions/ Structural modifications to the home

Additions and modifications are prohibited except for porches, decks, or other structures built to engineered designs, inspected, and approved by a local building code official.

Permanent foundation requirements

A certification letter from a licensed structural engineer is required. Must be permanently affixed to a foundation conforming to 'Permanent Foundations Guide for Manufactured Housing Standards.'

Foundation skirting

Non-load bearing skirting must be permanently attached to concrete, masonry, or wood backing and must allow for ventilation of space. (HUD Model Manufactured Home Installation Standards, HUD Review of Manufactured Housing Installation Standards and Instructions, Mortgagee Letter 2009-16).

HUD Data Plate and HUD Certification Label

2" x 4" aluminum plate located at one end of each section of the house, approximately one foot up from the floor and one foot in from the roadside, or as near that location on a permanent part of the house's exterior as practicable. It contains a certification label number. Label numbers are not required to be sequential on a multi-section house. The Appraiser will note the number(s) on the appraisal. In addition to providing the numbers from the HUD Data Plate and Certification Label(s) affixed to the manufactured home, the Appraiser must also provide photos of this information. A duplicate HUD Data Plate from the Institute for Building Technology and Safety (IBTS) may be available.

Manufacture date limitation

Effective May 5, 2025, USDA guidelines permit the purchase of an existing manufactured home and land. Must have a manufacture date that is within 20 years from the date of loan closing and meets or exceeds the Federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standard (FMHCSS) as evidenced by both an affixed HUD Certification label and HUD Data Plate. The manufacture date can be found on the data plate located inside the home.

Minimum size

400 sq. ft. – Single & Multi-wide

No second moves

The structure can only be moved from the factory or original dealer's lot to the current property site. If the property has been moved since the original installation, it is not eligible for financing.

The Tow Hitch and Running Gear Must be Removed.