Ala. Admin. Code r. 535-X-13 § 535-X-13-.05
Soil Classification
Operative Text
The Commission hereby adopts the following soil classifications for the purpose of determining design loads, specifications and holding power of anchors and tiedown devices. SOIL CLASS TYPES OF SOILS BLOW COUNT (ASTM) TEST PROBE (1) TORQUE VALUE (2) I Sound hard rock Very dense and/or cemented........ NA NA II Sands, coarse gravel and cobbles, preloaded silts, clays, and corals.......... 40-up More than 550 lbs.-in. III Medium-dense coarse, sands, sandy gravels, very stiff silts and clays....... 24-39 350-549 lbs.-in. IV Loose to medium dense sands, firm to stiff clays and silts, alluvian fill... (3) 14-23 (3) 200-349 lbs.-in. V Peat, organic silt, inundate silts, loose fine sand, alluvium, loess, varied clays, fill, fly ash............. 0-14 0-200 lbs.-in. (1) The test probe is a device for measuring the torque of soils to assist in evaluating the holding capability of the soils in which the anchor is placed. The test probe has a helix on it. The overall length of the helical section is 10.75 in.; the major diameter is 1.25 in.; the minor diameter is 0.81 in.; the pitch is 1.75 in. The shaft must be of suitable length for anchor depth. (2) A measure synonymous with moment of a force when distributed around the shaft of the test probe. (3) Below these values a registered professional engineer should be consulted. (4) A C4 or C5 anchors that has been approved by the Commission must be used unless the soil is tested with a soil test probe or another Commission approved method.
Alabama Administrative Code r. 535-X-13 § 535-X-13-.05 establishes a five-tier soil classification system that the Alabama Real Estate Commission uses to determine how manufactured homes must be anchored and tied down. Each class—ranging from Class I (sound hard rock) to Class V (loose or organic soils)—is defined by measurable criteria including blow count, test probe torque values, and soil composition. The classification a site falls into directly governs the design loads and specifications required for anchors and tiedown devices used at that location.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Ala. Admin. Code r. 535-X-13 § 535-X-13-.05, operators installing manufactured homes generally ensure that the soil at each installation site is evaluated and assigned the correct class before anchor and tiedown systems are specified. For sites with blow counts or torque values falling below the Class IV thresholds noted in the provision, compliant operators typically engage a registered professional engineer to assess the soil conditions. When Class IV or V soils are present, operators also confirm that any anchors used are Commission-approved C4 or C5 models, or that an alternative Commission-approved testing method has been applied.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Ala. Admin. Code r. 535-X-13 § 535-X-13-.05 means that the ground beneath a manufactured home must be properly classified before the home's anchoring system is designed, which directly affects the structural safety of the home. If a tenant has concerns that a home was installed without proper soil evaluation or with anchors unsuited to the site's soil class, they may contact the Alabama Real Estate Commission to inquire about compliance. Tenant-rights organizations and legal aid services can also help residents understand what documentation they are entitled to request regarding the anchoring specifications used at their site.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 16, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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