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North Carolina County and Code Starting Points

Montgomery County Manufactured Home Starting Points

Montgomery County zones only the unincorporated county - Star, Biscoe, Candor, Troy and Mount Gilead run their own zoning - and inside that area the ordinance sorts homes by type before anything else. It names three residential districts by what they allow: R-1 is 'Stick built and Modular homes', R-2 adds 'Doublewide mobile homes', and R-3 adds 'Singlewide mobile homes'. So a single-wide is permitted in one residential district of three, and a doublewide in two. R-1 allows a mobile home only as a temporary accessory home for a relative or dependent in need, a use that carries its own $100 application fee. Every mobile home, in any district, must be built after July 1, 1976, have a roof of at least 3:12 finished with ordinary house shingles, six-inch eaves, house-type siding, and either manufactured skirting or a masonry curtain wall. All three residential districts ask the same lot: 20,000 square feet, 80 feet wide, 30 feet back from the street.

Manufactured Home Land Check

Will this Montgomery County land take a manufactured home? Find out before you commit to buying the land, or the home.

Buying land, already own it, or selling it — one report on what the county and the land will allow.

Check this land

Need a set-up crew, poured footers or skirting in Montgomery County?

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Common Questions

Mobile homes in Montgomery County, answered from the county's own sources.

Can I put a mobile home on my land in Montgomery County?

Montgomery County zones only the unincorporated county - Star, Biscoe, Candor, Troy and Mount Gilead run their own zoning - and inside that area the ordinance sorts homes by type before anything else. It names three residential districts by what they allow: R-1 is 'Stick built and Modular homes', R-2 adds 'Doublewide mobile homes', and R-3 adds 'Singlewide mobile homes'. So a single-wide is permitted in one residential district of three, and a doublewide in two. R-1 allows a mobile home only as a temporary accessory home for a relative or dependent in need, a use that carries its own $100 application fee. Every mobile home, in any district, must be built after July 1, 1976, have a roof of at least 3:12 finished with ordinary house shingles, six-inch eaves, house-type siding, and either manufactured skirting or a masonry curtain wall. All three residential districts ask the same lot: 20,000 square feet, 80 feet wide, 30 feet back from the street. Source: Montgomery County Code of Ordinances, Appendix A - Zoning (Municode), reviewed 2026-09-23.

Is there anything in Montgomery County that could stop a mobile home on this land?

In R-1 a modular house is permitted and a manufactured home is not. R-1 is the county's low-density residential and agricultural district, established in part to keep homes on septic at low density. It permits a stick-built house and a modular house built to the North Carolina code. It does not list a mobile home of any kind as a principal home. A buyer who finds rural land zoned R-1 has a parcel where a doublewide and a single-wide are both off the table, and the only path is a rezoning. A single-wide needs R-3. R-2 allows the doublewide and not the single. The step from R-2 to R-3 is the single-wide. A parcel zoned R-2 permits a doublewide and does not permit a single-section home. Of the three residential districts, only R-3 lists 'Singlewide mobile homes' as a permitted use. Source: Montgomery County Code of Ordinances, Appendix A - Zoning (Municode), reviewed 2026-09-23.

Which zoning districts in Montgomery County allow a mobile home?

Three residential districts. A single-wide is permitted in one. Montgomery County does not use a use table. Article I, Section 3 names each residential district by the homes it allows, and the district sections repeat it as a list of permitted uses. Each district takes everything in the one before it and adds one type of home. Source: Montgomery County Code of Ordinances, Appendix A - Zoning (Municode), reviewed 2026-09-23.

Can I move an older mobile home onto land in Montgomery County?

Built after July 1, 1976, a 3:12 shingled roof, and skirting. Section 7.32 defines a mobile home and then adds criteria every home must meet on top of the HUD construction standards. They apply to the home, in every district that allows it. Source: Montgomery County Code of Ordinances, Appendix A - Zoning (Municode), reviewed 2026-09-23.

Does Montgomery County set rules on the home itself — width, skirting or roof?

Permanent foundation, state tie-downs, and skirting that stays on. Section 12.7 sets the placement rules for every mobile home, and Section 7.32 repeats the skirting rule. Neither requires brick: manufactured skirting is an accepted choice. Source: Montgomery County Code of Ordinances, Appendix A - Zoning (Municode), reviewed 2026-09-23.

Manufactured Home Placement Questions

Start with what the sources actually support.

Do I need a permit for a mobile home in Montgomery County?

The county ordinance applies to the unincorporated county only - five towns zone their own land

R-1 permits site-built and modular houses and no mobile home as a principal home

R-2 permits a doublewide mobile home

R-3 is the only district that permits a single-wide mobile home

A temporary accessory mobile home for a relative or dependent in need is listed in all three districts

That temporary custodial use carries a $100 application fee, and the Board of Adjustment decides what counts as need

Every mobile home must be built after July 1, 1976 - two weeks later than the HUD code date

Roof pitch at least 3:12, finished with shingles used on ordinary houses

Eaves of at least six inches on every mobile home, which may include a gutter

Siding must be predominantly vinyl or aluminum lap, wood or hardboard of house-type appearance

Manufactured skirting or a continuous masonry curtain wall, and the skirting must be maintained

A doublewide may be no longer than four times its width

Hitch, wheels, axles and running lights must come off a doublewide

Permanent foundation and state-standard tie-downs on every mobile home

No more than three feet between the chassis and finished grade around the whole home

Every residential district: 20,000 square feet, 80 feet wide, 30-foot front, 10-foot side, 20-foot rear

Up to three dwellings on one lot, with 20,000 square feet of lot for each

A zoning permit expires after six months without substantial progress or a building permit

Mobile home parks and campgrounds follow a separate ordinance this page did not read

Montgomery County Local Process Guide

Official-source-backed starting points and questions to verify.

These sections organize the public source links already reviewed for this page. Where a source does not answer a project-specific question, the item is framed as something to ask the county, AHJ, utility company, licensed professional, dealer, setup contractor, or responsible provider.

The finding

Three residential districts. A single-wide is permitted in one.

Montgomery County does not use a use table. Article I, Section 3 names each residential district by the homes it allows, and the district sections repeat it as a list of permitted uses. Each district takes everything in the one before it and adds one type of home.

  • R-1: 'Residential - Stick built and Modular homes.' Its permitted uses list 'Stick built houses (Single-family dwellings only)' and 'Modular homes built to North Carolina Code.' No mobile home is a permitted principal use.
  • R-2: 'Residential - Stick built, Modular, Doublewide mobile homes.' Section 3.2 adds 'Double wide mobile homes' and multi-family dwellings.
  • R-3: 'Residential - Stick built, Modular, Doublewide, and Singlewide mobile homes.' Section 4.2 adds 'Singlewide mobile homes.' The ordinance states R-3's purpose as 'areas for affordable housing.'
  • The Commercial and Industrial district lists name mobile homes only as 'Mobile home and trailer sales' (Commercial) and 'Mobile home and modular home manufacturing' (Industrial). Neither lists a mobile home as a place to live.
  • Mobile home parks and campgrounds are two further districts that 'follow a separate ordinance.' This page did not read it.
  • Which of the three districts a parcel sits in is on the official county zoning map. This page does not say which parcels are in which district.

Adverse finding

In R-1 a modular house is permitted and a manufactured home is not.

R-1 is the county's low-density residential and agricultural district, established in part to keep homes on septic at low density. It permits a stick-built house and a modular house built to the North Carolina code. It does not list a mobile home of any kind as a principal home. A buyer who finds rural land zoned R-1 has a parcel where a doublewide and a single-wide are both off the table, and the only path is a rezoning.

  • A modular home is not a mobile home in this ordinance. If the home you want is HUD-labelled, it is a mobile home here whatever the dealer calls it.
  • Section 12.1: 'no building or land shall be used and no building or part thereof shall be erected, moved, or structurally altered except in conformity with the regulations specified herein for the district in which it is located.'
  • R-1, R-2 and R-3 carry the same minimum lot, width and setbacks. The difference between them is the type of home, not the size of the land.

Adverse finding

A single-wide needs R-3. R-2 allows the doublewide and not the single.

The step from R-2 to R-3 is the single-wide. A parcel zoned R-2 permits a doublewide and does not permit a single-section home. Of the three residential districts, only R-3 lists 'Singlewide mobile homes' as a permitted use.

  • Get the zoning district from the county before you choose between a single-section and a multi-section home, not after.
  • The ordinance defines a mobile home as over 40 feet long and over 10 feet wide, built as one unit, a double-wide of two components or a triple-wide of three. The district lists name single-wides and doublewides; they do not name a triple-wide. Ask the county which list a triple-wide falls under.

The exception

A temporary home for a relative in need is listed in every district, R-1 included.

Each of the three residential districts lists 'Accessory mobile home - Custodial relationship (temporary use).' It is the one way a mobile home appears in R-1. It is accessory to an existing home, temporary by its own name, and tied to a need the ordinance defines.

  • Section 7.15.1 defines a custodial relationship as the 'Housing, mental, or physical need of parents or dependents, or a mental or physical need of a family or non-family member, whereby the family occupying the principal dwelling can assist.'
  • Factors named: financial hardship, mental or physical illness, the need to care for elderly relatives, and lack of space in the principal home - 'as determined by the Board of Adjustment.'
  • Article II, Section 7 lists a $100 application fee for this temporary use, covering 'certified mail cost of adjacent property letters, staff time, and advertisement fees' - so the neighbors are notified.
  • The ordinance text read for this page does not state how long 'temporary' lasts or what happens when the need ends. Ask the county before relying on it.

The home itself

Built after July 1, 1976, a 3:12 shingled roof, and skirting.

Section 7.32 defines a mobile home and then adds criteria every home must meet on top of the HUD construction standards. They apply to the home, in every district that allows it.

  • 'Mobile homes must be constructed after July 1, 1976.' The federal HUD code took effect on June 15, 1976, so a HUD home built in the last two weeks of June 1976 meets the federal code and misses this date. Read the data plate.
  • Roof: a doublewide 'must have a nominal minimum vertical rise of three (3) feet for each twelve (12) feet of horizontal run,' and a single-wide three inches for every twelve inches - both 3:12. 'Roof must be finished with a type of shingle that is commonly used in standard residential construction.'
  • 'All roof structures shall provide an eave projection of no less than six (6) inches, which may include a gutter.'
  • Siding must be 'predominantly of vinyl or aluminum horizontal lap siding,' wood or hardboard, comparable to ordinary house siding. The ordinance limits reflectivity to that of gloss white paint.
  • A doublewide's length may not exceed four times its width.
  • Steps, porches, entrance platforms and ramps to a doublewide must meet Department of Insurance standards, be 'attached firmly to the primary structure and anchored securely to the ground.'

Setting it

Permanent foundation, state tie-downs, and skirting that stays on.

Section 12.7 sets the placement rules for every mobile home, and Section 7.32 repeats the skirting rule. Neither requires brick: manufactured skirting is an accepted choice.

  • 'Mobile homes shall be placed on a permanent foundation and secured by a tie-down system meeting the standards listed in the "State of North Carolina Regulations for Mobile Homes."'
  • The stand must drain away from the home, with 'no more than three (3) feet difference between the chassis of the mobile home and the finished grade of the stand along the entire perimeter.' On a sloped lot that is a grading cost.
  • Skirting: 'either skirting manufactured specifically for such use or a permanent masonry foundation and skirting.' Section 7.32 says masonry must be continuous and 'unpierced except for required ventilation and access,' and 'The skirting for all mobile homes must be maintained.'
  • 'The tongue, wheels, axles, and running lights shall be removed on doublewides.'
  • Empty gas cylinders and other materials not approved by the Fire Department may not be stored under a mobile home.
  • Plumbing, electrical and gas work outside the home must meet state, county and town codes.

Space around the home

The same lot in every residential district.

R-1, R-2 and R-3 set identical dimensions. What changes from one to the next is the type of home allowed, not the land it needs.

  • Minimum lot 20,000 square feet and 80 feet wide.
  • Front yard 30 feet from the street right-of-way line, side yards 10 feet, rear yard 20 feet.
  • On a corner lot the side yard on the side street is 20 feet.
  • Section 12.9: 'All waterfront lots will have a ten-foot rear yard setback requirement.'
  • Accessory buildings may cover ten percent of the lot and sit at least ten feet from any lot line.
  • R-2 and R-3 list 3,000 square feet of 'Area in addition for second structure.'
  • Section 12.10 allows no more than three dwellings on one lot of record, with at least 20,000 square feet of lot for each, and each placed so the lot could later be divided to meet the ordinance. Section 12.3 separately allows only one principal building per lot outside a designed complex. Ask the county which it applies to a second home.

Whose rules apply

Five towns zone their own land.

Article I, Section 2 applies the ordinance within the county's zoning limits, which 'may include any or all area within the county outside of municipalities and their adopted extraterritorial jurisdictions.' The Planning Department's page says it directly: the county 'enforces its zoning ordinance only in the unincorporated areas,' and Star, Biscoe, Candor, Troy and Mount Gilead 'all administer their own zoning programs.'

  • Near a town, confirm the parcel is outside its limits and its extraterritorial area before using this page.
  • About 29 percent of the county lies in a water supply watershed, by the ordinance's own count. The three watershed overlays - Drowning Creek, Bear Creek and Tuckertown-Badin-Tillery - sit on top of the district, and 'the stricter or more restrictive requirements shall apply.'
  • A zoning permit is required before any building or use, other than a bona fide farm. It is void after six months unless substantial progress has been made or a building permit issued.
  • No new or moved building may be occupied until a Certificate of Occupancy is issued.
  • Private restrictive covenants are a further layer no county answer covers. Read the deed.

What is not written here

Not found is not a yes.

Each item below was looked for in the sources named on this page and was not settled there. A gap is a question for the county, not a permission.

  • How current the online code is. Municode's banner reads 'Codified through Ordinance of October 15, 2019,' yet the zoning sections carry amendments from 2023 and 2024, and the online edition was posted February 19, 2026. Ask the county whether any amendment affecting mobile homes is not yet codified.
  • The separate mobile home park and campground ordinance was not read.
  • No zoning permit fee for a mobile home was found. The only fee in the zoning ordinance is the $100 custodial temporary-use fee.
  • The full inspection order for a mobile home - zoning, septic, building, set-up, final - was not settled from these sources.
  • No septic or well rule is stated here. Those are Health Department questions.
  • No flood map or flood ordinance was read, so no parcel is described here as in or out of a flood hazard area.
  • The watershed overlay density and buffer rules were not read in full for this page.
  • The ordinances of Star, Biscoe, Candor, Troy and Mount Gilead were not read.

Local Prerequisites To Verify

Environmental health, utilities, zoning, and access may shape the sequence.

Septic approval or existing-system review

County sources often require septic approval, construction authorization, or existing-system authorization before or alongside manufactured-home permitting.

Septic

Well or water availability

County sources may require well, public water, or water-sewer tap documentation before a permit can move forward.

WellPlumbing

Water/sewer availability

Some county sources ask for sewer approval, tap receipts, or public water documentation when applicable.

PlumbingSepticWell

Utility service availability

Some county sources connect power release or final readiness to completed trade inspections or utility-provider steps.

ElectricalHVACPropane / Gas

Zoning or land-use review

County sources may require zoning, municipal zoning, watershed, floodplain, or land-use review before manufactured-home placement.

Engineering

Inspection-Related Scopes

Limited to source-backed manufactured-home scopes.

Grading and Site Preparation

Use only where source-backed county or state guidance ties grading to pad, drainage, foundation readiness, access, footers, or setup readiness.

Several county sources reference site grading, drainage, footings, setup readiness, or documents needed before power or final signoff.

Transport and Setup

Core manufactured-home installation scope for delivery, setup, pier/blocking, anchoring, tie-downs, setup contractor information, and inspection readiness.

The NC Installation Manual is the primary statewide installation source; county manufactured-home process pages may add local setup contractor, permit, and inspection steps.

Electrical

Electrical service, site-installed electrical work, utility handoffs, and inspection readiness when source-backed.

County sources commonly separate electrical permits or inspections for mobile/manufactured-home setup.

Plumbing

Plumbing connections, water and waste lines, pressure or water tests, and final readiness where source-backed.

County sources commonly separate plumbing permits or inspections for mobile/manufactured-home setup.

HVAC

Mechanical systems, heat pump or air-conditioning work, ducting, and final readiness where source-backed.

County sources commonly reference mechanical permits or inspections for mobile/manufactured-home setup.

Propane / Gas

Use only when official guidance mentions gas service, gas appliance connections, LP systems, fuel-gas inspection, pressure testing, shutoffs, or installation-manual requirements.

Onslow County explicitly groups gas fuel work with prescriptive code and NC manufactured-home regulations for manufactured-home permits.

Decks / Stairs / Landings / Handicap Ramps

Egress, steps, landings, handrails, ramps, deck thresholds, and final access readiness where source-backed.

County manufactured-home guides may reference stoops, steps, landings, handrails, and deck-size thresholds.

Masonry / Block / Foundation

Footings, piers, blocking, masonry skirting/foundation presentation, soil bearing, anchorage, and foundation readiness where source-backed.

County sources reference footings, piers, blocking, anchorage, soil bearing, tie-downs, or foundation-related items in inspection processes.

Vinyl Skirting

Skirting or underpinning only where source-backed guidance connects it to inspection timing, access, ventilation, appearance, or placement requirements.

County manufactured-home inspection documents may reference skirting timing, access panels, or underpinning requirements.

Trim-Out / Carpentry

Use only where official guidance touches final trim-out, marriage line completion, close-up, access panels, finish details, weatherproofing, or readiness for final inspection.

Onslow County references marriage wall inspection for multi-wide homes and close-up type items within manufactured-home setup inspections.

Questions To Ask The County

Bring better questions to the right local office.

Is this parcel in the unincorporated county, or inside Star, Biscoe, Candor, Troy or Mount Gilead or one of their extraterritorial areas?

Is the parcel zoned R-1, R-2 or R-3 on the official county zoning map?

If it is R-1, is rezoning to R-2 or R-3 possible, and what does it take?

If it is R-2 and the home is a single-wide, is there any path other than rezoning?

Does the home I am buying show a construction date after July 1, 1976 on its data plate?

Does the home's roof, eaves and siding meet Section 7.32 as it will be set, or will they need work?

Is the parcel in the Drowning Creek, Bear Creek or Tuckertown-Badin-Tillery watershed overlay, and what does that add?

Is the zoning ordinance on Municode current, or are there amendments not yet codified that affect mobile homes?

What does the zoning permit cost for a mobile home, and what inspections follow it?

If I want a second home on the lot, does Section 12.10 or Section 12.3 decide, and what does the county require?

Dealer Quote Responsibility Questions

Ask who owns each step before the project depends on it.

Is this home a single-wide or a doublewide, and is the parcel zoned for that type - R-2 for a doublewide, R-3 for either?

What construction date is on the data plate, and is it after July 1, 1976?

Does this home have a 3:12 roof with house-type shingles and six-inch eaves, or will it need work to meet Section 7.32?

Is manufactured skirting or a masonry curtain wall in this price?

Is removal of the hitch, wheels, axles and running lights in this price for a doublewide?

Are the steps and porch built and anchored to Department of Insurance standards in this price?

Who grades the stand so the chassis sits within three feet of grade all the way around?

Who is responsible if the county refuses the home on this parcel after I have signed?

What To Gather

Better details make county and provider questions clearer.

Whether the parcel is in the unincorporated county or inside Star, Biscoe, Candor, Troy or Mount Gilead or their extraterritorial areas

The parcel identification number and its zoning district - R-1, R-2 or R-3 - from the county's own map

The home's type (single-wide or doublewide), length, width and construction date from the data plate

Whether any part of the parcel is in a watershed overlay, near a lake, or in a flood hazard area

Whether any home already stands on the parcel, and how many

Which utilities are present: public water or well, public sewer or septic, and the electric provider

The deed and any restrictive covenants recorded against the parcel

Related provider types

Transport and SetupSepticWellElectricalPlumbingHVACGrading and Site PreparationMasonry / Block / FoundationDriveway Improvement

Related project stages

Purchasing or Acquiring LandPermits, Septic, and UtilitiesPreparing Your LandSetup and InstallationAfter Installation / Move-In

Source notes

Every quotation on this page was read cold on 2026-09-23 from Montgomery County's zoning ordinance, Appendix A of its Code of Ordinances, fetched from Municode, the host the county's own Planning Department page links to.

Municode's banner reads 'Codified through Ordinance of October 15, 2019. (Republication)', while the R-1, R-2 and R-3 sections carry amendment histories through Ord. No. TA-01-2023 (March 21, 2023) and Ord. No. TA-01-2024 (September 17, 2024), and the online edition was posted February 19, 2026. This page reports what the posted text says; it does not certify that the posted text is complete.

The district names are Article I, Section 3. The permitted uses are Article III, Section 2.2 (R-1), Section 3.2 (R-2) and Section 4.2 (R-3); the dimensional requirements are Sections 2.5, 3.6 and 4.5, and the corner-lot rules Sections 2.7, 3.8 and 4.7. The Commercial and Industrial district lists (Sections 5 and 6) were searched for every mention of a mobile home.

The mobile home definition and its design criteria are Article I, Section 7.32; the custodial relationship definition is Section 7.15.1. The placement standards are Section 12.7, the waterfront setback Section 12.9, one principal building per lot Section 12.3, and more than one dwelling per lot Section 12.10. The watershed share of the county is Section 13.1.

The zoning permit and Certificate of Occupancy rules are Article II, Sections 3.1 and 3.4, and the $100 custodial temporary-use fee is Article II, Section 7.

The five towns that run their own zoning are named on the county Planning Department page, read on 2026-09-23.

No written answer from Montgomery County Planning, Central Permitting or the Health Department is on file for this page, and no staff confirmation is claimed. No staff names appear here, and no project approval, inspection result or utility-release outcome is implied.

Helpful Next Steps

Move from Montgomery County questions into the right My Manufactured Home Guide path.

Use these pages to organize the next question by stage, responsibility, utility path, setup readiness, or private project summary. They do not replace county, utility, AHJ, or professional confirmation.

How to check zoning for a manufactured home

In Montgomery County the district letter decides it: R-1, R-2 or R-3.

Do I need a permit for a mobile home in North Carolina?

The statewide permit question, before Montgomery's zoning permit and design standards.

Manufactured-home site plan checklist

What to have drawn before you file with Montgomery County Planning.

Source Hierarchy

State installation guidance first, then local process.

The NC Installation Manual sets how a home is installed statewide. Montgomery County's own offices set the permit steps, zoning, septic and inspections.

NC installation guidance

primary statewide installation source

Primary statewide installation source: NC Installation Manual

Primary statewide installation source for North Carolina manufactured-home installation requirements, published as the State of North Carolina Regulations for Manufactured Homes.

state program authority

State program authority: NC OSFM Manufactured Homes

Official state manufactured-homes program landing page and document hub; use the NC Installation Manual for installation-specific requirement details.

state program authority

State program authority: NC OSFM Manufactured Building

Official NC OSFM manufactured building division page for manufactured and modular housing resources.

local process source

Montgomery County local process sources

County and local AHJ sources explain local process layers; they do not replace statewide installation guidance or project-specific authority.

County Links and Source Notes

Official source links reviewed for this page.

We organize Montgomery County's own sources. Rules change — confirm them with the county before you rely on them.

local process source

Local ordinance source: Montgomery County Code of Ordinances, Appendix A - Zoning (Municode)

The county's zoning ordinance, linked from its own Planning Department page and hosted by Municode. Article I, Section 3 names the districts; Section 7.32 defines a mobile home and sets its design standards; Section 12.7 sets the placement standards; Section 12.10 governs more than one dwelling on a lot. Article III, Sections 2 to 4 are the R-1, R-2 and R-3 districts. Article II, Sections 3 and 7 are the permits and the custodial-home fee. Read cold on 2026-09-23.

Responsible authority / official host
library.municode.com
Purpose and coverage
local process source
Last verified
2026-09-23
Link health
Verified when reviewed; reconfirm the current page or form before relying on it.
Fallback status
Direct local-process starting point

local process source

Local process source: Montgomery County Planning Department

States that zoning permits are required before construction or a new use, that the county enforces its zoning only in the unincorporated areas, and that Star, Biscoe, Candor, Troy and Mount Gilead administer their own. Lists the Planning office at 444 North Main Street, Troy, (910) 572-3304 extension 1432. Read on 2026-09-23.

Responsible authority / official host
montgomerycountync.gov
Purpose and coverage
local process source
Last verified
2026-09-23
Link health
Verified when reviewed; reconfirm the current page or form before relying on it.
Fallback status
Direct local-process starting point

Manufactured Home Land Check

Will this Montgomery County land take a manufactured home? Find out before you commit to buying the land, or the home.

Buying land, already own it, or selling it — one report on what the county and the land will allow.

Check this land