Arkansas Statewide Rule

Tiny Homes as Manufactured Homes: Arkansas Dealer and Installer Law

Some RestrictionsApplies statewide across Arkansas (2026)

Key Facts

Statute: Ark. Code Ann. 20-25-104
Enforcing agency: Arkansas Manufactured Home Commission
Criminal penalty: Up to $1,000 or 1 year jail
Civil penalty: Up to $1,000 per violation
Covers: HUD-code factory-built tiny homes

Last verified: July 31, 2026

Summary

A factory-built tiny home sold in Arkansas is a manufactured home under the Arkansas Manufactured Homes Standards Act. It must move through a licensed dealer and a certified installer, and the Arkansas Manufactured Home Commission enforces its installation standards with civil and criminal penalties.

Any individual or a director, officer, or agent of a corporation who knowingly violates Section 610 of Title VI of Pub. L. No. 93-383 in a manner that threatens the health or safety of any purchaser shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) or imprisoned not more than one (1) year, or both.

View official code

Full Breakdown

The Arkansas Manufactured Home Commission licenses every manufacturer, retailer, salesperson, and installer who sells or sets up a HUD-code home, so a tiny house built on a chassis and sold as a dwelling runs through that chain, not around it. Installation must meet the Commission's anchoring and setup rules, which equal or exceed the federal HUD standards. A knowing violation that threatens a buyer's health or safety is a criminal offense under Ark. Code Ann. 20-25-104, and Act 391 of 2023 moved the civil-penalty amounts into Commission rule. The Act does not reach a tiny house you frame on a permanent foundation, which falls under local building codes and the Arkansas Fire Prevention Code.

Violations & Penalties

Knowingly violating the manufactured-home law in a way that threatens a purchaser's health or safety brings a fine up to $1,000 or up to one year in jail per violation, plus civil penalties set by Commission rule.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a tiny house on wheels legal statewide in Arkansas?

There is no statewide tiny-home statute. If it is a HUD-code manufactured home, it must be sold by a licensed dealer and set by a certified installer. Where you place it is decided by local zoning.

Who regulates factory-built tiny homes in Arkansas?

The Arkansas Manufactured Home Commission licenses dealers and installers and sets installation standards that equal or exceed federal HUD requirements. It can impose both civil and criminal penalties for violations.

What about a tiny house built on a foundation?

A site-built tiny house on a permanent foundation sits outside the Manufactured Homes Standards Act. It must meet local building codes and the Arkansas Fire Prevention Code instead.

Sources

Arkansas Act 391 of 2023 (amending Ark. Code 20-25-104), arkleg.state.ar.us

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