Charlotte County Mobile Home Guide: Wind Zone III (2026)

Updated October 11, 2026. This guide is general information, not legal or engineering advice. Rules change, so confirm with the agency listed before you start work.

Quick reference

Topic	What to know	Source
Wind zone	HUD Wind Zone III (110 mph design wind speed). One of 14 Zone III counties in Florida.	24 CFR 3280.305
Installer license	Anyone who installs (sets up) a mobile home needs an FLHSMV mobile home installer license. Setup includes leveling and supporting the home.	Fla. Stat. 320.8249, 320.822
Repairs	Must use material and design equivalent to the original construction.	Fla. Admin. Code 15C-2.0081
Permits	Required for setup and tie-down, replacement, and repairs to structure, roof, walls, floor, windows or exterior doors. Roof-overs and carports need a building permit.	Charlotte County
Anchoring	Diagonal frame ties in all wind zones, max 5'4" apart; anchors within 2 ft of each end; centerline ties on multi-section homes.	Fla. Admin. Code 15C-1.0104
Tie-down checks	At least once a year (neighboring Lee County guidance).	Lee County EM
Evacuation	Charlotte County has ordered mobile and manufactured home residents in every zone to evacuate in hurricanes such as Milton (2024).	Charlotte County

What is Wind Zone III?

HUD divides the country into three wind zones for manufactured homes. Zone III, with a 110 mph design wind speed, is the strictest. In Florida it includes Broward, Charlotte, Collier, Dade, Franklin, Gulf, Hendry, Lee, Martin, Manatee, Monroe, Palm Beach, Pinellas and Sarasota counties. Every other Florida county is Zone II. Charlotte County requires homes installed here to meet Zone III, with a manufacturer's site-specific Wind Zone III letter.

Who can install, level or tie down a home?

Florida law requires anyone who installs a mobile home to hold a mobile home installer license, and installation is the same as setup, which includes positioning, blocking, leveling and supporting the home and its foundation system. Licensed installers need a bond, insurance, training and an exam, and counties can't add their own installer licensing. Installers can connect plumbing, but most electrical work needs a licensed electrician. Charlotte County's installation permits are available to certified mobile home dealer/installers and certified mobile home setup licensees.

What permits does Charlotte County require?

Since January 2022, the county has required permits for setting up and tying down a home; replacing a home; and repairs or remodeling of the structure, roof, walls, floor, windows or exterior doors, with some minor work exempt. Carports, sheds, additions and aluminum roof-overs need building permits. Work over $5,000 needs a Notice of Commencement, and homes in flood hazard areas need an elevation certificate. Tie-down permits in Wind Zone III call for proof the home is designed for Zone III, soil testing with a pocket penetrometer at several locations, and engineered foundations in flood zones.

What do Florida's anchoring rules require?

Florida Administrative Code rule 15C-1.0104 sets the anchoring standards. Diagonal frame ties are required in all wind zones, no more than 5 feet 4 inches apart, with anchors within 2 feet of each end. Each section needs at least four longitudinal anchors and straps at the ends, multi-section homes need centerline ties, and some homes built before 1994 need over-the-roof ties. Anchors for homes built after July 13, 1994 are rated for 4,000 pounds working load and 6,000 pounds ultimate; earlier homes use anchors rated for 3,150 pounds.

What hurricanes have hit Charlotte County?

Charley (August 13, 2004). Landfall near Cayo Costa at an estimated 150 mph. The eyewall struck Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte with catastrophic wind damage, and the NWS reported many manufactured homes and mobile homes destroyed in Port Charlotte, Charlotte Harbor and Punta Gorda. Four people died in Charlotte County, including a couple whose mobile home was destroyed.
Ian (September 28, 2022). Landfall on Cayo Costa, then a second landfall near Punta Gorda. A 96-knot gust was measured near the Punta Gorda airport, and at least 200 homes were destroyed in Charlotte County.
Milton (October 2024). Landfall at Siesta Key in Sarasota County. Gusts reached 70 knots at Punta Gorda airport and North Port, and Charlotte County ordered mobile and manufactured home residents in every zone to evacuate.

Who lives in Charlotte County?

Charlotte County has about 217,000 residents, and about 41 percent are 65 or older, and the median age is around 60. The median household income is about $70,000. Manufactured homes are concentrated in specific communities: in Port Charlotte they make up only about 1 percent of housing, while in Solana, east of Punta Gorda, they make up about one in seven homes.

How do I check an installer's license?

The FLHSMV's mobile home installer program can confirm a license by phone at 850-617-3004 or by email at mhilp@flhsmv.gov. Charlotte County's building office (941-743-1200) can tell you whether a permit has been pulled for work on your home.

Common questions

What wind zone is Charlotte County, Florida in?

HUD Wind Zone III, the highest wind zone for manufactured homes, with a 110 mph design wind speed.

Do I need a permit to re-tie my mobile home in Charlotte County?

Yes. Charlotte County requires permits for setting up and tying down a mobile home.

Does a mobile home leveler need a license in Florida?

Florida requires a mobile home installer license for installation, and defines installation (setup) to include leveling and supporting the home.

Charlotte County mobile home guide (2026)