New Final Rules for MH and Modular Homes in Texas
MH TDHCA – New 3rd Party Initial Testing
Following unanimous approval by the MH TDHCA Board and posting in the Texas Register on June 14, 2024, the most recent changes to the Manufactured Housing Rules in 10 Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 80 will go into effect on July 14, 2024.
The changes to 10 Texas Administrative Code §80.41(c)(2)(D) and (E) allow the Department to enter into an agreement with a third party to administer the licensing education exam(s) required under §1201.104 of the Texas Occupations Code. If required to be taken with the assistance of a third party, the applicant must pay the cost of the exam. Currently, the actual cost of the third-party testing is not known, but it is anticipated to be approximately $100 per test.
This rule change as well as the other most recent rule changes, derived from an unfortunate incident of cheating on a licensing exam. The MH TDHCA board in response, adopted new procedures and requirements to align the initial licensing and testing with other common Texas regulatory agency practices and mitigate the future risk of cheating.
Modular (“Industrialized”) Homes – Move to 2021 Versions of Building Codes
On June 17, 2024, TDLR formally announced what we have been tracking for some time now following the Code Council’s adoption of new building code requirements for Texas modular homes.
The code updates/requirements go into effect on July 1, 2024.
Any homes that have started physical production prior to July 1, 2024, can be completed to the previous 2015 versions of the code so long as the home construction is finished within 180 days.
But all homes started after July 1 must abide by the following updated code provisions:
- International Building Code (IBC), 2021 Edition, including appendices C, F, and K
- International Residential Code (IRC), 2021 Edition, including appendices AG, AH, AK, AP, AQ, and AT
- International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), 2021 Edition
- International Mechanical Code (IMC), 2021 Edition
- International Plumbing Code (IPC), 2021 Edition
- International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), 2015 Edition
- National Electrical Code (NEC), 2020 Edition
- International Existing Building Code (IEBC), 2021 Edition– for alterations of portable industrialized buildings