HUD wind zones for manufactured homes
HUD sorts every county into Wind Zone I, II or III (24 CFR 3280.305). Zone II homes are built for 100 mph and Zone III for 110 mph, and a home may not be installed in a zone above the one on its data plate.
The three wind zones
Wind Zone I homes are built for horizontal wind loads of at least 15 pounds per square foot and a net roof uplift of at least 9 pounds per square foot.
Zone II homes are engineered for a 100 mph design wind speed and Zone III homes for 110 mph, under ANSI/ASCE 7-88 Exposure C, by a professional engineer or architect.
Zone I is every area not listed for Zone II or Zone III.
All of Hawaii, coastal Alaska and the U.S. territories are Zone III.
In Zones II and III, roof framing must be tied down to walls and floors, with straps or engineered connectors at most 24 inches apart in Zone II and 16 inches in Zone III.
Source: 24 CFR 3280.305 (Cornell LII)
Counties in Zones II and III
The Basic Wind Zone Map and the county lists sit in paragraph (c)(2) of 24 CFR 3280.305. The table gives the rule's own lists; any county not named is Zone I.
In Texas, Zone II covers Aransas, Brazoria, Calhoun, Cameron, Chambers, Galveston, Jefferson, Kenedy, Kleberg, Matagorda, Nueces, Orange, Refugio, San Patricio and Willacy counties.
Zone II also lists counties in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia, and every Florida county not in Zone III.
Zone III counties are 14 in Florida, 8 Louisiana parishes and 3 North Carolina counties.
No county in Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma or Tennessee is listed in Zone II or III, so all of them are Zone I under the rule.
| Zone | Design wind | Where, as listed in the rule |
|---|---|---|
| Zone I | 15 psf horizontal, 9 psf uplift | Every area not listed for Zone II or III, including all of Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Tennessee |
| Zone II | 100 mph | Texas: Aransas, Brazoria, Calhoun, Cameron, Chambers, Galveston, Jefferson, Kenedy, Kleberg, Matagorda, Nueces, Orange, Refugio, San Patricio, Willacy. Also listed counties in AL, GA, LA, ME, MA, MS, NC, SC and VA, and every Florida county not in Zone III |
| Zone III | 110 mph | Florida: Broward, Charlotte, Collier, Dade, Franklin, Gulf, Hendry, Lee, Martin, Manatee, Monroe, Palm Beach, Pinellas, Sarasota. Louisiana: Jefferson, La Fourche, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Mary, Terrabonne. North Carolina: Carteret, Dare, Hyde. All of Hawaii, coastal Alaska and the U.S. territories |
Sources: 24 CFR 3280.305 (Cornell LII); 24 CFR 3280.305 (eCFR)
Why it matters for a move
HUD's installation standards forbid installing a home in a wind zone stronger than the one it was designed for, as shown on its data plate and the county lists.
Before installing a new home, the installer must verify the home's design zones suit the site.
TDHCA says a home built on or after September 1, 1997 must meet Zone II standards to be installed in a Zone II county. Zone I homes may not go there; older homes and Zone II homes may go anywhere in Texas.
Anchoring and foundation systems must meet the loads shown on the home's data plate.
Sources: 24 CFR 3285.103; TDHCA, Statement of Ownership FAQ; 24 CFR 3285.401
Where to find your home's zone
The data plate inside the home has maps of the United States showing the wind zone, snow load and roof load it was built for.
The data plate's wind map must state that the home is not designed for ocean or coastal areas within 1,500 feet of the coastline in Zones II and III unless designed for Exposure D.
Roof load zones
Roofs are built for 40 pounds per square foot in the North zone, 30 in the Middle zone and 20 in the South zone.
Counties not listed for the North or Middle zones are in the South roof load zone. None of our five states is on those lists.
A home must not be placed in a roof load zone above its design either.
Sources: 24 CFR 3280.305 (Cornell LII); 24 CFR 3285.103
Sources and dates
- 24 CFR 3280.305 (Cornell LII), read October 6, 2026https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/24/3280.305
- 24 CFR 3285.103, read October 6, 2026https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/24/3285.103
- TDHCA, Statement of Ownership FAQ, read October 6, 2026https://www.tdhca.texas.gov/frequently-asked-questions-statement-ownership
- 24 CFR 3285.401, read October 6, 2026https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/24/3285.401
- HUD, Manufactured Housing HUD Labels (Tags), read October 6, 2026https://www.hud.gov/hud-partners/manufactured-home-labels
Common questions
What wind zone is my county in?
Zone I is every area not listed for Zone II or Zone III.
Can I move a Wind Zone I home to a Wind Zone II county?
HUD's installation standards forbid installing a home in a wind zone stronger than the one it was designed for, as shown on its data plate and the county lists.
Which Texas counties are Wind Zone II?
In Texas, Zone II covers Aransas, Brazoria, Calhoun, Cameron, Chambers, Galveston, Jefferson, Kenedy, Kleberg, Matagorda, Nueces, Orange, Refugio, San Patricio and Willacy counties.