A complete affixation filing consists of two engineering documents. The PFGMH foundation cert documents structural permanence; the Affidavit of Affixation declares the legal conversion. Order them together, or order one without the other.
A PE-stamped engineering report certifying that the foundation system meets HUD's Permanent Foundations Guide for Manufactured Housing, § 3 — the technical evidence of structural permanence that title insurers, FHA / USDA underwriters, and real-property tax assessors all require.
Each PFGMH report addresses six structural elements, individually measured against HUD's standard and individually certified:
A typical PFGMH report runs 8–12 pages depending on foundation complexity:
If the home was previously affixed and the title has already been surrendered, but a fresh foundation certification is needed for refinance or title-insurance update — order PFGMH alone. The legal conversion already happened; only the structural cert needs refreshing.
A notarized sworn statement by a licensed Professional Engineer declaring, under oath, that the manufactured home is permanently affixed to the real estate. This is the legal instrument that effects the conversion. The recorder records it; the title insurer relies on it; the lender relies on it to perfect a real-property mortgage.
The Affidavit is structured around six sworn declarations:
The controlling statute differs by state; the Affidavit cites the right one for the recording jurisdiction:
What gets recorded at the county is the Affidavit — not the PFGMH cert. The PFGMH lives in the closing file for the title insurer and lender; the Affidavit is the public record. Book and page numbers issue against the Affidavit.
Most files need both documents. But edge cases come up — refinances on already-converted homes, single-document title-insurance corrections — where one instrument alone is sufficient.
The default bundle. Both instruments delivered together, sealed and notarized. Fits 92% of files.
Foundation cert alone. For homes already affixed where a fresh PFGMH is required for refinance underwriting or title-insurance update.
Affidavit alone. For title-insurance corrections where structural permanence has already been certified and only the legal-conversion document is missing or miscited.
Every filing arrives in two formats: a digitally-sealed PDF for the closing file and underwriter review, and wet-ink originals for county recording. We never deliver one without the other.
Common next questions about instruments, format, and process — answered in detail elsewhere on this site or in sibling network sites.
State-by-state licensing, statute citations, and county-by-county detail across MO, AR, IL, KS — plus pending IA reciprocity status.
Detailed timeline of standard, rush, and concierge tiers. What's needed from the title officer at each stage.
Working an FHA file? The FHA structural inspection is the umbrella document — covers six requirements including PFGMH. Order through Midwest FHA Inspect.
Submit the address, the recording county, the target close. Acknowledgment within an hour. Quote same business day. Recorded within five business days — and the title officer chases none of it.