Mobile Homes
Mobile homes are titled as vehicles and the titling options vary depending on the circumstance. Mobile homes can be titled and taxed as personal property. Mobile homes can also be affixed to the land and taxed as real property.
The process of titling a mobile home can be complicated. The transaction is completed in the Treasurer and Auditor offices. Depending on the transaction, customers may also need to visit one of the following offices: Assessor, Planning department, local title company, Labor & Industries, or Department of Revenue.
- Title Transfers and Original Purchases
- Title Eliminations
- Removal from Real Property
- Moving or Destroying Mobile Home
Selling or Purchasing a Mobile Home
First, a tax record must be established or updated at the Treasurer’s office.
Second, the mobile home title transaction is processed at the Auditor’s office Licensing division. Note: Licensing subagents cannot title mobile homes.
The Assessor’s office updates the property record ownership after the mobile home transaction is completed.
Some transaction types require additional paperwork including inheritance, divorce, changing your name, putting your home into a trust, lienholder out of business, ownership in doubt, or you can't find the title. Contact our offices to review the requirements. Common title transactions are outlined below:
Transferring Ownership (New owner, adding or removing an existing owner)
The first step in transferring an existing mobile home is to contact the Treasurer’s office. There you will complete the required tax clearance form. The Treasurer's office will collect any excise tax or fees due and approve the tax clearance form.
The second step is to contact the Auditor's office Licensing division to transfer the ownership record with the Department of Licensing (DOL). All new registered owners must be present with photo ID or have their signature notarized on a Vehicle Title Application.
- Documents required can vary but typically include the signed Certificate of Ownership (title) or notarized Affidavit of Loss/Release of Interest, Bill of Sale, and the tax clearance form from the Treasurer's office. If the mobile home is older than 1976, the sellers must also complete a Mobile Home Notice Affidavit.
- Once the paperwork is processed, the Assessor's office is notified to update the property record ownership.
Ownership changes are complete once the record is updated in all three offices: Treasurer, Auditor, Assessor.
Brand New Mobile Home
The dealership where you purchased the mobile home will often title the mobile home for you. You may wish to ask the dealer if this is the case in your situation. If the dealership gives you the Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin/Certificate of Origin (MSO/MCO), it is up to you to title the mobile home.
The first step is to go to the Treasurer’s office with the purchase documents. After presenting the MSO/MCO, complete any required tax clearance forms and pay any applicable taxes and fees.
The second step is to go to the Auditor's office Licensing division to create an ownership record with DOL. Documents required can vary but typically include the MSO/MCO, the dealer invoice, and the tax clearance form from the Treasurer's office. All registered owners must be present with photo ID or have their signature notarized on a Vehicle Title Application. The fee payable to DOL depends on your transaction and tax due. Once the paperwork is processed, the Assessor's office is notified to update the the property record ownership.
Ownership records are complete once the record is created in all three offices: Treasurer, Auditor, Assessor.
Mobile Home Title Elimination
The title elimination process ties the mobile home ownership to real property. Complete the Manufactured Home Application by following the Application Instructions for Title Elimination. The forms are available at the Auditor's office or online here.
The ownership names on the application must exactly match the names on the deed to the real property involved.
Once the Manufactured Home Application is completed, contact the Treasurer's office to pay any applicable taxes or fees and receive a tax clearance form.
Then proceed to the Auditor’s office Licensing division to have your application reviewed for completion. You will need to present the Manufactured Home Application, your ownership document (Certificate of Ownership/Title, MSO, Affidavit of Loss/Release of Interest), and tax clearance form. A licensing clerk will sign the Manufactured Home Application to approve the elimination.
Once approved, take the Manufactured Home Application to the Auditor's office Recording division to have the document recorded. Recording fees apply.
Return to the Auditor's office Licensing division with your recorded Manufactured Home Application to finalize the title elimination in the DOL system and pay the $75.50 fee (fee may vary with your circumstance). You will receive a Mobile Home Elimination Certificate as proof the elimination process was completed.
Once the paperwork is processed, the Assessor's office will add the title elimination to the property profile found on the Real Property Search.
Removal From Real Property
The Removal From Real Property process detaches the mobile home from the real property and reinstates the Certificate of Ownership (title) with Department of Licensing (DOL). This is often done when selling and/or removing the mobile home from the property. If the mobile home is being moved, follow the steps above outlined under the Moving or Destroying Mobile Home tab.
Complete the Manufactured Home Application by following the Application Instructions for Removal From Real Property. The forms are available at the Auditor's office or online here.
Once the Manufactured Home Application is completed, contact the Treasurer's office to pay any applicable taxes or fees and receive a tax clearance form.
Then proceed to the Auditor’s office Licensing division to have your Manufactured Home Application Removal From Real Property reviewed for completion. You will need to present the completed Manufactured Home Application Removal From Real Property and the tax clearance form. A licensing clerk will sign the Manufactured Home Application to approve the Removal From Real Property.
Once approved, take the Manufactured Home Application Removal From Real Property to the Auditor's office Recording division to have the document recorded. Recording fees apply.
Return to the Auditor's office Licensing division with your recorded Manufactured Home Application Removal From Real Property, certified copy of the Manufactured Home Application Title Elimination, and tax clearance form to finalize the Removal From Real Property. This step initiates a Certificate of Ownership (title) in the DOL system. Fees range between $50 - $100. The Certificate of Ownership (title) is mailed by DOL in 6-8 weeks. Quick titles may be available in certain circumstances for an additional $50 fee.
Once the paperwork is processed, the Assessor's office will update the property profile found on the Real Property Search.
Moving a mobile home
Before a mobile home can be legally moved, a Tax Certificate for Mobile Home Movement must be completed by the Assessor’s office. Different steps may need to be taken according to your circumstances. Contact the Assessor’s office at least 48 hours prior to the move.
An advance tax may be required if the mobile home is moving out of county, out of state, to storage, or after September 1st of the current appraisal year.
Moving must be done by a legal mover who has current WSDOT (Washington State Department of Transportation) and WUTC (Washington State Utilities and Transportation Commission) numbers. You may contact the Assessor’s office for verification.
When you are ready to move, please contact the Assessor’s office with the following information:
- Pickup and delivery location of the mobile home
- An approximate moving date
- The mover’s name
- If there will be a change of ownership
The Assessor’s office will prepare the Tax Certificate for Mobile Home Movement and work with the Treasurer’s office to calculate any taxes or fees that may be applicable. The Assessor's office needs 48 hours notice of a move for the Tax Certificate to be processed.
Please note that mobile homes built before 1976 will require an additional step of obtaining a Labor and Industries (L&I) inspection. The L&I website has additional information.
Once the steps above are completed it is possible to pick up the Tax Certificate for Mobile Home Movement at the Assessor's office and proceed to the Treasurer's office. The Treasurer's office will collect any applicable taxes and fees and provide orange moving cards that must be affixed to the mobile home prior to moving.
If ownership is changing at the time of the move, the steps to transfer ownership can be found here.
Destroyed Mobile Home
If a mobile home has been destroyed by a natural disaster such as a fire, flood, etc., or you have had it demolished notify the mobile home clerk in the Assessor’s office. This enables the mobile home to be removed from the tax rolls so it will not be taxed in future years. Based on the circumstances the mobile home clerk may ask you to fill out a Tax Assessment for Reduction of Assessments. This may qualify you for a refund of back taxes depending on the circumstances of the destruction. Contact the mobile home clerk in the Assessor’s office for additional details.
To obtain a county demolition permit for a mobile home located outside of city limits, contact the county Planning and Development department. This permit notifies an appraiser from the Assessor’s office to confirm the mobile home has been demolished. A Destroyed Property Affidavit is not required in this circumstance.
Questions?
Assessor's Office at 360-778-5050 or emailing [email protected]
Auditor's Office at 360-778-5100 option 1 or emailing [email protected]
Treasurer's Office at 360-778-5160 or emailing [email protected]