Was a manufactured home in Iowa moved?
Which offices hold the records in Iowa, what to ask them, and when an engineer's inspection settles it.
Request a visit
How do you find out if a manufactured home in Iowa was moved?
In Iowa, the county treasurer handles a manufactured home's title, and the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing runs the state's manufactured housing program. Those two offices are where a move leaves its paperwork.
Where the records are
- Title records. The county treasurer handles the certificate of title and reports to the state Department of Transportation. Ask the treasurer for the title history.
- Installation. The Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing runs the Manufactured Modular Housing Program.
- Real property records. When a home is converted to real property, its title is surrendered to the county treasurer and details go to the county recorder. The rules depend on where the home sits, so ask the treasurer which apply.
- The home itself. When the paper trail stops, an engineer inspects the home and reports what the installation shows.
When the records run out
Places we go
- Des Moines
- Cedar Rapids
- Davenport
- Sioux City
- Waterloo
- Dubuque
- Council Bluffs
- Ames
Who to call first
Start with the treasurer in the county where the home sits now, and in the county it came from if you know it.
Read first
What the data plate and HUD labels tell youWhere to find the data plate and HUD label, what they identify, and what to do if one is missing.
Records that show a manufactured home was movedWhich records can show a manufactured home was moved, and how to weigh what you find.
It was moved: what happens now?The practical steps to take once you know a manufactured home was moved.