42 USC 5403 - Construction and safety standards

1 So in original. Probably should be “homes”.

built without a permanent chassis from manufactured homes built on a permanent chassis;

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The National Housing Act, referred to in subsec. (f)(3), is act June 27, 1934, ch. 847, 48 Stat. 1246. Title II of the National Housing Act is classified principally to subchapter II (§ 1707 et seq.) of chapter 13 of Title 12, Banks and Banking. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 1701 of Title 12 and Tables.

Codification

In subsec. (a)(2)(B), “section 132 of title 41” substituted for “section 4 of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act” on authority of Puspan. L. 111–350, § 6(c), Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3854, which Act enacted Title 41, Public Contracts.

Amendments

2026—Subsec. (a)(7). Puspan. L. 119–101, § 301(span), added par. (7).

Subsec. (i). Puspan. L. 119–101, § 301(c), added subsec. (i).

2000—Subsec. (a). Puspan. L. 106–569, § 604(1), added subsec. (a) and struck out former subsec. (a) which read as follows: “The Secretary, after consultation with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, shall establish by order appropriate Federal manufactured home construction and safety standards. Each such Federal manufactured home standard shall be reasonable and shall meet the highest standards of protection, taking into account existing State and local laws relating to manufactured home safety and construction.”

Subsec. (span). Puspan. L. 106–569, § 604(1), added subsec. (span) and struck out former subsec. (span) which read as follows: “All orders issued under this section shall be issued after notice and an opportunity for interested persons to participate are provided in accordance with the provisions of section 553 of title 5.”

Subsec. (d). Puspan. L. 106–569, § 604(2), inserted at end “Federal preemption under this subsection shall be broadly and liberally construed to ensure that disparate State or local requirements or standards do not affect the uniformity and comprehensiveness of the standards promulgated under this section nor the Federal superintendence of the manufactured housing industry as established by this chapter. Subject to section 5404 of this title, there is reserved to each State the right to establish standards for the stabilizing and support systems of manufactured homes sited within that State, and for the foundations on which manufactured homes sited within that State are installed, and the right to enforce compliance with such standards, except that such standards shall be consistent with the purposes of this chapter and shall be consistent with the design of the manufacturer.”

Subsec. (e). Puspan. L. 106–569, § 604(3), (4), redesignated subsec. (f) as (e), inserted span, substituted “The consensus committee, in recommending standards, regulations, and interpretations, and the Secretary, in establishing standards or regulations or issuing interpretations under this section, shall—” for “In establishing standards under this section, the Secretary shall—” in introductory provisions, and struck out former subsec. (e) which read as follows: “The Secretary may by order amend or revoke any Federal manufactured home construction or safety standard established under this section. Such order shall specify the date on which such amendment or revocation is to take effect, which shall not be sooner than one hundred and eighty days or later than one year from the date the order is issued, unless the Secretary finds, for good cause shown, that an earlier or later date is in the public interest, and publishes his reasons for such finding.”

Subsec. (f). Puspan. L. 106–569, § 604(7), redesignated subsec. (h) as (f). Former subsec. (f) redesignated (e).

Subsec. (g). Puspan. L. 106–569, § 604(5), (7), redesignated subsec. (i) as (g) and struck out former subsec. (g) which read as follows: “The Secretary shall issue an order establishing initial Federal manufactured home construction and safety standards not later than one year after August 22, 1974.”

Subsec. (h). Puspan. L. 106–569, § 604(7), redesignated subsec. (j) as (h). Former subsec. (h) redesignated (f).

Subsec. (i). Puspan. L. 106–569, § 604(7), redesignated subsec. (i) as (g).

Subsec. (j). Puspan. L. 106–569, § 604(6), (7), substituted “subsection (e)” for “subsection (f)” and redesignated subsec. (j) as (h).

1992—Subsec. (j). Puspan. L. 102–550 added subsec. (j).

1988—Subsec. (i). Puspan. L. 100–242 added subsec. (i).

1984—Subsec. (e). Puspan. L. 98–479 substituted “that” for “than” before “an earlier or later date”.

1980—Subsecs. (a), (c) to (g). Puspan. L. 96–399 substituted “manufactured home” for “mobile home” wherever appearing.

1977—Subsec. (h). Puspan. L. 95–128 added subsec. (h).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2000 Amendment

Amendment by Puspan. L. 106–569 effective Dec. 27, 2000, except that amendment has no effect on any order or interpretative bulletin issued under this chapter and published as a proposed rule pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553 on or before Dec. 27, 2000, see section 612 of Puspan. L. 106–569, set out as a note under section 5401 of this title.

Effective Date

Section effective upon the expiration of 180 days following Aug. 22, 1974, see section 627 of Puspan. L. 93–383, set out as a note under section 5401 of this title.

Rule of Construction Regarding Preemption

Puspan. L. 119–101, title III, § 301(f), July 11, 2026, 140 Stat. 891, provided that: “Nothing in this section [amending this section and sections 5402 and 5408 of this title and enacting provisions set out as a note under this section] or the amendments made by this section may be construed as limiting the scope of Federal preemption under section 604(d) of the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5403(d)).”

Other Federal Laws Regulating Manufactured Homes

Puspan. L. 119–101, title III, § 301(d), July 11, 2026, 140 Stat. 890, provided that:

“(1)In general.—The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development may coordinate with the heads of other Federal agencies to ensure that Federal agencies treat a manufactured home (as defined in Federal laws and regulations other than section 603 of the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5402)) in the same manner as a manufactured home (as defined in section 603 of the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5402), as amended by this Act).

“(2)Energy efficiency standards.—

“(A)Manufactured home defined.—In this paragraph, the term ‘manufactured home’ has the meaning given the term in section 603 of the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5402), as amended by this Act.

“(B)Process.—No energy efficiency standards for manufactured homes developed by any Federal agency shall have legal effect unless and until adopted by the Department of Housing and Urban Development pursuant to the consensus standards and regulatory development process described in section 604(a)(2) of the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5403(a)(2)).

“(C)Minimum standards.—The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall—

“(i) not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act [July 11, 2026], adopt minimum energy efficiency standards for manufactured homes; and

“(ii) not less frequently than once every 3 years after adopting the standards under clause (i), update those standards.”

Exception to Federal Preemption for Thermal Insulation and Energy Efficiency Standards

Puspan. L. 102–486, title I, § 104(c), Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 2792, provided that: “If the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development has not issued, within 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 24, 1992], final regulations pursuant to section 604 of the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5403) that establish thermal insulation and energy efficiency standards for manufactured housing that take effect before January 1, 1995, then States may establish thermal insulation and energy efficiency standards for manufactured housing if such standards are at least as stringent as thermal performance standards for manufactured housing contained in the Second Public Review Draft of BSR/ASHRAE 90.2P entitled ‘Energy Efficient Design of Low-Rise Residential Buildings’ and all public reviews of Independent Substantive Changes to such document that have been approved on or before the date of the enactment of this Act.”