If you're refinancing, buying or selling a manufactured or mobile home that was altered, a lender may ask you to prove the work was permitted and inspected.
Use the information on this page to check for permits that have been filed for past work, or purchase a Homeowner Requested Inspection to identify unpermitted work. At the inspection, the inspector will let you know what work was done without a permit; and give you a report letting you know what permits you will need to be in compliance.
Did the alterations require a permit?
Check the list of which alterations require permits — it could save you time and money. The work that was done may not have needed a permit.
If the work did require a permit, check our database to see if one was filed.
Search for a permit
Go to our Permit Search database, and then follow these steps:
- Under Permit Type, select Manufactured / Mobile Home.
- Under Date Permit was Purchased, input Applied Beginning Date, for example, 1/1/2008 (records only kept for 6 years).
- Input Applied End Date, for example, 1/1/2009.
- Under Site Information, input the Site Address (just the number not the whole address such as 254).
- To improve your search results, enter the county where the property is located.
- Click LOOK UP.
- If you don’t find that a permit was taken out, then you will need to buy the required permit and request the inspection.
Contact us
FAS1@Lni.wa.gov
1-800-705-1411 Option 3
Mailing address
Washington State Department of Labor & Industries
PO Box 44430
Olympia, WA 98504-4430
Location
7273 Linderson Way SW
Tumwater, WA 98501
Manufactured and mobile homes require permits and L&I inspections when they are altered. A manufactured or mobile home can be identified by one or more of the following labels or components:
- A certification label from U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) attached to the exterior side of the end wall opposite the hitch.
- A metallic label (insignia) on the end wall opposite the hitch (or on older units may be next to the front or back door) issued by L&I that is (or was) red.
- Some or all of the following components:
- A steel frame that supports the floor.
- A data plate on the interior of the home that contains the name and address of the manufacturer as well as a statement "or manufactured home is designed to comply with ..." as well as other information. It is usually located near the main electrical panel box, in the laundry area, inside a closet, on a cabinet door in the bathroom, laundry room, or kitchen.
- A heat loss certificate that specifies the heating zone for which the home was designed as well as other data pertaining to the home.
- A serial number stamped on the front metal crossmember.
- A title issued by the Washington State Department of Licensing.
- The furnace and water heater have markings on them specifying that they may be used in manufactured/mobile homes.
- The main electrical panel box has 4 wires coming into it.
- The electric range and electric dryer have 4 connection points.
- There are labels on the exterior walls near each of the services (i.e. water inlet, electrical inlet, and sewer drain).
What if the identifying plates can't be found?
Usually, a title to a manufactured or mobile home will have a serial number on it. HUD can also issue a certificate.
Identify labels
Below are some examples of what you might find when looking for a particular label:
Commercial coach label
Food truck/trailer label
MFG home alteration label
Modular label
Recreational park trailer label
Recreational vehicle (RV) label
Temporary worker housing label
Contact us
FAS1@Lni.wa.gov
1-800-705-1411 Option 3
Mailing address
Washington State Department of Labor & Industries
PO Box 44430
Olympia, WA 98504-4430
Location
7273 Linderson Way SW
Tumwater, WA 98501
Below you will find common acronyms related to manufactured homes and other mobile structures.
A/C - Air Conditioner.
CC - Commercial Coach - Trailers used as temporary buildings that are mounted on a chassis (i.e. contractor site offices & temporary work trailers). It cannot be used as a single-family residence.
Certification Label - A permanent label from HUD on each transportable section of every manufactured home for sale or lease in the United States. This label is separate and distinct from the data plate which the manufacturer provides.
Data Plate - The plate permanently affixed near the main electrical panel or other readily accessible and visible location by the manufacturer.
Decertified/Decertification - A mobile/manufactured home deemed unfit for living by local jurisdiction but the owner is allowed to use only as storage. The home will be decertified following the steps in the Decertification of Manufactured and Mobile Homes (F622-063-000) document.
DEMO - Demolition - A mobile/manufactured home deemed unfit for living by local jurisdiction (other than L&I). The owner will be required to demolition/destroy the home and L&I will, as a courtesy, inspect to verify for the local jurisdiction that the home has been demolished.
EL - Electrical
FAS - Factory Assembled Structures - Any structure assembled or built in a factory that can be used for residential or commercial needs (i.e., Manufactured Homes; Commercial Coach; Food Vendor units; Recreational Vehicles).
FBS - Factory Built Structure - Another term for FAS.
HRI - Homeowner Requested Inspection - An inspection to determine what, if any, alteration inspections are required. Generally an HRI is used in cases of home sales or refinancing.
HP - Heat Pump.
HUD - Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Insignia - Metal Label put on end wall opposite hitch (or on older units, may be next to front door) issued by L&I.
LV - Low Voltage - Fire Alarm systems and Security systems.
Medical Unit - Self-propelled unit used to provide medical examinations, treatments, etc. These units are transportable, temporarily placed and used, built on a permanent chassis, and include at least one system.
MH - Manufactured Home - Single family housing unit built according to the Department of HUD national, pre-emptive building code.
MH - Mobile Home - A factory built dwelling built prior to June 15 1976, to standards other than the code, and acceptable under applicable state codes in effect at the time of construction, or upon introduction of the home into the state.
Modular Structure - A modular structure is one that is transported to a site. It must meet state rules for construction. Approved modular structures bear a gold-colored insignia from L&I.
PLMG - Plumbing.
RPT - Recreational Park Trailer.
RV - Recreational Vehicle.
STU - Structural
Vendor/Concession Unit (VEN) - A motor vehicle or other structure converted or built to be used for commercial sales at temporary locations (for example, a food truck).
WS - Wood Stove.
Contact us
FAS1@Lni.wa.gov
1-800-705-1411 Option 3
Mailing address
Washington State Department of Labor & Industries
PO Box 44430
Olympia, WA 98504-4430
Location
7273 Linderson Way SW
Tumwater, WA 98501
Are you buying or selling a manufactured or mobile home?
If you are preparing to buy or sell a manufactured or mobile home, you may be asked by your realtor, lender, or appraiser to get an L&I inspection to identify unpermitted work or, you may decide you need one.
Do you know what unpermitted work has taken place?
- Yes: Instead of purchasing an HRI permit, purchase a manufactured or mobile home permit for the work that was done.
- No: An HRI can help you identify unpermitted work that has previously taken place. After an HRI, you will need to purchase additional permits for any unpermitted work or corrections identified.
If there is no unpermitted work or you have a self-supporting structure nearby, you may also be asked by your lender to get an HRI to verify this.
About buying a homeowner requested inspection
When you buy an HRI, you will need to supply basic site information before making the purchase.
An HRI is an inspection only to identify unpermitted alterations. Any unpermitted work or corrections the inspector finds will require additional permitting.
After purchasing your HRI permit, you will need to request your inspection.
Other ways to buy an homeowner requested inspection
By mail
- Download a Permit & Inspection Application (F622-036-000)
- Mail the completed form and your payment to the L&I office nearest you.
With My L&I — for contractors
You can track account balances and review your L&I permits and inspection history.
- Sign up or login to My L&I to buy permits and request inspections or,
- Open a Contractor Deposit (CD) account with L&I, an owner or principle of the company must first complete and sign the Application to Establish an Factory Assembled Structure Deposit Account with the Dept. of Labor & Industries (F120-116-000) and submit it to L&I following the directions on the application. Once registered, you can deposit money into your CD account using the Account Deposit for Factory Assembled Structures Account Holders (F622-081-000) form.
- Pay for permits with a credit/debit card or an e-Check, a one time withdrawal from your checking account.
Go to the L&I office nearest you
- Download and complete the Factory Assembled Structures Alteration Application (F622-036-000) or pick one up at your local L&I office.
- Pay by cash, check, money order, or credit/debit card at your local L&I office.
Request an inspection
After you buy an HRI, and you are ready, you can request the inspection online or in person at a local L&I office.
After you've made the request, your inspector will call you when scheduling inspections in your area. It takes about 10 days for the HRI to take place after you've made the request.
At the inspection, the inspector will let you know if work was done without a permit and give you a report letting you know what permits you will need to be in compliance.
Then, if necessary, you will need to buy the required permits and request the inspections.
Contact us
FAS1@Lni.wa.gov
1-800-705-1411 Option 3
Mailing address
Washington State Department of Labor & Industries
PO Box 44430
Olympia, WA 98504-4430
Location
7273 Linderson Way SW
Tumwater, WA 98501