Visit Industry Information, Assistance and Forms for the following types of license applications:
- Manufacturer - a person who constructs or assembles manufactured housing for sale, exchange, or lease purchase in this state.
- Retailer - a person who: (A) is engaged in the business of buying for resale, selling, or exchanging manufactured homes or offering manufactured homes for sale or exchange to consumers, including a person who maintains a location for the display of manufactured homes; and (B) sells or exchanges at least two manufactured homes to consumers in a 12-month period.
- Broker – a person engaged by one or more other persons to negotiate a bargain or contract for the sale or exchange of a manufactured home for which a certificate or document of title has been issued and is outstanding. The term does not include a person who maintains a location for the display of manufactured homes.
- Installer – a person, including a retailer or manufacturer, who contracts to perform or performs an installation function on manufactured housing.
- Salesperson – a person who, as an employee or agent of a retailer or broker, sells or offers to sell manufactured housing to a consumer for any form of compensation.
No, having a lot or maintaining an inventory is not required to apply for a retailer license. However, you must designate a location for the bond to apply and pursuant to section 1201.103(a-1) of the Occupations Code all required records of a licensee are to be maintained at a licensee's principal office or such other location within this state as the licensee may designate.
No, pursuant to section 1201.102(c) of the Occupations Code an individual that holds a retailer’s license or broker’s license, or is a related person of such a licensee is not required to apply for a salesperson’s license. A “Related Person” means a person who directly participates in management or policy decisions under section 1201.003 of the Occupations Code. The owner of the company with a retailer license would just need to ensure that he was listed on the application for license as a “related person”.
Under section 1201.101(e) of the Occupations Code a person may not repair, rebuild, or otherwise alter a salvaged manufactured home unless the person holds a retailer’s license. A licensed retailer can rebuild a salvaged home as long as they notify the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Manufactured Housing Division (Department) in writing before rebuilding begins providing all information required under title 10, section 80.36(b) of the Texas Administrative Code.
A retailer is required to be licensed as an installer IF they sell NEW manufactured homes. On new homes, the retailer is responsible for the installation even if the installation is subcontracted. Pursuant to title 10, section 80.33 of the Texas Administrative Code for used manufactured homes the person contracting with the consumer for the installation of the home is the installer and must warrant the proper installation of the home. If the contracting installer subcontracts with an independent licensed installer, then the subcontractor is jointly and severally liable for that portion of the installation that the subcontractor performed. Only a person licensed as an installer may contract to install, even if they are subcontracting some or all of the work.
No, a separate application is not required to be completed if applying for a RBI or any variation of the retailer license. The specific type of license being applied for should be indicated on the application for license.
All applicants must complete an eight (8) hour Core Licensing Education Class (LEC) on the rules, law and consumer protection regulations and successfully pass an examination prior to issuance of license. Additionally, retailers must attend an additional four (4) hour Retailer Licensing Education Course and successfully pass an examination prior to issuance of license. Installers must attend an additional four (4) hour Installer Licensing Education Course. A salesperson may apply for a license without having completed the course of instruction, provided that the person successfully completes the Core LEC within 90 days after the applicant’s provisional license issuance date and passes the Core licensing exam.
The LEC content is completely online. No in-person education courses are offered. Registrants may pay the fee and register for the course online here, or they can also mail in an enrollment form, with payment via preprinted check or money order with the Manufactured Housing Licensing Education Class Enrollment Form. The fee for the LEC is $150.00 per person for the Core LEC, $50.00 per person for the Retailer LEC, and $50.00 per person for the Installer LEC.
Candidates receive an eligibility email to register for the exam the following business day after completing their course work. Candidates can choose to take their exam in person, or in a remotely proctored format. The format will be selected at the time they register for each attempt. Core exams cost $85 per attempt, and Installer and Retailer exams are $70 per attempt. Exam fees are separate from education fees, payable to the proctoring service at the time of registration. If the candidate fails an exam 3 times, they must re-pay and re-take the entire online course before they will become eligible for further attempts.
After the licensing class is completed, the candidate will be emailed proof of class completion the following business day. Candidates applying for licenses at that point should include a printed copy of the certificate of attendance, a bond, proof insurance, proof of business name filing with the Secretary of State's office or local County, and the required licensing fee with your license application. Once the application is received in our office and is complete, the processing time is 7 working days, not including mail time to and from the department. Salespeople who already have provisional licenses will have the certificate applied to extend their license automatically when the license processes the scores the following business day.
Yes, an examination with a 70% passing score is a requirement for licensure.
Within 12 months before applying for the person’s first license.
Candidates have one year to complete the online course. The candidate can start or finish the course any time in that year, but exams must be complete within one year of registering to take the course.
If course content has not ever been accessed, a request to re-use the course fees for a different person may be sent via mail or email, by the person who paid. Please include your receipt for course payment. Any course fees submitted will remain on credit for one year after registration, after which course fees would need to be repaid.
Under section 1201.104(c) of the Occupations Code, an applicant for a salesperson's license may apply for a license without having completed the course of instruction provided that the person successfully completes the course offered not later than the 90th day after the date of the person's initial licensure. If the salesperson fails to complete such course successfully and in a timely manner, the person's license is automatically suspended until the person successfully completes the course. With a suspended license, the person may not participate in retail activities until the license is reinstated.
Yes, someone else can take the place of the person already registered, if the course has never been accessed by the original registrant. The course can be transferred by sending a new enrollment form to the Department with a letter explaining the request, by mail or email before the original registrant has signed in to the course.
No. The license must be applied for separately with a process explained in the Licensing Education Class.
No, the license cannot be applied for online. To reduce mail time to and from the department, you might consider sending your application by overnight mail.
Yes, course fees and exam fees can be paid for by credit card if you register for the course via our online registration page, or they can also be paid by pre-printed check or money order with the mail-in registration, however, the licensing applications must be accompanied by payment in the form of a preprinted company or business firm check, cashier’s check, or money order. Applications can be sent by mail or delivered in person to our office.
No, a letter of credit will not be accepted in lieu of a bond or certificate of deposit.
Processing time is 7 working days from the date the application is received complete. This does not include mail time to and from the department.
No, a separate bond is not required for each license type so long as the license is applied for as a single license; the $50,000 bond is sufficient.
The Department shall renew a license if the Department receives the renewal application and payment of the annual fee before the expiration date of the license, which is every two years from the date of the initial license. You may renew your license online; however, the Department must have proof that 8 hours of continuing education are completed pursuant to section 1201.113 of the Texas Occupations Code. A new license will not be issued until proof is received that the required continuing education has been completed. Proof may be emailed to mhcontinuingeducation@tdhca.texas.gov.
Section 1201.460 of the Occupations Code states that a lienholder may sell or exchange a repossessed manufactured home only to or through a licensed retailer unless the home is sold to a purchaser for the purchaser’s business use. Of course if the lender is also licensed as a retailer, they may sell from their bonded location(s).
Section 1201.352 of the Occupations Code requires the retailer of a new HUD-code manufactured home to warrant the installation of the home at the initial homesite. Because the retailer is responsible for the installation of new homes, a retailer who sells new homes must meet the requirements of an installer and be licensed as such.
Your license will be sent via regular mail unless you provide a pre-paid overnight envelope with your application for license.
Yes. You may request that a copy of your license be emailed to you, once issued. Please contact licensing, via phone or email message, if you need this service, at licensing@tdhca.texas.gov or (877) 313-3023
If you lost your license, a $25 reprint fee will be required. However, if you never received your license, another license may be sent to you at no charge.
If you change employers, written notice of the change, with an authorized signature of the Sponsoring Retailer, must be submitted to the department along with a $25 reprint fee.
The change of location will not be effective until the following are received by the department:
- a written notification of the address of the new location;
- an endorsement to the bond reflecting the change of location; and
- the original license.
For a change in ownership of less than fifty percent (50%) of the licensed entity, no new license is required provided that the existing bond or other security continues in effect. However, the current Articles of Incorporation or Assumed Name Certificate must accompany a request to reflect such a change.
For a change in ownership of fifty percent (50%) or more, the license holder must file with the department, along with the appropriate fee and Articles of Incorporation or Assumed Name Certificate:
- a license addendum by the purchaser providing information as may be required by the department; and
- certification by the surety that the bond for the licensed business entity continues in effect after the change in ownership; or
- an application for a new license along with a new bond or other security and proof that the education requirements of §1201.113 of the Standards Act, have been met.
A person whose license has expired may not engage in activities that require a license until the license has been renewed. An expired license may be renewed with a late renewal fee of 1 ½ times the regular renewal amount if past due 1-90 days, and 2 times the regular amount if past due 91-364 days.
It depends. If the error was made by the department, make a copy of the license for your records and return the original license with a written statement identifying the error. However, if the error was not a department error, proper endorsement from the bonding company, such as a bond rider or change rider, a written statement from the license holder identifying the error, a copy of the official documents, such as the Assumed Name Certificate and/or Articles of Incorporation, evidencing the change (if applicable) and the original license, must be returned for correction with a $25 reprint fee. The correction request will be processed within 7 working days.
Make a copy of the license for your records, and then return the license, a written statement by anyone authorized (authorized persons must be properly listed on the application) to make changes to the license consenting to the name change, and a copy of a bond rider issued by the bond company acknowledging the change. A $25 reprint fee is also required. Processing time is 7 working days not including mail time to and from the department.
Fax (512-475-3506) or email the Name and Address Change Request form (https://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/mh/docs/1002-name-address-change.pdf) to the department.
If you have notified the Department, in writing, of the assumed name and provide us with evidence that you have properly filed to do business under that assumed name, you may conduct business, including the offering of manufactured homes, under that name.