How to Transfer a Mobile Home Title in Arizona
By Jared Vidales
Updated · 6 min read
Table of Contents
In Arizona, transferring a mobile home title usually runs through the Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) — not a title company. The seller signs the certificate of title over to the buyer, the buyer applies for a new title with the state, any lien is cleared, and the fee is paid. The catch: it only works this way if the home is still personal property. If it's been permanently affixed to land you own, there's no title to transfer at all.
Here's how to do it right, and how to handle the common snags before they cost you a sale.
When does a mobile home have a title to transfer?
Not every Arizona mobile home has a live title:
- Unaffixed homes — including most homes on rented park lots and many land-owned homes — are personal property with an MVD certificate of title. This is the home you transfer through the MVD.
- Affixed homes — land-owned homes where an affidavit of affixture was recorded — are real property. Their MVD title was cancelled, so they transfer with the land by deed, through a title company instead.
So step one is knowing which you have. If the county assessor lists a separate mobile home account, you almost certainly have an MVD title to transfer. If the home shows up as real property on the land parcel, it was likely affixed.
What you need to transfer a mobile home title in Arizona
Before you go to the MVD, gather:
- The original certificate of title, signed over by the seller (both titles for a double-wide).
- A bill of sale showing the price, date, and both parties.
- A lien release or payoff letter, if there's a loan recorded against the home.
- Proof that personal-property taxes are current — the county may require this, and you'll need a tax clearance if you're also moving the home.
- Photo ID for the parties, and the home's details (VIN/serial, HUD label numbers, year, make, size).
How to transfer a mobile home title in Arizona, step by step
- Locate the title(s). Find the actual certificate of title. A double-wide or triple-wide has one title per section, and you need all of them. Missing it? See the section below.
- Have the seller sign it over. The seller completes the assignment/transfer section on the back of the title, releasing ownership to the buyer.
- Clear any lien. If a lender is listed, get a signed lien release or payoff before the title can pass clean. This is the most common thing that stalls a transfer.
- Handle taxes. Make sure the home's personal-property taxes are paid. If you plan to move the home, you'll also need a tax-clearance certificate from the county treasurer first.
- Complete the Title and Registration Application. The buyer fills out the MVD's Title and Registration Application (Form 96-0236, PDF) along with the signed title and bill of sale.
- Submit it in person. Take everything to an MVD office or Authorized Third Party provider. Mobile home title work generally can't be finished fully online.
- Pay the fee and get the new title. The MVD issues a new certificate of title in the buyer's name. Arizona statute (A.R.S. § 28-2063) governs how these titles are issued — including the rule that each section of a multi-section home gets its own title.
With a clean title, no lien, and taxes current, this is often a same-day errand.
Double-wides have two titles
This trips people up constantly: a multi-section home has a separate title for each section. A double-wide has two; a triple-wide has three. To transfer ownership you need every title, all signed over. If one section's title is missing, you'll have to replace it before the sale can close — so check that you have all of them early.
What if you don't have the title?
Missing titles are one of the most common problems we see, and they're fixable:
- Lost or never received — you can apply for a duplicate title or, when there's no clean paper trail, a bonded title using the MVD's Bonded Title Application for a Mobile Home (Form 40-1003, PDF). Our guide on a lost, duplicate, or bonded title walks through it.
- Bought the home but the seller never signed it over — this needs a bonded title or other MVD remedy before you can transfer clean.
- The owner passed away — you'll follow the after-death title transfer path (probate, a small-estate affidavit, or a beneficiary designation), not a normal signature.
We've evaluated more than 40,000 Arizona mobile homes and bought 200+ since 2014. A missing or messy title almost never stops a sale — we work through the MVD process with a licensed title company so you don't have to become an expert in it.
[OWNER REVIEW: add a real 1–2 sentence example — a home you bought where the title was lost or a double-wide was missing one section's title, the city, and how you resolved it. Keep it true and specific.]
How title transfer works when you sell to us
When you sell a land-owned home to us, you don't have to run the MVD yourself. We confirm what paperwork exists, order duplicate or bonded titles if needed, clear liens and taxes at closing, and complete the transfer through a licensed Arizona title company — for homes of any age or condition, including pre-1976.
What to do next
Not sure whether your home has a title or has been affixed? Send us the address and we'll check the county records.
- See what we buy, including homes with title problems.
- Ready for a number? Get your free cash offer or call (480) 303-7100.
We buy land-owned mobile homes in Phoenix, Mesa, Casa Grande, and across Arizona — even when the paperwork is a mess.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to transfer a mobile home title in Arizona?
The MVD title fee is small — a few dollars per title, and a double-wide has two titles. The bigger costs are usually clearing anything that blocks the transfer: a lien payoff, past-due personal-property taxes, or a duplicate/bonded title if the original is missing. Check azdot.gov for current fee amounts before you go in.
Can I transfer a mobile home title online in Arizona?
Usually no. A mobile home title transfer generally has to be done in person at an MVD office or an Authorized Third Party provider, because the signed title(s) and supporting documents have to be handed over. Some steps can be started online, but plan on an in-person visit to finish.
Do both owners need to sign the title to transfer it?
Yes. If two names are on the title, both usually have to sign to release it — unless the title says 'or' between the names. If an owner has died, you'll follow the after-death transfer process instead of a normal signature. When in doubt, ask the MVD or a title company before signing anything.
How long does a mobile home title transfer take in Arizona?
If you have a clean, signed title, no lien, and taxes are current, the transfer itself is often same-day at an MVD office. It takes much longer when you have to chase a lien release, a duplicate or bonded title, or a tax clearance first — those add days or weeks.
Do I need a title to sell my mobile home to you?
Not necessarily. We buy land-owned homes even when the title is lost, was never handed over, or the owner has passed away. We work through Arizona's duplicate-title, bonded-title, and affixture options with a licensed title company as part of the purchase.
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About the author
Jared Vidales, Founder
Jared Vidales founded We Buy Mobile Homes Arizona and has worked in Arizona manufactured housing since 2014. His team has evaluated 40,000+ Arizona mobile homes and purchased 200+ for cash. He writes about the title work, pricing, and process of selling a land-owned mobile home in Arizona. More about Jared.