Mobile home eviction is different from regular eviction in one huge way: you own the house, but the park owns the ground under it. This guide explains what that means for your rights, how much notice the park must give you, and what to do in the first 48 hours after you get a notice. It also covers what happens to your home if you lose the lot.
How Mobile Home Eviction Actually Works
In most states, an apartment landlord can end a month-to-month lease for almost any reason. Park owners usually cannot. Because moving a manufactured home costs roughly $5,000 to $15,000, legislatures wrote special statutes to protect owners like you. These laws are often called a Manufactured Home Landlord-Tenant Act or a Mobilehome Residency Law. Typically, they list the only legal reasons a park may end your tenancy.
Those reasons are usually narrow. For example, they include unpaid lot rent, repeated late rent, a serious park rule violation you did not fix, illegal activity, or the park closing entirely. A vague complaint is not enough. As a result, the notice you receive must state the real reason in writing — and if it does not, the case may be defective from day one.
Notice periods vary a lot by state. Here are exact figures from four states with strong park acts:
| State | Unpaid lot rent | Rule violation | Park closing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida (Ch. 723) | 5-day written demand to pay | 7 days to cure; 30 days if repeated within 12 months | 6 months’ notice |
| California (Civ. Code 798.56) | 5-day grace, then 3-day notice, then 60-day termination | 7 days to cure a reasonable park rule | 6 months’ notice of change of use |
| Washington (RCW 59.20.080) | 14-day pay-or-vacate notice | 20 days to comply or vacate | 12 months’ notice |
| Oregon (ORS 90.630, 90.645) | 30-day notice for repeated late rent (3 in 12 months) | 30 days to cure | 365 days’ notice plus $6,000 single-wide / $8,000 double-wide / $10,000 triple-wide (adjusted yearly) |
Notice those Oregon numbers. That is real money the park must pay you, not a suggestion. Several states have similar relocation funds. You can find your state’s rules through our mobile home tenant guides by state.
Mobile Home Eviction: Your Rights, Step by Step
Step one: read the notice and write down the date you got it. Step two: check whether it names a legal reason under your state’s park act. Step three: see if it gives you a cure period — a window to pay or fix the problem. In most cases, paying the full amount inside that window kills the eviction. Step four: pay by a traceable method. Use a money order or check and keep a photo of it.
Step five: file your answer even if you also plan to settle. An answer preserves your defenses. Common defenses in a mobile home eviction include a notice that skipped a required cure period, rent the park refused to accept, retaliation after you complained about park conditions, or charges that are not legal lot rent. Step six: bring your paperwork to court — lease, rent receipts, texts, photos, and the notice itself.
The Mistakes That Cost Tenants
The most expensive mistake is moving out early. Many people read a notice, panic, and leave the home behind. However, walking away does not erase the debt, and an abandoned home can be sold or destroyed under state abandonment law. You may lose $30,000 of equity to settle $900 of back rent. Stay until you have advice or a court order.
The second mistake is ignoring the difference between the lot and the home. A judgment for possession gives the park the lot back. Your home is separate property. In many states, you have a set window after judgment to sell the home in place or remove it. Ask the court clerk what that window is where you live.
The third mistake is paying rent in cash with no receipt. In a mobile home eviction hearing, the case often turns on who can prove what was paid. Fourth, do not assume the park’s late fees, utility charges, or “administrative” fees are all legal. Several state park acts cap or ban certain fees, and an inflated demand notice can sink the park’s case.
When to Get Help (Legal Aid or an Attorney)
Call for help the same day you receive any notice or court paper. This is not an area to handle alone. Park act cases are technical, and the deadlines are short. A local legal-aid office may represent you for free, and some states have manufactured-housing specialists who do nothing else.
To find free help, start at LSC’s legal aid finder or your state court’s self-help portal. HUD-approved housing counselors are also free; you can search them at HUD’s counselor directory. If you want a plain-English definition of terms like “unlawful detainer,” see Cornell’s Wex entry on unlawful detainer.
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Bring three things to your first call: the notice, your lease, and your payment records. Ask directly whether your state’s park act applies to you, and whether the notice you got met its requirements. Many tenants in park-act states can beat a defective notice, but only if someone checks it in time. Check with your court or a local legal-aid office before you agree to anything in writing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the park keep my mobile home if I am evicted?
Not automatically. The eviction returns the lot to the park, not the home. However, if you abandon the home or ignore post-judgment deadlines, state abandonment or lien law may let the park sell it — so get advice before you leave.
Does paying the back rent stop a mobile home eviction?
Often, yes, if you pay in full within the cure window. For example, Florida law lets a court deny an eviction order for good cause when you pay everything owed and this has not happened more than twice. Rules differ by state, so confirm yours.
What if the park is closing or being sold?
Closure usually triggers the longest notice in the whole statute — six months to a full year in several states — and sometimes a relocation payment. Some states also give residents a first chance to buy the park. Ask a legal-aid office right away, because those windows open and close fast.
Protect your stuff while you sort this out
A landlord’s insurance does not cover your belongings — renters insurance does, often for a few dollars a month. Compare options before your next move.
Find Your State’s Exact Rules
Notice periods, deposit caps, and the eviction timeline all change from state to state. Pick your state to see the exact days, dollar limits, and steps that apply where you live.
See Tenant Rights in All 50 States →
Sources & How to Verify
The rules on this page are drawn from official government and legal-aid sources. Tenant law changes, so always confirm the exact rule with your state’s statute or a local legal-aid office.
- HUD: hud.gov — federal renter protections and fair housing
- Legal Services Corporation: lsc.gov — find free legal aid in your state
- Cornell Legal Information Institute: law.cornell.edu/wex — plain-English legal definitions
- Your state statute & court self-help portal: search “[your state] landlord tenant act” and “[your state] court self-help eviction” for the exact law and forms
Content last reviewed August 2026. If you notice outdated information, please contact us.
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- Tenant Rights by State (50-State Guide)
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- Tenant Rights Legal Glossary
Informational only — not legal advice. Tenant Rights Info is an independent educational resource, not a law firm, and this page does not provide legal advice. Landlord-tenant law varies by state and city and changes over time, so always verify the exact rule with your state’s statute, your local court’s self-help portal, or a legal-aid office. For urgent situations like an active eviction, contact a local legal-aid office or a licensed tenant attorney in your state right away.