The HUD Data Plate is a paper document fixed inside every manufactured home that records the home’s federal construction and safety compliance information, including where and when it was built, its serial and model numbers, and the wind, roof, and insulation zones it was designed for.1Legal Information Institute. 24 C.F.R. § 3280.5
What the Data Plate Is
The Data Plate is roughly the size of a standard sheet of paper and is permanently attached inside the home.2HUD.gov. Manufactured Home Labels – Section: What is a Data Plate? It carries a statement that the home was designed to comply with the federal manufactured home construction and safety standards.1Legal Information Institute. 24 C.F.R. § 3280.5
Don’t confuse it with the certification label. The label is a small metal plate attached to the outside of the home that officially certifies compliance with federal rules.3Legal Information Institute. 24 C.F.R. § 3280.114Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 U.S.C. § 5415 Two different documents, two different replacement paths.
Where to Find It in Your Home
The manufacturer has to place the Data Plate somewhere visible and accessible. Because it’s paper, previous owners sometimes paint or wallpaper over it during renovations, so look closely. The usual locations are:5HUD.gov. Manufactured Home Labels – Section: Label Verification1Legal Information Institute. 24 C.F.R. § 3280.5
- On or near the main electrical panel box
- The inside of a kitchen cabinet door
- The inside of a bedroom closet door
What Information It Contains
The plate lists the specifications a lender, insurer, or inspector may ask you to produce:1Legal Information Institute. 24 C.F.R. § 3280.5
- The name and address of the manufacturing plant
- The serial number and model designation of the unit
- The date the home was manufactured
- Maps and references for wind load and roof load zones
- Insulation zone information
- The certification label numbers found on the exterior of each section
If the Data Plate Is Missing
HUD does not issue replacement Data Plates. If yours is lost, painted over, or unreadable, contact the original manufacturer or the inspection agency that oversaw the home’s construction to request a copy of the information.6HUD.gov. Manufactured Home Labels – Section: My Data Plate is missing. How do I get a replacement copy?
The exterior metal certification label follows a different process. For that one, you can request a verification letter through the Institute for Building Technology and Safety (IBTS), the contractor that handles label verification for HUD.5HUD.gov. Manufactured Home Labels – Section: Label Verification
Why It Matters for Financing
Lenders generally want proof that a manufactured home was built to federal standards before approving a loan. An FHA-insured mortgage, for instance, requires the home to have a certification label attached showing it meets federal construction and safety rules.7Legal Information Institute. 24 C.F.R. § 203.43f Without the documentation to prove the home meets federal codes, financing and insurance options can be significantly more limited when you buy, sell, or refinance.