California Mobile Home Permit Search: Find Installation Permits, Inspections & HCD Records
A California mobile home permit search can involve the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), a city or county building department, a mobilehome park enforcement agency, or the county recorder. The correct place to search depends on what was installed, altered, inspected, or recorded.
If you are checking a manufactured home before buying, verifying completed work, planning an installation, or trying to resolve an old permit, start by identifying the type of record you need. California does not use one public database for every mobilehome-related permit.
Which California Mobile Home Permit Record Are You Trying to Find?
The phrase “mobile home permit” can describe several different records. Searching the wrong agency is one of the main reasons a permit appears to be missing.
Before searching, decide whether you need proof of the original installation, an alteration permit, a park construction permit, an inspection result, a permanent-foundation record, or an ordinary local building permit connected with site work.
Home alteration or conversion
Start with HCD’s manufactured-housing permit information. Structural, fire-safety, plumbing, mechanical, and electrical alterations to regulated units can require HCD review, permitting, and inspection.
Work inside a mobilehome park
Determine whether HCD or an approved city or county Local Enforcement Agency (LEA) administers park-related enforcement for that location.
Permanent foundation / real property
Look for the local building permit, Certificate of Occupancy where applicable, and recorded HCD 433A documentation. The county recorder becomes important because the completed 433A is recorded in the county where the property is located.
Ordinary city or county site permits
Local planning, grading, utility, driveway, septic, floodplain, or building approvals may exist separately from HCD records. Search the responsible local agency for the property address.
Who Handles Mobile Home Permits in California?
The California Department of Housing and Community Development regulates major parts of the manufactured-housing system. HCD manages registration and titling and provides permitting and inspection services for regulated manufactured housing activities.
Mobilehome parks add another jurisdiction layer. HCD is the state-designated enforcement agency for mobilehome and special occupancy parks, but an approved city or county may assume enforcement responsibility and operate as a Local Enforcement Agency.
| Record or task | Likely starting point | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Alteration to the manufactured/mobilehome unit | California HCD | Permit requirement, HCD MH 415, plans, inspection status |
| Construction or installation within a mobilehome park | HCD or approved park LEA | Who is the enforcement agency for that park and lot |
| Foundation system attaching home to real property | Local enforcement/building agency | Building permit, inspection, occupancy approval, recorded HCD 433A |
| Recorded permanent-foundation document | County Recorder | Recorded HCD 433A and property identification |
| Registration and title | HCD Registration & Titling | Current ownership and registration records |
| Local zoning, grading or site approvals | City or county | Property jurisdiction and local project requirements |
How to Perform a California Mobile Home Permit Search
A good search begins with the property and unit information, not with a random permit portal. Collect enough identifiers to distinguish the home, parcel, park lot, and project.
- Identify the property jurisdiction. Determine whether the home is in a mobilehome park, on privately owned land, inside an incorporated city, or in an unincorporated county area. A mailing city alone may not tell you which building agency has jurisdiction.
- Identify what work occurred. Separate original installation, permanent-foundation work, structural alterations, electrical or plumbing changes, accessory structures, park improvements, and ordinary site work.
- Check the HCD route. Use HCD’s Permits & Inspections information and, when applicable, Codes and Standards Online Services.
- Determine the park enforcement agency. If the home is in a mobilehome park, confirm whether HCD or a local city/county LEA handles enforcement. Do not assume the ordinary city building department controls every park permit.
- Search local building records. For work under city or county jurisdiction, search by address, assessor parcel number, permit number, or other identifier accepted by the local portal.
- Check recorder records when a foundation conversion is involved. A recorded HCD 433A can be an important document when a manufactured home is installed on an approved foundation system as an improvement to real property.
- Confirm final inspection or completion. Finding an issued permit does not by itself prove that every inspection passed. Look for final approval, an occupancy record when required, or direct confirmation from the responsible agency.
Information worth collecting before you search
- Property street address and county
- Assessor parcel number when available
- Mobilehome park name and space number, if applicable
- HCD registration or identifying information available on your records
- Permit, application, document tracking, or inspection number
- Contractor name and license number
- Approximate year the home was installed or altered
- Any HCD 433A, Certificate of Occupancy, permit card, or inspection document already in your files
California Manufactured Home Installation Permits
Installation permits depend heavily on the site. Installing a unit in a mobilehome park is not the same permit path as installing a manufactured home on individually owned real property.
For park work, HCD’s Mobilehome Park program regulates construction, use, maintenance, and occupancy under state rules, except where an approved LEA has assumed enforcement responsibilities. HCD forms for park construction include the HCD MP 50 Permit to Construct application, and a plot plan may also be required for certain installations or accessory structures.
Installation in a mobilehome park
Before submitting paperwork, verify the enforcement agency for the park. If HCD is the enforcement agency, follow the applicable HCD permit route. If a city or county is the approved LEA, contact that agency for its submission and inspection procedure.
Park management approval and government approval are not the same thing. A park may require its own authorization, but that does not replace a government permit when state regulations require one.
Installation on privately owned real property
For permanent-foundation installations, the local enforcement agency issues the relevant building permit and reviews the required foundation documentation. Local planning, floodplain, utilities, grading, septic, fire, or public-works requirements may also apply depending on the property.
How California Mobile Home Inspections Fit Into the Permit Record
Permit issuance and inspection approval are separate milestones. A project may have an issued permit but still need rough, corrective, reinspection, final, or occupancy-related approval before the work is complete.
For alterations to regulated mobilehomes and manufactured homes, HCD employees perform on-site inspections involving structural, fire-safety, plumbing, mechanical, and electrical systems. HCD also provides inspection processes for other manufactured-housing matters, including certain insignia situations.
When reviewing an existing property
If you are buying or refinancing a manufactured home, do not stop after finding a permit number. Read the inspection history and determine whether the permit was finalized. If an online system does not clearly show final status, contact the agency that issued the permit.
Park maintenance inspections are different
HCD also conducts Mobilehome Park Maintenance inspections in areas where it has enforcement responsibility. These inspections address park health and safety conditions and are not a substitute for researching a specific construction permit on an individual home or accessory structure.
What Is HCD Form 433A?
HCD 433A is the “Notice of Manufactured Home, Mobilehome, or Commercial Modular Installation on a Foundation System.” It is important when a qualifying unit is installed on a foundation system as an improvement to the underlying real property.
The process involves more than filing a form. HCD’s instructions state that a building permit is required from the enforcement agency for the foundation system. The applicant must provide required ownership and lien information, plans and specifications, installation instructions or appropriately prepared plans, and applicable fees.
What happens after installation?
After the required installation work and inspections are complete, the enforcement agency completes the applicable approval process. The 433A instructions describe recordation with the county recorder and transmission of required records to HCD.
For property research, that means a permanent-foundation installation may leave records in both the local building department and the county recorder’s index. Searching only the HCD permit area or only the local permit portal may miss part of the history.
Documents to look for in a permanent-foundation file
- Building permit for the foundation installation
- Approved plans or manufacturer installation documentation
- Inspection approvals
- Certificate of Occupancy when applicable
- Completed and recorded HCD 433A
- County recorder document reference
- Related HCD registration or title documentation
Permits for Mobile Home Alterations in California
Before altering a mobilehome or manufactured home, check HCD’s current permit requirements. HCD identifies form HCD MH 415 as the Manufactured Housing Permit Application for regulated alteration work.
Depending on the project, the application package can require plans, calculations, manufacturer specifications, or other technical information. The exact requirements depend on the scope rather than the homeowner’s description of the job as “minor” or “remodeling.”
| Project area | Why to check first | Starting resource |
|---|---|---|
| Structural changes | Changes can affect the regulated structure and engineered design. | HCD Modifications & Alterations |
| Electrical | Service, circuits, equipment, or load changes may require review and inspection. | HCD permit guidance |
| Plumbing or gas | Regulated systems may require a permit and inspection. | HCD permit guidance |
| Mechanical equipment | HVAC or other regulated equipment can fall within alteration requirements. | HCD permit guidance |
| Accessory structure in a park | Park construction rules and the park enforcement agency may apply. | HCD/LEA park permit route |
Use HCD’s manufactured-housing forms page to obtain the current form rather than relying on an old downloaded copy.
Check the Contractor Before Installation Work Starts
HCD states that a C-47 General Manufactured Housing Contractor license is required for a contractor that installs or prepares for moving a manufactured home, mobilehome, or multifamily manufactured home.
The California Contractors State License Board describes the C-47 classification as covering installation, alteration, repair, preparation for moving, accessory structures, and foundations within the classification’s authorized scope.
Before signing a contract
- Verify the contractor’s current license status with CSLB.
- Confirm the classification fits the proposed work.
- Match the business name and license number to the contract.
- Ask who will obtain each required permit.
- Keep permit numbers and inspection records with your property file.
Official classification information
Use CSLB rather than a commercial directory when deciding whether a contractor is properly licensed for the project.
California Mobile Home Permit Fees and Processing Time
There is no single fee that applies to every California mobile home permit. Charges depend on the type of permit, reviewing agency, project scope, inspections, plan review, and whether local approvals are also required.
HCD publishes current permit and inspection fee information and explains payment methods for applications submitted to the department. Some projects also generate separate city, county, utility, recorder, planning, or other governmental charges.
Why online estimates can be misleading
A quoted permit fee may cover only one part of the project. For example, a foundation installation may involve a local building permit and recording steps, while an alteration may require HCD plan review and inspection. Obtain the current amount from the agency handling your specific application.
Plan-review timing
Complex projects that require plans are not instant permits. HCD advises applicants to submit required plans, calculations, and specifications and provides plan-check guidance for applicable construction permits. Incomplete submissions can pause the approval process until requested information is supplied.
What to Do When You Cannot Find a Mobile Home Permit
The address returns no result
Check whether the record is indexed under a park name, space number, parcel number, permit number, document tracking number, or a different jurisdiction. Older records may not be searchable using the same fields as newer records.
The city says it has no permit
Confirm whether the project was under HCD, a park LEA, another local agency, or the county. A city building department is not necessarily the correct agency for every mobilehome park project.
You found a permit but no final inspection
Contact the issuing agency and ask whether the permit remains open, expired, cancelled, or otherwise incomplete. Do not infer completion from the permit issue date.
Work was done without a permit
Do not conceal or continue questionable work. HCD advises owners to obtain required permits for unpermitted regulated changes before inspection when applicable. Local agencies may have their own correction or after-the-fact procedures.
The 433A cannot be located
Check the local building department and the county recorder. Confirm the owner name, property description, parcel information, and approximate recording date before concluding that no document exists.
You do not know which agency enforces the park
Use HCD’s mobilehome park information and Local Enforcement Agency resources, or contact HCD for assistance identifying the responsible enforcement authority.
Buying a California Manufactured Home? Check More Than the Permit
A permit search is only one part of due diligence. Buyers may also need to evaluate title and registration, permanent-foundation documentation, additions or accessory structures, outstanding correction notices, park approvals, and the physical condition of the home.
Buyer permit-history checklist
- Match the unit and property identifiers to the documents.
- Search local permits for the parcel or address.
- Determine whether HCD or a park LEA has relevant records.
- Look for final inspections, not only issued permits.
- Verify permanent-foundation paperwork when represented as real property.
- Compare visible additions, porches, decks, awnings, utilities, and remodels with available permits.
- Ask the responsible agency about unclear, expired, or open permits.
- Use qualified legal, title, building, or real-estate professionals when the transaction depends on the result.
If the property is within Los Angeles, separate the city permit history from statewide HCD records. Our LADBS permit search guide explains City of Los Angeles permit and inspection tools, while the Los Angeles building permit search guide helps distinguish city and county building-record routes.
Official California Mobile Home Permit Resources
Use official government pages for applications, fees, jurisdiction decisions, and final permit status. Third-party guides can help explain the process, but they cannot issue permits or certify government records.
HCD contact reference
California HCD lists its Division of Codes and Standards at 9342 Tech Center Drive, Suite 500, Sacramento, CA 95826, and publishes the statewide Codes and Standards contact number as (800) 952-8356. Verify contact details on the official site before mailing time-sensitive documents.
California Mobile Home Permit Search FAQs
Is there one statewide California mobile home permit search?
No single public search covers every mobilehome or manufactured-home permit in California. Records can be held by HCD, a local enforcement agency, a city or county building department, or the county recorder depending on the project.
What form is used for a California manufactured-home alteration permit?
HCD identifies form HCD MH 415 as the Manufactured Housing Permit Application for regulated alteration work. Use HCD’s current forms page before filing so you do not rely on an outdated copy.
How do I know whether HCD or a county handles my mobilehome park?
Check HCD’s park and Local Enforcement Agency information. HCD is the state-designated park enforcement agency, but an approved city or county can assume enforcement responsibility.
What is HCD 433A used for?
HCD 433A documents qualifying installation of a manufactured home, mobilehome, or commercial modular on a foundation system as an improvement to real property. The process involves the enforcement agency and recording with the county recorder.
Can I search a 433A through the county recorder?
A completed 433A for the permanent-foundation process is recorded with the county recorder, so recorder records are an important search route. Indexing methods vary by county, so use owner, property, parcel, and document information available to you.
Does an issued permit mean the mobile home passed inspection?
No. Permit issuance allows approved work to proceed; it does not automatically establish that every required inspection was completed. Check the final inspection or completion status with the issuing agency.
Do I need a permit to remodel a manufactured home in California?
Many structural, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, fire-safety, and other regulated alterations require a permit. Review the HCD Modifications and Alterations guidance for the specific work before construction begins.
What contractor license should I check for manufactured-home installation?
HCD states that a C-47 General Manufactured Housing Contractor license is required for contractors who install or prepare for moving the covered manufactured-housing units. Verify the contractor directly through CSLB.
Where do I look for permits on a manufactured home in Los Angeles?
First determine whether the record belongs to HCD, a mobilehome park enforcement agency, the City of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, or another municipality. For ordinary City of Los Angeles building records, LADBS tools are a useful starting point, but they do not replace HCD records where HCD has jurisdiction.
What should I do if work was completed without a permit?
Contact the agency that has jurisdiction before performing more work. The appropriate agency can explain whether an after-the-fact permit, inspection, corrections, plans, or other documentation will be required.
What to Do Next
Start by identifying whether your question concerns the manufactured home itself, a mobilehome park lot, a permanent foundation, or ordinary local site work. Then search the agency that actually had jurisdiction over that part of the project.
For HCD-regulated work, use the official HCD Permits & Inspections and manufactured-housing pages. For local permits, search the responsible city or county. For a permanent-foundation conversion, include the local building record and county-recorder search rather than relying on only one database.
If a permit or inspection status will affect a purchase, sale, financing decision, construction project, or legal question, obtain direct confirmation from the responsible government agency and appropriate licensed professionals.