Wis. Admin. Code Department of Revenue Tax 11.88

Current through September 30, 2024

Section Tax 11.88 - Manufactured homes, mobile homes, modular homes, and recreational vehicles

(1) DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this section:

(a)

1. "Manufactured home," as defined in s. 101.91(2), Stats., means either of the following:

a. A structure that is designed to be used as a dwelling with or without a permanent foundation and that is certified by the federal department of housing and urban development as complying with the standards established under 42 USC 5401 to 5425.

b. A mobile home, unless a mobile home is specifically excluded under the applicable statute.

2. As provided in 42 USC 5402(6), "manufactured home" means a structure, transportable in one or more sections, which, in the traveling mode, is eight body feet or more in width or forty body feet or more in length, or, when erected on site, is three hundred twenty or more square feet, and which is built on a permanent chassis and designed to be used as a dwelling with or without a permanent foundation when connected to the required utilities, and includes the plumbing, heating, air-conditioning, and electrical systems contained therein; except that such term shall include any structure which meets all the requirements of this paragraph except the size requirements and with respect to which the manufacturer voluntarily files a certification required by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and complies with the standards established under this chapter; and except that such term shall not include any self-propelled recreational vehicle.

(b) "Mobile home," as defined in s. 101.91(10), Stats., means a vehicle manufactured or assembled before June 15, 1976, designed to be towed as a single unit or in sections upon a highway by a motor vehicle and equipped and used, or intended to be used, primarily for human habitation, with walls of rigid uncollapsible construction, which has an overall length in excess of 45 feet. "Mobile home" includes the mobile home structure, its plumbing, heating, air conditioning and electrical systems, and all appliances and all other equipment carrying a manufacturer's warranty.

(bm)

1. "Modular home," as defined in s. 101.71(6), Stats., means any structure or component thereof which is intended for use as a dwelling and satisfies either of the following conditions:

a. The structure or component is of closed construction and fabricated or assembled on-site or off-site in manufacturing facilities for installation, connection, or assembly and installation, at the building site. In this subd. 1. a., "closed construction" has the meaning given in s. 101.71(1), Stats.

b. The structure or component is a building of open construction which is made or assembled in manufacturing facilities away from the building site for installation, connection, or assembly and installation, on the building site and for which certification is sought by the manufacturer. In this subd. 1.

b. and subd. 2., "open construction" has the meaning given in s. 101.71(7), Stats.

2. "Modular home" does not mean any manufactured home under s. 101.91, Stats., or any building of open construction which is not subject to subd. 1. b.

(c) "New manufactured home," as defined in s. 101.91(11), Stats., means a manufactured home that has never been occupied, used or sold for personal or business use.

(d) "New recreational vehicle," as defined in s. 218.10(7), Stats., means a recreational vehicle which has never been occupied, used or sold for personal or business use.

(e) "Recreational vehicle," as defined in s. 340.01(48r), Stats., means a vehicle that is designed to be towed upon a highway by a motor vehicle, that is equipped and used, or intended to be used, primarily for temporary or recreational human habitation, that has walls of rigid construction, and that does not exceed 45 feet in length.

(f) "Recreational vehicle dealer" has the meaning given in s. 218.10(1g), Stats.

(g) "Retailer" is a person who has or is required to have a certificate under s. 77.52(7), Stats., or s. 77.53(9), Stats., and who holds or is required to hold a permit issued under s. 77.52(9), Stats., or s. 77.53(9m), Stats.

(h) "Used manufactured home," as defined in s. 101.91(12), Stats., means a manufactured home that has previously been occupied, used or sold for personal or business use.

(i) "Used recreational vehicle" has the meaning given in s. 218.10(9), Stats.

(2) MANUFACTURED AND MOBILE HOMES AS PERSONAL PROPERTY VS. REALTY IMPROVEMENT. A manufactured or mobile home is personal property if it is located in a manufactured home community, a mobile home park, or other place where the land on which the manufactured or mobile home is located is not owned by the manufactured or mobile home owner. A manufactured or mobile home is a realty improvement if it is permanently affixed to land owned by the owner of the manufactured or mobile home. It is permanently affixed to the land for sales tax purposes if the manufactured or mobile home sits on a foundation and is connected to utilities. "On a foundation" means it is off the wheels and sitting on some other support.

(3) SALES OF MANUFACTURED AND MOBILE HOMES WHICH ARE REALTY IMPROVEMENTS.

(a) The sale of a manufactured or mobile home and the land to which it is permanently affixed is the sale of a realty improvement not subject to the tax. The sale of a manufactured or mobile home which is a realty improvement on the land of the seller, and which is acquired by the purchaser for removal from the seller's land for permanent attachment to the purchaser's land, is the sale of realty.

(b) If the seller of a manufactured or mobile home as part of the sales transaction agrees to permanently affix the home on a foundation on land owned by the purchaser, the seller is a contractor-consumer engaged in improving realty. Except as provided in par. (c), sales of manufactured or mobile homes to the contractor-consumer are subject to the tax, but the sales price from the subsequent sale by the contractor-consumer to the purchaser of the home are not taxable.

(c) Sales of manufactured homes to the contractor-consumer for use in real property construction activities outside Wisconsin are exempt from Wisconsin sales and use tax.

(4) SALES AND RENTALS OF MANUFACTURED AND MOBILE HOMES WHICH ARE PERSONAL PROPERTY.

(a) Under s. 77.54(31), Stats., the total sales price from the sale of a used mobile home or a used manufactured home is exempt from the sales and use tax.

(b) Under s. 77.51(15b) (b) 7. and (12m) (b)7, Stats., 35% of the total sales price from the sale of a new manufactured home is exempt from the tax. No credit is allowed for trade-in allowances on the purchase of these new manufactured homes.

(c) Under s. 77.54(36), Stats., the rental of a mobile home or a manufactured home used for residence for a continuous period of one month or more is exempt from the sales and use tax, whether the manufactured or mobile home is classified as real or personal property.

(d) Under s. 77.54(7), Stats., recreational vehicles, as defined in s. 340.01(48r), Stats., registered or titled or required to be registered or titled in this state that are transferred to the child, spouse, parent, father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, or daughter-in-law of the transferor are exempt occasional sales if the recreational vehicle, as defined in s. 340.01(48r), Stats., has been previously registered or titled in Wisconsin in the name of the transferor and the transferor is not engaged in the business of selling recreational vehicles, as defined in s. 340.01(48r), Stats.

(e) Under s. 77.53(18), Stats., the use tax does not apply to a manufactured home or mobile home purchased by a nonresident outside Wisconsin 90 days or more before bringing the manufactured or mobile home into Wisconsin in connection with a change of domicile to Wisconsin.

(4m) MODULAR HOMES.

(a) The sale of a modular home and the land to which it is permanently affixed is the sale of a realty improvement not subject to the tax.

(b) If the seller of a modular home as part of the sales transaction agrees to permanently affix the home on a foundation, the seller is a contractor-consumer engaged in improving realty. Except as provided in par. (e), the sale of the modular home to the contractor-consumer is subject to the tax, but the sales price from the subsequent sale by the contractor-consumer to the purchaser of the home is not taxable.

(c) The sales or purchase price from the sale of a modular home that is tangible personal property when sold (i.e., the sale to the contractor-consumer), may be reduced by one of the following:

1. 35% of the sales or purchase price.

2. An amount equal to the sales or purchase price of the home minus the cost of materials that become an ingredient or component part of the home.

(d) Once the retailer chooses one of the options provided in par. (c) 1. or 2., the retailer may not use the other option without the written approval of the department.

(e) Sales of modular homes to the contractor-consumer for use in real property construction activities outside Wisconsin are exempt from Wisconsin sales and use tax.

(5) PAYMENT OF TAX.

(a) No recreational vehicle may be registered in Wisconsin unless the registrant presents proof that the sales or use tax has been paid or that the registrant's acquisition of the recreational vehicle was exempt from the tax. If the recreational vehicle registrant does not present proof that the tax has been paid, the registrant shall pay the tax at the time the recreational vehicle is registered with the department of transportation even though the recreational vehicle may also be used out-of-state.

(b) If a recreational vehicle purchased outside Wisconsin is subject to the Wisconsin use tax, a credit is permitted against the Wisconsin use tax for any sales or use tax paid to the state in which the recreational vehicle was purchased.

(6) CONSIGNMENT SALES. When a recreational vehicle dealer displays and sells a recreational vehicle on behalf of another person, the dealer is a marketplace provider and responsible for collecting and remitting tax on the transaction if the dealer directly or indirectly, through agreements or arrangements with third parties, processes the payment from the purchaser for the retail sale, regardless of whether the dealer receives compensation or other consideration in exchange for the services provided by the dealer.

Note: For information regarding marketplace providers and sellers, see s. Tax 11.555.

Note: Section Tax 11.88 interprets ss. 77.51(2), (7i), (7j), (11d), (12m) (b) 7., (13), (14) (n) 7., and (15b) (b) 7., (17) (g), 77.52(2) (a) 1, 77.523, 77.53(17) and (18), 77.54(7), (31), and (36), 77.61(1) (a) and (c), 101.91(2), (10), (11), and (12), 218.10(1g), (7), and (9), and 340.01(29) and (48r), Stats.

Wis. Admin. Code Department of Revenue Tax 11.88

Cr. Register, December, 1980, No. 300, eff. 1-1-81; r. and recr. (3) and (6), Register, July, 1987, No. 379, eff. 8-1-87; am. (2) (b), (3) (d), (4) (b) and (5), cr. (3) (e), Register, June, 1991, No. 426, eff. 7-1-91; am. (3) (b) and (d), Register, April, 1993, No. 448, eff. 5-1-93; corrections in (3) (c) and (6) (a) made under s. 13.93(2m) (b) 7, Stats., Register July 2002 No. 559; EmR0924: emerg. r. and recr. eff. 10-1-09; CR 09-090: r. and recr. Register May 2010 No. 653, eff. 6-1-10; CR 12-014: am. (title), cr. (1) (bm), am. (3) (b), cr. (3) (c), (4m) Register August 2012 No. 680, eff. 9-1-12.

Amended by, CR 20-027: am. (6) Register July 2021 No. 787, eff. 8/1/2021

Amended by, CR 22-017: r. and recr. (6) Register June 2023 No. 810, eff. 7/1/2023

The interpretations in s. Tax 11.88 are effective under the general sales and use tax law on and after September 1, 1969, except: (a) Nonretailer sales of mobile homes became taxable effective August 1, 1977, pursuant to Chapter 29, Laws of 1977; (b) Nonretailer sales of mobile homes exceeding 45 feet in length became exempt effective July 1, 1978, pursuant to Chapter 418, Laws of 1977; (c) Rental of a mobile home that is personal property for lodging for a continuous period of one month or more became exempt effective July 1, 1984, pursuant to 1983 Wis. Act 341, clarified effective April 1, 1986, pursuant to 1985 Wis. Act 149; (d) Gross receipts from a used mobile home became exempt effective January 1, 1987, pursuant to 1985 Wis. Act 29; (e) Thirtyfive percent of the gross receipts from the sale of new mobile homes became exempt January 1, 1987, pursuant to 1985 Wis. Act 29; (f) The exemption from use tax of mobile homes purchased 90 or more days before moving to Wisconsin became effective August 1, 1987, pursuant to 1987 Wis. Act 27; (g) The exemption for transfers to in-laws became effective August 15, 1991, pursuant to 1991 Wis. Act 39; (h) The exemption for certain new mobile homes transported in two unattached sections became effective October 1, 1991, pursuant to 1991 Wis. Act 39; (i) The changes in terminology related to "mobile homes," "manufactured homes," and "recreational vehicles," became effective January 1, 2008, pursuant to 2007 Wis. Act 11; (j) The change of the term "gross receipts" to "sales price" became effective October 1, 2009, pursuant to 2009 Wis. Act 2; and (k) 2019 Wis. Act 10 relating to marketplace providers became effective January 1, 2020.