Manufactured homes are titled, similar to a vehicle, when they leave the factory. This is a requirement of the Department of Transportation. There will even be a VIN number (unfortunately, there is no formal VIN format so whether it is a serial number or an actual VIN number; therefore, these are not useful for identifying the home in any sort of central repository).When the home reaches its site location, the owner may have choices. If the home is being sited in a land-lease community, most often, the home will retain its title and the owner would pay a yearly registration fee. If the home is sited on fee land (privately held land), the home owner will generally have the choice of retaining the title or surrendering the title. If the owner chooses to retain the title, the home is considered chattel (personal property) and a yearly registration fee would be paid. However, the owner may choose to surrender the title in which case the home would then be deeded with the land (real estate). If the home is deeded with the land, the owner would be a yearly property tax on the home and land combined.

There are some benefits for the owner should they choose to surrender the title. The home owner may find more finance options for the land/home combination. They would have a singular annual bill rather than paying registration on the home and taxes on the land. However, once surrendered, the homeowner cannot move the home without first severing the home from the land legally.