Form DR-402, Declaration of Mobile Home as Real Property, is the form on which the registered owner of a mobile home that was previously licensed as a motor vehicle asks the county appraiser to assess it as real property. The Manatee County Property Appraiser publishes this copy, and it sits among the Manatee County property tax resources for owners who place a mobile home on land they own. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the original PDF is published by the Manatee County Property Appraiser at the official link below.
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What is DR-402?
Form DR-402, Declaration of Mobile Home as Real Property, is the declaration in which the registered owner of a mobile home that was previously licensed as a motor vehicle asks the county appraiser and collector to assess that home as real property.
The owner describes the home: type (single, double or triple wide, or other), model, manufacturer, year manufactured, identification, serial and title numbers, year purchased, prices, length and width, and condition. The owner then states that the home was permanently affixed on January 1 of the current year, is now permanently affixed, and is intended to remain so on land the owner owns, and describes that land. The form notes that an assessment for ad valorem taxation has already been made on the land for the current tax year. By signing, the owner also applies for an "RP" license plate that identifies the home as real property.
The lower block, Property Appraiser to Complete this Portion, is for the appraiser's office. It records whether the owner presented a Registration Certificate and a Bill of Sale at the time of application, and it carries the appraiser's certification that the return was filed and that the home is included in an assessment of the owner's property.
The form is printed as revision R. 08/95 in three copies: white for the property appraiser, yellow for the tax collector and pink for the applicant. The county name is left blank on the form for the applicant to write in.
Who needs to file DR-402?
The registered owner of a mobile home that was previously licensed as a motor vehicle completes Form DR-402 when the owner wants the home assessed as real property. The form is built around a home that is permanently affixed to land the owner also owns: the declaration says the home was affixed on January 1 of the current year, is affixed now, and is meant to stay affixed to the described lands.
Conditions the form attaches to the declaration:
- You must be the registered owner of the mobile home.
- The land described must be owned by you.
- An assessment for ad valorem taxation must already have been made on that land for the current tax year.
The form has a single signature line for the applicant and prints no provision for another person to sign for the owner. The appraiser's block at the bottom is not for the applicant to complete.
When to file DR-402
File Form DR-402 when you own a mobile home, previously licensed as a motor vehicle, that was permanently affixed to your land on January 1 of the current year and you want it assessed as real property. The declaration states that the home was affixed on that date, that it is still affixed, and that the land has been assessed for ad valorem taxation for the current tax year, so those facts must be true when you sign.
The form prints no separate due date and no processing time. The line Mobile Home Assessed For Year(s) records the tax year or years for which the assessment is requested. Ask the Manatee County Property Appraiser about timing for the current year.
Documents you need
- Registration Certificate for the mobile home: the Property Appraiser's block records whether you presented it at the time of application.
- Bill of Sale for the mobile home: the Property Appraiser's block records whether you presented it at the time of application.
How to fill out DR-402
Write the county name
On the line "To the Appraiser and Collector of ____ County, Florida," enter the county where the home is located.
Enter parcel and tag numbers
In the top boxes, enter the Parcel Or Property Identification Number and the Tag Number.
Select the type of mobile home
Check Single Wide, Double Wide, Triple Wide or Other, and explain if you check Other. Answer Yes or No to whether the home has an attachment or utility building.
Describe the manufacturer and model
Enter the Name of Model, Manufacturer and Year Manufactured.
Enter identification numbers
Enter the Identification Number, Serial Number and Title Number as shown on your records for the home.
Add purchase, size and condition
Enter Year Purchased, Price New, Price Used, and Length & Width. Mark the condition: NEW, FAIR, GOOD, POOR or REPOSSESSED.
Describe the land
Under Description of Land, describe the land you own to which the home is permanently affixed.
State the assessment years
On Mobile Home Assessed For Year(s), enter the tax year or years for which you request assessment as real property.
Sign and date the declaration
Enter the date and sign as applicant. By signing you request the "RP" License Plate and state that the statements are true to the best of your knowledge and belief.
Leave the appraiser block blank
Do not complete Property Appraiser to Complete this Portion; the appraiser records the Registration Certificate and Bill of Sale and signs the certification.
Review and download the PDF
Check the county, numbers, land description and signature, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and file it as described under How to submit.
How to submit DR-402
The form is addressed to the appraiser and collector of the county and is filed in the office of the property appraiser; it prints no mailing address, portal or other channel.
- In the appraiser's office: the appraiser's certification states that the return was filed in the office of the property appraiser addressed. For the Manatee County Property Appraiser, check the agency's website at manateepao.gov or contact the office for its address and hours.
- At the time of application: the appraiser's block records whether you presented your Registration Certificate and your Bill of Sale, so have both with you.
- Copies: the form is printed in three copies, white for the Property Appraiser, yellow for the Tax Collector and pink for the Applicant. Keep the applicant's copy.
Write the county name on the first line before filing. The form does not state a fee. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Leaving the county blank in "To the Appraiser and Collector of ____ County, Florida" instead of writing the county.
- Skipping the question about an attachment or utility building; it has Yes and No boxes in the description block.
- Omitting the Description of Land, even though the declaration ties the home to "the following lands owned by me."
- Leaving Mobile Home Assessed For Year(s) blank, so the year or years of assessment are not stated.
- Signing for a home you do not own as the registered owner, or for land you do not own; the declaration says both are yours.
- Declaring the home permanently affixed on January 1 of the current year when that is not the case.
- Filling in the Property Appraiser to Complete this Portion block, which is for the appraiser's office.
- Submitting the form without a date beside the applicant's signature.
Frequently asked questions
What is Form DR-402 used for?
Form DR-402 is the Declaration of Mobile Home as Real Property. The registered owner of a mobile home previously licensed as a motor vehicle uses it to request that the home be assessed as real property and to apply for an "RP" license plate identifying it as real property.
Is Form DR-402 a Manatee County property tax form?
The Manatee County Property Appraiser publishes it, and it asks that a mobile home be assessed as real property. The form states that an assessment for ad valorem taxation has been made on the owner's land for the current tax year. The county name is written in by the applicant.
Who can file the Declaration of Mobile Home as Real Property?
The registered owner of the mobile home, who must also own the land to which the home is permanently affixed. The form is a declaration by the owner, with one applicant signature line, and says the home was previously licensed as a motor vehicle.
Can I fill out Form DR-402 online?
Yes. You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not file the form; you file it in the office of the Property Appraiser, which is the channel the form describes.
What is the RP license plate on Form DR-402?
The form includes an application for the issuance of an "RP" License Plate to identify the described mobile home as real property. The request is made in the paragraph above the applicant's signature. The form does not describe the plate further.
What do I bring when I file Form DR-402?
Bring your Registration Certificate and your Bill of Sale. The Property Appraiser's section of the form records whether the owner presented each at the time of application, with Yes or No boxes, so the appraiser's office will look for them.
Who fills out the bottom of Form DR-402?
The Property Appraiser. The block marked Property Appraiser to Complete this Portion records the Registration Certificate and Bill of Sale and holds the appraiser's certification that the return was filed and the home is included in an assessment of the owner's property.
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